Blind people were ubiquitous in ancient Athens. People could lose their eyesight as a result of divine or mortal revenge; a man called Evenius was blinded by the villagers when he failed to tend the sacred sheep. People could become blind as a result of workplace accidents; quarrying, mining, masonry, and smithing were dangerous occupations. Warriors lost their eyesight in battle; the eyes of Peisander fell before Menelaus’ feet, while Epizelus the Athenian went blind before the battle of Marathon as a result of seeing a vision. Finally, there was nutritional blindness; the Athenian statesman Demetrius of Phalerum became blind but was cured through the favor of the gods and a good dose of Vitamin A when he was allowed by the priests to taste sacrificial meat.