1Cimon, son of Miltiades, an Athenian, had a very hard beginning to his youth. 1For since his father had been unable to pay the people the fine assessed against him and for that reason had died in the public prison, Cimon was held in the same custody and could not be released under the laws of the Athenians unless he paid the money with which his father had been fined. 2He had as his wife his own sister, Elpinice by name, led no more by love than by custom: for the Athenians are allowed to marry women born of the same father. 3A certain Callias, not so much well-born as wealthy, who had made a great fortune from mines, being eager for this marriage, pleaded with Cimon to give her to him as his wife: if he obtained this, he would pay the money on his behalf.
4When Cimon spurned such an offer, Elpinice said that she would not allow the offspring of Miltiades to die in the public prison when she could prevent it, and that she would marry Callias if he made good what he promised.