causes of complaint. Firstly, then, I demand release and compensation
to seven Athenians, free-born and citizens, whom your orders have
condemned to the unworthy punishment of standing all day in the open
sun with the weight of iron anchors on their shoulders."

"The mutinous knaves!" exclaimed the Spartan. "They introduced into
the camp the insolence of their own agora, and were publicly heard in
the streets inveighing against myself as a favourer of the Persians."

"It was easy to confute the charge; it was tyrannical to punish words
in men whose deeds had raised you to the command of Greece."

"_Their_ deeds! Ye Gods, give me patience! By the help of Juno the
protectress it was this brain and this arm that--But I will not
justify myself by imitating the Athenian fashion of wordy boasting.
Pass on to your next complaint."

"You have placed slaves--yes, Helots--around the springs, to drive
away with scourges the soldiers that come for water."

"Not so, but merely to prevent others from filling their vases until
the Spartans are supplied."

"And by what right--?" began Cimon, but Aristides checked him with a
gesture, and proceeded.

"That precedence is not warranted by custom, nor by the terms of
our alliance; and the springs, O Pausanias, are bounteous enough to
provide for all. I proceed. You have formally sentenced citizens and
soldiers to the scourge. Nay, this very day you have extended the