of
Ephorus, who was both an historian and a philosopher.

XXVI. There was a woman in Pontus who gave out that she was pregnant
by Apollo. As might be expected, many disbelieved in her pretensions,
but many more believed in them, so that when a male child was born of
her, it was cared for and educated at the charge of many eminent
persons. The child, for some reason or other, was given the name of
Silenus. Lysander, starting with these materials, constructed the rest
of the story out of his own imagination. He was assisted in his scheme
by many persons of the highest respectability, who unsuspiciously
propagated the fable about the birth of the child: and who also
procured another mysterious story from Delphi, which they carefully
spread abroad at Sparta, to the effect that some oracles of vast
antiquity are guarded by the priests at Delphi, in writings which it
is not lawful to read; nor may any one examine them or look upon them,
until in the fulness of time one born of Apollo shall come, and after
clearly proving his birth to the guardians of these writings, shall
take the tablets which contain them. This having been previously
arranged, Silenus's part was to go and demand the oracles as Apollo's
child, while those of the priests who were in the plot were to make
inquiries and examine carefully into his birth, and at length were to
appear convinced of the truth of the story, and show the writings to
him, as being really the child of Apollo. He was to read aloud in the
presence of many persons all the oracles contained in the tablets,
especially one which said that it would be better for the Spartans to
choose their kings from the best of the citizens. Silenus was nearly
grown up, and the time to make the attempt had almost arrived, when
the whole plot was ruined by the cowardice of one of the principal
conspirators, whose heart failed him when the moment for action
arrived. None of these particulars, however, were discovered till
after Lysander's death.

XXVII. Before Agesilaus returned from Asia Lysander perished in a
Boeotian war in which he had become involved, or rather had involved
Greece; for various accounts are given of it, some laying the blame
upon him, some upon the Thebans, and some upon both. It was urged
against the Thebans that they overturned the altar at Aulis and
scattered the sacrifice,[156] and also that Androkleides and
Amphitheus, having been bribed by Persia to induce all the Greek
states to