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270 fflSTORY OF GREECE. stand forth as accuser against so powerful a man was a serious peril: to undertake the proof of specific matter of treason against him was yet more serious : nor does it appear that any Spartan ventured to do either. It was known that nothing short of the most manifest and invincible proof would be held to justi- fy his condemnation, and amidst a long chain of acts carrying conviction when taken in the aggregate, there was no single trea- son sufficiently demonstrable for the purpose. Accordingly, Pau- sanias remained not only at large but unaccused, still audaciously persisting both in his intrigues at home and his correspondence abroad with Artabazus. He ventured to assail the unshielded side of Sparta by opening negotiations with the Helots, and in- stigating them to revolt ; promising them both liberation and ad- mission to political privilege ; i with a view, first, to destroy the board of ephors, and render himself despot in his own country, — next, to acquire through Persian help the supremacy of Greece. Some of those Helots to whom he addressed himself revealed the plot to the ephors, who, nevertheless, in spite of such grave peril, did not choose to take measures against Pausanias upon no better information, — so imposing was still his name and posi- tion. But though some few Helots might inform, probably many others both gladly heard the proposition and faithfully kept the secret : we shall find, by what happened a few years afterwards, that there were a large number of them who had their spears in readiness for revolt. Suspected as Pausanias was, yet by, the fears of some and the connivance of others, he was allowed to bring his plans to the. very brink of consummation ; and his last letters to Artabazus,2 intimating that he was ready for action, and be- speaking immediate performance of the engagements concerted between them, were actually in the hands of the messenger. Sparta was saved from an outbreak of the most formidable kind, 6t]2.6votl diaKpov(jU[xevn( rt/v Karriyoplav. Dr. Arnold translates dianpa^- u/ievoc, " having settled the business." Aristotel. Politic, iv, 13, 13 ; v, 1, .5 ; v, 6. 2 ; Herodot. v, 32. Aristotle calls Pausanias Jcing, though he was only regent : the truth is, that he had all the power of a Spartan king, and seemingly more, if we compare his treatment with that of the Prokleid king Leotychides. ^ Thucyd. i, 132. b fiilT^DV rug TE^^evraias (3a(yi?^El irrc(7To?<,(lg -^pdg 'AoTu^a^ov Koiiielv, uvTjp ^kpyiT^tog, etc.