vessels, caught sight of the Athenians and paused. "You are the very
person whom I most desired to see. Aristides too!--we are fortunate."

The speaker was a young man of slighter make and lower stature
than the Athenians, but well shaped, and with features the partial
effeminacy of which was elevated by an expression of great vivacity
and intelligence. The steed trained for Elis never bore in its
proportions the evidence of blood and rare breeding more visibly than
the dark brilliant eye of this young man, his broad low transparent
brow, expanded nostril and sensitive lip, revealed the passionate
and somewhat arrogant character of the vivacious Greek of the Aegean
Isles.

"Antagoras," replied Cimon, laying his hand with frank and somewhat
blunt cordiality on the Greek's shoulder, "like the grape of your own
Chios, you cannot fail to be welcome at all times. But why would you
seek us now ?"

"Because I will no longer endure the insolence of this rude Spartan.
Will you believe it, Cimon--will you believe it, Aristides? Pausanias
has actually dared to sentence to blows, to stripes, one of my own
men--a free Chian--nay, a Decadarchus.[10] I have but this instant
heard it. And the offence--Gods! the _offence!_--was that he ventured
to contest with a Laconian, an underling in the Spartan army, which
one of the two had the fair right to a wine cask! Shall this be borne,
Cimon?"

"Stripes to a Greek!" said Cimon. and the colour mounted to his brow.
"Thinks Pausanias that the Ionian race are already his Helots?"