out of the corruption and rottenness of the excrement； and these
entering into the bowels of him； his body is consumed。 When the man is
manifestly dead； the uppermost boat being taken off； they find his
flesh devoured； and swarms of such noisome creatures preying upon and；
as it were； growing to his inwards。 In this way Mithridates； after
suffering for seventeen days； at last expired。
Masabates； the king's eunuch； who had cut off the hand and head of
Cyrus； remained still as a mark for Parysatis's vengeance。 Whereas；
therefore； he was so circumspect； that he gave her no advantage
against him； she framed this kind of snare for him。 She was a very
ingenious woman in other ways； and was an excellent player at dice；
and； before the war； had often played with the king。 After the war；
too； when she had been reconciled to him； she joined readily in all
amusements with him； played at dice with him； was his confidant in his
love matters； and in every way did her best to leave him as little
as possible in the company of Statira； both because she hated her more
than any other person； and because she wished to have no one so
powerful as herself。 And so once when Artaxerxes was at leisure； and
inclined to divert himself； she challenged him to play at dice with
her for a thousand darics； and purposely let him win them； and paid
him down in gold。 Yet； pretending to be concerned for her loss； and
that she would gladly have her revenge for it； she pressed him to
begin a new game for a eunuch； to which he consented。 But first they
agreed that each of them might except five of their most trusty
eunuchs； and that out of the rest of them the loser should yield up
any the winner should make choice of。 Upon these conditions they
played。 Thus being bent upon her design； and thoroughly in earnest
with her game； and the dice also running luckily for her； when she had
got the game； she demanded Masabates； who was not in the number of the
five excepted。 And before the king could suspect the matter； having
delivered him up to the tormentors； she enjoined them to flay him
alive； to set his body upon three stakes； and to stretch his skin upon
stakes separately from it。
These things being done； and the king taking them ill； and being
incensed against her； she with raillery and laughter told him； 〃You
are a comfortable and happy man indeed； if you are so much disturbed
for the sake of an old rascally eunuch； when I； though I have thrown
away a thousand darics； hold my peace and acquiesce in my fortune。〃 So
the king； vexed with himself for having been thus deluded； hushed up
all。 But Statira both in other matters openly opposed her； and was
angry with her for thus； against all law and humanity； sacrificing
to the memory of Cyrus the king's faithful friend and eunuch。
Now after that Tisaphernes had circumvented and by a false oath
had betrayed Clearchus and the other commanders； and； taking them； had
sent them bound in chains to the king； Ctesias says that he was
asked by Clearchus to supply him with a comb； and that when he had it；
and had combed his head with it； he was much pleased with this good
office； and gave him a ring； which might be a token of the
obligation to his relatives and friends in Sparta； and that the
engraving upon this signet was a set of Caryatides dancing。 He tells
us that the soldiers； his fellow…captives； used to purloin a part of
the allowance of food sent to Clearchus； giving him but little of
it； which thing Ctesias says he rectified； causing a better
allowance to be conveyed to him； and that a separate share should be
distributed to the soldiers by themselves； adding that he ministered
to and supplied him thus by the interest and at the instance of
Parysatis。 And there being a portion of ham sent daily with his
other food to Clearchus； she； he says； advised and instructed him；
that he ought to bury a small knife in the meat； and thus send it to
his friend； and not leave his fate to be determined by the king's
cruelty； which he； however； he says； was afraid to do。 However；
Artaxerxes consented to the entreaties of his mother； and promised her
with an oath that he would spare Clearchus； but afterwards； at the
instigation of Statira； he put every one of them to death except
Menon。 And thenceforward； he says； Parysatis watched her advantage
against Statira and made up poison for her； not a very probable story；
or a very likely motive to account for her conduct； if indeed he means
that out of respect to Clearchus she dared to attempt the life of
the lawful queen； that was mother of those who were heirs of the
empire。 But it is evident enough； that this part of his history is a
sort of funeral exhibition in honour of Clearchus。 For he would have
us believe that； when the generals were executed； the rest of them
were torn in pieces by dogs and birds； but as for the remains of
Clearchus； that a violent gust of wind； bearing before it a vast
heap of earth； raised a mound to cover his body； upon which； after a
short time； some dates having fallen there； a beautiful grove of trees
grew up and overshadowed the place； so that the king himself
declared his sorrow； concluding that in Clearchus he put to death a
man beloved of the gods。
Parysatis； therefore； having from the first entertained a secret
hatred and jealousy against Statira； seeing that the power she herself
had with Artaxerxes was founded upon feelings of honour and respect
for her； but that Statira's influence was firmly and strongly based
upon love and confidence； was resolved to contrive her ruin； playing
at hazard； as she thought； for the greatest stake in the world。
Among her attendant women there was one that was trusty and in the
highest esteem with her； whose name was Gigis； who； as Dinon avers；
assisted in making up the poison。 Ctesias allows her only to have been
conscious of it； and that against her will； charging Belitaras with
actually giving the drug； whereas Dinon says it was Melantas。 The
two women had begun again to visit each other and to eat together； but
though they had thus far relaxed their former habits of jealousy and
variance； still； out of fear and as a matter of caution； they always
ate of the same dishes and of the same parts of them。 Now there is a
small Persian bird； in the inside of which no excrement is found； only
a mass of fat； so that they suppose the little creatures lives upon
air and dew。 It is called rhyntaces。 Ctesias affirms； that
Parysatis； cutting a bird of this kind into two pieces with a knife
one side of which had been smeared with the drug； the other side being
clear of it； ate the untouched and wholesome part herself； and gave
Statira that which was thus infected； but Dinon will not have it to be
Parysatis； but Melantas； that cut up the bird and presented the
envenomed part of it to Statira； who； dying with dreadful agonies
and convulsions； was herself sensible of what had happened to her； and
aroused in the king's mind suspicion of his mother； whose savage and
implacable temper he knew。 And therefore proceeding instantly to an
inquest； he seized upon his mother's domestic servants that attended
at her table and put them upon the rack。 Parysatis kept Gigis at
home with her a long time； and though the king commanded her； she
would not produce her。 But she； at last herself desiring that she
might be dismissed to her own home by night； Artaxerxes had intimation
of it； and lying in wait for her； hurried her away； and adjudged her
to death。 Now poisoners in Persia suffer thus by law。 There is a broad
stone； on which they place the head of the culprit； and then with
another stone beat and press it； until the face and the head itself
are all pounded to pieces； which was the punishment Gigis lost her
life by。 But to his mother； Artaxerxes neither said nor did any
other hurt； save that he banished and confined her； not much against
her will； to Babylon； protesting that while she lived he would not
come near that city。 Such was the condition of the king's affairs in
his own house。
But when all his attempts to capture the Greeks that had come with
Cyrus； though he desired to do so no less than he had desired to
overcome Cyrus and maintain his throne； proved unlucky； and they；
though they had lost both Cyrus and their own generals； nevertheless
escaped； as it were； out of his very palace； making it plain to all
men that the Persian king and his empire were mighty indeed in gold
and luxury and women； but otherwise were a mere show and vain display；
upon this all Greece took courage and despised the barbarians； and
especially the Lacedaemonians thought it strange if they should not
now deliver their countrymen that dwelt in Asia from their
subjection to the Persians； nor put an end to the contumelious usage
of them。 And first having an army under the conduct of Thimbron；
then under Dercyllidas； but doing nothing memorable； they at last
committed the war to the management of their King Agesilaus； who； when
he had arrived with his men in Asia； as soon as he had landed them；
fell actively to work； and got himself great renown。 He defeated
Tisaphernes in a pitched battle； and set many cities in revolt。 Upon
this； Artaxerxes； perceiving what was his wisest way of waging the
war； sent Timocrates the Rhodian into Greece； with large sums of gold；
commanding him by a free distribution of it to corrupt the leading men
in the cities； and to excite a Greek war against Sparta。 So Timocrates
following his instructions； the most considerable cities conspiring
together； and Peloponnesus being in disorder； the ephors remanded
Agesilaus from Asia。 At which time； they gay； as he was upon his
return； he told his friends that Artaxerxes had driven him out of Asia
with thirty thousand archers； the Persian coin having an archer
stamped upon it。
Artaxerxes scoured the seas； too； of the Lacedaemonians； Conon the
Athenian and Pharnabazus being his admirals。 For Conon； after the
battle of Aegospotami； resided in Cyprus； not that he consulted his
own mere security； but looking for a vicissitude of affairs with no
less hope than men wait for a change of wind at sea。 And perceiving
that his skill wanted power； and that the king's power