Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners/Part IV/X
X.A WAY OUT OF A DIFFICULTY.
167.Aristagoras of Miletus tried to persuade Cleomenes, king of the Spartans, to undertake an expedition against the Persians. And when he knew not how to decline the affair, he asked Aristagoras how many days’ journey it was from the Ionian sea to the Great King. And Aristagoras, otherwise a crafty fellow, and getting round him finely, was obliged to answer that it was a journey of thiee months. Then indeed, Cleomenes, cutting short the rest of the speech which Aristagoras was going to make about that journey, said: ‘Stranger of Miletus, depart from Sparta before the setting of the sun, for thou art making a speech not fit to be listened to by Spartans, since you desire to lead them a journey of three months away from the sea.’ Having said this, Cleomenes went home.
A noble child.
168.Then indeed, Aristagoras, having taken a branch of olive, went to the house of Cleomenes, and having entered, besought him to dismiss his little daughter and listen to him ; for by chance his daughter was standing by Cleomenes, whose name was Gorgo, his only child, a girl of eight or nine years old. Cleomenes told him to say what he wanted, and not to stop on the girl's account. Thereupon Aristagoras began to promise him ten talents if he would effect (lit. give completed) for him the things which he desired; on the refusal of Cleomenes he then proceeded by increasing the sum of money, until at last, when he had promised fifty talents, the girl exclaimed: ‘Father, this stranger will bribe thee unless you go away quickly from hence.’ Then Cleomenes, delighted at the girl's warning, went away, and Aristagoras left Sparta entirely, nor was he allowed to mention any more things to the king.