206 TERPSICHORE.

selves, and the rest of the Greeks, who had assisted
Menelaus in avenging the rape of Helen.

XCV. Among their various encounters it hap[
that in a severe engagement, in which the Athenii
had the advantage, the poet Alcteus fled
field. The Athenians obtained his arms, anc
ed them at Sigeum, in the temple of Minerva,
cams recorded the event in a poem which he
Mitylene, explaining to a friend named Melani[
the particulars of his misfortune. Periander thtS^
of Cypselus at length re-united the contending na­
tions : he being chosen arbiter, determined
party should retain what they possessed. SI
devolved to the Athenians.

XCVI. Hippias, when he left Sparta, went
where he used every effort to render the At
odious to Artaphernes, and to prevail on him to
them subject to him and to Darius. As soon as
intrigues of Hippias were known at Athens, _
Athenians despatched emissaries to Sardis, entreating
the Persians to place no confidence in men whom
had driven into exile. Artaphernes informed
reply, that if they wished for peace, they must
Hippias. Rather than accede to these com""
Athenians chose to be considered as the
Persia.

XCVII. Whilst they were resolving on these mea­
sures, in consequence of the impression whii
been made to their prejudice in Persia, Aris
the Milesian, being driven by Cleomenes from
arrived at Athens, which city was then powe:
yond the rest of its neighbours. When Ari
appeared in the public assembly, he enumerati
he had done in Sparta, the riches which Asia pos­
sessed, and recommended a Persian war, in
they would be easily successful against a peopl
neither spear nor shield. In addition to this,
marked that Miletus was an Athenian colony,
that consequently it became the Athenians to exert
the great power they possessed, in favour of the Mi­
lesians. He proceeded to make use of the most earnest
entreaties and lavish promises, till they finally acced­