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Updated: May 25, 2025
Democrates reddened. He was glad the room was dark. “I am not here to quarrel about the pentathlon,” he said emphatically. “Oh, very well. Leave your dear sparrow to my gentle hands.” The Spartan’s huge paws closed significantly: “Here’s the wine. Sit and drink. And you, Hiram, get to your corner.” The Oriental silently squatted in the gloom, the gleam of his beady eyes just visible.
The Athenian answered, it seemed, despite himself:— “If it is not to betray Hellas.” “It is not.” “Then I promise.” “Swear it then by your native Athena.” And Democrates—perhaps the wine was strong—lifted his right hand and swore by Athena Polias of Athens he would betray no secret. Lycon arose with what was part bellow, part laugh.
“But soon returns to his tents,” added Democrates, instantly; “and Simonides—is Simonides. If Themistocles and Leonidas can see Glaucon, so must the first poet of Hellas.” “O dearest orator,” cried the little man, with an arm around his neck, “I begin to love you already. Away this moment, that I may worship your new divinity.”
“Like Aphrodite rising from the sea foam.” The answer came from Democrates, who seemed to look away, avoiding the poet’s keen glance. “And yet her father gave her to the son of his bitter enemy?” “Hermippus of Eleusis is sensible. It is a fine thing to have the handsomest man in Hellas for son-in-law.”
If he comes hither again, do you and the other slaves beat him till there is not a whole spot left on his body.” Hiram’s genuflexion was worthy of Xerxes’s court. “My Lord, as always,” was his parting compliment, “has shown himself exceeding wise.” Thus the Oriental went. In what a mood Democrates passed the remaining day needs only scant wits to guess.
Why, he said, Socrates, the reason is that I am not of age. I doubt whether that is the real reason, I said; for I should imagine that your father Democrates, and your mother, do permit you to do many things already, and do not wait until you are of age: for example, if they want anything read or written, you, I presume, would be the first person in the house who is summoned by them. Very true.
Instantly there appeared two soldiers, between them two men, one of slight, one of gigantic, stature, but both in Grecian dress. Artabazus sprang to his feet. “Who are these men—Thebans?” “From greater cities than Thebes. You see two new servants of the king, therefore friends of us all. Behold Lycon of Sparta and Democrates, friend of Themistocles.”
The Bozra, it has been said, headed not south but eastward. Hasdrubal’s commission was to fetch Samos, where the still formidable fleet of the Barbarian lay, and to put the precious packet from Democrates in the hands of Tigranes, Xerxes’s commander-in-chief on the coast of Asia Minor. But although speed had been enjoined, the voyage did not go prosperously.
My uncle Nicander is at present head of the board of ephors, and gladly takes my advice.” “Ha!” Democrates began to divine the drift. “It seemed best to me after the affair at Salamis to give the lie to my calumniators, who hinted that I desired to ‘Medize,’ and that it was by my intriguing that the late king took so small a force to Thermopylæ.”
Democrates knew his man and had no difficulty in finding his price. They remained talking together till it was dark, yet in so guarded a tone that Bias, though he listened closely, was unable to make out anything. When Agis went away, he carried two letters.
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