Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/172

 150 HISTORY OF GREECE. longing to the loclms or company of one of the best friends of Xenophon, the Arcadian Agasias. The latter took the man under his protection ; while the soldiers around, incensed not lesa at the past than at the present conduct of Dexippus, broke out into violent manifestations, called him a traitor and pelted him with stones. Such was their wrath that not Dexippus alone, but the crew of the triremes also, and even Kleander himself, fled in alarm ; in spite of the intervention of Xenophon and the other generals, who on the one hand explained to Kleander, that it was an established army-order which these soldiers were seeking to enforce and on the other hand controlled the mutineers. But the Lacedaemonian harmost was so incensed as well by his own fright as by the calumnies of Dexippus, that he threatened to sail away at once, and proclaim the Cyreian army enemies to Sparta, so that every Hellenic city should be interdicted from giving them reception. 1 It was in vain that the generals, well knowing the for- midable consequences of such an interdict, entreated him to relent. He would consent only on condition that the soldier who had begun to throw stones, as well as Agasias the interfering officer, should be delivered up to him. This latter demand was especially in- sisted upon by Dexippus, who, hating Xenophon, had already tried to prejudice Anaxibius against him, and believed that Agasias had acted by his order. 2 The situation became now extremely critical ; since the soldiers would not easily be brought to surrender their comrades, who had a perfectly righteous cause, though they had supported it by undue violence, to the vengeance of a traitor like Dexippus. When the army was convened hi assembly, several of them went so far as to treat the menace of Kleander with contempt. But Xenophon took pains to set them right upon this point. " Soldiers (said he), it will be no slight misfortune if Kleander shall depart as he threatens to do, hi his present temper towards us. We are here close upon the cities of Greece ; now the Lacedaemonians are the imperial power hi Greece, and not merely their authorized officers, but even each one of their individual citizens, can accom- plish what he pleases in the various cities. If then Kleander be- gins by shutting us out from Byzantium, and next enjoins the Lace- 1 Xen Anab. vi, 6, 5-9. * Xen. Anab. vi, 1, 32 vi. 4, 11- 5.