s； turned and fled to the temple； where he took refuge in a small chamber belonging to the building。 From this sanctuary it was unlawful to drag him； but the ephors caused the doors to be built up and the roof to be removed； and his own mother is said to have placed the first stone at the doors。 When at the point of death from starvation； he was carried from the sanctuary before he polluted it with his corpse。 Such was the end of the victor of Plataea。 After his death proofs were discovered among his papers that Themistocles was implicated in his guilt。 But in order to follow the fortunes of the Athenian statesman； it is necessary to take a glance at the internal history of Athens。
The ancient rivalry between Themistocles and Aristides had been in a good degree extinguished by the danger which threatened their common country during the Persian wars。 Aristides had since abandoned his former prejudices； and was willing to conform to many of the democratical innovations of his rival。 The effect of this was to produce； soon after their return to Attica； a still further modification of the constitution of Clisthenes。 The Thetes the lowest of the four classes of Athenian citizens； were declared eligible for the magistracy； from which they had been excluded by the laws of Solon。 Thus not only the archonship； but consequently the Council of Areopagus； was thrown open to them； and； strange to say； this reform was proposed by Aristides himself。
Nevertheless party spirit still ran high at Athens。 Cimon and Alcmaeon were violent opponents of Themistocles； and of their party Aristides was still the head。 The popularity of Aristides was never greater than at the present time； owing not only to the more liberal spirit which he exhibited； but also to his great services in establishing the Confederacy of Delos。 Themistocles had offended the Athenians by his ostentation and vanity。 He was continually boasting of his services to the state； but worse than all this； his conduct was stained with positive guilt。 Whilst； at the head of an Athenian squadron； he was sailing among the Greek islands for the ostensible purpose of executing justice； there is little room to doubt that he corrupted its very source by accepting large sums of money from the cities which he visited。 Party spirit at length reached such a height that it was found necessary to resort to ostracism； and Themistocles was condemned to a temporary banishment （B。C。 471）。 He retired to Argos； where he was residing when the Spartans called upon the Athenians to prosecute their great statesman before a synod of the allies assembled at Sparta； on the ground of treasonable correspondence with Persia。 Accordingly joint envoys were sent from Athens and Sparta to arrest him （B。C。 466）。 Themistocles avoided the impending danger by flying from Argos to Corcyra。 The Corcyraeans； however； not daring to shelter him； he passed over to the continent； where； being still pursued； he was forced to seek refuge at the court of Admetus； king of the Molossians； though the latter was his personal enemy。 Fortunately； Admetus happened to be from home。 The forlorn condition of Themistocles excited the compassion of the wife of the Molossian king； who placed her child in his arms； and bade him seat himself on the hearth as a suppliant。 As soon as the king arrived； Themistocles explained his peril； and adjured him by the sacred laws of hospitality not to take vengeance upon a fallen foe。 Admetus accepted his appeal； and raised him from the hearth； he refused to deliver him up to his pursuers； and at last only dismissed him on his own expressed desire to proceed to Persia。 After many perils； Themistocles succeeded in reaching in safety the coast of Asia。 Artaxerxes； the son of Xerxes； was now upon the throne of Persia； and to him Themistocles hastened to announce himself。 The king was delighted at his arrival； and treated him with the greatest distinction。 In a year's time； Themistocles； having acquired a sufficient knowledge of the Persian language to be able to converse in it； entertained Artaxerxes with magnificent schemes for the subjugation of Greece。 Artaxerxes loaded him with presents； gave him a Persian wife； and appointed Magnesia； a town not far from the Ionian coast； as his place of residence。 after living there some time he was carried off by disease at the age of sixty…five； without having realised； or apparently attempted； any of those plans with which he had dazzled the Persian monarch。 Rumour ascribed his death to poison； which he took of his own accord； from a consciousness of his inability to perform his promises； but this report； which was current in the time of Thucydides； is rejected by that historian。
Aristides died about four years after the banishment of Themistocles。 The common accounts of his poverty are probably exaggerated； and seem to have been founded on the circumstances of a public funeral； and of handsome donations made to his three children by the state。 But whatever his property may have been； it is at least certain that he did not acquire or increase it by unlawful means； and not even calumny has ventured to assail his well…earned title of THE JUST。
On the death of Aristides； Cimon became the undisputed leader of the conservative party at Athens。 Cimon was generous； affable； magnificent； and； notwithstanding his political views； of exceedingly popular manners。 He had inherited the military genius of his father； and was undoubtedly the greatest commander of his time。 He employed the vast wealth acquired in his expeditions in adorning Athens and gratifying his fellow… citizens。 It has been already mentioned that he succeeded Aristides in the command of the allied fleet。 His first exploits were the capture of Eion on the Strymon； and the reduction of the island of Scyros （B。C。 476）。 A few years afterwards we find the first symptoms of discontent among the members of the Confederacy of Delos。 Naxos； one of the confederate islands； and the largest of the Cyclades； revolted in B。C。 466； probably from a feeling of the growing oppressiveness of the Athenian headship。 It was immediately invested by the confederate fleet； reduced； and made tributary to Athens。 This was another step towards dominion gained by the Athenians； whose pretensions were assisted by the imprudence of the allies。 Many of the smaller states belonging to the confederacy； wearied with perpetual hostilities； commuted for a money payment the ships which they were bound to supply； and thus； by depriving themselves of a navy； lost the only means by which they could assert their independence。
The same year was marked by a memorable action against the Persians。 Cimon at the head of 200 Athenian triremes； and 100 furnished by the allies； proceeded to the coast of Asia Minor。 The Persians had assembled a large fleet and army at the mouth of the river Eurymedon in Pamphylia。 After speedily defeating the fleet； Cimon landed his men and marched against the Persian army which was drawn up on the shore to protect the fleet。 The land… force fought with bravery； but was at length put to the rout。
The island of Thasos was the next member of the confederacy against which the Athenians directed their arms。 After a siege of more than two years that island surrendered； when its fortifications were razed； and it was condemned to pay tribute （B。C。 463）。
The expedition to Thasos was attended with a circumstance which first gives token of the coming hostilities between Sparta and Athens。 At an early period of the blockade the Thasians secretly applied to the Lacedaemonians to make a diversion in their favour by invading Attica： and though the Lacedaemonians were still ostensibly allied with Athens； they were base enough to comply with this request。 Their treachery； however； was prevented by a terrible calamity which befel themselves。 In the year B。C。 461 their capital was visited by an earthquake which laid it in ruins and killed 20；000 of the citizens。 But this was only part of the calamity。 The earthquake was immediately followed by a revolt of the Helots； who were always ready to avail themselves of the weakness of their tyrants。 Being joined by the Messenians； they fortified themselves in Mount Ithome in Messenia。 Hence this revolt is sometimes called the Third Messenian War （B。C。 464）。 after two or three years spent in a vain attempt to dislodge them from this position； the Lacedaemonians found themselves obliged to call in the assistance of their allies； and； among the rest； of the Athenians。 It was with great difficulty that Cimon persuaded the Athenians to comply with this request； but he was at length despatched to Laconia with a force of 4000 hoplites。 The aid of the Athenians had been requested by the Lacedaemonians on account of their acknowledged superiority in the art of attacking fortified places。 As； however； Cimon did not succeed in dislodging the Helots from Ithome the Lacedaemonians； probably from a consciousness of their own treachery in the affair of Thasos； suspected that the Athenians were playing them false； and abruptly dismissed them； saying that they had no longer any occasion for their services。 This rude dismissal gave great offence at Athens； and annih