Agis   

and to your kingdom, must I still remain in grief and misery? Or would
you have me attired in my royal ornaments, that I may rejoice with
you, when you have killed, within my arms, the man to whom you gave
me for a wife? Either Cleombrotus must appease you by mine and my
children's tears, or he must suffer a punishment greater than you
propose for his faults, and shall see me, whom he loves so well, die
before him. To what end should I live, or how shall I appear among
the Spartan women, when it shall so manifestly be seen, that I have
not been able to move to compassion either a husband or a father?
I was born, it seems, to participate in the ill-fortune and in the
disgrace, both as a wife and a daughter, of those nearest and dearest
to me. As for Cleombrotus I sufficiently surrendered any honourable
plea on his behalf, when I forsook him to follow you; but you yourself
offer the fairest excuse for his proceedings, by showing to the world
that for the sake of a kingdom it is just to kill a son-in-law, and
be regardless of a daughter." Chilonis, having ended this lamentation,
rested her face on her husband's head, and looked round with her weeping
and woe-begone eyes upon those who stood before her.
Leonidas, touched with compassion, withdrew a while to advise with
his friends; then returning, bade Cleombrotus leave the sanctuary
and go into banishment; Chilonis, he said, ought to stay with him
it not being just she should forsake a father whose affection had
granted to her intercession the life of her husband. But all he could
say would not prevail. She rose up immediately, and taking one of
her children in her arms, gave the other to her husband; and making
her reverence to the altar of the goddess, went out and followed him.
So that, in a word, if Cleombrotus were not utterly blinded by ambition,
he must surely choose to be banished with so excellent a woman rather
than without her to possess a kingdom.
Cleombrotus thus removed, Leonidas proceeded also to displace the
ephors, and to choose others in their room; then he began to consider
how he might entrap Agis. At first, he endeavoured by fair means to
persuade him to leave the sanctuary, and partake with him in the kingdom.
The people, he said, would easily pardon the errors of a young man,
ambitious of glory, and deceived by the craft of Agesilaus. But finding
Agis was suspicious, and not to be prevailed with to quit his sanctuary,
he gave up that design; yet what could not then be effected by the
dissimulation of an enemy, was soon after brought to pass by the treachery
of friends.
Amphares, Damochares, and Arcesilaus often visited Agis, and he was
so confident of their fidelity that after a while he was prevailed
on to accompany them to the baths, which were not far distant, they
constantly returning to see him safe again in the temple. They were
all three his familiars; and Amphares had borrowed a great deal of
plate and rich household stuff from Agesistrata, and hoped if he could
destroy her and the whole family, he might peaceably enjoy those goods.
And he, it is said, was the readiest of all to serve the purposes
of Leonidas, and being one of the ephors, did all he could to incense
the rest of his colleagues against Agis. These men, therefore, finding
that Agis would not quit his sanctuary, but on occasion would venture
from it to go to the bath, resolved to seize him on the opportunity
thus given them. And one day as he was returning, they met and saluted
him as formerly, conversing pleasantly by the way, and jesting, as
youthful friends might, till coming to the turning of a street which
led to the prison, Amphares, by virtue of his office, laid his hand
on Agis, and told him, "You must go with me, Agis, before the other
ephors, to answer for your misdemeanours." At the same time Damochares,
who was a tall, strong man, drew his cloak tight round his neck, and
dragged him after by it, whilst the others went behind to thrust him
on. So that none of Agis's friend being near to assist him, nor any
one by, they easily got him into the prison, where Leonidas was already
arrived, with a company of soldiers, who strongly guarded all the
avenues; the ephors also came in, with as many of the Elders as they
knew to be true to their party, being desirous to proceed with some