designs, he prevailed upon
his friends to supply him with money and troops, and send him upon an
expedition to recover his throne in Epirus. When he landed, many of
the people of the country were willing to accept him as their king,
because of their dislike to the ferocious and arbitrary rule of
Neoptolemus; but he, fearing that if he drove out his rival he would
apply to some of the kings,[38] made terms and friendship with him,
and agreed to share the kingdom. As time went on, however, many
encouraged him to attack Neoptolemus, and fomented suspicion between
them. Pyrrhus, however, was especially exasperated by the following
incidents. It was customary for the kings of Epirus to sacrifice to
Zeus Areios in Passaron, a place in the Molossian country, and to take
an oath to their subjects that they would govern according to the
laws, while the people on their part swore to be faithful to the
throne. These ceremonies were performed by both the kings, who, with
their friends, afterwards conversed together, giving and receiving
presents. Now Gelon, a trusty friend of Neoptolemus, after giving
Pyrrhus a friendly welcome, presented to him two yoke of oxen for the
plough. Myrtilus, the cupbearer, who was present, asked Pyrrhus for
these oxen, and as Pyrrhus did not give them to him but to some one
else, he did not conceal his annoyance, which was observed by Gelon.
He at once invited Myrtilus to dinner and proposed to him that he
should join the party of Neoptolemus and remove Pyrrhus by poison.
Myrtilus apparently acquiesced, and accepted the offer, but told the
whole intrigue to Pyrrhus, who bade him put Alexikrates, his chief
cupbearer, also in communication with Gelon, on the pretence that he
too wished to take part in the plot; for he wished as many persons
as possible to know of the attempt which was about to be made. Thus
Gelon was deceived, and in turn deceived Neoptolemus, who, imagining
his plot to be on the point of success, could not restrain his
delight, but let out the secret to his friends. On one occasion, when
in his cups, he talked freely about this matter to his sister Kadmeia,
not imagining that any one else heard him; for there was no one
present except Phaenarete, the wife of Samon the king's neatherd, and
she lay upon a couch with her face towards the wall, apparently
asleep. However she heard all that passed, unsuspected, and next day
went to Antigone, the wife of Pyrrhus, and told her all that she had