Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/191

 CONGRESS OF IfXOPOXNESIAN ALLIES. 173 tility which they now began without provocation against Athens, repressed by Sparta at the critical moment of the battle of Marathon, then again breaking out, and hushed for a while by the common dangers of the Persian invasion under Xerxes, was appeased only with the conquest of the island about twenty years after that event, and with the expulsion and destruction of its inhabitants some years later. There had been indeed, accord- ing to Herodotus, 1 a feud of great antiquity between Athens and yEgina, of which he gives the account in a singular narrative, blending together religion, politics, exposition of ancient customs, etc. ; but at the time when the Thebans solicited aid from .yEgina, the latter was at peace with Athens. The ^Eginetans employed their fleet, powerful for that day, in ravaging Phalerum and the maritime demes of Attica ; nor had the Athenians as yet any fleet to resist them. 2 It is probable that the desired effect was produced, of diverting a portion of the Athenian force from the war against Bceotia, and thus partially relieving Thebes. But the war of Athens against both of them continued for a con- siderable time, though we have no information respecting its details. Meanwhile the attention of Athens Avas called off from these combined enemies by a more menacing cloud, which threatened to burst upon her from the side of Sparta. Kleomenes and his countrymen, full of resentment at the late inglorious desertion of Eleusis, were yet more incensed by the discovery, which appears to have been then recently made, that the injunctions of the Delphian priestess for the expulsion of Hippias from Athens had been fraudulently procured. 3 Moreover, Kleomenes, when shut up in the acropolis of Athens with Isagoras, had found there various prophecies previously treasured up by the Peisistratids, many of which foreshadowed events highly disastrous to Sparta. And while the recent brilliant manifestations of courage, and repeated victories, on the part of Athens, seemed to indicate that such prophecies might perhaps be realized, Sparta had to reproach herself, that, from the foolish and mischievous conduct 1 Herodot. v, 83-88. 2 Herodot. v, 81-89. //eya/lwf 'A$7?raioi>f t 3 Herodot. v, 90.