§15.43.1μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τοῖς στρατηγοῖς ἐνέπεσε στάσις, διʼ ἣν τῆς ἐπιβολῆς ἐσφάλησαν.
After this, a dissension fell upon the generals, because of which they failed in their enterprise.
ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἰφικράτης παρὰ τῶν αἰχμαλώτων πυθόμενος ἔρημον εἶναι τὴν Μέμφιν, ἐπικαιροτάτην οὖσαν πόλιν τῶν κατʼ Αἴγυπτον, συνεβούλευεν ἐξαυτῆς ἀναπλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν Μέμφιν πρὸ τοῦ παραγενέσθαι τὰς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων δυνάμεις· οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Φαρνάβαζον ᾦντο δεῖν ἀναμένειν τὴν ὅλην δύναμιν τῶν Περσῶν· ἀσφαλεστέραν γὰρ ἔσεσθαι τὴν στρατείαν ἐπὶ τὴν Μέμφιν. §15.43.2τοῦ δʼ Ἰφικράτους ἀξιοῦντος αὑτῷ δοθῆναι τοὺς παρόντας μισθοφόρους, καὶ μετʼ ἐκείνων ἐπαγγελλομένου κρατήσειν τῆς πόλεως, τό τε θράσος αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ὑπώπτευσε, μὴ κατʼ ἰδίαν κατάσχῃ τὴν Αἴγυπτον.
For Iphicrates, having learned from the captives that Memphis, which was the most strategic city in Egypt, was undefended, advised sailing up immediately against Memphis before the forces of the Egyptians should arrive; but those under Pharnabazus thought they ought to wait for the entire force of the Persians; for they believed that the expedition against Memphis would thus be safer. And when Iphicrates demanded that the mercenaries present be given to him, and promised that with them he would capture the city, Pharnabazus grew suspicious of his boldness and capability, fearing that he might seize Egypt for himself.
διόπερ οὐ συγχωροῦντος τοῦ Φαρναβάζου, ὁ Ἰφικράτης διεμαρτύρατο, λέγων ὡς ἐὰν παρῶσι τὴν ὀξύτητα τῶν καιρῶν, ἄπρακτον ποιήσουσι τὴν ὅλην στρατιάν.
Therefore, since Pharnabazus did not agree, Iphicrates protested, saying that if they let slip the sharpness of the opportunity, they would render the whole expedition fruitless.
στρατηγοὶ μὲν οὖν τινες ἐφθόνουν αὐτῷ καὶ διαβολὰς ἀδίκους προσῆπτον. §15.43.3οἱ δʼ Αἰγύπτιοι πολλὴν ἀναστροφὴν λαβόντες, εἰς μὲν τὴν Μέμφιν ἐξέπεμψαν τὴν ἱκανὴν φυλακήν, ἐπὶ δὲ τὸ πεπορθημένον πολισμάτιον πάσαις ταῖς δυνάμεσι παραγενόμενοι, καὶ πολλὰ πλεονεκτοῦντες διὰ τὴν τῶν τόπων ὀχυρότητα, συμπλοκὰς ἐποιοῦντο τοῖς πολεμίοις συνεχεῖς.
Indeed, some of the generals envied him and attached unjust slanders to him. The Egyptians, having obtained a major respite, dispatched an adequate garrison to Memphis, and arriving with all their forces at the plundered town, and having many advantages because of the strength of the positions, they engaged in continuous skirmishes with the enemy.
αἰεὶ δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπισχύοντες πολλοὺς ἀνῄρουν τῶν Περσῶν καὶ κατεθάρρουν τῶν πολεμίων. §15.43.4χρονιζούσης δὲ τῆς περὶ τὸ πολισμάτιον τοῦτο στρατείας, καὶ τῶν ἐτησίων ἤδη γενομένων, ὁ Νεῖλος πληρούμενος καὶ πάντα τόπον ἐπέχων τῷ πλήθει τοῦ ῥεύματος αἰεὶ μᾶλλον ὠχύρου τὴν Αἴγυπτον.
Constantly growing stronger, they slew many of the Persians and took courage against the enemy. As the campaign around this small town dragged on, and the Etesian winds had already set in, the Nile, rising and covering every place with the abundance of its stream, made Egypt ever more secure.
οἱ δὲ τῶν Περσῶν ἡγεμόνες, ἀντιπραττούσης αὐτοῖς αἰεὶ τῆς περιστάσεως, ἔγνωσαν ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν ποιήσασθαι. §15.43.5διόπερ ἐπανιόντων αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν Ἀσίαν, καὶ γενομένης διαφορᾶς τῷ Φαρναβάζῳ πρὸς τὸν Ἰφικράτην, ὑποπτεύσας ὁ Ἰφικράτης μὴ συλληφθῇ καὶ τιμωρίας τύχῃ, καθάπερ Κόνων ἔπαθεν ὁ Ἀθηναῖος, ἔκρινε λάθρᾳ φεύγειν ἐκ τοῦ στρατοπέδου· διὸ καὶ παρασκευασάμενος πλοῖον ἔλαθε νυκτὸς ἀπαλλαγεὶς καὶ καταπλεύσας εἰς τὰς Ἀθήνας. §15.43.6ὁ δὲ Φαρνάβαζος πρέσβεις ἐκπέμψας κατηγόρησε τοῦ Ἰφικράτους ὡς αἰτίου γεγονότος τοῦ μὴ ληφθῆναι τὴν Αἴγυπτον.
The leaders of the Persians, since the situation was constantly working against them, decided to make their departure from Egypt. Therefore, while they were returning to Asia and a dispute arose between Pharnabazus and Iphicrates, Iphicrates, suspecting that he might be arrested and suffer punishment, just as Conon the Athenian had suffered, decided to flee secretly from the camp; consequently, having prepared a boat, he slipped away undetected by night and sailed down to Athens. Pharnabazus, sending envoys, accused Iphicrates of being the cause of the failure to capture Egypt.
οἱ δὲ Ἀθηναῖοι τοῖς μὲν Πέρσαις ἀπόκρισιν ἔδωκαν, ὅτι ἐὰν εὕρωσιν αὐτὸν ἠδικηκότα, κολάσουσι κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν, αὐτοὶ δὲ μετʼ ὀλίγον χρόνον στρατηγὸν κατέστησαν τὸν Ἰφικράτην ἐπὶ τὸ ναυτικόν.
The Athenians gave a reply to the Persians that, if they found him to have done wrong, they would punish him according to his desert, but themselves shortly after appointed Iphicrates general of the fleet.