§5.1Haec dum geruntur, Artaxerxes reminiscens, a quanto bello ad quam parvam rem principem ducum misisset, se ipse reprehendit et nuntium ad exercitum Acen misit, quod nondum Datamen profectum putabat, qui diceret, ne ab exercitu discederet.
While these things were being done, Artaxerxes, reflecting from how great a war to how small a matter he had sent the chief of his generals, blamed himself and sent a messenger to the army at Ake, because he thought that Datames had not yet set out, to tell him not to depart from the army.
hic priusquam perveniret, quo erat profectus, in itinere convenit, qui Aspim ducebant. §5.2qua celeritate cum magnam benivolentiam regis Datames consecutus esset, non minorem invidiam aulicorum excepit, quod illum unum pluris quam se omnes fieri videbant.
Before this messenger arrived where he was bound, he met on his way those who were bringing Aspis. Although Datames had won the great goodwill of the king by this speed, he received no less envy from the courtiers, because they saw that he alone was valued more than all of them.
quo facto cuncti ad eum opprimendum consenserunt. §5.3haec Pandantes, gazae custos regiae, amicus Datami, perscripta ei mittit, in quibus docet eum in magno fore periculo, si quid illo imperante adversi in Aegypto accidisset. §5.4namque eam esse consuetudinem regiam, ut casus adversos hominibus tribuant, secundos fortunae suae: quo fieri ut facile impellantur ad eorum perniciem, quorum ductu res male gestae nuntientur.
When this happened, they all agreed to destroy him. Pandantes, the keeper of the royal treasury and a friend of Datames, sent him a detailed account of these things, in which he informed him that he would be in great danger if any reverse should happen in Egypt while he was in command. For, he said, it was the royal custom to attribute adverse events to men, but favorable ones to their own fortune; hence it happened that they were easily impelled to the ruin of those under whose command affairs were reported to have gone badly.
illum hoc maiore fore in discrimine, quod, quibus rex maxime oboediat, eos habeat inimicissimos. §5.5talibus ille litteris cognitis, cum iam ad exercitum Acen venisset, quod non ignorabat ea vere scripta, desciscere a rege constituit.
He added that Datames would be in all the greater danger because he had as his bitterest enemies those whom the king most obeyed. When he had received this letter, although he had already arrived at the army at Ake, since he well knew that those things were written truly, he resolved to revolt from the king.
neque tamen quicquam fecit, quod fide sua esset indignum. §5.6nam Mandroclem Magnetem exercitui praefecit; ipse cum suis in Cappadociam discedit coniunctamque huic Paphlagoniam occupat, celans, qua voluntate esset in regem.
Yet he did nothing that was unworthy of his faith. For he placed Mandrocles of Magnesia in command of the army; he himself departed with his men into Cappadocia, and occupied Paphlagonia, which borders on it, concealing what his intentions were toward the king.
clam cum Ariobarzane facit amicitiam, manum comparat, urbes munitas suis tuendas tradit.
Secretly he formed a friendship with Ariobarzanes, gathered a force, and delivered the fortified cities to his men to be guarded.