a smaller history of greece-第42章

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Agesilaus　was　now　forty　years　of　age；　and　esteemed　a　model　of　those　virtues　more　peculiarly　deemed　Spartan。　　He　was　obedient　to　the　constituted　authorities；　emulous　to　excel；　courageous；　energetic；　capable　of　bearing　all　sorts　of　hardship　and　fatigue；　simple　and　frugal　in　his　mode　of　life。　　To　these　severer　qualities　he　added　the　popular　attractions　of　an　agreeable　countenance　and　pleasing　address。　　His　personal　defects　at　first　stood　in　the　way　of　his　promotion。　　He　was　not　only　low　in　stature；　but　also　lame　of　one　leg；　and　there　was　an　ancient　oracle　which　warned　the　Spartans　to　beware　of　〃a　lame　reign。〃　The　ingenuity　of　Lysander；　assisted　probably　by　the　popular　qualities　of　Agesilaus；　contrived　to　overcome　this　objection　by　interpreting　a　lame　reign　to　mean　not　any　bodily　defect　in　the　king；　but　the　reign　of　one　who　was　not　a　genuine　descendant　of　Hercules。　　Once　possessed　of　power；　Agesilaus　supplied　any　defect　in　his　title　by　the　prudence　and　policy　of　his　conduct；　and；　by　the　marked　deference　which　he　paid　both　to　the　Ephors　and　the　senators；　he　succeeded　in　gaining　for　himself　more　real　power　than　had　been　enjoyed　by　any　of　his　predecessors。

The　affairs　of　Asia　Minor　soon　began　to　draw　the　attention　of　Agesilaus　to　that　quarter。　　The　assistance　lent　to　Cyrus　by　the　Spartans　was　no　secret　at　the　Persian　court；　and　Tissaphernes；　who　had　been　rewarded　for　his　fidelity　with　the　satrapy　of　Cyrus　in　addition　to　his　own；　no　sooner　returned　to　his　government　than　he　attacked　the　Ionian　cities；　then　under　the　protection　of　Sparta。　　A　considerable　Lacedaemonian　force　under　Thimbron　was　despatched　to　their　assistance；　and　which；　as　related　in　the　preceding　chapter；　was　joined　by　the　remnant　of　the　Greeks　who　had　served　under　Cyrus。　　Thimbron；　however；　proved　so　inefficient　a　commander；　that　he　was　superseded　at　the　end　of　399　or　beginning　of　398　B。C。；　and　Dercyllidas　appointed　in　his　place。　But　though　at　first　successful　against　Pharnabazus　in　AEolis；　Dercyllidas　was　subsequently　surprised　in　Caria　in　such　an　unfavourable　position　that　he　would　have　suffered　severely　but　for　the　timidity　of　Tissaphernes；　who　was　afraid　to　venture　upon　an　action。　　Under　these　circumstances　an　armistice　was　agreed　to　for　the　purpose　of　treating　for　a　peace　（397　B。C。）。

Pharnabazus　availed　himself　of　this　armistice　to　make　active　preparations　for　a　renewal　of　the　war。　　He　obtained　large　reinforcements　of　Persian　troops；　and　began　to　organize　a　fleet　in　Phoenicia　and　Cilicia。　　This　was　intrusted　to　the　Athenian　admiral　Conon；　of　whom　we　now　first　hear　again　after　a　lapse　of　seven　years　since　his　defeat　at　AEgospotami。　　After　that　disastrous　battle　Conon　fled　with　nine　triremes　to　Cyprus；　where　he　was　now　living　under　the　protection　of　Evagoras；　prince　of　Salamis。

It　was　the　news　of　these　extensive　preparations　that　induced　Agesilaus；　on　the　suggestion　of　Lysander；　to　volunteer　his　services　against　the　Persians。　　He　proposed　to　take　with　him　only　30　full　Spartan　citizens；　or　peers；　to　act　as　a　sort　of　council；　together　with　2000　Neodamodes；　or　enfranchised　Helots；　and　6000　hoplites　of　the　allies。　　Lysander　intended　to　be　the　leader　of　the　30　Spartans；　and　expected　through　them　to　be　the　virtual　commander　of　the　expedition　of　which　Agesilaus　was　nominally　the　head。

Since　the　time　of　Agamemnon　no　Grecian　king　had　led　an　army　into　Asia；　and　Agesilaus　studiously　availed　himself　of　the　prestige　of　that　precedent　in　order　to　attract　recruits　to　his　standard。　　The　Spartan　kings　claimed　to　inherit　the　sceptre　of　Agamemnon；　and　to　render　the　parallel　more　complete；　Agesilaus　proceeded　with　a　division　of　his　fleet　to　Aulis；　intending　there　to　imitate　the　memorable　sacrifice　of　the　Homeric　hero。　　But　as　he　had　neglected　to　ask　the　permission　of　the　Thebans；　and　conducted　the　sacrifice　and　solemnities　by　means　of　his　own　prophets　and　ministers；　and　in　a　manner　at　variance　with　the　usual　rites　of　the　temple；　the　Thebans　were　offended；　and　expelled　him　by　armed　force：an　insult　which　he　never　forgave。

It　was　in　396　B。C。　that　Agesilaus　arrived　at　Ephesus　and　took　the　command　in　Asia。　　He　demanded　of　the　Persians　the　complete　independence　of　the　Greek　cities　in　Asia；　and　in　order　that　there　might　be　time　to　communicate　with　the　Persian　court；　the　armistice　was　renewed　for　three　months。　　During　this　interval　of　repose；　Lysander；　by　his　arrogance　and　pretensions；　offended　both　Agesilaus　and　the　Thirty　Spartans。　　Agesilaus；　determined　to　uphold　his　dignity；　subjected　Lysander　to　so　many　humiliations　that　he　was　at　last　fain　to　request　his　dismissal　from　Ephesus；　and　was　accordingly　sent　to　the　Hellespont；　where　he　did　good　service　to　the　Spartan　interests。

Meanwhile　Tissaphernes；　having　received　large　reinforcements；　sent　a　message　to　Agesilaus　before　the　armistice　had　expired；　ordering　him　to　quit　Asia。　　Agesilaus　immediately　made　preparations　as　if　he　would　attack　Tissaphernes　in　Caria；　but　having　thus　put　the　enemy　on　a　false　scent；　he　suddenly　turned　northwards　into　Phrygia；　the　satrapy　of　Pharnabazus；　and　marched　without　opposition　to　the　neighbourhood　of　Dascylium；　the　residence　of　the　satrap　himself。　　Here；　however；　he　was　repulsed　by　the　Persian　cavalry。　　He　now　proceeded　into　winter　quarters　at　Ephesus；　where　be　employed　himself　in　organizing　a　body　of　cavalry　to　compete　with　the　Persians。　　During　the　winter　the　army　was　brought　into　excellent　condition；　and　Agesilaus　gave　out　early　in　the　spring　of　395　B。C。　that　he　should　march　direct　upon　Sardis。　　Tissaphernes　suspecting　another　feint；　now　dispersed　his　cavalry　in　the　plain　of　the　Maeander。　　But　this　time　Agesilaus　marched　as　he　had　announced；　and　in　three　days　arrived　unopposed　on　the　banks　of　the　Pactolus；　before　the　Persian　cavalry　could　be　recalled。　　When　they　at　last　came　up；　the　newly　raised　Grecian　horse；　assisted　by　the　peltasts；　and　some　of　the　younger　and　more　active　hoplites；　soon　succeeded　in　putting　them　to　flight。　　Many　of　the　Persians　were　drowned　in　the　Pactolus；　and　their　camp；　containing　much　booty　and　several　camels；　was　taken。

Agesilaus　now　pushed　his　ravages　up　to　the　very　gates　of　Sardis；　the　residence　of　Tissaphernes。　　But　the　career　of　that　timid　and　treacherous　satrap　was　drawing　to　a　close。　　The　queen…mother；　Parysatis；　who　had　succeeded　in　regaining　her　influence　over　Artaxerxes；　caused　an　order　to　be　sent　down　from　Susa　for　his　execution；　in　pursuance　of　which　he　was　seized　in　a　bath　at　Colossae；　and　beheaded。　　Tithraustes；　who　had　been　intrusted　with　the　execution　of　this　order；　succeeded　Tissaphernes　in　the　satrapy；　and　immediately　reopened　negotiations　with　Agesilaus。　An　armistice　of　six　months　was　concluded；　and　meanwhile　Tithraustes；　by　a　subsidy　of　30　talents；　induced　Agesilaus　to　move　out　of　his　satrapy　into　that　of　Pharnabazus。

During　this　march　into　Phrygia　Agesilaus　received　a　new　commission　from　home；　appointing　him　the　head　of　the　naval　as　well　as　of　the　land　forcetwo　commands　never　before　united　in　a　single　Spartan。　　He　named　his　brother…in…law；　Pisander；　commander　of　the　fleet。　　But　in　the　following　year　（B。C。　394）；　whilst　he　was　preparing　an　expedition　on　a　grand　scale　into　the　interior　of　Asia　Minor；　he　was　suddenly　recalled　home　to　avert　the　dangers　which　threatened　his　native　country。

The　jealousy　and　ill…will　with　which　the　newly　acquired　empire　of　the　Spartans　was　regarded　by　the　other　Grecian　states　had　not　escaped　the　notice　of　the　Persians；　and　when　Tithraustes　succeeded　to　the　satrapy　of　Tissaphernes　he　resolved　to　avail　himself　of　this　feeling　by　exciting　a　war　against　Sparta　in　the　heart　of　Greece　itself。　　With　this　view　he　despatched　one　Timocrates；　a　Rhodian；　to　the　leading　Grecian　cities　which　appeared　hostile　to　Sparta；　carrying　with　him　a　sum　of　50　talents　to　be　distributed　among　the　chief　men　in　each　for　the　purpose　of　bringing　them　over　to　the　views　of　Persia。　　Timocrates　was　successful　in　Thebes；　Corinth；　and　Argos　but　he　appears　not　to　have　visited　Athens。

Hostilities　were　at　first　confined　to　Sparta　and　Thebes。　　A　quarrel　having　arisen　between　the　Opuntian　Locrians　and　the　Phocians　respecting　a　strip　of　border　land；　the　former　people　appealed　to　the　Thebans；　who　invaded　Phocis。　　The　Phocians　on　their　side　invoked　the　aid　of