Page:History of Greece Vol X.djvu/128

 106 HISTORY OF GREECE. tried before the synod for treason ; and that, if found guilty, he might be condemned by them to the severest punishment. Three Athenian leaders stood prominent as commissioners in the urst organization of the confederacy, and in the dealings with those numerous cities whose junction was to be won by amicable induce, ment, Chabrias, Timotheus son of Ivonon, and Kallistratus. 1 The first of the three is already known to the reader. He and Iphikrates were the most distinguished warriors whom Athens numbered among her citizens. But not having been engaged in any war, since the peace of Antalkidas in 387 B. c., she had had no need of their services ; hence both of them had been absent from the city during much of the last nine years, and Iphikrates seems still to have been absent. At the time when that peace was concluded, Iphikrates was serving in the Hellespont and Thrace, Chabrias with Evagoras in Cyprus ; each having been sent thither by Athens at the head of a body of mercenary peltasts. Instead of dismissing their troops, and returning to Athens as peaceful cit- izens, it was not less agreeable to the military tastes of these gen- erals, than conducive to their importance and their profit, to keep together their bands, and to take foreign service. Accordingly, Chabrias had continued in service first in Cyprus, next with the na- tive Egyptian king Akoris. The Persians, against whom he served, found his hostility so inconvenient, that Pharnabazus demanded of the Athenians to recall him, on pain of the Great King's displea- sure ; and requested at the same time that Iphikrates might be sent to aid the Persian satraps in organizing a great expedition against Egypt. The Athenians, to whom the goodwill of Persia was now of peculiar importance, complied on both points ; recalled Cha- brias, who thus became disposable for the Athenian service, 2 and despatched Iphikrates to take command along with the Persians. Iphikrates, since the peace of Antalkidas, had employed his pel- tasts in the service of the kings of Thrace : first of Seuthes, near the shores of the Propontis, whom he aided in the recovery of cer- tain lost dominions, nextof Kotys, whose favor he acquired, and whose daughter he presently married. 3 Not only did he enjoy great scope for warlike operations and plunder, among the " butter 1 Diodor. xv, 29. 2 Diodor. xv, 29. 1 Cornel. Nepos, Iphicrates, c. 2 ; Chabrias, c. 2, 3