Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/228

 206 HISTORY OF GREECE. lis, and the Hellespont, became very peculiar after the triumph ov Sparta at JEgospotami. I have already recounted how, immedi &tely after the great Athenian catastrophe before Syracuse, the Persian long had renewed his grasp upon those cities, from which the vigorous hand of Athens had kept him excluded for more than fifty years ; how Sparta, bidding for his aid, had consented by three formal conventions to surrender them to him, while her com- missioner Lichas even reproved the Milesians for their aversion to this bargain ; how Athens also, in the days of her weakness, competing for the same advantage, had expressed her willingness to pay the same price for it. 1 After the battle of -ZEgospotami, this convention was carried into effect ; though seemingly not without disputes between the satrap Pharnabazus on one side, and Lysan- der and Derkyllidas on the other. 2 The latter was Lacedaemonian harmost at Abydos, which town, so important as a station on the Hellespont, the Lacedaemonians seem still to have retained. But Pharnabazus and his subordinates acquired more complete com- mand of the Hellespontine JEolis and of the Troad, than ever they had enjoyed before, both along the coast and in the interior. 3 Another element, however, soon became operative. The condi- tion of the Greek cities on the coast of Ionia, though according to Persian regulations they belonged to the satrapy of Tissaphernes, was now materially determined, first, by the competing claims of Cyrus, who wished to take them away from him, and tried to get such transfer ordered at court, next, by the aspirations of that young prince to the Persian throne. As Cyrus rested his hope of success on Grecian cooperation, it was highly important to him to render himself popular among the Greeks, especially on his own side of the .2Egean. Partly his own manifestations of just and conciliatory temper, partly the bad name and known perfidy of Tissaphernes, induced the Grecian cities with one accord to revolt from the latter. All threw themselves into the arms of Cy- rus, except Miletus, where Tissaphernes interposed in time, slew the leaders of the intended revolt, and banished many of their par- tisans. Cyrus, receiving the exiles with distinguished favor, levied an army to besiege Miletus and procure their restoration ; while 1 Thucyd. viii, 5, 18-37, 56-58, 84. 3 Xcn. Hellen. iii, 1, 13
 * Plutarch, Lysander, c. 19, 20; Xcn. Hellcn. iii, 1, 9.