Today's Passage
This passage describes the mounting evidence against Pausanias, the Spartan regent who had led Greek forces to victory at Plataea (479 BCE) but subsequently became corrupted by Persian influence.
Crawley Translation (1910)
Now the Spartans had no tangible proof against him—neither his enemies nor the nation—of that indubitable kind required for the punishment of a member of the royal family, and at that moment in high office; he being regent for his first cousin King Pleistarchus, Leonidas’s son, who was still a minor. But by his contempt of the laws and imitation of the barbarians, he gave grounds for much suspicion of his being discontented with things established; all the occasions on which he had in any way departed from the regular customs were passed in review, and it was remembered that he had taken upon himself to have inscribed on the tripod at Delphi, which was dedicated by the Hellenes as the first-fruits of the spoil of the Medes, the following couplet:
The Mede defeated, great Pausanias raised This monument, that Phœbus might be praised.
At the time the Lacedaemonians had at once erased the couplet, and inscribed the names of the cities that had aided in the overthrow of the barbarian and dedicated the offering. Yet it was considered that Pausanias had here been guilty of a grave offence, which, interpreted by the light of the attitude which he had since assumed, gained a new significance, and seemed to be quite in keeping with his present schemes. Besides, they were informed that he was even intriguing with the Helots; and such indeed was the fact, for he promised them freedom and citizenship if they would join him in insurrection and would help him to carry out his plans to the end. Even now, mistrusting the evidence even of the Helots themselves, the ephors would not consent to take any decided step against him; in accordance with their regular custom towards themselves, namely, to be slow in taking any irrevocable resolve in the matter of a Spartan citizen without indisputable proof. At last, it is said, the person who was going to carry to Artabazus the last letter for the King, a man of Argilus, once the favourite and most trusty servant of Pausanias, turned informer. Alarmed by the reflection that none of the previous messengers had ever returned, having counterfeited the seal, in order that, if he found himself mistaken in his surmises, or if Pausanias should ask to make some correction, he might not be discovered, he undid the letter, and found the postscript that he had suspected, viz. an order to put him to death.
Modern Translation
The Spartans possessed no concrete evidence against Pausanias—neither his political opponents nor the state as a whole—of the unequivocal sort necessary to prosecute a member of the royal house, particularly one holding supreme authority at that time. He served as regent for his young cousin King Pleistarchus, son of Leonidas, who had not yet reached maturity. However, through his blatant disregard for established customs and his adoption of foreign ways, he provided ample cause for suspicion that he was dissatisfied with the existing order. Every instance where he had deviated from traditional practices came under scrutiny, and people recalled how he had presumed to inscribe on the tripod at Delphi—which the Greeks had dedicated from the Persian spoils—these verses: 'Having conquered the Persians, mighty Pausanias erected this monument to honor Apollo.' The Lacedaemonians had immediately removed this inscription, replacing it with the names of all Greek cities that had participated in defeating the barbarian and consecrated the offering. Nevertheless, this act was viewed as a serious transgression which, when considered alongside his subsequent behavior, took on fresh meaning and appeared entirely consistent with his current ambitions. Furthermore, intelligence reached them that he was plotting with the Helots, which proved accurate—he had promised them freedom and full citizenship if they would support his rebellion and assist in executing his schemes. Despite this, even with testimony from the Helots themselves, the ephors refused to take decisive action against him, adhering to their established principle of extreme caution before making any irreversible decision concerning a Spartan citizen without irrefutable evidence. Finally, according to reports, the courier assigned to deliver Pausanias's latest correspondence to Artabazus for the King—a man from Argilus who had been Pausanias's intimate companion and most trusted agent—became an informant. Troubled by the realization that no previous messenger had returned, he forged the seal so that if his suspicions proved unfounded, or if Pausanias requested modifications, his tampering would go undetected. Upon opening the letter, he discovered what he had feared: instructions ordering his execution.
Historical Context
This passage describes the mounting evidence against Pausanias, the Spartan regent who had led Greek forces to victory at Plataea (479 BCE) but subsequently became corrupted by Persian influence. Following his recall from Byzantium for adopting Persian customs, Pausanias now faces investigation in Sparta for treason. The ephors, Sparta's executive magistrates, are gathering evidence of his conspiracy with the Persian king while navigating the delicate legal situation of prosecuting royalty. The narrative reveals Spartan judicial procedures, the tensions within their society (particularly regarding the Helots), and Pausanias's fatal mistake in ordering the death of his messenger—the act that finally provides concrete proof of his treachery.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Spartan Ephors
The ephors were five annually elected magistrates who wielded considerable power in Sparta, including oversight of the kings. Their cautious approach to prosecuting Pausanias reflects both respect for royal prerogatives and the conservative nature of Spartan justice, which required overwhelming evidence before acting against citizens.
Learn more →The Delphic Tripod Inscription
The golden tripod at Delphi, known as the Serpent Column, was dedicated after the Greek victory at Plataea. Pausanias's self-aggrandizing inscription violated Greek norms of collective achievement. The monument still partially survives in Istanbul, where Constantine moved it.
Learn more →Helots
The Helots were Sparta's enslaved population, primarily from conquered Messenia. They vastly outnumbered Spartan citizens and represented a constant security threat. Pausanias's promise of freedom to them constituted the gravest possible treason in Spartan eyes, threatening the foundation of their society.
Learn more →Persian Correspondence
Communication with the Persian court required trusted messengers traveling vast distances. The practice of including orders for the messenger's death ensured secrecy but ultimately exposed Pausanias's conspiracy when a suspicious courier opened his letter.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Aristides (23.1-2)
Plutarch provides additional details about the Delphic tripod incident, including Aristides's role in having the inscription changed and the specific wording of the dedication to the Greek cities.
Read passage →Herodotus: Histories (9.81)
Herodotus describes the original dedication of spoils at Delphi after Plataea, providing context for why Pausanias's personal inscription was so offensive to Greek sensibilities about collective victory.
Read passage →Cornelius Nepos: Life of Pausanias (2-3)
Nepos offers a condensed account of Pausanias's conspiracy, including details about his Persian connections and the letter that exposed him, largely following Thucydides but with some variations.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the Spartan legal system's requirement for 'indubitable proof' against royal family members reflect broader tensions between justice and social hierarchy?
- What does Pausanias's willingness to promise freedom to the Helots reveal about both his desperation and the fundamental vulnerabilities of Spartan society?
- How does the messenger's decision to open the letter illustrate the role of individual agency in exposing political conspiracies?
- In what ways does Pausanias's corruption by Persian wealth and customs prefigure later Greek anxieties about Eastern influence?