131.
The news of his behaviour soon reached the Lacedaemonians; who had recalled him in the
first instance on this ground1.
And now, when he had sailed away in the ship of Hermione without leave2, and was evidently
carrying on the same practices; when he had3 been forced out of Byzantium and the gates had been shut against him by the
Athenians; and when, instead of returning to Sparta, he settled at Colonae in Troas, and
was reported to the Ephors to be negotiating with the Barbarians, and to be staying
there for no good purpose, then at last they made up their minds to act.
They sent a herald to him with a despatch rolled on a scytalè, commanding
him to follow the officer home, and saying that, if he refused, Sparta would declare war
against him.
[2]
He, being desirous as far as he could to avoid suspicion and believing that he could
dispose of the accusations by bribery, returned for the second time to Sparta.
On his return he was at once thrown into prison by the Ephors,
who have the power to
imprison the king himself.
But after a time he contrived to come out, and challenged any one who asserted his
guilt to bring him to trial.
1 Cp. 1.93 init.
3 He is recalled a second time by the Lacedaemonians and thrown into prison, but soon comes out and offers himself for trial.
Thucydides translated into English; with introduction, marginal analysis, notes, and indices. Volume 1. Thucydides. Benjamin Jowett. translator. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1881.
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