CHAPTER VII.

FIRST AND SECOND MESSENIAN WARS.

Authorities for the history of the Messenian wars.—Chiefly belong to the time after the foundation of Messênê by Epameinondas.—Absence of real or ancient traditions concerning these wars: contradictions about the Messenian hero Aristomenês.—Dates of the first wars—B. C. 743-724.—Causes alleged by the Spartans.—Spartan king Têleklus slain by the Messenians at the temple of Artemis Limnatis.—First Messenian war.—Messenian kings, Euphaês and Aristodêmus.—Messenians concentrate themselves on Mount Ithôme—after a long siege they are completely conquered.—Harsh treatment and Helotism of the conquered Messenians under Sparta.—Revolt of the Messenians against Sparta—second Messenian war—Aristomenês.—His chivalrous exploits and narrow escapes—end of the second war.—The Messenians again conquered.—Narrative of Pausanias, borrowed from the poet Rhianus, is undeserving of credit.—The poet Tyrtæus, the ally of Sparta—his great efficiency and influence over the Spartan mind.—Musical susceptibilities of the Spartans.—Powerful ethical effect of the old Grecian music.—Sufferings of the Spartans in the second Messenian war.—Date of the second war, B. C. 648-631.—Punishment of the traitor Aristokratês, king of the Arcadian Orchomenus.—Spartans acquire the country west of Taygetus.—The Messenian Dorians had no considerable fortified places—lived in small townships and villages.—Relations of Pisa and Elis.—Struggles of the Pisatæ and Triphylians for autonomy—the latter in after times sustained by the political interests of Sparta. 421-440