the Athenians; of which oracles they had not been aware of before, but
they had come to know them, since Cleomenes had brought them to
Sparta. In fact Cleomenes had obtained from the Acropolis of the
Athenians those oracles which the sons of Peisistratos possessed
before and had left in the temple when they were driven out; and
Cleomenes recovered them after they had been left behind. 91. At this
time, then, when the Lacedemonians had recovered the oracles and when
they saw that the Athenians were increasing in power and were not at
all willing to submit to them, observing that the Athenian race now
that it was free was becoming[74] a match for their own, whereas when
held down by despots it was weak and ready to be ruled,--perceiving, I
say, all these things, they sent for Hippias the son of Peisistratos
to come from Sigeion on the Hellespont, whither the family of
Peisistratos go for refuge;[75] and when Hippias had come upon the
summons, the Spartans sent also for envoys to come from their other
allies and spoke to them as follows: "Allies, we are conscious within
ourselves that we have not acted rightly; for incited by counterfeit
oracles we drove out into exile men who were very closely united with
us as guest-friends and who undertook the task of rendering Athens
submissive to us, and then after having done this we delivered over
the State to a thankless populace, which so soon as it had raised its
head, having been freed by our means drove out us and our king with
wanton outrage; and now exalted with pride[76] it is increasing in
power, so that the neighbours of these men first of all, that is the
Bœotians and Chalkidians, have already learnt, and perhaps some others
also will afterwards learn, that they committed an error.[76a] As
however we erred in doing those things of which we have spoken, we
will try now to take vengeance on them, going thither together with
you;[77] since it was for this very purpose that we sent for Hippias,
whom ye see here, and for you also, to come from your cities, in order