LIFE OF
brother at such time as he was accused before the lud^e of treason. For Pericles was one of the committies, to whom this accusation was referred by the people. Elpinice went vnto him, and besought him not to do his worst vnto her brother. Pericles answered her merily : Thou art too old Elpinice, thou art too old to go through with these matters. Yet when this matter came to iudgement, and that his cause was pleaded : he rose but once to speake against him (for his owne discharge as it were) and w'ent his way when he had said, doing lesse hurt to Cimon then any other of his accusers. How is Ido-meneus to be credited now, who accuseth Pericles that he had caused the orator Ephialtes to be slameby. treason (that was his friend, and did alwayes counsell him and did take his part in all kind of gouernment of the common weale) only for the ielousie and enuy he did beare to his glory : I can but muse why Ido-meneus should speake so slanderously against Pericles, vnlesse it were that his melancholy humour procured such violent speech: who though peraduenture he was not altogether blamelesse, yet he was euer nobly minded, and had a naturall desire of honor, in which kind of men such furious cruel passions are seldom seene to breed. But this orator Ephialtes being cruell to those that took part with the Nobihtie, because he would spare or pardon no man for any offence whatsoeuer committed against the peoples authoritie, but did follow and persecute them with all rigour to the vttermost : his enemies laid waite for him by meanes of one Aristodicus Tanagrian, and they killed him by treason, as Aristotle writeth. In the meanetime Cimon died in the He of Cyprvs, being general! of the army of the Athenians by sea. Wherefore those that took part with the Nobility, seeing Pericles was now growne very great, and that he went before all other citizens of Athens, thinking it good