ll of the temple of Khonsu at
Karnak.

The new Pharaoh deemed the occasion opportune to make a diversion
against Persia and to further secure his own safety: he therefore
offered his support to the satraps, who sent Eheomitres as a delegate
to discuss the terms of an offensive and defensive alliance. Having
inherited from Nectanebo a large fleet and a full treasury, Tachos
entrusted to the ambassador 500 talents of silver, and gave him fifty
ships, with which he cruised along the coast of Asia Minor towards
Leuke. His accomplices were awaiting him there, rejoicing at the success
of his mission, but he himself had no confidence in the final issue of
the struggle, and merely sought how he might enter once more into favour
with the Persian court; he therefore secured his safety by betraying his
associates. He handed over the subsidies and the Egyptian squadron to
Orontes, the satrap of Daskylium, and then seizing the insurgent
chiefs sent them in chains to Susa. These acts of treachery changed
the complexion of affairs; the league suddenly dissolved after the
imprisonment of its leaders, and Arta-xerxes re-established his
authority over Asia Minor.

[Illustration: 296.jpg DATAMES III.]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a coin in the _Cabinet des
Medailles_.

Egypt became once more the principal object of attack, and by the
irony of fate Pharaoh had himself contributed to enrich the coffers and
reinforce the fleet of his foes. In spite of this mischance, however,
circumstances were so much in his favour that he ventured to consider
whether it would not be more advantageous to forestall the foe by
attacking him, rather than passively to await an onslaught behind his
own lines. He had sought the friendship of Athens,* and, though it had
not been granted in explicit terms, the republic had, nevertheless,
permitted Ghabrias to resume his former post at his side.

* The memory of this embassy has been preserved for us by a
decree of the Athenian assembly, unfortunately much
mutilated, which has been assigned to various dates between
362 and 358 B.C. M. Paul Foucart has shown that the date of
the decree must be referred to one of three archon-ships--
the archonship of Callimedes, 360-59; that of Eucharistus,
359-8; or that of Cephisodotus, 358-7^ Without entering into
a discussion of the other evidence on the subject, it seems
to me probable that the embassy may be mo