The Complete Aristotle (eng.)

awaiting the arrival of the procession, while
Hipparchus was organizing its dispatch) they saw one of the persons
privy to the plot talking familiarly with him. Thinking that he was
betraying them, and desiring to do something before they were
arrested, they rushed down and made their attempt without waiting
for the rest of their confederates. They succeeded in killing
Hipparchus near the Leocoreum while he was engaged in arranging the
procession, but ruined the design as a whole; of the two leaders,
Harmodius was killed on the spot by the guards, while Aristogeiton
was arrested, and perished later after suffering long tortures.
While under the torture he accused many persons who belonged by
birth to the most distinguished families and were also personal
friends of the tyrants. At first the government could find no clue
to the conspiracy; for the current story, that Hippias made all who
were taking part in the procession leave their arms, and then
detected those who were carrying secret daggers, cannot be true,
since at that time they did not bear arms in the processions, this
being a custom instituted at a later period by the democracy.
According to the story of the popular party, Aristogeiton accused
the friends of the tyrants with the deliberate intention that the
latter might commit an impious act, and at the same time weaken
themselves, by putting to death innocent men who were their own
friends; others say that he told no falsehood, but was betraying
the actual accomplices. At last, when for all his efforts he could
not obtain release by death, he promised to give further
information against a number of other persons; and, having induced
Hippias to give him his hand to confirm his word, as soon as he had
hold of it he reviled him for giving his hand to the murderer of
his brother, till Hippias, in a frenzy of rage, lost control of
himself and snatched out his dagger and dispatched him.
19
    After this event the tyranny became much harsher. In consequence
of his vengeance for his brother, and of the execution and
banishment of a large number of persons, Hippias became a
distrusted and an embittered man. About three years after the death
of Hipparchus, finding his position in the city insecure, he set
about fortifying Munichia, with the intention of establishing
himself there. While he was still engaged on this work, however, he
was expelled by Cleomenes, king of Lacedaemon, in consequence of
the Spartans being continually incited by oracles to overthrow the
tyranny. These oracles were obtained in the following way. The
Athenian exiles, headed by the Alcmeonidae, could not by their own
power effect their return, but failed continually in their
attempts. Among their other failures, they fortified a post in
Attica, Lipsydrium, above Mt. Parnes, and were there joined by some
partisans from the city; but they were besieged by the tyrants and
reduced to surrender. After this disaster the following became a
popular drinking song:
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    div class="quote">
    Ah! Lipsydrium, faithless friend!
Lo, what heroes to death didst send,
Nobly born and great in deed!
Well did they prove themselves at need
Of noble sires a noble seed.
    Having failed, then, in very other method, they took the
contract for rebuilding the temple at Delphi, thereby obtaining
ample funds, which they employed to secure the help of the
Lacedaemonians. All this time the Pythia kept continually enjoining
on the Lacedaemonians who came to consult the oracle, that they
must free Athens; till finally she succeeded in impelling the
Spartans to that step, although the house of Pisistratus was
connected with them by ties of hospitality. The resolution of the
Lacedaemonians was, however, at least equally due to the friendship
which had been formed between the house of Pisistratus and Argos.
Accordingly they first sent Anchimolus by sea at the head of an
army; but he was defeated and killed, through the arrival of Cineas
of Thessaly to support the sons of Pisistratus with a force of a
thousand horsemen. Then, being roused to anger by this disaster,
they sent their king, Cleomenes, by land at the head of a larger
force; and he, after defeating the Thessalian cavalry when they
attempted to intercept his march into Attica, shut up Hippias
within what was known as the Pelargic wall and blockaded him there
with the assistance of the Athenians. While he was sitting down
before the place, it so happened that the sons of the Pisistratidae
were captured in an attempt to slip