The rebuilding of the walls of Athens.
262.When Xerxes had set out for home, the Athenians began again to surround their city with a wall. The Lacedaemonians took this ill, and Themistocles deceived them with a trick ot this kind. He went to Sparta as ambassador, and on arriving thither, said that the walls were not being built. ‘But,’ aaid he, ‘if ye are unwilling to believe me, send chosen men, to see into these things, and meanwhile keep me here.’ The Lacedaemonians did so. In the meantinie Themistocles secretly sent a messenger to Athens, an4 advised that the Lacedaemonian envoys should be kept at Athens, in whatever way they were able, until the walls were rebuilt, and they had got him back. The Athenians obeyed this advice. Therefore, Themistocles having been got back, and the envoys restored, Athens was again fortified against the will of the Laoedaemonians.
The courage of despair is to be feared.
263.The Greeks, after the battle off Salamis, determined to hasten to the Hellespont, and cut the bridges, lest the Persians should escape. But Themistocles said that the king (if) thus put off, would fight again; and that terror sometimes effected what valour could not. Meanwhile, he sent a messenger to the king to inform him that the bridges would be cut unless he retired quickly. So Xerxes hastened to fly, and victory remained with the Athenians. ## partivstoryxxi ##
XXI.— ANECDOTES.
Diligence rewarded.
264.Antisthenes the philosopher used to advise the young men to pay attention to his words, but very few of them used to obey his warning. Being at last angry he ordered them all to go out of his sight. Diogenes, however, being seized with a great desire to hear the words of the philosopher, used often to come to him, and would not go away. So Antisthenes threatened that he would beat his head, and having seen that Diogenes was not thoroughly frightened at his threats, he did so.
