Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/136

 114 HISTORY OF GREECE. Greeks to leave them unmolested, on condition of a contribution cf bullocks. These bullocks enabled the Greeks to discharge the vow which they had made, on the proposition of Xenophon, to Zeus the Preserver, during that moment of dismay and despair which succeeded immediately on the massacre of their generals by Tis- saphernes. To Zeus the Preserver, to Herakles the Conductor, and to various other gods, they offered an abundant sacrifice on their mountain camp overhanging the sea ; and after the festival ensuing, the skins of the victims were given as prizes to com- petitors in running, wrestling, boxing, and the pankration. The superintendence of such festival games, so fully accordant with Grecian usage and highly interesting to the army, was committed to a Spartan named Drakontius ; a man whose destiny recalls that of Patroklus and other Homeric heroes, for he had been exiled as a boy, having unintentionally killed another boy with a short sword. Various departures from Grecian custom, however, were admitted. The matches took place on the steep and stony hill-side overhanging the sea, instead of on a smooth plain ; and the numerous hard falls of the competitors afforded increased in- terest to the by-standers. The captive non-Hellenic boys were admitted to run for the prize, since otherwise a boy-race could not have been obtained. Lastly, the animation of the scene, as well as the ardor of the competitors, was much enhanced by the num- ber of their mistresses present.' 1 Xen. Anab. iv, 8, 23-27. A curious and interesting anecdote in Plutarch's Life of Alexander, (c 41) attests how much these Hetserse accompanying the soldiers (women for the most part free), were esteemed in the Macedonian army, and by Alex ander himself among the rest. A Macedonian of JEgae named Eurylochus, had got himself improperly put on a list of veterans and invalids, who were on the point of being sent back from Asia to Europe. The imposition was detected, and on being questioned he informed Alexander that he had practised it in order to be able to follow a free Hetaera named Telesippa, who was about to accompany the departing division. " I sympathize with your attachment, Eurylochus (replied Alexander) ; let us see whether we cannot prevail upon Telesippa either by persuasion or by presents, since she is of free condition, to stay behind" ('H/zdf /J.EV, u Et'pi/lo^e, ovvzpuv- opa 6e STTOJ- irei'&ufj.'.v % Aoyotf rj 6upoif TTJV tan).