But in course of time the family had lost, as families are apt to lose, some of its characteristics. Their physique was not impaired, but the moral qualities, which were of no less importance, had declined. Its present repre- [188] sentative was distinctly degenerate. He had indeed made a brilliant beginning of his career, for he had won the boys’ foot race at Olympia; unfortunately the success had not done him any good. It had made him conceited, and it had rendered him the object of many flattering attentions, which he was not wise enough to estimate at their proper value. It was followed by two defeats at lesser festivals, and there was now every probability that a third failure would follow. Dromeus had begun to lose heart. He had failed to hold his own in private trials with Eubulus, and as time went on his inferiority became more and more marked. The usual result followed. As the man’s hopes diminished his resolution and perseverance slackened. Opportunities of indulgenceand the most jealously guarded system of training could not wholly exclude themwere not avoided, and were soon even sought. So it came to pass that Dromeus’ prospects were anything but bright. His means were narrow, he had put himself under very embarrassing obligations, and he had lost his self-respect. He was, in short, exactly in the condition in which he would be most likely to yield to a temptation addressed either to his pride or to his needs.
Cleon proceeded to make his advances with [189] all the skill which a long apprenticeship in villainy had taught him. A direct suggestion of violence or fraud would, he felt, be impolitic. Dromeus was not ripe for itthe evil had only begun to work in him. Jealousy of the young rival, who now stood so high in popular favour, seemed the motive to which an appeal might be most easily made. Cleon had already a slight acquaintance with the young man, and he found opportunities of improving it. A little conversation gave him no little insight into Dromeus’ character and capacities. It was evident that he was at once extraordinarily vain and extraordinarily ignorant. The subject of the coming race, and with it, of course, the popularity of Eubulus, soon turned up. Dromeus was almost frantically jealous of his competitor. Both his family and his personal pride were touched.
“Who,” he cried, “is this young upstart? Where are his traditions? His father is an artisan, or a trader, or something equally insignificant. And his grandfather? No one probably knows. And these fools in Corinth here crowd to see him, aye, and positively cheer him. I heard them doing it this very morning. Do they know that I am the sixteenth in descent from the great runner Dromeus of Stymphalus?” If any one in Corinth did not know it, it was not [190] by any fault of Dromeus, who was seldom in any company for five minutes without mentioning the name of his great ancestor. “It is monstrous that this low-born fellow should thrust himself forward in this fashion, and intrude himself into the amusements of gentlemen.”
“Is he really worth anything?” asked Cleon.
Cleon could have answered his own question as well as any one in Corinth, but he wanted to sound his companion’s thoughts.
“Well,” answered Dromeus, “he is not bad for a fellow of that class. He has a fair speed and seems to last sufficiently well. But it is the race itself that tests a man. Trials are very different things; but to run with the eyes of fifty thousand people fixed upon you, that proves what is in a man. It is then that the hereditary temper shows itself. Do you know, that when I ran at Olympia I did not feel the faintest suspicion of a tremor?”
“Is it all quite straightforward, think you?” said Cleon.
“Straightforward,” replied Dromeus. “I don’t quite catch your meaning. I never saw the fellow cheat, I don’t think that he would, for he is not a bad sort; even if he could, I must own that I do not see where his opportunity would come in.”
[191] “Have you ever heard of charms?” asked Cleon.
“Charms? What do you mean?” cried Dromeus.
“Well, I mean the magic lotions and potions by which witches and wizards do such wonderful things.”
“I have heard of such things,” said the runner; “but tell me more.”
“Well,” said Cleon, “there are stories without end of what Medea did in this very city. She put some dreadful drug on the robe which she gave to the King’s daughter. Jason, her husband, had divorced her and was going to marry the princessand it burnt her as if it had been fire, aye, and her old father the King too. This, of course, was a mischievous drug; but there are things which give strength as well as take it away. Go to any drug-seller in the city, and he will tell you of such things, aye, and sell them to you, if you are ready to pay the price. I don’t mean to say but what most of these things are mere rubbish; still there is no smoke without fire. The pretence would not be sought after if there was not some reality behind them.”
Dromeus was intensely interested in all this. It appealed at once to his jealousy and to his pride. It had been hateful to him to see a low- [192] born rival gaining the advantage over him, and it consoled him vastly to believe that the advantage had been secured by foul means.
Cleon thought it best to interrupt the conversation at this point, and to leave his suggestion to work.
A DRUG
[193] CLEON’S suggestion, so artfully adapted to the motives which were dominant in the disappointed athlete’s breast, worked as leaven works in a measure of meal. The two met, according to arrangement, on the fourth day, the appointed place being the fountain of Peirene. Before, however, this meeting took place, there had been a consultation between the conspirators, and Cleon’s plan was discussed.
“Is this all an imagination of yours, Cleon?” asked Ariston. “Is there any drug that makes a man especially fleet of foot and long of wind? and is there any other drug with which you can counteract the effects of the first?”
Cleon smiled. “You are really very encouraging, Ariston. If you believe half this rigmarole, there must be many more people in Corinth than I thought who believe it all. As for the first drug we need not inquire. There may be such, or there may not. As for the second, I have no doubt whatever. I know of several [194] drugs, though these things are not in my especial line, which if a man take he will never run quickly again, or indeed slowly, for the matter of that.”
The two other confederates started. Cleon had been thinking of the plan for some time, and his mind had become habituated to it. To his companions it came as a surprise and a blow.
“What,” said Ariston, in a faltering voice, “you mean to poison the man.”
“Good words! good words! my friend,” cried Cleon in mocking tones. “Who talked of poison? We administer a drug, compounded according to a well-known prescription. No, I am wrong. It is not we who administer it; it is Dromeus. Suppose that something happens. Untoward accidents do happen when we have to do with these powerful agents. It is quite possible that nothing may be found out. Of ten deaths by poisoningno, let me say after the administration of drugsseven or eight cause no suspicion. And when there are suspicions it is very difficult to prove anything. But let us imagine the worst; I do hope that no harm will come to our very amiable and promising friend Eubulus, but if it should, if he should be laid aside, and people are so unkindly curious as to ask who did it, what would the answer be? Here is a [195] young man in the same house, who has any number of opportunities of administering the drug, and the strongest reason for wishing the young fellow out of the waya rival likely to be an unsuccessful rival. Who would think of looking any further? And what should we do? I should suggest that we should say something to this effect‘This is a very deplorable affair; we cannot think of making a profit out of it; we cancel all the wagers which we laid against our poor friend. We lament his loss as much as any one, and this is our way of showing ita very poor way, but all that we can do.” It is true that we should lose some twenty minas (Footnote: About ?80.) apiece, but then, think what an advertisement! And, after all, we shall be out of the hole pretty cheaply.”
This was convincing, and Cleon went to the meeting fully prepared with what had to be said. Dromeus went, as may be supposed, straight to the point.