their army, the
people began to murmur against Cimon. In their anger, they forgot all
the good he had done them, and, assembling in the market place, they
ostracized him.

LVIII. THE AGE OF PERICLES.

As soon as Cimon had been banished, Pericles became sole leader of the
Athenians; and as he governed them during a long and prosperous time,
this period is generally known as the Age of Pericles.

The Spartans who had so rudely sent away their Athenian allies manfully
resolved to help themselves, and set about it so vigorously that they
soon brought the Helots back to order, and rebuilt their city. When they
had settled themselves comfortably, however, they remembered the
lukewarm help which had been given them, and determined to punish the
Athenians.

The Persian general was just then planning a new invasion of Greece, so
the Athenians found themselves threatened with a twofold danger. In
their distress they recalled Cimon, who was an excellent general, and
implored him to take command of their forces.

Cimon fully justified their confidence, and not only won several
victories over the Spartans, but compelled them at last to agree to a
truce of five years. This matter settled, he next attacked the Persians,
whom he soon defeated by land and by sea.

He then forced Artaxerxes, the Persian king, to swear a solemn oath that
he would never again wage war against the Athenians, and forbade the
Persian vessels ever to enter the AEgean Sea.

[Illustration: Pericles.]

These triumphs won, Cimon died from the wounds he had received during
the war. His death, however, was kept secret for a whole month, so that
the people would have time to get used to a new leader, and not be
afraid to fight without their former general.

While Cimon was thus successfully battling with the enemy abroad,
Pericles had managed affairs at home. He urged the Athenians to finish
their walls; and by his advice they built also the Long Walls, which
joined the city to the Pi-rae'us, a seaport five miles away.

Pericles also increased the Athenian navy, so that, by the time the
five-years' truce was over, he had a fine fleet to use in fighting
against the Spartans.

As every victory won by the Athenians had only made Sparta more jealous,
the war was renewed, and carried on with great fury on both sides. The
Spartans gained the first victories; but, owing to their better navy,
the Athenians soon won over all the neighboring cities, and