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.

He had namely first laid up for himself with the King a store of gratitude in the following circumstances, and thus had begun the whole affair.

When he was in that quarter before, after the return of the Hellenic fleet from Cyprus,[*](cf. Thuc. 1.94.2.) he had taken Byzantium, then in the possession of the Persians, and certain connections and kinsmen of the King were captured in the place when the city fell. These prisoners he sent back to the King without the knowledge of the allies in general, whom he gave to understand that they had escaped from him.

And he was carrying on this intrigue in concert with Gongylus the Eretrian, the very man whom he had placed in charge of Byzantium and the captives. And he also sent a letter by Gongylus to the King, in which the following was written, as was afterwards discovered:

"Pausanias, the Spartan commander, wishing to do you a favour, sends you back these men whom he took with the spear. And I make the proposal, if it seems good to you also, to marry your daughter and to make Sparta and the rest of Hellas subject to you. And I am able, I think, to accomplish these things with the help of your counsel. If any of these things pleases you, send a trusty man to the sea, and through him we shall in future confer." So much the letter disclosed.