Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.126

[1] In the meantime they sent ambassadors to the Athenians with certain criminations to the end that if they would give ear to nothing, they might have all the pretext that could be for raising of the war.

[2] And first the Lacedaemonians, by their ambassadors to the Athenians, required them to banish such as were under curse of the goddess Minerva for pollution of sanctuary. Which pollution was thus.

[3] There had been one Cylon an Athenian, a man that had been victor in the Olympian exercises, of much nobility and power amongst those of old time, and that had married the daughter of Theagenes, a Megarean, in those days tyrant of Megara.

[4] To this Cylon asking counsel at Delphi the God answered that on the greatest festival day he should seize the citadel of Athens.

[5] He therefore, having gotten forces of Theagenes and persuaded his friends to the enterprise, seized on the citadel at the time of the Olympic holidays in Peloponnesus with intention to take upon him the tyranny, esteeming the feast of Jupiter to be the greatest and to touch withal on his particular in that he had been victor in the Olympian exercises.

[6] But whether the feast spoken of were meant to be the greatest in Attica or in some other place, neither did he himself consider nor the oracle make manifest. For there is also amongst the Athenians the Diasia, which is called the greatest feast of Jupiter Meilichius and is celebrated without the city, wherein in the confluence of the whole people many men offered sacrifices not of living creatures but such as was the fashion of the natives of the place.

[7] But he, supposing he had rightly understood the oracle, laid hand to the enterprise.

[8] And when the Athenians heard of it, they came with all their forces out of the fields and lying before the citadel besieged it. But the time growing long, the Athenians, wearied with the siege, went most of them away, and left both the guard of the citadel and the whole business to the nine archontes with absolute authority to order the same as to them it should seem good.

[9] For at that time, most of the affairs of the commonweal were administered by those nine archontes.

[10] Now those that were besieged with Cylon were for want of both victual and water in very evil estate, and therefore Cylon and a brother of his fled privily out;

[11] but the rest, when they were pressed and some of them dead with famine, sat down as suppliants by the altar that is in the citadel. And the Athenians, to whose charge was committed the guard of the place, raising them upon promise to do them no harm, put them all to the sword. Also they had put to death some of those that had taken sanctuary at the altars of the severe goddesses as they were going away. And from this the Athenians, both themselves and their posterity, were called accursed and sacrilegious persons.

[12] Hereupon the Athenians banished those that were under the curse; and Cleomenes, a Lacedaemonian, together with the Athenians in a sedition, banished them afterwards again, and not only so but disinterred and cast forth the bodies of such of them as were dead. Nevertheless there returned of them afterwards again, and there are of their race in the city unto this day.

[1] This interval was spent in sending embassies to Athens charged with complaints, in order to obtain as good a pretext for war as possible, in the event of her paying no attention to them.

[2] The first Lacedaemonian embassy was to order the Athenians to drive out the curse of the goddess; the history of which is as follows.

[3] In former generations there was an Athenian of the name of Cylon, a victor at the Olympic games, of good birth and powerful position, who had married a daughter of Theagenes, a Megarian, at that time tyrant of Megara .

[4] Now this Cylon was inquiring at Delphi ; when he was told by the god to seize the Acropolis of Athens on the grand festival of Zeus.

[5] Accordingly, procuring a force from Theagenes and persuading his friends to join him, when the Olympic festival in Peloponnese came, he seized the Acropolis, with the intention of making himself tyrant, thinking that this was the grand festival of Zeus, and also an occasion appropriate for a victor at the Olympic games.

[6] Whether the grand festival that was meant was in Attica or elsewhere was a question which he never thought of, and which the oracle did not offer to solve. For the Athenians also have a festival which is called the grand festival of Zeus Meilichios or Gracious, viz. the Diasia. It is celebrated outside the city, and the whole people sacrifice not real victims but a number of bloodless offerings peculiar to the country. However, fancying he had chosen the right time, he made the attempt.

[7] As soon as the Athenians perceived it, they flocked in, one and all, from the country, and sat down, and laid siege to the citadel.

[8] But as time went on, weary of the labour of blockade, most of them departed; the responsibility of keeping guard being left to the nine archons, with plenary powers to arrange everything according to their good judgment. It must be known that at that time most political functions were discharged by the nine archons.

[9] Meanwhile Cylon and his besieged companions were distressed for want of food and water.

[10] Accordingly Cylon and his brother made their escape; but the rest being hard pressed, and some even dying of famine, seated themselves as suppliants at the altar in the Acropolis.

[11] The Athenians who were charged with the duty of keeping guard, when they saw them at the point of death in the temple, raised them up on the understanding that no harm should be done to them, led them out and slew them. Some who as they passed by took refuge at the altars of the awful goddesses were despatched on the spot. From this deed the men who killed them were called accursed and guilty against the goddess, they and their descendants.

[12] Accordingly these cursed ones were driven out by the Athenians, driven out again by Cleomenes of Lacedaemon and an Athenian faction; the living were driven out, and the bones of the dead were taken up; thus they were cast out. For all that, they came back afterwards, and their descendants are still in the city.

Inzwischen ließen die Lakedämonier durch ihre Gesandten
bei den Athenern Beschwerde erheben, damit ihre Kriegserklärung um
so begründeter ershceinen möge, wenn sie kein Gehör erlangten. Zuerst
nun verlangten die Lakedämonier durch ihre Abgeordneten, daß die
Athener den Frevel gegen ihre eigene Göttin sühnen sollten. Mit
diesem Frevel verhielt es sich aber so. Es war in früherer Zeit ein
athenischer Bürger, Namens Kylon, Olympiasieger, von edlem Ge-.
schlecht und einflußreich, und Schwiegersohn des Megarensers
Theagenes '97), welcher zu jener Zeit die Zwingherrschaft über Megara
besaß. Aus dieses Kylon Anfrage in Delphi antwortete ihm der Gott, ^{1 2}
er solle am größten Feste des Zeus die Burg der Athener besehen.
Nun nahm er vom Theagenes Hilfstruppen, und da sich auch seine
Freunde bereden ließen, besetzte er zur Zeit der Olympischen SpieleUS
die Burg, nm sich zum Zwingherrn zu machen; denn er glaubte, daß
diese das größte Fest des Zeus seien, und für ihn ganz besonders,
da er ja auch in Olympia gesiegt habe. Ob aber das größte Fest nur
in Bezug aus Attika, oder auch sonstwo gemeint war, daran hatte er
nicht gedacht, und auch das Orakel hatte darüber Nichts angedeutet.
Es wird aber auch zu Athen ein Fest gefeiert, die Diasia auch
das größte Fest des Zeus Meilichios genannt, an welchem außerhalb
der Stadt dem Gott geopfert wird, — und zwar von den Meisten nicht
Opfcrthiere, sondern die landesüblichen Kuchen. Er glaubte jedoch
. die rechte Auslegung getroffen zu haben, und schritt zur Ausführung
seines Vorhabens. Als es aber unter den Athenern bekannt wurde, so
strömten sie in Schaaren vom Lande herein, lagerten sich in der Burg
und hielten jene eingeschlossen. Nach einiger Zeit aber wurden sie der
Belagerung überdrüssig, und die Meisten zogen ab und gaben den
neun Archonten, welche damals die Staatsgcschäste fast allein
besorgten UND, Vollmacht, die Einschließung und alles Uebrige nach
Gutbefinden anzuordnen. Die belagerten Anhänger des Kylon geriethen
wegen Mangels an Wasser und Lebensmitteln bald in große Noth,
und Kylon selbst zwar und sein Bruder entkamen, die Andern aber,
d'a sie sehr Noth litten, und einige schon Hungers tsarben, setzten sich
als Hilfeflehende auf den Altar s^der Athene^ in der Burg. Als nnn
die Athener, denen die Einschließung aufgetragen war, die Menschen
im Heiligthnm tserben sahen, hießen sie dieselben weggehen, es solle
ihnen kein Leid gethan werden. Trotzdem führten sie sie weg und
todteten sie. Auch Einigen, welche sich im Vorübergehen auf die Altäre ^{3 4 5}
der ehrwürdigen Göttinnen ^Erinyen oder Eumeniden^ gesetzt hatten,
nahmen sie das Leben, und daher wurden sie sammt ihren Nachkommen
Schuldbeladene und Frevler an der Göttin geheißen. Zwar verfolgten
die Athener diese Gräuelbelasteten, und auch der Lakedämonier
Kleomenes that dies mit Hilfe der empörten Athener, indem er die
Lebenden austrieb und die Gebeine der Todten ausgraben und wegwerfen
ließ. Sie kehrten aber später wieder zurück, und ihre Nachkommen
leben bis aus den heutigen Tag in der Stadt 20'). ^{6 7 8}

In der Zwischenzeit schickten die Lakedämonier wieder­
holt Gesandte nach Athen, um dort allerlei Beschwerden zu
erheben, damit sie, wenn sie erfolglos blieben, um so besseren
Vorwand zum Kriege hätten. Das erstemal ließen sie die
Athener aufforden, den Frevel gegen die Göttin zu sühnen.
Mit diesem Frevel aber hing es so zusammen.

Vorzeiten lebte in Athen ein gewisser Kylon, ein angesehener
Mann aus vornehmem Hause, der in Olympia gesiegt und eine
Tochter des Tyrannen Theagenes in Megara zur Frau hatte.
Dieser Kylon erhielt auf eine Anfrage beim delphischen Orakel
vom Gotte die Antwort, er solle sich am größten Feste des
Zeus der Burg von Athen bemächtigen. Mit Hilfe einer Hand­
voll Bewaffneter, die ihm Theagenes geschickt, und im Verein
mit seinen Anhängern bemächtigte er sich denn auch in der
Absicht, sich zum Tyrannen zu machen, der Burg zu der Zeit,
wo im Peloponnes die olympischen Spiele gehalten wurden.
Er nahm nämlich an, daS wäre das größte Fest des Zeus,
und er zumal als Sieger in Olympia dürfe die Sache so an­
sehen. Ob aber dabei nicht etwa das größte Fest in Attika
oder sonstwo gemeint gewesen war, daran hatte er nicht ge­
dacht, und auch das Orakel hatte sich darüber nicht ausge­
sprochen. In Athen nämlich gibt es auch ein Fest, die Diasia,
das man das größte Fest des Zeus Meilichios nennt und
außerhalb der Stadt feiert, an dem alle Welt opfert, viele
freilich keine Opfertiere, sondern nur die landesüblichen Opfer­
kuchen. Er glaubte das Orakel eben richtig verstanden zu
haben und führte sein Vorhaben aus. Kaum aber war das
in Athen ruchbar geworden, als die Athener von den Feldern
in hellen Haufen zusammenströmten, vor die Burg rückten und
ihn und seine Anhänger darin belagerten. Als es ihnen mit
der Belagerung dann aber doch zu lange dauerte, verlief sich
die Menge, und man überließ die Bewachung der Burg und
alle weiter erforderlichen Anordnungen den neun Archonten
nach eigenem Ermessen. Damals nämlich lag das Stadtregiment
so gut wie ganz in den Händen der neun Archonten. Kylon
aber und seine Leidensgefährten gerieten infolge der Belage­
rung in große Not, da sie nichts mehr zu essen und zu trinken
hatten. Ihm selbst und seinem Bruder freilich gelang es, zu
entkommen. Die übrigen aber, soweit sie nicht bereits Hungers
gestorben waren, setzten sich in der Verzweiflung auf den Burg­
altar. Als die Athener, welche die Wache hatten, sahen, daß
sie hier an geweihter Stätte sterben würden, sicherten sie ihnen
freies Geleit zu und führten sie hinaus, töteten sie aber hinterher
dann doch. Einige, die sich unterwegs' auf die Altäre der
hehren Göttinnen gesetzt hatten, wurden ebenfalls von ihnen
umgebracht. Seitdem galten diese Leute und ihre Nachkommen
als ein fluchbeladenes Geschlecht und als Frevler gegen die
Göttin. Die Athener aber vertrieben dies fluchbeladene Ge-E
schlecht, und später wurde es von dem Lakedämonier Kleomenes
und der in den Verfassungskämpfen in Athen ans Ruder ge­
langten Partei abermals vertrieben, wobei diesmal nicht nur
die Lebenden auSgetrieben, sondern auch die Gebeine der Toten
ausgegraben und in alle Winde zerstreut wurden. NachmalS
kehrte es dann freilich doch zurück, und es findet sich in seinen
Nachkommen noch heute in der Stadt.

CXXVI. Pendant ce temps ils envoyèrent des députés porter leurs griefs aux Athéniens, afin d’avoir, autant que possible, un prétexte spécieux de faire la guerre, si leurs plaintes n'étaient pas écoutées. Dans une première ambassade, les Lacédémoniens ordonnèrent aux Athéniens d’expier le sacrilège commis contre la déesse ¹ ; voici quel était ce sacrilège :

Un Athénien, nommé Cylon, vainqueur aux jeux olympiques, riche et d’une famille ancienne, avait épousé la fille de Théagène de Mégare, alors tyran de cette ville. Cylon ayant consulté l’oracle de Delphes, le dieu lui répondit d’occuper l’acropole d’Athènes, le jour de la plus grande fête de Jupiter. Il prit avec lui des forces que lui fournit Théagène, ainsi que ses amis gagnés au complot, et, quand vinrent les fêtes olym- piques du Péloponnèse ² , il s’empara de l’acropole. Son but était la tyrannie. Il crut que c’était là la plus grande fête de Jupiter et qu’elle avait, en quelque sorte, une signification pour lui-même, en sa qualité de vainqueur olympien. Avait-il été question de la plus grande fête de Jupiter dans l’Attique, ou en quelque autre lieu ? C’est ce à quoi il ne songea même pas, et ce que l’oracle n’avait pas indiqué. Car il y a aussi chez les Athéniens une grande fête de Jupiter Mélichius, appelée Diasia, et qui se célèbre hors de la ville·, le peuple tout entier y fait des sacrifices, et beaucoup offrent, au lieu de victimes, des symboles en usage dans le pays ³ . Cylon, croyant bien comprendre l’oracle, exécuta son entreprise. Mais, dès que les Athéniens en furent informés, ils accoururent en masse de la campagne, environnèrent l’acropole et en firent le siége. Comme il traînait en longueur, las de rester campés devant la place, ils se retirèrent pour la plupart et remirent aux neuf archontes la garde de la citadelle, avec plein pou- voir de tout régler comme ils l’entendraient ; car, à cette époque, l’administration des affaires publiques était en grande partie confiée aux archontes. Ceux qui étaient assiégés avec Cylon eurent beaucoup à souffrir du manque de vivres et d’eau ; quant à lui, il parvint à s’échapper avec son frère ; les autres, se voyant serrés de près, — car quelques-uns mouraient de faim, — s’assirent en suppliants auprès de l’autel qui est dans l’acropole. Les Athéniens commis à la garde, les voyant mourir dans le temple, les firent relever ⁴ , avec promesse de ne leur faire aucun mal ; mais, après les avoir emmenés, ils les égorgèrent. Quelques uns s’étaient réfugiés auprès des déesses vénérables ⁵ ; ils les tuèrent aussi, en passant, jusque sur les autels. Pour ce fait, ils furent déclarés souillés et sacrilèges envers la déesse, eux et leur race. Les Àthéniens les expulsèrent ; le Lacédémonien Cléomène les fit aussi chasser plus tard par une des factions qui se partageaient Athènes ⁶ : non-seulement on exila les vivants, mais on enleva les ossements des morts, pour les jeter hors du territoire. Cependant ils rentrèrent par la suite, et leurs descendants sont encore à Athènes.

[1] During this interval they kept sending embassies to the Athenians and making complaints, that they might have as good a pretext as possible for making war, in case the Athenians should refuse to consider them.

[2] And first the Lacedaemonian envoys bade the Athenians drive out the "curse of the goddess." The curse was as follows:

[3] There was an Athenian in days of old named Cylon, a victor at Olympia, of noble birth and powerful; and he had married a daughter of Theagenes, a Megarian, who was at that time tyrant of Megara.

[4] Now Cylon consulted the oracle at Delphi, and the god in answer told him to seize the Acropolis of Athens "at the greatest festival of Zeus."

[5] So he obtained a force from Theagenes and, persuading his friends to help, when the Olympic festival in the Peloponnesus came on he seized the Acropolis with a view to making himself tyrant; for he thought that the Olympic festival was not only the greatest festival of Zeus, but also in a manner was connected with him as having won an Olympic victory. ¹

[6] But whether the oracle meant the greatest festival in Attica or somewhere else he did not go on to consider, and the oracle did not make it clear. For, in fact, the Athenians also have a festival in honour of Zeus Meilichius, the Diasia, as it is called, a very great festival celebrated outside the city, whereat all the people offer sacrifices, many making offerings ² peculiar to the country instead of victims. But Cylon, thinking that he was right in his opinion, made his attempt.

[7] And the Athenians, when they were aware of it, came in a body from the fields against them and sitting down before the Acropolis laid siege to it.

[8] But as time passed the Athenians grew weary of the siege and most of them went away, committing the task of guarding to the nine Archons, to whom they also gave full power to settle the whole matter as they might determine to be best;

[9] for at that time ³ the nine Arclons transacted most of the public business.

[10] But Cylon and those who were being besieged with him were in hard straits through lack of food and water. So Cylon and his brother escaped; but the rest, when they were in great distress and some of them were even dying of hunger, sat down as suppliants at the altar ⁴ on the Acropolis.

[11] And the Athenians who had been charged with guarding them, when they saw them dying in the temple, caused them to arise on promise of doing them no harm, and leading them away put them to death; and some who in passing by took refuge at the altar of the Awful Goddesses ⁵ they dispatched even there. For this act both they and their descendants ⁶ were called accursed and sinners against the Goddess.

[12] Accordingly the accursed persons were driven out not only by the Athenians but also at a later time by Cleomenes the Lacedaemonian, with the help of a faction of the Athenians, during a civil strife, when they drove out the living and disinterred and cast out the bones of the dead. Afterwards, however, they were restored, and their descendants are still in the city.

[1] During this time they were sending ambassadors to the Athenians with complaints, in order that they might have as good a pretext as possible for the war, in case they should not listen to them.

[2] In the first place the Lacedaemonians sent ambassadors, and ordered the Athenians to drive out the pollution of the goddess; which pollution was of the following nature.

[3] There was one Cylon, a man who had conquered at the Olympic games, an Athenian of the olden time, both noble and powerful; he had married a daughter of Theagenes, a Megarean, who at that time was tyrant of Megara.

[4] Now when Cylon was consulting the oracle at Delphi, the god told him to seize on the Acropolis of the Athenians during the greatest feast of Jupiter.

[5] So having received a force from Theagenes, and persuaded his friends to it, when the Olympic festival in the Peloponnese came on, he seized the Acropolis with a view to establishing a tyranny;

[6] thinking that that was the greatest festival of Jupiter, and that it was a very proper time for him, as he had conquered at the Olympic games. But whether it was the greatest festival in Attica, or elsewhere, that had been alluded to, lie neither stopped to consider, nor did the oracle express. For the Athenians also have a Diasian festival, which is called the greatest festival of Jupiter Milichius, held outside the city, in which all the people offer [something, though] many of them not victims, but country-offerings. ¹

[7] Thinking, however, that he understood it rightly, he took the business in hand.

[8] The Athenians, on perceiving it, ran in a body from the fields to resist them, and sitting down before the place besieged them. But as time went on, being tired out by the blockade, most of them went away, having commissioned the nine Archons to keep guard, and to arrange every thing with full powers, as they should consider best:

[9] for at that time the nine Archons transacted most of the state affairs.

[10] Now those who were besieged with Cylon were in a wretched condition for want of food and water. Cylon therefore and his brother made their escape, but when the rest were pressed hard, and some were even dying of famine, they seated themselves as suppliants on the altar of the Acropolis.

[11] And those of the Athenians who had been commissioned to keep guard, when they saw them dying in the temple, raised them up on condition of doing them no harm, and led them away and killed them; while some who were seated before the Awful Goddesses ² they despatched on the altars at the side entrance. And from this both they and their descendants after them were called accursed of, and offenders against, the goddess.

[12] The Athenians therefore expelled these accursed ones, and Cleomenes the Lacedaemonian also expelled them subsequently, in conjunction with some Athenian partisans, both driving out the living, and taking up and casting out the bones of the dead. They returned, however, afterwards, and their descendants are still in the city.

[1] Interea vero legatos ad Athenienses miserant, qui de illorum injuriis conquererentur, ut quam speciosissimam belli gerendi causam haberent, si illi nulla in re sibi morem gerere voluissent.

[2] Ac primum quidem Lacedaemonii legatis ad Athenienses missis imperabant, ut piaculum deae pellerent. Piaculum vero hujusmodi fuit.

[3] Cylo quidam Atheniensis fuit, vir, qui in ludis Olympiacis vicerat, inter veteres et generis nobilitate florens et opibus potens. Uxorem autem duxerat tiliam Theagenis, viri Megarensis, qui tunc Megaris tyrannus erat.

[4] Cum autem Cylo Delphis oraculum consuluisset, deus respondit, ut celeberrimo Jovis die festo Athenarum arcem occuparet.

[5] Ille vero, acceptis a Theagene copiis, et amicis persuasis, ubi advenerunt Olympia, quae in Peloponneso celebrantur, urbis arcem occupavit, ut qui tyrannidem sibi pararet, ratus et esse hunc maximum illum Jovis diem festum, et eum ad se, qui in ludis Olympiacis victor fuisset, nonnihil pertinere.

[6] Sed utrum in Attica, an uspiam alibi hic maximus dies festus dictus esset, nec ipse tunc animadverterat, neque oraculum declarabat (nam apud Athenienses quoque sunt Diasia, quae maximus Jovis Milichii dies festus vocantur, extra urbem, in quo omnis civitas sacrificant, multi non victimas, sed liba illic usitata), sed cum oraculum se recte intelligere existimaret, opus est aggressu.-.

[7] Quod postquam Athenienses acceperunt, universi ex agris concurrentes opem contra istos tulerunt, et cinctos eos obsidere coeperunt.

[8] Sed quum tempus protraheretur, Athenienses attriti diuturna obsidione, magna ex parte discesserant, custodia imperiique summa novem Archontibus commissa, qui prout optimum fore judicarent, arbitratu suo rem administrarent. Tunc autem novem Archontes maximam rerum ad rempublicam pertinentium partem administrabant.

[9] At qui cum Cylone obsidebantur, male se habebant, quia cibi et aquae inopia premebantur.

[10] Itaque Cylo quidem ejusque frater aufugerunt; ceteri vero, cum premerentur, atque etiam nonnulli fame perirent, ad aram, quae est in arce, supplices consederunt.

[11] Sed illi, quibus custodia ex Atheniensibus commissa erat, cum ipsos in templo morientes viderent, surgere iusserunt , ea conditione ut nullo malo ipsos afficerent; et tamen abductos interfecerunt, nonnullos etiam, qui apud venerandas deas in aris considebant, in transitu interemerant. Atque hac de causa scelerati et impii, quod scelus ac piaculum in deam admisissent, tam illi quam omnes ab illis oriundi appellabantur.

[12] Athenienses igitur et ipsi eos, qui huic piaculo erant obnoxii, in exsilium pepulerunt; postea vero etiam Cleomenes Lacedaemonius una cum Atheniensibus seditione laborantibus expulit, pulsis qui superstites erant mortuorumque ossibus sublatis et extra fines projectis; postea tamen redieruhf, eorumque genus est adhuc in civitate.

[1] Diesen Grundsätzen, die wir von unsern Vätern überkommen und selber stets bewährt erfunden haben, lasst uns nicht ungetreu werden und nicht binnen weniger Stunden über so viel Menschenleben und Eigenthum, über Staatenglück und Ehre einen übereilten Beschluss fassen, sondern uns Zeit nehmen. Wir haben den Vortheil der Macht, um nichts zu versäumen. Nach Athen also sendet wegen Potidäas und wegen der Beschwerden der Bundesgenossen, besonders da sie eine gerichtliche Entscheidung nicht ablehnen. Wer diese anbietet, den hat man kein Recht als bereits Verurtheilten anzugreifen. Aber zugleich rüstet euch auch zum Kriege. Dies ist das Beste, was ihr beschliessen könnt, und wird bei dem Feind am meisten Eindruck machen.

Mandavano infrattanto legati ad Atene facendo le loro doglienze, per avere, se non fossero uditi, il più ragionevol pretesto di muovere le armi. Colla prima ambasciata i Lacedemoni commettevano agli Ateniesi, purgassero la sacrilega contaminazione di Minerva, che consisteva in questo. V’ era un tal Cilone ateniese nobile di antico lignaggio e potente , stato vincitore nei giuochi olimpici, che aveva in moglie una figliola di Teagene megarese, tiranno allora di Megara. Consultando egli l’oracolo di Delfo, ebbe in risposta dal Nume che nella gran festa di Giove occupasse la rocca d' Atene. Pertanto egli oltre gli amici che aveva indotti a secondarlo ottenne gente da Teagene, e celebrandosi le feste olimpiche del Peloponneso occupò la rocca per farsi tiranno, credendo che quella fosse la gran festa di Giove , e che in qualche modo lo riguardasse come vincitore nei giuochi olimpici. Ma se nella risposta s’intendesse la gran festa dell’Attica o di altro luogo, nè egli lo aveva osservato nè l' oracolo lo dichiarava. Ed invero anche gli Ateniesi hanno fuori della città le Diasie, dette la gran festa di Giove Melichio , nella quale molti del popolo di ogni condizione sacrificano non vittime di animali, ma figure di pasta secondo l’usanza del paese. Pure avvisando egli di bene intendere la risposta , tentò l’impresa. Gli Ateniesi n’ ebbero sentore ; e corsi in folla dalle campagne contro di quelli, si fermarono presso la rocca e gli assediavano. Ma prolungandosi il tempo, gli Ateniesi logorati dall’assedio per la maggior parte se ne andarono, dando intera facoltà ai nove arconti di ordinare le cose nel miglior modo potevano , si per la guardia che per il rimanente, perocché allora il più delle cose pertinenti al civile govemamento si amministrava per i nove arconti. Gli assediati con Cilone si trovavano in cattivo stato per carestia di vettovaglia e d' acqua. Cilone e il suo fratello riescono a fuggire, e gli altri ridotti a strettezze tali che alcuni morivano di fame , si assidono supplichevoli presso l’altare della rocca. Quelli cui dagli Ateniesi era stata affidata la cura di guardarli, vedendoli andar morendo nel luogo sacro li fecero alzare, promettendo non far loro alcun male. Ma appena gli ebbero condotti fuori, gli uccisero, e nel procedere oltre trucidarono anche alcuni che sedevano presso gli altari delle Eumenidi. In conseguenza di questo fatto, essi e la loro discendenza erano chiamati i sacrileghi oltraggiatori della Dea. Pertanto gli Ateniesi li avevano cacciati via dalla città ; e nuovamente gli cacciò Cleomene re di Sparta sostenuto dagli Ateniesi venuti in sedizione tra loro : né solamente bandirono i vivi, ma dissotterrarono e gettarono fuori delle loro terre le ossa dei morti. Pure quei banditi vi ritornarono dipoi, e si trova tuttora in città la loro schiatta.