1Lysander the Spartan left a great reputation behind him, won more by good fortune than by merit: for it is clear that he finished off the Athenians, who were waging war against the Peloponnesians, in the twenty-sixth year, nor is it unknown how he achieved this: for it was done not by the valour of his own army but by the indiscipline of his opponents, who, because they did not obey their commanders, scattered over the fields, leaving their ships, and fell into the enemy's power. 2After this the Athenians surrendered to the Spartans. 3Elated by this victory, Lysander, who had always before been factious and bold, indulged himself so far that through his doing the Spartans came to be utterly hated by Greece.
4For though the Spartans had kept saying that their reason for the war was to break the unbridled domination of the Athenians, after Lysander had taken possession of the enemy fleet at Aegospotami, he aimed at nothing else than to hold all the states in his own power, while pretending to do this for the Spartans' sake. 5For everywhere he had driven out those who had favoured the Athenian cause, and had chosen ten men in each state to whom he would entrust supreme command and power over all affairs. 5No one was admitted to their number unless he was either bound to him by ties of hospitality or had pledged his word that he would be wholly his.