was unable to endure the harsh discipline of
life at Sparta, and therefore wished to travel abroad, just as a horse
longs for liberty when he has been brought back out of wide pastures
to his stable and his accustomed work. As to the cause which Ephorus
gives for these travels of his, I will mention that presently.

XXI. After having with great difficulty obtained permission from the
Ephors, he set sail. Now as soon as he left the country, the two
kings, perceiving that by means of his device of governing the cities
of Greece by aristocratic clubs devoted to his interest he was
virtually master of the whole country, determined to restore the
popular party to power and to turn out Lysander's friends. When
however this movement was set on foot, and when first of all the
Athenians starting from Phyle attacked the Thirty and overpowered
them, Lysander returned in haste, and prevailed upon the Lacedaemonians
to assist the cause of oligarchy and put down these popular risings.
They decided that the first government which they would aid should be
that of the Thirty, at Athens; and they proposed to send them a
hundred talents for the expenses of the war, and Lysander himself as
their general. But the two kings, envying his power, and fearing that
he would take Athens a second time, determined that one of themselves
should proceed thither in his stead. Pausanias accordingly went to
Athens, nominally to assist the Thirty against the people, but really
to put an end to the war, for fear that Lysander by means of his
friends might a second time become master of Athens. This he easily
effected; and by reconciling all classes of Athenians to one another
and putting an end to the revolution, he made it impossible for
Lysander to win fresh laurels. But when shortly afterwards the
Athenians again revolted he was much blamed for having allowed the
popular party to gather strength and break out of bounds, after it had
once been securely bridled by an oligarchy, while Lysander on the
contrary gained the credit of having, in every city, arranged matters
not with a view to theatrical effect, but to the solid advantage of
Sparta.

XXII. He was bold in his speech, and overbearing to those who opposed
him. When the Argives had a dispute with the Lacedaemonians about their
frontier, and seemed to have justice on their side, Lysander drew his
sword, saying, "He that is master of this is in possession of the best
argument about frontier lines."