B.C. 408-407. "Hell." I. v. 1.

(14) See Plut. "Aristid." 23 (Clough, ii. p. 309).

This district of Aeolis belonged to Pharnabazus, (15) but had been held
as a satrapy under him by a Dardanian named Zenis whilst he was alive;
but when Zenis fell sick and died, Pharnabazus made preparation to give
the satrapy to another. Then Mania the wife of Zenis, herself also a
Dardanian, fitted out an expedition, and taking with her gifts wherewith
to make a present to Pharnabazus himself, and to gratify his concubines
and those whose power was greatest with Pharnabazus, set forth on her
journey. When she had obtained audience with him she spoke as follows:
"O Pharnabazus, thou knowest that thy servant my husband was in all
respects friendly to thee; moreover, he paid my lord the tributes which
were thy due, so that thou didst praise and honour him. Now therefore,
if I do thee service as faithfully as my husband, why needest thou to
appoint another satrap?--nay but, if in any matter I please thee not, is
it not in thy power to take from me the government on that day, and to
give it to another?" When he had heard her words, Pharnabazus decided
that the woman ought to be satrap. She, as soon as she was mistress of
the territory, never ceased to render the tribute in due season, even
as her husband before her had done. Moreover, whenever she came to the
court of Pharnabazus she brought him gifts continually, and whenever
Pharnabazus went down to visit her provinces she welcomed him with all
fair and courteous entertainment beyond what his other viceroys were
wont to do. The cities also which had been left to her by her husband,
she guarded safely for him; while of those cities that owed her no
allegiance, she acquired, on the seaboard, Larisa and Hamaxitus and
Colonae--attacking their walls by aid of Hellenic mercenaries, whilst
she herself sat in her carriage and watched the spectacle. Nor was
she sparing of her gifts to those who won her admiration; and thus she
furnished herself with a mercenary force of exceptional splendour. She
also went with Pharnabazus on his campaigns, even when, on pretext of
some injury done to the king's territory, Mysians or Pisidians were the
object of attack. In requital, Pharnabazus paid her magnificent honour,
and at times invited her to assist him with her counsel. (16)

(15) I.e. as suzerain.

(16) Grote, "H. G." ix. 292; cf. Herod. viii. 69.

Now when Mania was more than forty years old, th