4.1
Damatria heard that her son had been a coward and unworthy of her, and when he arrived, she made away with him. This is the epigram Cf. the Palatine Anthology, vii. no. 433, or W. R. Paton, The Greek Anthology (in L.C.L.), ii. p. 238. referring to her: Sinner against our laws, Damatrius, slain by his mother, Was of the Spartan youth; she was of Sparta too.
OTHER SPARTAN WOMEN TO FAME UNKNOWN
5.1
Another Spartan woman made away with her son, who had deserted his post, on the ground that he was unworthy of his country, saying, Not mine the scion. This is the epigram referring to her Cf. the variant version in the Palatine Anthology, vii. no. 433 (or W. R. Paton, The Greek Anthology (in L.C.L.), ii. p. 238).: Off to your fate through the darkness, vile scion, who makes such a hatred, So the Eurotas flow not e’en for the timorous deer. Worthless whelp that you are, vile remnant, be oif now to Hades; Off! for never I bore Sparta’s unworthy son. Cf. Moralia, 242 a, infra.
5.2
Another, hearing that her son had fallen on the field of battle, said: Cf. Moralia, 235 a, supra. Let the poor cowards be mourned, but, with never a tear do I bury You, my son, who are mine, yea, and are Sparta’s as well.
5.3
Another, hearing that her son had been saved and had run away from the enemy, wrote to him, Ill report is spread about ye; aither clear yersel’ of this or stop yer living.
5.4
Another, when her sons had run away from battle and come to her, said, Where have you come now in your cowardly flight, vile varlets ? Do you intend to slink in here whence you came forth? And with these words she pulled up her garment and showed them. Cf. Moralia, 246 a, and Teles as quoted by Stobaeus, Florilegium, cviii. 83.
5.5
One woman, observing her son coming towards her, inquired, How fares our country? And when he said, All have perished, she took up a tile and, hurling it at him, killed him, saying, And so they sent you to bear the bad news to us!
