66 a doubtful part, he put the question, whether he should pass through their country with spears upright, or levelled. After the revolt of the Corinthians, when, on coming to their walls, he perceived the Lacedæmonians hesitating to make the assault, and a hare was seen to leap through the ditch: "Are you not ashamed," he said, 'to fear an enemy, for whose laziness the very hares Death sleep upon their walls?" But when king Agis died, of Agis, B.C.399. leaving a brother, Agesilaus, and a son, so reputed, Leotychides, Lysander, being attached to Agesilaus, persuaded him to lay claim to the kingdom, as being a true descendant of Hercules; Leotychides lying under the suspicion of being the son of Alcibiades, who had lived privately in familiarity with Timea, the wife of Agis, when he was an exile in Sparta. Agis, they say, computing the time, satisfied himself that she could not have conceived by him, and had hitherto always neglected and manifestly disowned Leotychides. But now when he was carried sick to Heræa, being ready to die, what with the importunities of the young man himself, and with those of his friends, in the presence of several persons he declared Leotychides to be his; and desiring those who were present to bear witness of this to the Lacedæmonians, died. They accordingly did so testify in favour of Leotychides. And Agesilaus, being in general highly regarded, and strong in the support of Lysander, was on the other hand prejudiced by Diopithes, a man famous for his knowledge of oracles, who adduced this prophecy in reference to Agesilaus's lameness :— Beware, great Sparta, lest there come of thee, When many therefore yielded to the oracle and inclined to Leotychides, Lysander said that Diopithes did not take the prophecy rightly; for it was not that the god would be offended if any lame person ruled over the Lacedæmonians, but that the kingdom would be a lame one, if bastards and false-born should govern with the posterity of Hercules. By this argument, and by his great influence among them, he prevailed, and Agesilaus was made king. Agesi sent to Asia, Immediately, therefore, Lysander spurred him on to 23 make an expedition into Asia, putting him in hopes laus that he might destroy the Persians and attain the height of greatness. And he wrote to his friends in B.C.396. Asia, bidding them request to have Agesilaus appointed to command them in the war against the barbarians; which directions they obeyed, and sent ambassadors to Lacedæmon to entreat it. And this would seem to be a second favour done Agesilaus by Lysander, not inferior to his first in obtaining him the kingdom. But with ambitious natures, which otherwise are not illqualified for command, the feeling of jealousy of those near them in reputation sadly stands in the way of the performance of noble actions; they make those their rivals in virtue, whom they ought to use as their helpers to it. Agesilaus took Lysander among the thirty counsellors that accompanied him, with intentions of using him as his especial friend. But when they were come into Asia, the people there, to whom he was but little known, addressed themselves to him briefly and seldom; whereas Lysander, because of their frequent previous intercourse, was visited and attended by large numbers, by his friends out of observance and by others out of fear. And just as in tragedies it not uncommonly is the case with actors, the person who represents a messenger or servant is much noticed, and plays the chief part, while he who wears the crown and sceptre is hardly heard to speak, even so it was with the counsellor here; he had all the real honours of the government, and to the king was left the empty name of power. This disproportionate ambition ought very likely to have been in some way softened down, and Lysander should have been reduced to his proper second place. But wholly to cast off and to insult and affront for glory's sake one who was his benefactor and friend, was not an action in which Agesilaus should have allowed himself. First of all, he gave him no opportunity for any action, and never put him in any place of command; then, for whomsoever he perceived him exerting his interest, these persons he always sent away with a refusal, and with less attention than any ordinary suitors, thus silently undoing and weakening his influence. So Lysander, miscarrying in everything and perceiving that his diligence for his friends was but a hindrance to them, forbore to help them, entreating them that they would not address themselves nor make their suit to him, but speak to the king and to those who could be of more service to friends than at present he could. Most, on hearing this, forbore to trouble him about their concerns; but continued their attentions to him, waiting upon him in the walks and places of exercise; at which Agesilaus was more annoyed than ever, envying him the honour; so that, finally, when he gave the rest who were serving under him, places of command and the governments of cities, he appointed Lysander carver at his table, adding by way of insult to the Ionians, "Let them go now, and pay their court to my carver." Upon this Lysander thought fit to come and speak with him; and a brief laconic dialogue passed between them as follows: "Truly you know well, Agesilaus, how to humble your friends." "Those friends," replied he, "who would be greater than myself; but those who increase my power, it is just should share in it." "Possibly, Agesilaus," answered Lysander, "in all this there may be more said on your part than done on mine. I only beg you, for the sake of observers from without, to place me in any command under you, where you may judge I shall be the least offensive to you and the most useful." Upon this he was sent as lieutenant to the Hellespont; 24 and though angry with Agesilaus, did not neglect his duty, and having induced Spithridates the Persian, who had quarrelled with Pharnabazus, and was a gallant man and in command of some forces, to revolt, he brought him to Agesilaus. He was not however employed in any other service, but having completed his time returned to Sparta without honour, angry with Agesilaus and hating more than ever the whole Spartan government, and resolved to delay no longer, but while there was yet time, to put into execution the plan which he appears some time before to have concerted*, for a revolution and change in the constitution. * Perhaps, when both the kings were hostile to him, and were taking measures against him (Chap. 21), before the death of Agis and accession of his friend Agesilaus, whose friendship now failed him. These were as follows. The Heraclide who joined with the Dorians and came into Peloponnesus, became a numerous and glorious race in Sparta, but not every family belonging to it had the right of succession in the kingdom, but the kings were chosen out of two families only, called the Eurypontidæ and the Agiada; the rest had no privilege in the government on account of their nobility of birth, and the honours which followed from merit lay open to all who could obtain them. Lysander, who was born of one of these families, when he had risen into great renown for his exploits, and had gained great friends and power, was vexed to see the city which increased to what it was by him, ruled by others not at all better descended than himself, and so formed a design to remove the government from the two families and to give it in common to all the Heraclidæ; or, as some say, not to the Heraclide only, but to all the Spartans; that the reward might not belong to the posterity of Hercules, but to those who were like Hercules, namely, in respect of that personal merit which raised even him to the honour of the godhead; and he hoped that when the king's place was thus to be competed for, no Spartan would be chosen before himself. 25 Accordingly he first attempted and prepared to persuade the citizens privately, and studied an oration composed to this purport by Cleon the Halicarnassian. Afterwards perceiving so unexpected and great an innovation required bolder means of support, he proceeded, as it might be on the stage, to avail himself of machinery*, and to try the effects of divine agency * Machinery, that is, in the sense of supernatural intervention, derived from the actual machines by which actors personating |