Classical literature; Greece -- History -- Peloponnesian War, 431-404 B.C.; Greece -- History -- Spartan and Theban Supremacies, 404-362 B.C.
B.C. 374. Timotheus, after repairing his original squadron and manning
more vessels from Corcyra, found himself at the head of more than
seventy ships. His naval superiority was undisputed, but he was forced
to send to Athens for moneys, seeing his fleet was large and his wants
not trifling.
BOOK VI
I
B.C. 374. The Athenians and Lacedaemonians were thus engaged. But to
return to the Thebans. After the subjugation of the cities in Boeotia,
they extended the area of aggression and marched into Phocis. The
Phocians, on their side, sent an embassy to Lacedaemon, and pleaded that
without assistance from that power they must inevitably yield to Thebes.
The Lacedaemonians in response conveyed by sea into the territory of
Phocis their king Cleombrotus, at the head of four regiments and the
contingents of the allies.
About the same time Polydamus of Pharsalus arrived from Thessaly to
address the general assembly (1) of Lacedaemon. He was a man of high
repute throughout the whole of Thessaly, while in his native city he was
regarded as so true a gentleman that the faction-ridden Pharsalians
were content to entrust the citadel to his keeping, and to allow their
revenues to pass through his hands. It was his privilege to disburse the
money needed for sacred rites or other expenditure, within the limits
of their written law and constitution. Out of these moneys this faithful
steward of the state was able to garrison and guard in safety for
the citizens their capital. Every year he rendered an account of his
administration in general. If there was a deficit he made it up out of
his own pocket, and when the revenues expanded he paid himself back. For
the rest, his hospitality to foreigners and his magnificence were on a
true Thessalian scale. Such was the style and character of the man who
now arrived in Lacedaemon and spoke as follows:
(1) {pros to koinon}, "h.e. vel ad ad senatum vel ad ephoros vel ad
concionem."--Sturz, "Lex. Xen." s.v.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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