Aristippus the Thessalian happened to be a guest-friend of his; and being hard-pressed by members of a rival faction at home, he went to Cyrus and asked him for two thousand foreign troops and for three months’ wages, on the grounds that in this way he would prevail over the rival faction. Cyrus gave him four thousand troops and six months’ wages and asked him not to come to terms with his rivals until he had again deliberated with him. Thus also this army in Thessaly was being nurtured for him without being detected.He bade Proxenus the Boeotian, who was a guest-friend of his, get as many men as possible and report to him, on the grounds that he wished to campaign against the Pisidians, since these Pisidians were making problems for his country. He bade Sophaenetus the Stymphalian and Socrates the Achaean, these also being guestfriends of his, get as many men as possible and to come, indicating that together with the Milesian exiles he would be making war on Tissaphernes. And these acted accordingly (Anabasis, Book I).
Cyrus the Younger Assembles the Army to Regain Sovereignty
