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

THE FALL OF ATHENS 381
a good deal of his own, and he showed Lysander the accounts of his
payments to the Spartan adinirals to prove it." Plutarch says that he
made him gifts and promises to win his favor, saying that if his father
refused support, he would supply it from his own resources and would
even cut up his gold and silver throne if necessary."
We need not doubt Cyrus' sincerity, in spite of his inflated rhetoric,
for he immediately gave Lysander a large sum of money with which
the Spartan commander was able to pay the arrears in his men's salary.
14 Cyrus' commitment and loyalty were real. He was delighted to
see Lysander not only because of their friendship and previous association
but also because of his need of reliable support from a Greek
army. He had plans for the future that would probably need such an
armed force, and his current entanglement in Persian court politics
made him eager to have a reliable and competent friend. During the
winter of 406/7, Cyrus had put to death two of his cousins, sons of
Darius' sister and her husband, Hieramenes, because they had refused
to thrust their hands into their sleeves in the presence of Cyrus, a
gesture of respect normally reserved for the Great King. The root of
the quarrel was probably political; no doubt the cousins had challenged
the pretensions of the very young satrap, and his demand may have
been an attempt to assert his authority. In any case, news of the
executions and the story of their cause reached the parents of the
victims at the Persian court. Naturally, they complained, and Darius
could not avoid investigating. Pleading illness, he sent word to Sardis
recalling Cyrus to his side." Before leaving, Cyrus took steps to protect
himself. There was no Persian at Sardis he could trust; indeed, supporters
of his rivals might be anywhere. He therefore called Lysander
back to Sardis and made him his surrogate satrap, turning over to him
all the money he had on hand and granting him the collection of the
tribute from his provinces. That guaranteed him against Persian machinations,
but Cyrus knew of Lysander's goals and ambitions, which
might threaten the security of his possessions in a different way during
his absence with his father in Media. An unsuccessful attack on the
Athenians might destroy the force on which he relied and might bring
the Athenians into his province. He therefore reminded Lysander that
the abundance of Persian money and resources put time on his side
i~n. 2.LII.
13
Lys. 9.1.
14 Xen. 2. 1. 12; Diod. IJ. I04+
15Xen. 2.1.8-9.