ALCIBIADES. 29

gratify a passion, but that his race might one day be kings over the Lacedaemonians. There were many who told Agis that this was so, but time itself gave the greatest confirmation to the story. For Agis, alarmed by an earthquake, had quitted his wife, and, for ten months after, was never with her ; Leotychides, therefore, being born after those ten months, he would not acknowledge him for his son ; which was the reason that afterwards he was not admitted to the succession. After the defeat which the Athenians received in Sicily, ambassadors were despatched to Sparta at once from Chios and Lesbos and Cj'zicus, to signify their pur- pose of revolting from the Athenians. The Bceotians interposed in favor of the Lesbians, and Pharnabazus of the Cyzicenes, but the Lacedaemonians, at the persuasion of Alcibiades, chose to assist Chios before all others. He himself, also, went instantly to sea, procured the imme- diate revolt of almost all Ionia, and, cooperating with the Lacedaemonian generals, did great mischief to the Athe- nians. But Agis was his enemy, hating him for having dishonored his wife, and also impatient of his glory, as almost every enterprise and every success was ascribed to Alcibiades. Others, also, of the most powerful and ambitious amongst the Spartans, were possessed with jealousy of him, and, at last, prevailed with the magis- trates in the city to send orders into Ionia that he should be killed. Alcibiades, however, had secret intelligence ot this, and, in apprehension of the result, while he com- municated all affairs to the Lacedaemonians, yet took care not to put himself into their power. At last he retired to Tisaphernes, the king of Persia's satrap, for his security, and immediately became the first and most influ- ential person about him. For this barbarian, not being himself sincere, but a lover of guile and wickedness,