this
expression of good-will. Tacho lived a considerable time at the court of
Ochus, without any steps being taken to restore him to his former
position. At last a dysentery carried him off, and legitimated the
position of the usurper who had driven him into exile.

The end now drew nigh. Nekht-nebf, whom the Greeks called Nectanebo II.,
having after a time established himself firmly upon the throne, and got
rid of pretenders, resumed the ambitious policy of his predecessor, and
entered into an alliance with the people of Sidon and their neighbours,
who were in revolt against Persia. He had the excuse that Ochus, some
time previously, had sent an expedition against Egypt, which he had
repulsed by the assistance of two Greek generals, Diophantus of Athens
and Lamius of Sparta. But this expedition was a thing of the past; it
had inflicted no injury on Egypt, and it demanded no revenge. Nekht-nebf
was in no way called upon to join the rebel confederacy, which (in B.C.
346) raised the flag of revolt from Persia, and sought to enrol in its
ranks as many allies as possible. But he rashly gave in his name, and
sent to Sidon as his contingent towards the army that was being raised,
four thousand of his Greek mercenaries, under the command of Mentor of
Rhodes. With their aid, Tennes, the Sidonian king, completely defeated
the troops which Ochus had sent against him, and drove the Persians out
of Phoenicia.

The success, however, which was thus gained by the rebels only
exasperated the Persian king, and made him resolve all the more on a
desperate effort. The time had gone by, he felt, for committing wars to
satraps, or sending out generals, with a few thousand troops, to put
down this or that troublesome chieftain. The conjuncture called for
measures of no ordinary character. The Great King must conduct an
expedition in person. Every sort of preparation must be made; arms and
provisions and stores of all kinds must be accumulated; the best troops
must be collected from all parts of the empire; a sufficient fleet must
be manned; and such an armament must go forth under the royal banner as
would crush all opposition. Ochus succeeded in gathering together from
the nations under his direct rule 300,000 foot, 30,000 horse, 300
triremes, and 500 transports or provision-ships. He then directed his
efforts towards obtaining efficient assistance from the Greeks. Though
refused aid by Athens and Sparta, he succeeded in obtaining a thous