History of the Peloponnesian War

They nmade also an expedition against Cyprus, subduing most of it, and afterwards, at the time of Pausanias' leadership, besieged Byzantium, which the Persians then field, and took it.

But, since he had already become headstrong,[*](cf. Thuc. 1.130.2.) the rest of the Hellenes became disaffected, especially the Ionians and all who had been recently emancipated from the King. So they waited upon the Athenians and begged them in the name of their kinship[*](As the mother city; cf. Thuc. 1.2. (end).) to become their leaders, and to resist Pausanias if he should attempt to coerce them.[*](478 B.C.)

The Athenians accepted their proposals and gave full attention to the matter with the determination to endure Pausanias' conduct no longer and to settle all other matters as should seem best to themselves.

Meanwhile the Lacedaemonians recalled Pausanias in order to interrogate him about reports they were hearing, for much wrongdoing was charged against him by the Hellenes who came to Sparta, and his behaviour seemed an aping of despotic power rather than the conduct of a general.