AGIS, king of Lacedemon, was descended from Agesilaus II. in a right line. He projected the reformation of his kingdom, by the restoring of the laws of Lycurgus; [7:2:246]but he fell under the weight of an enterprise that could not but be disagreeable to all those who had great possessions, and had been long accustomed to the sweets of a voluptuous life. Agis, being in the flower of his age, and having a very refined desire of glory, practised the ancient discipline first in his own person. His clothes and his table were according to the manners of former times; which is so much the more to be admired, because Agesistrata, his mother, and Archidamia,his grandmother,had brought him up voluptuously. When he sounded the people’s minds, he found that the younger sort opposed his project less than those who had enjoyed a relaxation of discipline several years. The greatest difficulty was expected to arise from the women. They had at that time more credit than ever; for their power is never greater than when luxury is in fashion. Agis’s mother did not at all relish the proposed reformation. She must have lost her riches, which gave her a share in a thousand sorts of intrigues; so she opposed the design at once, and treated it as a chimera. But her brother Agesilaus, whom Agis had engaged in his interests, knew how to manage her in such a manner, that she promised to second the enterprise. She endeavoured to gain the women; but instead of suffering themselves to be persuaded, they applied to Leonidas, the other king of Lacedemon, and humbly besought him to frustrate the designs of his colleague. Leonidas durst not oppose it openly, for fear of irritating the people, to whom the reformation was -agreeable, because they found their account in it. He contented himself with countermining it by intrigues, and sowing suspicions as if Agis had aspired to tyranny, by pulling down the rich and raising the poor. Agis did not fail to propose his new laws to the senate, relating to the discharge of debts, and a new division of the lands. Leonidas, being supported by the rich, opposed this project so strongly that there was one voice more against it than for it. He paid dear for his success in this affair. Lysander, one of the ephori, who had been the grand promoter of the reformation, caused certain accusations to be preferred against him; using, at the same time, some expedients to make him an object of superstitious dislike. Leonidas, being frightened, took refuge in the temple of Minerva. He was summoned, and because he did not appear, he was degraded from his dignity, which was conferred on his son-in-law Cleombrotus. He obtained leave to retire to Tegaea. The new ephori had Lysander and Mandroclidas tried for innovation: these persuaded the two kings to unite and turn out diese ephori. The thing was brought about, but not without a great tumult in the city. Agesilaus, one of the ephori that succeeded those that were just turned out, would have caused Leonidas to be killed on the way to Tegaea, if Agis had not sent him a strong guard. The reformation might then have been established, if Agesilaus had not found means to elude the good intentions of the two kings. Whilst this was transacting, the Achaians asked assistance, which was given them; and Agis had the command of the troops. He acquired a good deal of reputation in this campaign. At his return, he found his affairs so embroiled by the ill conduct of Agesilaus, that it was impossible for him to maintain himself. Leonidas was recalled to Lacedemon: Agis retired into one temple, and Cleombrotus into another. The wife of the latter behaved herself in such a manner that.,she became the admiration of every body. Leonidas was contented with banishing his .son-in-law; after which he applied himself entirely to the ruin of Agis. One of the ephori, who had no mind to return what Agesistrata, the mother of Agis, had lent him, was the principal instrument of the misfortune of this family. Agis never went out of his sanctuary but to bathe. One day, as he was returning from thence to the temple, he was seized by that ephorus and carried to prison. Then he was brought to his trial, condemned to death, and delivered to the executioner. His mother and grandmother used all the entreaty and importunity imaginable, that, as he was king of Lacedemon, he might at least be permitted to plead his cause before the people. But they were apprehensive lest his words would make too great an impression, and therefore they ordered him to be strangled that very hour. The ephorus who was in debt to Agesistrata permitted that princess to go into the prison; which he granted likewise to Agis’s grandmother; but he gave orders to strangle them one after another. Agesis-trata died in a manner that was extremely to her honour. The wife of Agis, who was a princess of great fortune and prudence, was forced away from her apartment by King Leonidas, and obliged to marry his son Cleomenes, who was then very young.