Histories

Herodotus

Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).

Then those of the envoys who were Spartans replied to the demands of the council, saying that they would refer the question of the truce to their own government at home; as for the command, however, they themselves had been commissioned to say that the Spartans had two kings, and the Argives but one. Now it was impossible to deprive either Spartan of his command, but there was nothing to prevent the Argive from having the same right of voting as their two had.

At that, say the Argives, they decided that the Spartans' covetousness was past all bearing and that it was better to be ruled by the foreigners than give way to the Lacedaemonians. They then bade the envoys depart from the land of Argos [22.7333,37.6417] (Perseus) Argos before sunset, for they would otherwise be treated as enemies.

Such is the Argives' account of this matter, but there is another story told in Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas, namely that before Xerxes set forth on his march against Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas, he sent a herald to Argos [22.7333,37.6417] (Perseus) Argos, who said on his coming (so the story goes),