Eleans

the Eleans only opposed it, saying that it was not right to make either the Marganians, Scilluntians, or Triphylians independent, for these cities were theirs.

Meanwhile some of the Arcadian cities sent men to help the Mantineans in their building, and the Eleans made them a contribution of three talents in money toward the expense of the wall.

The Mantineans, however, now desisted from coming forth from their city, for the Eleans, who were making the campaign with them, urged them not to fight a battle until the Thebans arrived;

Then the Eleans so esteem their own things, being in no other respect better than any of the Peloponnesians;

But they say that those people do not even open the letters which they write commending one of the athletes, before he has competed.

The crown at Olympia you doubtless know to be of olive, and many have preferred this to life, not because the olive growing there has anything marvellous, but because it is not given easily nor for a small thing.

” In which sense Aelian styles them ἀρχαςπολεμων and Diodorus Siculus, in speaking of the war of the Lacedaemonians against the Eleans gives them the name of προφασεις and ἀρΧας

And, as we are informed by Strabo, the practice still prevails in the country of the Eleans.

For it was upon this ground, as we are informed, that the Eleans made war upon the Lacedaemonians, because the latter neglected to punish their subjects, who had committed aggressions upon that people;

the main army of the Eleans having by this time come to its rescue.

and landing at Pheia in Elis, they ravaged the territory for two days, and conquered in battle three hundred picked men, who had come to the rescue from the inhabitants of the Vale of Elis, and from the Eleans in the immediate neighbourhood.

The Eleans.

Then the Egyptians said that in establishing this rule they fell short of complete fairness:

The Egyptians deliberated, and then asked the Eleans if their own citizens took part in the contests.

When the Eleans came to Egypt and announced why they had come, Psammis assembled the Egyptians reputed to be wisest.

the Eleans and the Achaeans, all but the people of Pellene, had come over to them, and so had all Arcadia except Megalopolis, and that city was under siege and its capture was daily expected.

Or would Pheidias and Polycleitus, if they had been greatly proud of the gold and the ivory—of which the one made the Zeus for the Eleans, the other the Hera for the Argives—have been laughing-stocks, adorning themselves with another's wealth and forsaking their art, through which the gold itself was shown sweeter and more precious?

Did they not rob the Eleans of part of their territory, did they not lay waste the land of the Corinthians, did they not disperse the Mantineans from their homes, did they not reduce the Phliasians by siege, and did they not invade the country of the Argives, never ceasing from their depredations upon the rest of the world and so bringing upon themselves the disaster at Leuctra?

But he went further and adduced as evidence in support of his position both the Thebans and the Eleans, alleging that this was their policy;