The share of Themistocles in this business is not, however, so much to his discredit as to that of the Spartan Eurybiades.

We cannot but observe that no system contrary to human nature is strong against actual temptation.

The Spartan law interdicted the desire of riches, and the Spartans themselves yielded far more easily to the lust of avarice than the luxurious Athenians.

Thus a native of Zelea, a city in Asia Minor, had sought to corrupt the Peloponnesian cities by Persian gold: it was not the Spartans, it was the Athenians, who declared this man infamous, and placed his life out of the pale of the Grecian law.
With a noble pride Demosthenes speaks of this decree.

"The gold," he, says, "was brought into Peloponnesus, not to Athens.