When war began between Athens and Sparta, Aspasia, as was usual, received more than her fair share of blame. Her critics argued that by helping her home city of Miletus over a decade before, Pericles had provoked Sparta, who had supported Miletus' enemies.

Other gossip maintained the war had started because allies of Sparta had kidnapped the best girls from Aspasia's brothel, a tall story later made into a comic play by Aristophanes. Another comic playwright actually tried to have Aspasia prosecuted for impeity and only Pericles' personal intervention spared her from possible exile.

But there were compensations.

Having lived with Pericles for nearly two decades, borne him a son, and helped raise his ward, Aspasia now enjoyed almost all of the privileges of an Athenian noblewoman, with none of the normal restrictions.

In 431 BC, Pericles delivered his famous 'Funeral Oration', glorifying the war dead, a speech written by Aspasia as Plato later joked. The couple were at the height of their power, but within a year tragedy would shatter their lives irreparably.