§2.1Hic simulatque imperii potitus est, persuasit Lacedaemoniis ut cum exercitu se mitterent in Asiam bellumque regi facerent, docens satius esse in Asia quam in Europa dimicari.
As soon as he obtained the supreme power, he persuaded the Lacedaemonians to send him with an army into Asia and make war upon the king, pointing out that it was better for the war to be fought in Asia than in Europe.
namque fama exierat Artaxerxen comparare classes pedestresque exercitus, quos in Graeciam mitteret.
For a rumor had gone abroad that Artaxerxes was preparing fleets and land forces to send into Greece.
§2.2data potestate tanta celeritate usus est, ut prius in Asiam cum copiis pervenerit, quam regii satrapae eum scirent profectum.
Having been granted this authority, he acted with such speed that he arrived in Asia with his forces before the king's satraps knew that he had set out.
quo factum est ut omnes imparatos imprudentesque offenderet.
Whereby it happened that he caught everyone unprepared and off their guard.
§2.3id ut cognovit Tissaphernes, qui summum imperium tum inter praefectos habebat regios, indutias a Lacone petivit, simulans se dare operam, ut Lacedaemoniis cum rege conveniret, re autem vera ad copias comparandas, easque impetravit trimenstres.
When Tissaphernes, who at that time held the chief command among the king's officers, learned of this, he requested a truce from the Laconian, pretending that he was making an effort to bring about an agreement between the Lacedaemonians and the king, but in reality to gather forces; and he obtained a truce of three months.
§2.4iuravit autem uterque se sine dolo indutias conservaturum.
And each of the two swore that he would keep the truce without guile.
in qua pactione summa fide mansit Agesilaus, contra ea Tissaphernes nihil aliud quam bellum comparavit.
In which agreement Agesilaus remained with the utmost fidelity; on the other hand, Tissaphernes did nothing else than prepare for war.
§2.5id etsi sentiebat Laco, tamen iusiurandum servabat multumque in eo se consequi dicebat, quod Tissaphernes periurio suo et homines suis rebus abalienaret et deos sibi iratos redderet, se autem conservata religione confirmare exercitum, cum animadverteret deum numen facere secum, hominesque sibi conciliare amiciores, quod iis studere consuessent, quos conservare fidem viderent.
Although the Laconian perceived this, he nevertheless kept his oath and said that he gained a great advantage in this, because Tissaphernes by his perjury was both alienating men from his cause and rendering the gods angry with him, whereas he himself, by keeping his religious obligation, was encouraging his army, since he perceived that the divine power of the gods was on his side, and was winning men over to be more friendly to him, because they were accustomed to favor those whom they saw keeping their faith.