ealousy of the honours paid to
Lysander, yet was ambitious and covetous of honour, began to fear that
if any brilliant success should be achieved, the credit of it would be
given to Lysander alone. He therefore proceeded to oppose all
Lysander's plans, and if he knew that Lysander was interested in any
enterprise, he took care to put it off and neglect it, while he
successively rejected the petitions of every person in whom he knew
Lysander to take an interest. In judicial decisions also he invariably
acquitted those whom Lysander wished to punish, and condemned to pay
heavy fines those whom he endeavoured to serve. As this took place so
frequently that it could not be attributed to chance, but to a
systematic purpose, Lysander was forced to warn his partizans that his
intervention was an injury and not a benefit to them, and that they
must desist from their obsequious attentions to him, and address
themselves directly to the king.

VIII. As these remarks seemed intended to place the king's policy in
an invidious light, Agesilaus determined to humble him still further,
and appointed him his carver. He then said aloud in the hearing of
many persons, "Let them now go and pay their court to my carver."
Vexed at this insult, Lysander remonstrated with him, saying, "Truly,
Agesilaus, you know how to degrade your friends." "Ay, to be sure,"
answered he, "those among them who want to appear greater than I
am."[176] "Perhaps," replied Lysander, "you have spoken the truth, and
I have not acted rightly. Bestow on me, however, some post in which I
may be usefully employed without wounding your feelings."

Upon this, Lysander was despatched on a mission to the Hellespont,
where he found means to gain over a Persian noble named Spithridates,
who had received some offence from Pharnabazus, the satrap of that
province. Lysander induced this man to join Agesilaus with all his
property, and with a regiment of two hundred horse; yet he himself did
not forget his quarrel, and for the rest of his life assiduously
plotted to remove the succession to the throne of Sparta from the two
royal families, and to throw it open to all Spartans alike. It is
indeed probable that he would have raised an important commotion in
Sparta, had he not been slain in an expedition in Boeotia. Thus do
ambitious men do more harm than good in a state, unless they have an
unusual power of self-restraint. Lysander no doubt acted very
offensively, and made a very u