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 244 HISTORY OF GREECE. to offer a friendly remonstrance against the project of re-fortii'y- ing the city, they could not openly and peremptorily forbid the exercise of a right common to every autonomous community, — nor did they even venture, at a moment when the events of the past months were fresh in every one's remembrance, to divulge their real jealousies as to the future. They aflFected to offer pru* dential reasons against the scheme, founded on the chance of a future Persian invasion ; in which case it would be a dangerous advantage for the invader to find any fortified city outside of P.eloponnesus to further his operations, as Thebes had recently seconded Mardonius. They proposed to the Athenians, therefore, not merely to desist from their own fortifications, but also to assist them in demolishing all fortifications of other cities beyond the limits of Peloponnesus, — promising shelter within the isth- mus, in case of need, to all exposed parties. A statesman like Themistokles was not likely to be imposed upon by this diplomacy : but he saw that the Spartans had the power of preventing the work if they chose, and that it could only be executed by the help of successful deceit. B}' his advice, the Athenians dismissed the Spartan envoys, saying that they would themselves send to Sparta and explain their views. Ac- cordingly, Themistokles himself was presently despatched thither, as one among three envoys instructed to enter into explantftions with the Spartan authorities ; but his two colleagues, Aristeidea and Abronichus, by previous concert, were tardy in arriving, — and he remained inactive at Sparta, making use of their absence as an excuse for not even demanding an audience, but affecting surprise that their coming was so long delayed. But while Aris- teides and Abronichus, the other two envoys, were thus studiously kept back, the whole population of Athens labored unremittingly at the walls. Men, women, and children, all tasked their strength to the utmost during this precious interval: neither private houses, nor sacred edifices, were spared to furnish materials ; and such was their ardor in the enterprise, that, before the three envoys were united at Sparta, the wall had already attained a height sufficient at least to attempt defence. Yet the interval (levuv Tov Te vavriKov ahriJv to TzA^do^, b Tzpiv ovx vm/px^, ""^^ V^ ^f ov iirjdiKdv no^.efiov T6?i/j.av yevofiivTiv.