"Help me sit down!" Aristophanes sat on the side of the mountain pass, looking at the cheering crowd, his heart was equally excited, although he knew in his heart that the Athenian Conon was now a hired Admiral of Persia and led the Persian fleet, but this victory made Athens face much less threat from the sea.

You know, although the citizens' assembly approved to join the side of Thebes and declare war on Sparta, the shadow of the defeat in the Peloponnesian War ten years ago and the ferocity of the Spartans pressed like a nightmare in the hearts of every Athenian. Especially now, although the battle situation is at a stalemate on the isthmus, the Allied side is still losing more than winning, and recently heard that another Spartan army from Asia Minor led by the Spartan king Agosilaus has landed from northern Greece and is killing the Piosia region, how can the Athenian people not be nervous and afraid! And the victory of this naval battle was like a timely rain, which lightened the boulder that was pressing on their hearts a lot, and they cheered loudly to vent their long-suppressed fear.

Aristophanes was relieved to see that the city of Athens had become a little more angry, and then he looked at it in astonishment, and on the corner there was a man in rags, in rags, sitting on the dusty steps, leaning against the rough stone wall, looking intently.

The silence contrasted with the joy around him, and the man's back was familiar to Aristophanes.

He walked over and shouted uncertainly, "Antisthenes?" ”

The man looked back, not in the slightest sense of standing up: "Aristophanes, if you are here to ask me about Plato's whereabouts, don't disturb me reading." ”

Aristophanes didn't know that although Antisthenes and Plato were both students of Socrates, their ideas were not at odds, so he said with a little teasing: "I just want to tell you that the fleet led by Conon defeated the Spartan navy, and now the whole city is singing the news of this victory." ”

"What?" Antisthenes said disapprerovingly: "Victory will only encourage the people to throw themselves more blindly into war." How long has Athens been quiet, and it will be a long war......" At this point, he shook his head and glanced at Aristophanes: "You have just returned from the theater, and your new play "The Dionians" seems to be very popular with the people. ”

Aristophanes was not satisfied with Antisthenes' passivity towards the news of the victory, so he said angrily: "Oh! I'm honored that Antistheni, who has always refused to watch theatrical entertainment, actually knows about my new play! ”

"That's because people talk about it every day these days. I said you are too lenient, what kind of citizens Dionya sends to the Games is their business, what is the point of you having to write a script to satirize them? ”

Aristophanes suddenly became angry, and just wanted to refute, Antisthenes tilted his head sideways and plucked his ears with his fingers, and said: "Do you know that some time ago, after the news of Dionia's public trial of traitors and public exposure of Syracuse's ambitions, Thrasiblos and their generals were discussing whether to send an envoy to negotiate an alliance with Dionia, so that Dionya could contain Syracuse, Sparta's ally, and your drama should not be staged again, Avoid provoking the Ionians and causing the alliance to fail. ”

"Thrasibros, what they are going to do is their business, but they have no right to interfere with the legitimate freedom of an Athenian citizen!" Aristophanes shouted angrily.

"That's what I want to say." Antisthenes pointed to the cheering crowd: "What does their victory have to do with me?" ”

Aristophanes blew his beard and glared angrily, and simply turned away, reaffirming his own understanding: the reason why he was good friends with Plato, but always estranged from Antisthenes, was because of his sense of responsibility.

Antisthenes, on the other hand, did not care about Aristophanes' departure, and gently brushed away the dust that had fallen from the book, and looked intently again.

…………………………

Agesilaus led his army through Thrace, Macedonia, and arrived in Central Greece. At Amphipolis he heard the news of the victory of the Spartans at Corinth, but this did not invigorate him, because the Spartans were still held back at the isthmus and could not advance an inch.

Fearing the war, he hastened his march, but when he arrived in Chaeronea, he encountered a solar eclipse, which the soldiers panicked and thought was a bad omen.

Immediately Agosilaus received the news that the Spartan navy had been defeated at Knidos, and he was shocked, but he also secretly congratulated himself that he had chosen to rush to Piosia by land rather than by sea, otherwise he might still be blocked in Asia Minor.

He immediately blocked the news to prevent the morale of the army from being shaken. At the same time, he also felt that he had to start a war soon and wash away the bad news with victory.

So, he led his army again and finally entered the area of Piosia, where he encountered the anti-Spartan coalition stationed in Krosso, guarding the passage to Thebes, and a major battle was inevitable.

And before the Great War, he recruited Xenophon, the leader of the remnants of the famous Persian Expeditionary Force of 10,000 people.

The 35-year-old Athenian had fought with Sparta in Asia Minor for five years, and was already a battle-hardened general, standing in front of Agosilaus like a tall cedar, exuding a high-spirited and imposing momentum.

Agesilaus looked at him with admiration, and then said, "Xenophon, my friend. The enemies of Sparta are lined up in front of us, and we must defeat them before we can advance under the city of Thebes. But...... In the ranks of the enemy, there are Athenian reinforcements, perhaps among them your relatives, your friends, your classmates, and it will undoubtedly be a great pain for you to fight them face to face...... Alas, so though I'm a little reluctant, but-"

Agesilaus showed an extremely regretful look and said emotionally: "I...... I allow you to lead the team away, or even join the other party, and I am grateful for your selfless help to Sparta over the years! Even if you and I will be enemies in the next battle, I will still regard you as my best friend of Agosilaus! ”

After hearing this, Xenophon was furious: "King Sparta, you are questioning my integrity!" Before I led the mercenaries to follow you out of Asia Minor, I had already said that since the Athenian Citizens' Assembly executed my teacher Socrates and tried me in absentia for my guilt, I had already regarded Athens as an enemy! And I agree with the political philosophy of Sparta, I am willing to fight for it, and I swear to Zeus! Now you're insisting on me getting out of here, I'm ...... I'm leaving. After saying that, he turned around without hesitation and was about to walk out of the big tent.

"Xenophon, please forgive me for being rude!" Agosilaus hurriedly stepped forward to grab him and apologized repeatedly: "I didn't want you and your people to fight each other to avoid your inner turmoil, but now I realize that you have great beliefs that go far beyond the ordinary feelings of your mother, and I apologize to you for this!" As he spoke, he bowed earnestly to Xenophon.

Xenophon hurriedly stopped him, and most of the anger in his heart was gone.

"I have decided to appoint you as the commander of the Central Army Formation in tomorrow's battle." Agosilaus made a decisive decision.

Xenophon was a little surprised, but he did not refuse, and gladly accepted the order, because he knew that there were some rumors about him circulating in the army in the past few days, and he secretly vowed: In this battle, he will use practical actions to silence those who question him!

Xenophon came out of the tent, and Archidamus, the lieutenant of Agosilaus and his son, came in and was surprised to learn of his father's decision: "Father, you really made an Athenian the commander of our middle lane?" ”

"What's wrong with the Athenians?!" Agosilaus raised his eyebrows, and said loudly in a voice that could be heard by the guards outside the tent: "Xenophon is my true friend of Agosilaus!" I've always trusted my friends. What's more, Xenophon is a very talented man, and he deserves my trust! ”

Speaking of this, Agosilaus suddenly remembered something, sighed, and said to his son in a deep voice: "You must understand that Sparta has missed Davers, whom is highly recommended by Chrysopus, and the League of Dionian city-states, which the young man founded in just a few years, has become a big problem for Dionysius. We can't push Xenophon to the enemy anymore......"

………………………………

The next day, the two sides lined up in Corosso.

Agesilaus led the main Spartan force on the left flank, facing the coalition on the side of the long-standing enemy - the Argos; Xenophon led the remnants of an expeditionary force of 10,000 men and other mercenaries from Asia Minor in the center, facing his native Athenians; On the right flank of the center were the Spartan allies Phukis (the most important city in the region where Phukis was located was Delphi), facing none other than Thebes, the initiator of the war.

At this moment, at the forefront of the Theban army, 26-year-old Peropidas and Ipamida were in the queue as heavy infantry.

"Why hasn't the bugle sounded yet?! I can't wait! Peropidas said eagerly.

Ipaminonda didn't speak, staring at the side with a melancholy face.

"Ipa, what are you worried about? Are you afraid that we won't be able to beat the Phokis? Peropidas noticed something strange about his friend and asked.

"I'm not worried about the Phokis, they've never been our opponents. I'm worried about the Argos, about whether they can hold off the Spartans' 'left-hand attack'. Ipaminonda said worriedly.

"You're thinking too much, Ippa. This should be on the Commander's mind, and our goal is to quickly defeat the Phokis! Peropidas pointed his spear forward, and said in a high-spirited manner.