We learn from this story that we should be on our guard
against the beginnings of such evils, and should put an end to the
quarrels of chiefs and mighty men. The mistake lies in the
beginning- as the proverb says- 'Well begun is half done'; so an error
at the beginning, though quite small, bears the same ratio to the
errors in the other parts. In general, when the notables quarrel,
the whole city is involved, as happened in Hesdaea after the Persian
War. The occasion was the division of an inheritance; one of two
brothers refused to give an account of their father's property and the
treasure which he had found: so the poorer of the two quarrelled
with him and enlisted in his cause the popular party, the other, who
was very rich, the wealthy classes.
At Delphi, again, a quarrel about a marriage was the beginning of
all the troubles which followed. In this case the bridegroom, fancying
some occurrence to be of evil omen, came to the bride, and went away
without taking her. Whereupon her relations, thinking that they were
insulted by him, put some of the sacred treasure among his offerings
while he was sacrificing, and then slew him, pretending that he had
been robbing the temple. At Mytilene, too, a dispute about heiresses
was the beginning of many misfortunes, and led to the war with the
Athenians in which Paches took their city.
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