The Fall of the Athenian Empire-(A New History of the Peloponnesian War) Donald Kagan - (1987)

284 _THE FALL OF THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE
and sent to Athens for judgment." The Athenians appear to have been
consciously following a new policy of correctness and conciliation as
they tried to restore control over their empire. The evidence suggests
that at least Alcibiades and Theramenes and probably Thrasyllus
shared in the formulation and execution of these strategies and policies.
Probably, Alcibiades played the leading role in intriguing with the
factions in the cities, and certainly, he came away with the lion's share
of the credit.
As part of the agreement at Chalcedon, Pharnabazus had promised
to conduct Athenian ambassadors to the Great King at Susa, and after
the exchange of oaths with Alcibiades, he sent word that they should
meet him at Cyzicus. The Athenians sent an embassy of five men
accompanied by two Argives, no doubt because of the old ties of
friendship between Argos and Persia." During the siege of Byzantium,
Pharnabazus was conducting this motley delegation into the interior
but not very swiftly. At the onset of winter, they had reached only
Gordium in Phrygia, where they received the news of the fall of
Byzantium and waited until spring. 14 Perhaps they were delayed by
bad weather, but it may be that Pharnabazus was aware of the Spartan
mission to Susa-possibly he may even have inspired it"-and was
procrastinating until its goal was accomplished." Finally, after the
beginning of spring, the journey toward Susa continued but not far,
for the ambassadors from Athens soon encountered the Spartan embassy
led by Boeotius. He was returning from a successful meeting
with the Great King carrying the message that the Spartans had gotten
everything they wanted from him. If proof of that assertion was
nThe foregoing account takes elements from Xenophon (LJ.I4-22), Diodorus
(q.66.4-67), and Plutarch (Ale. 31.2-6) but is closest to Diodorus' detailed and persuasive
narrative. Plutarch teiJs much the same story, differing in some details. Xenophon
omits the Athenian trick of mock withdrawal but gives a fuller account of the
Peloponnesian side than do the others.
JJXen. 1. 3· 13. Xenophon also says that Pasippidas, the condemned and exiled Spartan
admiral, and I-Iermocrates, the Syracusan exile, and his brother went along on the
journey. Amit (LAC XLII [1973], 454) may well be right in thinking that these exiles
were on a private mission meant to secure privileges for themselves for previous services
rendered, but the text of Xenophon speaks of them as "ambassadors of the Lacedaemonians":
AaKe8a~oJ.LovLWv 1rp£rrl3uc;. The problem would be alleviated if we accept
the suggestion of deleting 1rpErrl3uc;. Otherwise, their presence on this mission is most
puzzling.
HXen. 1.4. 10.
15
That is the suggestion of Hatzfeld, Alcibiade, 289.
"Amit, LAC XLII (t97J), 455·