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 Datames, a highly capable Cappadocian general who served the Persian Empire. The narrative begins with his rise to prominence through military achievements and his success in suppressing various rebellions, which earns him the king's trust. However, his outstanding successes arouse the jealousy of the royal courtiers, forcing him to defect from the king upon discovering a plot against his life. Though isolated, Datames repeatedly repels pursuing armies and betrayers through his exceptional tactical skills and ingenious strategies. Ultimately, however, he is assassinated by Mithridates, who wins his trust by posing as an ally and deceives him through a meticulously planned trap. The work vividly portrays the tense struggles and tragic end of a brilliant strategist who ultimately fell victim to treacherous conspiracies.