18 HISTORY OF GREECE. confirmed the Corinthians in their previous scheme, that tbej speedily went to Argos, along with the Chalkidians of Thrace, to join the new confederacy. The conduct of Elis, like that of Mantineia, in thus revolting nx>m Sparta, had been dictated by private grounds of quarrel, arising out of relations with their dependent ally Lepreum. The Lepreates had become dependent on Elis some time before the beginning of the Peloponnesian war, in consideration of aid lent by the Eleians to extricate them from a dangerous war against some Arcadian enemies. To purchase such aid, they had en- gaged to cede to the Eleians half their territory ; but had been left in residence and occupation of it, under the stipulation of paying one talent yearly as tribute to the Olympian Zeus ; in other words, to the Eleians as his stewards. When the Pelopon- nesian war began, 1 and the Lacedaemonians began to call for the unpaid service of the Peloponnesian cities generally, small as well as great, against Athens, the Lepreates were, by the stand- ing agreement of the confederacy, exempted for the time from continuing to pay their tribute to Elis. Such exemption ceased with the war ; at the close of which Elis became entitled, under the same agreement, to resume the suspended tribute. She uccordingly required that the payment should then be recom- menced : but the Lepreates refused, and when she proceeded to upply force, threw themselves on the protection of Sparta, by i /hose decision the Eleians themselves at first agreed to abide, having the general agreement of the confederacy decidedly in ' heir favor. But it presently appeared that Sparta was more dsposed to carry out her general system of favoring the autono my of the lesser states, than to enforce the positive agreement of the confederacy. Accordingly the Eleians, accusing her of un- just bias, renounced her authority as arbitrator, and sent a mil- itary force to occupy Lepreum. Nevertheless, the Spartans persisted in their adjudication, pronounced Lepreum to be auton- omous, and sent a body of their own hoplites to defend it against 1 Thucyd. v, 31. Kal [tXP l r v 'ArruoO -rroMfiov inrfyepov Irre.ra, TOI>- tapivuv di.il rrpoQaoiv TOV KoXeftov, oi 'Hleloi ~i)vayKaZov, oi 6' i '(IUTTOVTO rodf rovf AaKcdaif^oi'LOVf.
For the agreement here alluded to, sec a few lines forward.
