Classical literature; Greece -- History -- Peloponnesian War, 431-404 B.C.; Greece -- History -- Spartan and Theban Supremacies, 404-362 B.C.
(7) The MSS. add "during the ephorate of Archytas and the archonship
at Athens of Alexias," which, though correct enough, is probably
an interpolation.
It was now Cyrus's turn to send for Lysander. It was the moment at which
the envoy from his father had arrived with the message: "Your father is
on his sick-bed and desires your presence." The king lay at Thamneria,
in Media, near the territory of the Cadusians, against whom he had
marched to put down a revolt. When Lysander presented himself, Cyrus was
urgent with him not to engage the Athenians at sea unless he had many
more ships than they. "The king," he added, "and I have plenty of
wealth, so that, as far as money goes, you can man plenty of vessels."
He then consigned to him all the tributes from the several cities which
belonged to him personally, and gave him the ready money which he had
as a gift; and finally, reminding him of the sincere friendship he
entertained towards the state of Lacedaemon, as well as to himself
personally, he set out up country to visit his father. Lysander, finding
himself thus left with the complete control of the property of Cyrus
(during the absence of that prince, so summoned to the bedside of his
father), was able to distribute pay to his troops, after which he set
sail for the Ceramic Gulf of Caria. Here he stormed a city in alliance
with the Athenians named Cedreae, and on the following day's assault
took it, and reduced the inhabitants to slavery. These were of a mixed
Hellene and barbaric stock. From Cedreae he continued his voyage
to Rhodes. The Athenians meanwhile, using Samos as their base of
operations, were employed in devastating the king's territory, or in
swooping down upon Chios and Ephesus, and in general were preparing for
a naval battle, having but lately chosen three new generals in addition
to those already in office, whose names were Menander, Tydeus, and
Cephisodotus. Now Lysander, leaving Rhodes, and coasting along Ionia,
made his way to the Hellespont, having an eye to the passage of vessels
through the Straits, and, in a more hostile sense, on the cities which
had revolted from Sparta. The Athenians also set sail from Chios, but
stood out to open sea, since the seaboard of Asia was hostile to them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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