(M10) Thus ended the first Messenian war,
after having lasted twenty years.

The Second Messenian War.

The lenity with which the Lacedaemonians treated the Messenians at first,
was of no long duration.(241) When once they found the whole country had
submitted, and thought the people incapable of giving them any further
trouble, they returned to their natural character of insolence and
haughtiness, that often degenerated into cruelty, and sometimes even into
ferocity. Instead of treating the vanquished with kindness, as friends and
allies, and endeavouring by gentle methods to win those whom they had
subdued by force, they seemed intent upon nothing but aggravating their
yoke, and making them feel the whole weight of subjection. They laid heavy
taxes upon them, delivered them up to the avarice of the collectors of
those taxes, gave no ear to their complaints, rendered them no justice,
treated them with contempt like vile slaves, and committed the most
heinous outrages against them.

Man, who is born for liberty, can never reconcile himself to servitude:
the most gentle slavery exasperates, and provokes him to rebel. What could
be expected then from so cruel a one, as that under which the Messenians
groaned? After having endured it with great uneasiness(242) near forty
years, they resolved to throw off the yoke, and to recover their ancient
liberty. (M11) This was in the fourth year of the twenty-third Olympiad:
the office of archon at Athens was then made annual; and Anaxander and
Anaxidamus reigned at Sparta.

The Messenians' first care was to strengthen themselves by the alliance of
the neighbouring nations. These they found well inclined to enter into
their views, as very agreeable to their own interests. For it was not
without jealousy and apprehensions, that they saw so powerful a city
rising up in the midst of them, which manifestly seemed to aim at
extending her dominion over all the rest. The people therefore of Elis,
the Argives and Sicyonians, declared for the Messenians. But before their
forces were joined, a battle was fought between the Lacedaemonians and
Messenians. Aristomenes, the second of that name,(243) was at the head of
the latter. He was a commander of intrepid courage, and of great abilities
in war. The Lacedaemonians were beaten in this engagement. Aristomenes, to
give the enemy at first an advantageous opinion of his bravery, knowing
what influence it has on the success of future enterp