ARISTOMENES, THE HERO OF MESSENIA. 65

the waters of the stream. This a seer announced
as the fulfilment of the oracle, for in the Messenian
language the fig-tree was called Tragos.

Aristomenes now, discouraged by the decree of
the gods, and finding himself surrounded, through
treachery, by his enemies in his mountain strong-
hold, decided to give up the hopeless struggle. He
broke fiercely through the ranks of his assailants
with his sons and followers, and left his country to
the doom which the gods had decreed.

The end of his career, like its earlier events, was,
according to the legend, under the control of the
deities. Damagetes, the king of the island of
Rhodes, had been told by an oracle that he must
marry the bravest of the Hellenes (or Greeks).
Believing that Aristomenes had the best claim to
this proud title, he asked him for the hand of his
daughter in marriage, and offered him a home in
his island realm. Aristomenes consented, and spent
the remainder of his days in Rhodes. From his
daughter descended the illustrious family of the
Diagoride.

This romantic story of the far past resembles
those of King Alfred of England, of Wallace and
Bruce of Scotland, and of other heroes who have
defended their countries single-handed against a
powerful foe. But we are not done with it yet.
There is another singular and interesting episode to
be told,—a legend, no doubt, but one which has
almost passed into history.

The story goes that the Spartans, losing heart at
the success of the Messenians in the early years of

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