History of the Peloponnesian War

The Athenians answered with the demand that the Lacedaemonians should drive out the curse of Taenarus. For the Lacedaemonians had on one occasion caused some suppliant Helots to leave their refuge in the temple of Poseidon at Taenarus, then had led them off and put them to death; and the Lacedaemonians believe that it was because of this sacrilege that the great earthquake[*](cf. Thuc. 1.101.2.) befell them at Sparta.

And the Athenians also bade them drive out the curse of Athena of the Brazen House.[*](So called from her temple or shrine in the citadel at Sparta. Pausanias says (3.17.2) both temple and statue were of bronze.)And this is the way it was incurred.

After Pausanias the Lacedaemonian had been recalled by the Spartans, on the first occasion,[*](477 B.C. cf. Thuc. 1.95.3.) from his command on the Hellespont, and on trial had been acquitted of wrong-doing, he was never again sent out in a public capacity, but privately and on his own account he took a trireme of Hermione without authority of the Lacedaemonians and came to the Hellespont, to take part, as he pretended, in the Persian war, but in reality to carry on an intrigue with the Great King—an enterprise to which he had set his hand in the first instance also, his aim being to become master of all Hellas.