90 HISTORICAL TALES,

Cleisthenes esteemed. Yet “there is many a slip
between the cup and the lip,” an adage whose truth
Hippoclides was to learn.

When the day came on which the choice of the
father was to be made, and the wedding take place,
Cleisthenes held a great festival in honor of the occa-
sion. First, to gain the favor of the gods, he offered
a hundred oxen in sacrifice. Then, not only the suit-
ors, but all the people of the city were invited to a
grand banquet and festival, at the end of which the
choice of Cleisthenes was to be declared. What tor-
ments of love and fear Agaristé suffered during this
slow-moving feast the historian does not say. Yet it
may be that she was the power behind the throne,
and that the proposed choice of the handsome Hip-
poclides was due as much to her secret influence as
to her father’s judgment.

However this be, the feast went on to its end, and
was followed by a contest between the suitors in
music and oratory, with all the ‘people to decide.
As the drinking which followed went on, Hippo-
clides, who had surpassed all the others as yet,
shouted to the flute-player, bidding him to play a
dancing air, as he proposed to show his powers in
the dance.

The wine was in his weak head, and what he con-
sidered marvellously fine dancing did not appear so
to Cleisthenes, who was closely watching his pro-
posed son-in-law. Hippoclides, however, in a mood
to show all his accomplishments, now bade an at-
tendant to bring in a table. This being brought, ho
leaped upon it, and danced some Laconian steps,