There was once a famous Greek general whose name was Aristomenes. [Footnote: Aristomenes (pro. ar is tom'e neez).] He was brave and wise; and his countrymen loved him.
Once, however, in a great battle with the Spartans, his army was beaten and he was taken prisoner.
In those days, people had not learned to be kind to their enemies. In war, they were savage and cruel; for war always makes men so.
The Spartans hated Aristomenes. He had given them a great deal of trouble, and they wished to destroy him.
On a mountain near their city, there was a narrow chasm or hole in the rocks. It was very deep, and there was no way to climb out of it.
The Spartans said to one another, "Let us throw this fellow into the rocky chasm. Then we may be sure that he will never trouble us again."
So a party of soldiers led him up into the mountain and placed him on the edge of the yawning hole in the rocks. "See the place to which we send all our enemies," they said. And they threw him in.
No one knows how he escaped being dashed to pieces. Some of the Greeks said that an eagle caught him in her beak and carried him unharmed to the bottom. But that is not likely.
I think that he must have fallen upon some bushes and vines that grew in some parts of the chasm. At any rate he was not hurt much.
He groped around in the dim light, but could not find any way of escape. The rocky walls surrounded him on every side. There was no place where he could set his foot to climb out.