s it is not the
Argives who have acted most basely of all. I however am bound to report
that which is reported, though I am not bound altogether to believe
it; and let this saying be considered to hold good as regards every
narrative in the history: for I must add that this also is reported,
namely that the Argives were actually those who invited the Persian to
invade Hellas, because their war with the Lacedemonians had had an evil
issue, being willing to suffer anything whatever rather than the trouble
which was then upon them.

153. That which concerns the Argives has now been said: and meanwhile
envoys had come to Sicily from the allies, to confer with Gelon, among
whom was also Syagros from the Lacedemonians. Now the ancestor of this
Gelon, he who was at Gela as a settler, 140 was a native of the island
of Telos, which lies off Triopion; and when Gela was founded by the
Lindians of Rhodes and by Antiphemos, he was not left behind. Then in
course of time his descendants became and continued to be priests of the
mysteries of the Earth goddesses, 141 an office which was acquired by
Telines one of their ancestors in the following manner:--certain of the
men of Gela, being worsted in a party struggle, had fled to Mactorion,
the city which stands above Gela: these men Telines brought back to Gela
from exile with no force of men but only with the sacred rites of these
goddesses; but from whom he received them, or whether he obtained them
for himself, 142 this I am not able to say; trusting in these
however, he brought the men back from exile, on the condition that his
descendants should be priests of the mysteries of the goddesses. To me
it has caused wonder also that Telines should have been able to perform
so great a deed, considering that which I am told; for such deeds, I
think, are not apt to proceed from every man, but from one who has a
brave spirit and manly vigour, whereas Telines is said by the dwellers
in Sicily to have been on the contrary a man of effeminate character and
rather poor spirit.

154. He then had thus obtained the privilege of which I speak: and when
Cleander the son of Pantares brought his life to an end, having been
despot of Gela for seven years and being killed at last by Sabyllos a
man of Gela, then Hippocrates succeeded to the monarchy, who was
brother of Cleander. And while Hippocrates was despot, Gelon, who was a
descendant of Telines the priest of the mysteries, was spearman of the
guar