Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/77

59 DISPUTE OF ELIS WITH SPARTA. 59 Olympic law, interdicted them from the temple of Olympic Zeus, from the privilege of sacrificing there, and from attendance and competition at the games ; that is, from attendance in the form of the sacred legation called theory, occupying a formal and recognized place at the solemnity. 1 As all the other Grecian states with the single exception of Lepreum were present by their theories 2 as well as by individ- ual spectators, so the Spartan theory " shone by its absence " in a manner painfully and insultingly conspicuous. So extreme, indeed, was the affront put upon the Lacedaemonians, connected as they were with Olympia by a tie ancient, peculiar, and never yet broker. ; so pointed the evidence of that comparative degra- dation into which they had fallen, through the peace with Athens coming at trie back of the Sphakterian disaster, 3 that they were supposed Lkely to set the exclusion at defiance ; and to escort their theors into the temple at Olympia for sacrifice, under the protection of an armed force. The Eleians even thought it necessary to put their younger hoplites und^r arms, and to sum- mon to their aid one thousand hoplites from Mantineia as well as the same number from Argos, for the purpose of repelling this probable attack : while a detachment of Athenian cavalry were stationed at Argos during the festival, to lend assistance in case of need. The alarm prevalent among the spectators of the fes- tival was most serious, and became considerably aggravated by an incident which occurred after the chariot racing. Lichas, 4 a Lacedtcmonian of great wealth and consequence, had a chariot running in the lists, which he was obliged to enter, not in his own name, tut in the name of the Boeotian federation. The sentence of exclusion hindered him from taking any ostensible part, but it did not hinder him from being present as a spectator ; and when he saw his chariot proclaimed victorious under the title of Boeo- tian, his impatience to make himself known became uucontrol- 1 Thucyd. v, 49, 50. 2 Thucyd. v. 50. AaKESai/iovioi pev elpyovTO ~oi> iepov, -&uaiaf KO.I ayuvu>v tai OIKOI e$vov O'L 6e a/U,oi "E/l/l^vef i&eiJpovv, TT^T/V Aefrpearuv. 3 Thucyd. v, 23. Kara yap TOV xpovov TOVTOV fy re AaKEdaifj.uv /id/Uoru 3rj A'GKuf f/KO-tae, nai VTrepuipdTj 6iu rdf gvpifropaf, ol re 'Apyctcu apicra ecr^-ot 'olc TTUCI, etc. 4 See a previous note, p. 53.