herodotus

are passing from the ranks of the "Horsemen," in each year five; andthese are bound during that year in which they pass out from the"Horsemen," to allow themselves to be sent without ceasing to variousplaces by the Spartan State. 68. Lichas then, being one of these,discovered it in Tegea by means both of fortune and ability. For asthere were at that time dealings under truce with the men of Tegea, hehad come to a forge there and was looking at iron being wrought; andhe was in wonder as he saw that which was being done. The smiththerefore, perceiving that he marvelled at it, ceased from his workand said: "Surely, thou stranger of Lacedemon, if thou hadst seen thatwhich I once saw, thou wouldst have marvelled much, since now it fallsout that thou dost marvel so greatly at the working of this iron; forI, desiring in this enclosure to make a well, lighted in my diggingupon a coffin of seven cubits in length; and not believing that everthere had been men larger than those of the present day, I opened it,and I saw that the dead body was equal in length to the coffin: thenafter I had measured it, I filled in the earth over it again." He thenthus told him of that which he had seen; and the other, having thoughtupon that which was told, conjectured that this was Orestes accordingto the saying of the Oracle, forming his conjecture in the followingmanner:--whereas he saw that the smith had two pairs of bellows, heconcluded that these were the winds spoken of, and that the anvil andthe hammer were the stroke and the stroke in return, and that the ironwhich was being wrought was the trouble laid upon trouble, makingcomparison by the thought that iron has been discovered for the evilof mankind. Having thus conjectured he came back to Sparta anddeclared the whole matter to the Lacedemonians; and they brought acharge against him on a fictitious pretext and drove him out intoexile.[83] So having come to Tegea, he told the smith of his evilfortune and endeavoured to hire from him the enclosure, but at firsthe would not allow him to have it: at length however Lichas persuadedhim and he took up his abode there; and he dug up the grave andgathered together the bones and went with them away to Sparta. Fromthat time, whenever they made trial of one another, the Lacedemonianshad much the advantage in the war; and by now they had subdued tothemselves the greater part of Peloponnesus besides.69. Crœsus accordingly being informed of all these things was sendingmessengers to Sparta with gifts in their hands to ask for an alliance,having commanded them what they ought to say: and they when they camesaid: "Crœsus king of the Lydians and also of other nations sent ushither and saith as follows: O Lacedemonians, whereas the god by anoracle bade me join with myself the Hellene as a friend, therefore,since I am informed that ye are the chiefs of Hellas, I invite youaccording to the oracle, desiring to be your friend and your allyapart from all guile and deceit." Thus did Crœsus announce to the