Histories

Herodotus

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

The Argives heard of this and came to the coast to do battle with him. When they had come near +Tiryns [22.8167,37.6] (Perseus) Tiryns and were at the place called Hesipeia, they encamped opposite the Lacedaemonians, leaving only a little space between the armies. There the Argives had no fear of fair fighting, but rather of being captured by a trick.

This was the affair referred to by that oracle which the Pythian priestess gave to the Argives and Milesians in common, which ran thus:

  1. When the female defeats the male[*](This would be fulfilled by a victory of the female *spa/rth over the male *)argos.)
  2. And drives him away, winning glory in Argos [22.7333,37.6417] (Perseus) Argos,
  3. She will make many Argive women tear their cheeks.
  4. As someday one of men to come will say:
  5. The dread thrice-coiled serpent died tamed by the spear.