Greece -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Rome -- Biography -- Early works to 1800
Lysander was now dead, but Agesilaus found still existing an important
conspiracy against himself, which Lysander had set on foot when he
returned from Asia. Agesilaus now eagerly undertook to prove what
Lysander's true character had been; and having read amongst the papers
of the deceased that speech which Kleon of Halikarnassus wrote for
him, treating of reforms and alterations of the constitution, which
Lysander meant some day to address to the people of Sparta, he wished
to make it public. However, one of the senators, after reading the
speech, was alarmed at the plausible nature of the argument which it
contained, and advised Agesilaus not to dig Lysander out of his grave,
but rather to bury the speech with him. This advice caused Agesilaus
to desist from his project. He never openly attacked his political
enemies, but contrived to get them appointed generals and governors of
cities. When they displayed their bad qualities in these posts and
were recalled to take their trial he used to come forward as their
friend and by his exertions on their behalf make them his active
partisans instead of his enemies, so that before long he succeeded in
breaking up the party which was opposed to him, and reigned alone
without any rival; for the other king, Agesipolis, whose father had
been an exile, and who was himself very young, and of a mild and
unassuming temper, counted for nothing in the state. Agesilaus won
over this man also, and made a friend of him; for the two kings dine
at the same _phiditium_, or public table, when they are at Sparta.
Knowing Agesipolis, like himself, to be prone to form attachments to
young men, he always led the conversation to this subject, and
encouraged the young king in doing so; for these love affairs among
Lacedæmonians have in them nothing disgraceful, but produce much
modest emulation and desire for glory, as has been explained in the
Life of Lykurgus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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