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 biographical work depicts the life, brilliant achievements, and later tragedies of the great Athenian general Timotheus. The first half details his outstanding military successes, including the recapture of Samos and the defeat of the Spartan fleet, which re-established Athens' maritime hegemony and earned him honors alongside his father Conon. However, the narrative shifts to a tragic turn in his later years, when he was recalled to service but unjustly blamed for a military failure due to the slander of a co-commander, resulting in his condemnation and exile. The work concludes with the Athenians' subsequent regret, an anecdote illustrating Timotheus's noble character, and a reflection on the end of the era of great Athenian generals.