The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 04 : $b Greece to the Roman Conquest
History
The historians' history of the world in twenty-five volumes, volume 04 : $b Greece to the Roman Conquest
World history
Among the other honours paid to the memory of Lysander, that which we
shall mention is none of the least. Some persons who had contracted
themselves to his daughters in his lifetime, when they found he died
poor, fell off from their engagement. The Spartans fined them for
courting the alliance while they had riches in view, and breaking off
when they discovered that poverty which was the best proof of Lysander’s
probity and justice. It seems, at Sparta there was a law which punished,
not only those who continued in a state of celibacy, or married too late,
but those that married ill; and it was levelled chiefly at persons who
married into rich rather than good families.[e]
AGESILAUS RECALLED
[Sidenote: [395 B.C.]]
While these movements were taking place in Greece, Agesilaus was carrying
on the war in Asia, with an activity and success which might well have
alarmed the Persian court, and proved the wisdom of the precautions
adopted by Tithraustes. On his march into the province of Pharnabazus,
he was accompanied by Spithridates, who urged him to advance into
Paphlagonia, and undertook to make Cotys, the king of that country, his
ally. Cotys, who is elsewhere named Corylas, was one of those powerful
hereditary vassals of the Persian king, whose subjection had become
merely nominal, and he had lately renounced even the appearance of
submission. Artaxerxes, imprudently or insidiously, had put his obedience
to the test, by summoning or inviting him to court. But the Paphlagonian
prince was too wary, and knew the character of the Persian government too
well, to trust himself in its power, and he had openly refused to obey
the royal command. It would add nothing to his offence, though something
to his security, to treat with the enemies of Artaxerxes. Nothing could
be more agreeable to Agesilaus than the opportunity of gaining so
powerful an ally; he gladly accepted the mediation of Spithridates, who
not only fulfilled his promise, and engaged Cotys to come to the Greek
camp, and conclude an alliance with Sparta in person, but prevailed on
him, before his departure, to leave a reinforcement of one thousand
cavalry, and two thousand targeteers, with the army of Agesilaus.
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