Death of Pausanias

Pausanias became proud after Plataea and wanted to rule all Greece. He adopted Persian dress and manners. When Greeks would not help him, he secretly offered to help Persia make him king. The ephors discovered this and ordered his arrest. He fled to a temple for sanctuary, but they walled him in. His own mother brought the first stone, preferring his death to his treason. He starved. Themistocles, suspected as Pausanias's friend, was ostracized. He fled to Persia where Artaxerxes gave him wealth—but when asked to lead an army against Greece, Themistocles refused and killed himself rather than become a traitor.