Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/123

 SPHODRIAS ACQUITTED. 101 against him, and bring about his condemnation. Nothing saved Sphodrias except the peculiar intimacy between his son Kleon- ymus and Archidamus son of Agesilaus. The mournful impor- tunity of Archidamus induced Agesilaus, when this important cause was brought before the Senate of Sparta, to put aside his judicial conviction, and give his vote in the following manner : " To be sure, Sphodrias is guilty ; upon that there cannot be two opinions. Nevertheless, we cannot put to death a man like him. who, as boy, youth, and man, has stood unblemished in all Spartan honor. Sparta cannot part with soldiers like Sphodrias. 1 " The friends of Agesilaus, following this opinion and coinciding with those of Kleombrotus, ensured a favorable verdict. And it is remarkable, that Etymokles himself, who as envoy at Athens had announced as a certainty that Sphodrias would be put to death, as senator and friend of Agesilaus voted for his acquittal. 2 This remarkable incident (which comes to us from a witness not merely philo-Laconian, but also personally intimate with Agesilaus) shows how powerfully the course of justice at Sparta was overruled by private sympathy and interests, especially, those of the two kings. It especially illustrates what has been stated in a former chapter respecting the oppressions exercised by the Spartan harmosts and the dekadarchies, for which no redress was attainable at Sparta. Here was a case where not only the guilt of Sphodrias stood confessed, but in which also his acquittal was sure to be followed by a war with Athens. If, under such circumstances, the Athenian demand for redress was overruled by the favor of the two kings, what chance was there of any justice to the complaint of a dependent city, or an injured individual, 1 Xen. Hellen. v, 4, 32. ''E.Kelvof -ye ('Ay^fftAaof ) npbf Travraf baoi(, diei- fanTai, raiira Tieyei- M^ udiKelv fiev 2(j>o6piav advvarov elvai- 6. TOIOVTOV uvdpa cnroKTivvvvaf TTJV jap "Ziraprriv TOIOVTUV ieltr&ai arpa- TICJTUV, Xenophon explains at some length (v, 4, 25-33) and in a very interesting manner, both the relations between Kleonymus and Archidamus, and the appeal of Archidamus to his father. The statement has all the air of being derived from personal knowledge, and nothing but the fear of prolixity hin ders me from giving it in full. Compare Plutarch, Agesilaus, c. 25 ; Diodor. xv, 29. Xen. Hellen. v, 4, 22-32. IIBKARY WWERSCTY OF CALIFORNR