§4.1Atque hoc loco non est praetereundum factum Pharnabazi, satrapis regii.
And at this point, the deed of Pharnabazus, the royal satrap, must not be passed over.
nam cum Lysander praefectus classis in bello multa crudeliter avareque fecisset deque iis rebus suspicaretur ad cives suos esse perlatum, petiit a Pharnabazo ut ad ephoros sibi testimonium daret, quanta sanctitate bellum gessisset sociosque tractasset, deque ea re accurate scriberet: magnam enim eius auctoritatem in ea re futuram.
For when Lysander, as commander of the fleet, had done many things cruelly and greedily in the war, and suspected that reports of those matters had been carried to his own citizens, he requested from Pharnabazus that he would give testimony for him to the ephors as to with what great integrity he had conducted the war and treated the allies, and that he should write carefully about this matter: for he said his authority in this matter would be great.
§4.2huic ille liberaliter pollicetur: librum grandem verbis multis conscripsit, in quibus summis eum effert laudibus.
To him, the other generously promises; he wrote a large document with many words, in which he extolled him with the highest praises.
quem cum hic legisset probassetque, dum signatur, alterum pari magnitudine et tanta similitudine, ut discerni non posset, signatum subiecit, in quo accuratissime eius avaritiam perfidiamque accusarat.
When this man had read and approved it, while it was being sealed, the other substituted another of equal size and of such great resemblance that it could not be distinguished, already sealed, in which he had most accurately accused his greed and treachery.
§4.3Lysander domum cum redisset, postquam de suis rebus gestis apud maximum magistratum quae voluerat dixerat, testimonii loco librum a Pharnabazo datum tradidit.
When Lysander had returned home, after he had said what he wanted about his deeds before the highest magistracy, he handed over, in place of testimony, the document given by Pharnabazus.
hunc summoto Lysandro cum ephori cognossent, ipsi legendum dederunt.
When the ephors had examined this, after Lysander had been removed, they gave it to him himself to read.
ita ille imprudens ipse suus fuit accusator.
Thus he, unaware, was his own accuser.