After this event the tyranny became much harsher. In consequence of his
vengeance for his brother, and of the execution and banishment of a
large number of persons, Hippias became a distrusted and an embittered
man. About three years after the death of Hipparchus, finding his
position in the city insecure, he set about fortifying Munichia, with
the intention of establishing himself there. While he was still
engaged on this work, however, he was expelled by Cleomenes, king of
Lacedaemon, in consequence of the Spartans being continually incited by
oracles to overthrow the tyranny. These oracles were obtained in the
following way. The Athenian exiles, headed by the Alcmeonidae, could
not by their own power effect their return, but failed continually in
their attempts. Among their other failures, they fortified a post in
Attica, Lipsydrium, above Mt. Parnes, and were there joined by some
partisans from the city; but they were besieged by the tyrants and
reduced to surrender. After this disaster the following became a
popular drinking song:
Ah! Lipsydrium, faithless friend!
Lo, what heroes to death didst send,
Nobly born and great in deed!
Well did they prove themselves at need
Of noble sires a noble seed.
Having failed, then, in every other method, they took the contract for
rebuilding the temple at Delphi, thereby obtaining ample funds, which
they employed to secure the help of the Lacedaemonians. All this time
the Pythia kept continually enjoining on the Lacedaemonians who came to
consult the oracle, that they must free Athens; till finally she
succeeded in impelling the Spartans to that step, although the house of
Pisistratus was connected with them by ties of hospitality. The
resolution of the Lacedaemonians was, however, at least equally due to
the friendship which had been formed between the house of Pisistratus
and Argos. Accordingly they first sent Anchimolus by sea at the head of
an army; but he was defeated and killed, through the arrival of Cineas
of Thessaly to support the sons of Pisistratus with a force of a
thousand horsemen. Then, being roused to anger by this disaster, they
sent their king, Cleomenes, by land at the head of a larger force; and
he, after defeating the Thessalian cavalry when they attempted to
intercept his march into Attica, shut up Hippias within what was known
as the Pelargic wall and blockaded him there with the assistance of the
Athenians. While he was sitting down before the place, it so happened
that the sons of the Pisistratidae were captured in an attempt to slip
out; upon which the tyrants capitulated on condition of the safety of
their children, and surrendered the Acropolis to the Athenians, five
days being first allowed them to remove their effects. This took place
in the archonship of Harpactides, after they had held the tyranny for
about seventeen years since their father's death, or in all, including
the period of their father's rule, for nine-and-forty years.