Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/282

 253 HISTORY OF GREECE the brass and iron into arms ; ' so that he was enabled to both his own soldiers disarmed in tli3 recent defeat, and a class of volunteers poorer than the ordinary self-armed mercenaries. Be- sides paying soldiers, he scattered everywhere presents or bribes to gain influential partisans in the cities favorable to his cause ; probably Athens and Sparta first of all. We are told that the Spartan king Archidamus, with his wife Dei'nicha, were among the recipients ; indeed the same corrupt participation was imputed, by the statement of the hostile-minded Messenians, 2 to the Spartan ephors and senate. Even among enemies, Onomarchus employed his gold with effect, contriving thus to gain or neutralize a portion of the Thessalians; among them the powerful despots of Pherse, whom we afterwards find allied to him. Thus was the great Del- phian treasure turned to account in every way ; and the unscru- pulous Phokian despot strengthened his hands yet farther, by seizing such of his fellow-countrymen as had been prominent in opposition to his views, putting them to death, and confiscating their property. 3 Through such combination of profuse allurement, corruption, and violence, the tide began to turn again in favor of the Phokians. Onomarchus found himself shortly at the head of a formidable army, which he marched forth from Delphi, and subdued succes- sively the Lokrians of Amphissa, the Epiknemidian Lokrians, and the neighboring territory of Doris. He carried his conquests even as far as the vicinity of Thermopylae ; capturing Thronium, one of the towns which commanded that important pass, and reducing its inhabitants to slavery. It is probable that he also took Kika-a and Alponus two other valuable positions near Thermopylae, which we know to have been in the power of the Phokians until 1 Diodor. xvi. 33. The numerous iron spits, dedicated by the courtezan Rhodopis at Delphi, may probably have been applied to this military pur- pose. Herodotus (ii. 135) saw them at Delphi ; in the time of Plutarch, the guide of the Temple only showed the place in which they had once stood (Plutarch, Do Pythise Oraculis, p. 400). 1 Theopompus, Frag. 255, ed. Didot; Pacsanias, iii. 10, 2 ; iv. 5, 1. As Archidamus is said to have furnished fifteen talents privately to Philomo lus (Diodor. xvi. 24), he may, perhaps, have received now repayment ouf of the temple property. 3 Diodor. xvi. 33.