Greece -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Rome -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
VIII. All this is borne out by what he is said to have done at
Miletus. Here his friends and connections, to whom he had promised
that he would put down the democratic constitution and drive their
enemies out of the city, changed their minds, and made up their
quarrel with their political opponents. At this reconciliation
Lysander publicly expressed great satisfaction and even seemed anxious
to promote a good understanding, but in private he railed at them and
urged them to attack the popular party. But as soon as he heard of an
outbreak having taken place, he at once marched into the city,
addressed the insurgents roughly, and sent them away in custody,
harshly treated, as if he meant to inflict some signal punishment upon
them, while he bade those of the popular faction take courage, and not
to expect any ill-treatment while he was present. By this artifice he
prevailed upon the chief men of the democratic party not to leave the
city, but to remain and perish in it; as indeed they did, for every
one who trusted to his word was put to death. Moreover, Androkleides
relates a story which shows Lysander's extreme laxity with regard to
oaths. He is said to have remarked, that "We cheat boys with dice, and
men with oaths!" In this he imitated Polykrates, the despot of
Samos--an unworthy model for a Spartan general. Nor was it like a
Spartan to treat the gods as badly as he treated his enemies, or even
worse--for the man who overreaches his enemy by breaking his oath
admits that he fears his enemy, but despises his god.
IX. Cyrus now sent for Lysander to Sardis, and gave him a supply of
money, with promise of more. Nay, he was so zealous to show his
attachment to Lysander that he declared, if his father would not
furnish him with funds, that he would expend all his own property, and
if other resources failed, that he would break up the gold and silver
throne on which he was sitting. Finally, when he went away to Media to
see his father, he empowered Lysander to receive the tribute from the
subject cities, and placed the whole of his government in his hands.
He embraced Lysander, begged him not to fight the Athenians by sea
until he returned from court, promised that he would return with many
ships from Phœnicia and Cilicia, and so departed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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