1But Alcibiades, thinking that after the Athenians' defeat those same parts were not safe enough for him, hid himself deep in Thrace beyond the Propontis, hoping that there his fortunes could most easily be concealed. 1Wrongly. 2For the Thracians, after they realised that he had come with a great deal of money, laid an ambush and took away what he had brought, though they could not capture him. 3Seeing that no place in Greece was safe for him because of the power of the Spartans, he crossed into Asia to Pharnabazus, whom he so captivated with his charm that no one surpassed him in his friendship. 3For he had given him Grynium, a fortress in Phrygia, from which he drew fifty talents a year in revenue.
4Alcibiades was not content with this fortune, nor could he bear that Athens, conquered, should be enslaved to the Spartans. 4So all his thoughts were bent on freeing his country. 5But he saw that this could not be done without the Persian king, and so he wished to make him his friend, and did not doubt that he would easily succeed, if only he had the chance of meeting him. 5For he knew that the king's brother Cyrus was secretly preparing war against him with the help of the Spartans: if he revealed this, he saw that he would win great favour.