Aunt Charlotte's Stories of Greek HistoryYonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
History
Aunt Charlotte's Stories of Greek History
Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Greece -- History -- Juvenile literature; Mythology, Greek -- Juvenile literature
Agesilaus came first to the place of meeting, and having to wait there,
sat down on the grass under a tree, and began to eat his homely meal of
bread and an onion. Presently up came the satrap in all his splendour,
with attendants carrying an umbrella over his head, and others bearing
rich carpets and costly furs for him to sit on, silver and gold plate,
and rich food and wines. But when he found that the little, shabby,
plain man under the tree was really the mighty king of Sparta, the
descendant of Hercules, Pharnabazus was ashamed of all his pomp, and went
down upon the ground by Agesilaus’ side, to the great damage, as the
Greeks delighted to observe, of his fine, delicately-tinted robes. He
told Agesilaus that he thought this attack a bad reward for all the help
that the Spartans had had from Persia in the Peloponnesian war; but
Agesilaus said that they had been friends then, but that as cause of war
had arisen it was needful to fight, though he was so far from feeling
enmity that Pharnabazus should find the Greeks willing to welcome him,
and give him high command, if he would come and be a free man among them.
Pharnabazus answered that as long as he held command in the name of the
Great King he must be at war with the foes of Persia, but if Artaxerxes
should take away his satrapy he would come over to the Spartans.
Therewith Agesilaus shook hands with him, and said, “How much rather I
would have so gallant a man for my friend than my enemy?” The young son
of the satrap was even more taken with the Spartan, and, waiting behind
his father, ran up to the king, and, according to the Persian offer of
friendship, said, “I make you my guest,” at the same time giving him a
javelin. Agesilaus looked about for anything fine enough to offer the
young Persian in return, and seeing that a youth in his train had a horse
with handsome trappings, asked for them, and made a gift of them to his
new friend. The friendship stood the youth in good stead, for when he
was afterwards driven from home by his brethren, Agesilaus welcomed him
in Laconia, and was very kind to him. The war, however, still continued,
and Agesilaus gained such successes that the Persians saw their best hope
lay in getting him recalled to Greece; so they sent money in secret to
the Athenians and their old allies to incite them to revolt, and so
strong an army was brought together that the Spartans sent in haste to
recall Agesilaus. The summons came just as he was mustering all the
Greek warriors in Asia Minor for an advance into the heart of the empire,
and he was much disappointed; but he laughed, and, as Persian coins were
stamped with the figure of a horseman drawing the bow, he said he had
been defeated by 10,000 Persian archers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account