e ever so much
inclined to an oligarchical form of government, Alkibiades, if he lived,
would not long suffer them to submit to it. However, Lysander was not
prevailed upon by these arguments until a despatch came from Sparta
bidding him make away with Alkibiades, either because the home
government feared his ability and enterprise, or because they wished to
please his enemy, King Agis.

XXXIX. Lysander now sent orders for his death to Pharnabazus, who
entrusted their execution to his brother Magaeus and his uncle
Susamithres. Alkibiades was at this time dwelling in a village in
Phrygia, with Timandra the courtezan, and one night he dreamed that he
was dressed in his mistress's clothes, and that she, holding his head in
her arms, was painting his face and adorning him like a woman. Others
say that he saw Magaeus in his dream cutting off his head, and his body
all in flames. All, however, agree that the dream took place shortly
before his death. His murderers did not dare to enter the house, but
stood round it in a circle and set it on fire. Alkibiades, on
discovering them, flung most of the bedding and clothes on to the fire,
wrapped his cloak round his left arm, and with his dagger in his right
dashed through the flames unhurt, not giving his clothes time to catch
fire. None of the barbarians dared to await his onset, but as soon as
they saw him they scattered, and from a distance shot at him with darts
and arrows. After he had fallen and the barbarians were gone, Timandra
took up his corpse, covered it with her own clothes, and, as far as was
in her power, showed it every mark of honour and respect.

This Timandra is said to have been the mother of Lais, commonly called
the Corinthian, who really was brought as a captive from Hykkara, a
small town in Sicily. Some writers, although they agree in their account
of the manner of his death, differ as to its cause, alleging that it was
neither due to Pharnabazus nor to Lysander nor the Lacedaemonians, but
that Alkibiades had debauched a girl of noble birth and was living with
her, and that her relatives, enraged at this insult, during the night
set fire to the house in which Alkibiades was living, and, as has been
related, shot him as he leaped out through the flames.

LIFE OF CAIUS MARCIUS CORIOLANUS.

I. The patrician family of the Marcii at Rome produced many illustrious
men, amongst whom was Ancus Marcius, the grandson of Numa, who became
king after the deat