History of the Peloponnesian War

In this way were the treaty and alliances concluded; and yet that between the Lacedaemonians and Athenians was not renounced on this account by either party.

But though the Corinthians were allies of the Argives, they did not accede to the new treaty. Nay, before this time, when an alliance was formed between the Eleans, Argives, and Mantineans, to be at war and peace with the same states, they did not join the league, but said that they were content with the first alliance which had been made for purposes of defence, on condition of succouring one another, but not joining to attack any party.

The Corinthians, then, thus stood aloof from their allies, and turned their thoughts again towards the Lacedaemonians.

The Olympic festival was held this summer, that at which Androsthenes the Arcadian was victor the first time in the [*]( Consisting of wrestling and boxing.) pancratium. The Lacedaemonians were excluded from the temple by the Eleans, so that they could neither sacrifice nor enter the lists, as refusing to pay the fine to which the Eleans, by virtue of the Olympian law, had condemned them, alleging that they had attacked the fortress of Phyrcus, and sent a body of their heavy-armed into Lepreum during the Olympic truce. The fine imposed upon them was two thousand mine, being two for each heavy-armed soldier, as the law ordains. But the Lacedaemonians sent ambassadors, and pleaded that it had not been fairly imposed upon them;

declaring that the truce had not yet been proclaimed at Lacedaemon, when they sent their troops into Lepreum.

The Eleans, however, maintained that the cessation of arms in their country had already commenced, (for they proclaim it amongst themselves first,) and that while they were living in quiet, and not expecting any thing, as it was time of truce, the Lacedaemonians had committed an injury upon them by surprise.

The Lacedaemonians replied, that there was no need of the Eleans having still proclaimed the truce at Lacedaemon, if they had thought them already guilty of injustice; but they had done so, as not thinking it; and they themselves had no longer gone any where to attack them.

The Eleans. however, adhered to the same statement, namely, that they could never be persuaded that they were not guilty; but that if they would restore Lepreum to them, they were ready to give up their own share of the money, and would themselves pay for them that which fell to the god.

When they did not comply, they required them again to do as follows: not to give back Lepreum, if they objected to it, but to mount on the altar of the Olympian Jupiter—since they were so anxious to have access to the temple—and swear before the Greeks that assuredly they would discharge the fine at a future period.

But when they would not do this either, the Lacedaemonians were excluded from the temple—from the sacrifice and from the games—and made their offerings at home;

while the rest of the Greeks, except the Lepreans, sent their deputations to the festival. However, the Eleans were afraid of their sacrificing by force, and kept guard with a heavy-armed company of their young men; while there also came to them a body of Argives and Mantineans, each a thousand strong, and some Athenian cavalry, that were at Argos, waiting for the festival.

And a great alarm was produced in the assembly lest the Lacedaemonians should come in arms; especially after Lichas son of Arcesilaus, a Lacedaemonian, was scourged on the course by the [*]( Or, by the empires, as Bredow, Haack, and others think.) lictors, because, on his horses being the winners, and the Boeotian people being proclaimed victor, on account of his having no right to enter the lists, he came forward on to the course, and crowned the charioteer, from a wish to show that the chariot was his. All therefore were now much more afraid, and thought there would be some disturbance.