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As soon as day dawned he sent and submitted his dream to the interpreters； after which he offered the averting sacrifices； and then went and led the procession in which he perished。 The family of the Gephyraeans； to which the murderers of Hipparchus belonged； according to their own account； came originally from Eretria。 My inquiries； however； have made it clear to me that they are in reality Phoenicians； descendants of those who came with Cadmus into the country now called Boeotia。 Here they received for their portion the district of Tanagra； in which they afterwards dwelt。 On their expulsion from this country by the Boeotians （which happened some time after that of the Cadmeians from the same parts by the Argives） they took refuge at Athens。 The Athenians received them among their citizens upon set terms； whereby they were excluded from a number of privileges which are not worth mentioning。 Now the Phoenicians who came with Cadmus； and to whom the Gephyraei belonged； introduced into Greece upon their arrival a great variety of arts； among the rest that of writing； whereof the Greeks till then had； as I think； been ignorant。 And originally they shaped their letters exactly like all the other Phoenicians； but afterwards； in course of time； they changed by degrees their language； and together with it the form likewise of their characters。 Now the Greeks who dwelt about those parts at that time were chiefly the Ionians。 The Phoenician letters were accordingly adopted by them； but with some variation in the shape of a few； and so they arrived at the present use； still calling the letters Phoenician； as justice required； after the name of those who were the first to introduce them into Greece。 Paper rolls also were called from of old 〃parchments〃 by the Ionians； because formerly when paper was scarce they used； instead； the skins of sheep and goats… on which material many of the barbarians are even now wont to write。 I myself saw Cadmeian characters engraved upon some tripods in the temple of Apollo Ismenias in Boeotian Thebes； most of them shaped like the Ionian。 One of the tripods has the inscription following：…
Me did Amphitryon place； from the far Teleboans coming。
This would be about the age of Laius； the son of Labdacus； the son of Polydorus； the son of Cadmus。 Another of the tripods has this legend in the hexameter measure：…
I to far…shooting Phoebus was offered by Scaeus the boxer； When he had won at the games… a wondrous beautiful offering。
This might be Scaeus； the son of Hippocoon； and the tripod； if dedicated by him； and not by another of the same name； would belong to the time of Oedipus； the son of Laius。 The third tripod has also an inscription in hexameters； which runs thus：…
King Laodamas gave this tripod to far…seeing Phoebus； When he was set on the throne… a wondrous beautiful offering。
It was in the reign of this Laodamas； the son of Eteocles； that the Cadmeians were driven by the Argives out of their country； and found a shelter with the Encheleans。 The Gephyraeans at that time remained in the country； but afterwards they retired before the Boeotians； and took refuge at Athens； where they have a number of temples for their separate use； which the other Athenians are not allowed to enter… among the rest； one of Achaean Ceres； in whose honour they likewise celebrate special orgies。 Having thus related the dream which Hipparchus saw； and traced the descent of the Gephyraeans； the family whereto his murderers belonged； I must proceed with the matter whereof I was intending before to speak； to wit； the way in which the Athenians got quit of their tyrants。 Upon the death of Hipparchus； Hippias； who was king； grew harsh towards the Athenians； and the Alcaeonidae； an Athenian family which had been banished by the Pisistratidae； joined the other exiles； and endeavoured to procure their own return； and to free Athens； by force。 They seized and fortified Leipsydrium above Paeonia； and tried to gain their object by arms； but great disasters befell them； and their purpose remained unaccomplished。 They therefore resolved to shrink from no contrivance that might bring them success； and accordingly they contracted with the Amphictyons to build the temple which now stands at Delphi； but which in those days did not exist。 Having done this； they proceeded； being men of great wealth and members of an ancient and distinguished family； to build the temple much more magnificently than the plan obliged them。 Besides other improvements； instead of the coarse stone whereof by the contract the temple was to have been constructed； they made the facings of Parian marble。 These same men； if we may believe the Athenians； during their stay at Delphi persuaded the Pythoness by a bribe to tell the Spartans； whenever any of them came to consult the oracle； either on their own private affairs or on the business of the state； that they must free Athens。 So the Lacedaemonians； when they found no answer ever returned to them but this； sent at last Anchimolius； the son of Aster… a man of note among their citizens… at the head of an army against Athens； with orders to drive out the Pisistratidae； albeit they were bound to them by the closest ties of friendship。 For they esteemed the things of heaven more highly than the things of men。 The troops went by sea and were conveyed in transports。 Anchimolius brought them to an anchorage at Phalerum； and there the men disembarked。 But the Pisistratidae； who had previous knowledge of their intentions； had sent to Thessaly； between which country and Athens there was an alliance； with a request for aid。 The Thessalians； in reply to their entreaties； sent them by a public vote 1000 horsemen； under the command of their king； Cineas； who was a Coniaean。 When this help came； the Pisistratidae laid their plan accordingly： they cleared the whole plain about Phalerum so as to make it fit for the movements of cavalry； and then charged the enemy's camp with their horse； which fell with such fury upon the Lacedaemonians as to kill numbers； among the rest Anchimolius； the general； and to drive the remainder to their ships。 Such was the fate of the first army sent from Lacedaemon； and the tomb of Anchimolius may be seen to this day in Attica； it is at Alopecae （Foxtown）； near the temple of Hercules in Cynosargos。 Afterwards； the Lacedaemonians despatched a larger force against Athens； which they put under the command of Cleomenes； son of Anaxandridas； one of their kings。 These troops were not sent by sea； but marched by the mainland。 When they were come into Attica； their first encounter was with the Thessalian horse； which they shortly put to flight； killing above forty men； the remainder made good their escape； and fled straight to Thessaly。 Cleomenes proceeded to the city； and； with the aid of such of the Athenians as wished for freedom； besieged the tyrants； who had shut themselves up in the Pelasgic fortress。 And now there had been small chance of the Pisistratidae falling into the hands of the Spartans； who did not even design to sit down before the place； which had moreover been well provisioned beforehand with stores both of meat and drink；… nay； it is likely that after a few days' blockade the Lacedaemonians would have quitted Attica altogether； and gone back to Sparta… had not an event occurred most unlucky for the besieged； and most advantageous for the besiegers。 The children of the Pisistratidae were made prisoners； as they were being removed out of the country。 By this calamity all their plans were deranged； and…as the ransom of their children… they consented to the demands of the Athenians； and agreed within five days' time to quit Attica。 Accordingly they soon afterwards left the country； and withdrew to Sigeum on the Scamander； after reigning thirty…six years over the Athenians。 By descent they were Pylians； of the family of the Neleids； to which Codrus and Melanthus likewise belonged； men who in former times from foreign settlers became kings of Athens。 And hence it was that Hippocrates came to think of calling his son Pisistratus： he named him after the Pisistratus who was a son of Nestor。 Such then was the mode in which the Athenians got quit of their tyrants。 What they did and suffered worthy of note from the time when they gained their freedom until the revolt of Ionia from King Darius； and the coming of Aristagoras to Athens with a request that the Athenians would lend the Ionians aid； I shall now proceed to relate。 The power of Athens had been great before； but； now that the tyrants were gone； it became greater than ever。 The chief authority was lodged with two persons； Clisthenes； of the family of the Alcmaeonids； who is said to have been the persuader of the Pythoness； and Isagoras； the son of Tisander； who belonged to a noble house； but whose pedigree I am not able to trace further。 Howbeit his kinsmen offer sacrifice to the Carian Jupiter。 These two men strove together for the mastery； and Clisthenes； finding himself the weaker； called to his aid the common people。 Hereupon； instead of the four tribes among which the Athenians had been divided hitherto； Clisthenes made ten tribes； and parcelled out the Athenians among them。 H