herodotus

persuaded Perialla the prophetess of the Oracle[53] to say that whichCleomenes desired to have said. Thus the Pythian prophetess, whenthose who were sent to consult the god asked her their question, gavedecision that Demaratos was not the son of Ariston. Afterwards howeverthese things became known, and both Cobon went into exile from Delphiand Perialla the prophetess of the Oracle was removed from her office.67. With regard to the deposing of Demaratos from the kingdom ithappened thus: but Demaratos became an exile from Sparta to the Medeson account of a reproach which here follows:--After he had beendeposed from the kingdom Demaratos was holding a public office towhich he had been elected. Now it was the time of the Gymnopaidiai;and as Demaratos was a spectator of them, Leotychides, who had nowbecome king himself instead of Demaratos, sent his attendant and askedDemaratos in mockery and insult what kind of a thing it was to be amagistrate after having been king; and he vexed at the question madeanswer and said that he himself had now had experience of both, butLeotychides had not; this question however, he said, would be thebeginning either of countless evil or countless good fortune for theLacedemonians. Having thus said, he veiled his head and went forth outof the theatre to his own house; and forthwith he made preparationsand sacrificed an ox to Zeus, and after having sacrificed he calledhis mother. 68. Then when his mother had come, he put into her handssome of the inner parts[54] of the victim, and besought her, saying asfollows: "Mother, I beseech thee, appealing to the other gods andabove all to this Zeus the guardian of the household,[55] to tell methe truth, who is really and truly my father. For Leotychides spoke inhis contention with me, saying that thou didst come to Ariston withchild by thy former husband; and others besides, reporting that whichis doubtless an idle tale,[56] say that thou didst go in to one of theservants, namely the keeper of the asses, and that I am his son. Itherefore entreat thee by the gods to tell me the truth; for if thouhast done any of these things which are reported, thou hast not donethem alone, but with many other women; and the report is commonlybelieved in Sparta that there was not in Ariston seed which shouldbeget children; for if so, then his former wives also would have bornechildren." 69. Thus he spoke, and she made answer as follows: "My son,since thou dost beseech me with entreaties to speak the truth, thewhole truth shall be told to thee. When Ariston had brought me intohis house, on the third night[57] there came to me an apparition inthe likeness of Ariston, and having lain with me it put upon me thegarlands which it had on; and the apparition straitway departed, andafter this Ariston came; and when he saw me with garlands, he askedwho it was who had given me them; and I said that he had given them,but he did not admit it; and I began to take oath of it, saying thathe did not well to deny it, for he had come (I said) a short time