Chapter 1

Darius and Parysatis had two sons: the elder was named Artaxerxes, and the younger Cyrus. Now, as Darius lay sick and felt that the end of life drew near, he wished both his sons to be with him. The elder, as it chanced, was already there, but Cyrus he must needs send for from the province over which he had made him satrap, having appointed him general moreover of all the forces that muster in the plain of the Castolus. Thus Cyrus went up, taking with him Tissaphernes as his friend, and accompanied also by a body of Hellenes, three hundred heavy armed men, under the command of Xenias the Parrhasian¹.

Darius and Parysatis had two sons. The elder was named Artaxerxes, and the younger was Cyrus. When Darius fell ill and felt that his life was nearing its end, he wanted both sons with him. The elder happened to be there already, but Darius had to send for Cyrus. He had made Cyrus satrap of a province and appointed him general of all the forces that gathered on the plain of the Castolus. So Cyrus went up, bringing Tissaphernes as his friend. He was also accompanied by three hundred heavily armed Hellenes, under the command of Xenias the Parrhasian¹.

Now when Darius was dead, and Artaxerxes was established in the kingdom, Tissaphernes brought slanderous accusations against Cyrus before his brother, the king, of harbouring designs against him. And Artaxerxes, listening to the words of Tissaphernes, laid hands upon Cyrus, desiring to put him to death; but his mother made intercession for him, and sent him back again in safety to his province. He then, having so escaped through peril and dishonour, fell to considering, not only how he might avoid ever again being in his brother's power, but how, if possible, he might become king in his stead. Parysatis, his mother, was his first resource; for she had more love for Cyrus than for Artaxerxes upon his throne. Moreover Cyrus's behaviour towards all who came to him from the king's court was such that, when he sent them away again, they were better friends to himself than to the king his brother. Nor did he neglect the barbarians in his own service; but trained them, at once to be capable as warriors and devoted adherents of himself. Lastly, he began collecting his Hellenic armament, but with the utmost secrecy, so that he might take the king as far as might be at unawares.

After Darius died and Artaxerxes became king, Tissaphernes brought false accusations against Cyrus before his brother, the king. He accused Cyrus of plotting against Artaxerxes. Artaxerxes believed Tissaphernes and arrested Cyrus, intending to put him to death. But their mother pleaded for Cyrus and sent him safely back to his province. Having escaped such danger and disgrace, Cyrus began to consider how he might avoid ever again falling into his brother’s power. He also considered how, if possible, he might become king in his brother’s place. His first source of support was his mother, Parysatis, who loved Cyrus more than Artaxerxes, even though Artaxerxes was king. Cyrus also treated everyone who came to him from the king’s court in a way that won their friendship. When he sent them away, they were better friends to him than to his brother the king. He did not neglect the barbarians in his own service either. He trained them to be capable warriors and devoted followers. Finally, Cyrus began gathering his Hellenic forces in the greatest secrecy, so that he could catch the king as much by surprise as possible.

The manner in which he contrived the levying of the troops was as follows: First, he sent orders to the commandants of garrisons in the cities (so held by him), bidding them to get together as large a body of picked Peloponnesian troops as they severally were able, on the plea that Tissaphernes was plotting against their cities; and truly these cities of Ionia had originally belonged to Tissaphernes, being given to him by the king; but at this time, with the exception of Miletus, they had all revolted to Cyrus. In Miletus, Tissaphernes, having become aware of similar designs, had forestalled the conspirators by putting some to death and banishing the remainder. Cyrus, on his side, welcomed these fugitives, and having collected an army, laid siege to Miletus by sea and land, endeavouring to reinstate the exiles; and this gave him another pretext for collecting an armament. At the same time he sent to the king, and claimed, as being the king's brother, that these cities should be given to himself rather than that Tissaphernes should continue to govern them; and in furtherance of this end, the queen, his mother, co-operated with him, so that the king not only failed to see the design against himself, but concluded that Cyrus was spending his money on armaments in order to make war on Tissaphernes. Nor did it pain him greatly to see the two at war together, and the less so because Cyrus was careful to remit the tribute due to the king from the cities which belonged to Tissaphernes.

He raised the troops in the following way. First, he sent orders to the commanders of the garrisons in the cities he held. He told each commander to gather as many picked Peloponnesian troops as he could. His pretext was that Tissaphernes was plotting against their cities. These cities in Ionia had indeed originally belonged to Tissaphernes, who had received them from the king. But by this time, all of them except Miletus had revolted and joined Cyrus. In Miletus, Tissaphernes had learned of similar plans and acted before the conspirators could carry them out. He put some to death and banished the rest. Cyrus welcomed these fugitives and raised an army. He then besieged Miletus by land and sea, trying to restore the exiles to their city. This gave him another pretext for raising an armed force. At the same time, Cyrus sent a message to the king. He claimed that, as the king's brother, he should be given these cities instead of leaving Tissaphernes to govern them. The queen, his mother, supported him in this. As a result, the king failed to see Cyrus's plan against him. Instead, he concluded that Cyrus was spending his money on armed forces to make war on Tissaphernes. The king was not greatly troubled by a war between the two. He was even less concerned because Cyrus took care to send him the tribute due from Tissaphernes's cities.

A third army was being collected for him in the Chersonese, over against Abydos, the origin of which was as follows: There was a Lacedaemonian exile, named Clearchus, with whom Cyrus had become associated. Cyrus admired the man, and made him a present of ten thousand darics². Clearchus took the gold, and with the money raised an army, and using the Chersonese as his base of operations, set to work to fight the Thracians north of the Hellespont, in the interests of the Hellenes, and with such happy result that the Hellespontine cities, of their own accord, were eager to contribute funds for the support of his troops. In this way, again, an armament was being secretly maintained for Cyrus.

A third army was being gathered for Cyrus in the Chersonese, across from Abydos. It came about as follows. Cyrus had become acquainted with a Lacedaemonian exile named Clearchus. Cyrus admired him and gave him ten thousand darics². Clearchus used the gold to raise an army. From his base in the Chersonese, he fought the Thracians north of the Hellespont on behalf of the Hellenes. He was so successful that the Hellespontine cities eagerly contributed funds to support his troops of their own accord. In this way, another army was secretly maintained for Cyrus.

Then there was the Thessalian Aristippus, Cyrus's friend³, who, under pressure of the rival political party at home, had come to Cyrus and asked him for pay for two thousand mercenaries, to be continued for three months, which would enable him, he said, to gain the upper hand of his antagonists. Cyrus replied by presenting him with six months' pay for four thousand mercenaries—only stipulating that Aristippus should not come to terms with his antagonists without final consultation with himself. In this way he secured to himself the secret maintenance of a fourth armament.

Then there was Aristippus, a Thessalian and a friend of Cyrus³. Pressured by a rival political party at home, Aristippus had come to Cyrus for help. He asked for three months' pay for two thousand mercenaries. He said this would enable him to gain the upper hand over his opponents. Cyrus gave him six months' pay for four thousand mercenaries. He asked only that Aristippus not make terms with his opponents without consulting him first. In this way, Cyrus secretly arranged for a fourth force to be maintained.

Further, he bade Proxenus, a Boeotian, who was another friend, get together as many men as possible, and join him in an expedition which he meditated against the Pisidians⁴, who were causing annoyance to his territory. Similarly two other friends, Sophaenetus the Stymphalian⁵, and Socrates the Achaean, had orders to get together as many men as possible and come to him, since he was on the point of opening a campaign, along with Milesian exiles, against Tissaphernes. These orders were duly carried out by the officers in question.

He also told another friend, Proxenus, a Boeotian, to gather as many men as possible. He wanted Proxenus to join him on a planned expedition against the Pisidians⁴, who were troubling his territory. Similarly, he ordered two other friends, Sophaenetus the Stymphalian⁵ and Socrates the Achaean, to gather as many men as possible and come to him. He said he was about to launch a campaign against Tissaphernes alongside the Milesian exiles. The officers carried out these orders.