Source edition
Cornelius Nepos. Cornelii Nepotis Vitae. Fleckeisen, Alfred; Halm, Karl, editors. Leipzig: Teubner, 1886.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This biography depicts the turbulent life of the Athenian general Conon. The story begins with Athens suffering a crushing defeat at the Battle of Aegospotami in Conon's absence, prompting him to seek refuge with the Persian satrap Pharnabazus. Conon wins the trust of the Persians and achieves great success by blocking the invasion of the Spartan king Agesilaus. When denouncing a traitor to the Persian king, he cleverly communicates in writing to avoid performing the ritual prostration, thereby preserving the dignity of Athens. He subsequently defeats the Spartans at the Battle of Cnidus, liberating Greece and restoring the defensive walls of his homeland. However, his later ambition to recover territories for Athens leads to his capture by the Persians, leaving his ultimate fate shrouded in historical mystery.