Page:History of Greece Vol IX.djvu/92

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/O HISTORY OF GREECE. festations occurred to aggravate the mistrust, that hostilities seemed on the point of breaking out between the two camps. To obviate this danger Klearchus demanded an interview with Tissaphernep, represented to him the threatening attitude of affairs, and insisted on the necessity of coming to a clear understanding. He im- pressed upon the satrap that, over and above the solemn oaths which had been interchanged, the Greeks on their side could have no conceivable motive to quarrel with him ; that they had everything to hope from his friendship, and everything to fear, even to the loss of all chance of safe return, from his hostility ; that Tissa- phernes, also, could gain nothing by destroying them, but would find them, if he chose, the best arid most faithful instruments for his own aggrandizement and for conquering the Mysians and the Pisidians, as Cyrus had experienced while he was alive. Klear- chus concluded his protest by requesting to be informed, what ma- licious reporter had been filling the mind of Tissaphernes with causeless suspicions against the Greeks. 1 " Klearchus (replied the satrap), I rejoice to hear such excel- lent sense from your lips. You remark truly, that if you were to meditate evil against me, it would recoil upon yourselves. I shall prove to you, in my turn, that you have no cause to mistrust either the king or me. If we had wished to destroy you, nothing would be easier. We have superabundant forces for the purpose ; there are wide plains in which you would be starved, besides mountains and rivers which you would be unable to pass, without our help. Having thus the means of destroying you in our hands, and having nevertheless bound ourselves by solemn oaths to save you, we shall not be fools and knaves enough to attempt it now, when we should draw upon ourselves the just indignation of the gods. It is my peculiar affection for my neighbors, the Greeks, and my wish to attach to my own person, by ties of gratitude, the Greek soldiers of Cyrus, which have made me eager to conduct you to Ionia in safety. For I know that when you are in my service, though the king is the only man who can wear his tiara erect upon his head, I shall be able to wear mine erect upon my heart, in full pride and confidence." 2 1 Xen. Anab. ii, 5, 2-15.

  • Xen. Anab. ii, 5, 17-23. This last comparison is curious, and in all

probability the genuine words of the satrap ri)v ftev y&p tni rfj