Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/76

58 58 HISTORY OF GREECE. proclaiming by heralds the commencement of the Olympic truce during wl.rh all violation of the Eleian territory by an armec force was a sin against the majesty of Zeus. On the present occasion they affirmed that the Lacedaemonians had sent the one thousand hoplites into Lepreum, and had captured a fort called Phyrkus, both Eleian possessions, after the proclamation of the truce. They accordingly imposed upon Sparta the fine prescribed by the " Olympian law," of two minse for each man, two thousand minae in all ; a part to Zeus Olympius, a part to the Eleians themselves. During the interval between the proclamation of the truce and the commencement of the festival, the Lacedaemo- nians sent to remonstrate against this fine, which they alleged to have been unjustly imposed, inasmuch as the heralds had not yet proclaimed the truce at Sparta when the hoplites reached Le- preum. The Eleians replied that the truce had already at that time been proclaimed among themselves (for they always pro- claimed it first at home, before their heralds crossed the borders), so that they were interdicted from all military operations ; of which the Lacedaemonian hoplites had taken advantag" to com- mit their last aggressions. To which the Lacedeemonians re- joined, that the behavior of the Eleians themselves contradicted their own allegation, for they had sent the Eleian heralds to Sparta to proclaim the truce after they knew of the sending of the hoplites, thus showing that they did not consider the truce to have been already violated. The Lacedaemonians added, that after the herald reached Sparta, they had taken no farther mil- itary measures. How the truth stood in this disputed question, A-e have no means of deciding. But the Eleians rejected the explanation, though offering, if the Lacedaemonians would restore to them Lepreum, to forego such part of the fine as would accrue to themselves, and to pay out of their own treasury on behalf of the Lacedaemonians the portion which belonged to the god. This new proposition being alike refused, was again modified by the Eleians. They intimated that they would be satisfied if the Lacedaemonians, instead of paying the fine at once, would pub- licly on the altar at Olympia, in presence of the assembled Greeks, take an oath to pay it at a future date. But the Lace dsemonians would not listen to the proposition either of payment or of promise. Accordingly the Eleians, as judges ander thr