Cyrus
Family: Persians · Role: king · First appears: Solon
Cyrus, a Persian king, was the second son of Darius (father) and Parysatis, younger than Artaxerxes and older than Ostanes and Oxathres. From his earliest youth he was headstrong and vehement, unlike the gentler Artaxerxes. After overcoming Croesus, Cyrus spared him from punishment and honored him for the rest of his life, following Solon’s warning about uncertain fortune. He also loved Milto, his favorite concubine, and gave her the name Aspasia.
When Artaxerxes was proclaimed king, Cyrus retained command of Lydia and the maritime provinces. At Sardis, he rewarded Lysander for his public spirit with ten thousand darics, and their daily association led Lysander to win his affection; Cyrus also opposed Tisaphernes, whom he regarded as dishonest and privately hostile to him. Cyrus later began a war against Artaxerxes for the Persian throne, supported by forces from the coastal and upper provinces. His friends included Ariaeus, while Satiphernes was described as a faithful friend to Cyrus and Artagerses as his enemy; at Cunaxa, Cyrus was wounded, fell from his horse, and died.
Relationship record
Life events
- Cyrus spared and honored Croesus after hearing Solon's warning about uncertain fortune.(Solon)
- Cyrus funded Lysander’s increase of the seamen’s pay.(Lysander · 📍 Sardis)
- With: Lysander
- “Cyrus, delighted with his public spirit, gave him ten thousand darics, out of which he added the penny to the seamen's pay”
- Artaxerxes was proclaimed king, while Cyrus retained command of Lydia and the maritime provinces.(Artaxerxes)
- With: Darius (father) Artaxerxes
- “Notwithstanding, she prevailed not with Darius, but the eldest son Arsicas was proclaimed king, his name being changed into Artaxerxes; and Cyrus remained satrap of Lydia, and commander in the maritime provinces.”
- Cyrus began a war against Artaxerxes to seize the Persian throne.(Artaxerxes)
- With: Artaxerxes
- “Cyrus, then; not only relying upon those of his own province near the sea, but upon many of those in the upper countries near the king, commenced the war against him.”
- Cyrus was wounded during battle, fell from his horse, and died.(Artaxerxes · 📍 Cunaxa)
- With: Mithridates
- “The vein under the knee was cut open, and Cyrus fell, and at the same time struck his wounded temple against a stone, and so died.”
Solon
- with Croesus (interaction) “he not only freed Croesus from punishment, but honored him as long as he lived;”
- with Croesus (interaction) “when he was overcome by Cyrus, had lost his city, was taken alive, condemned to be burnt”
Pericles
- with Milto (interaction) “Cyrus also, who made war against Artaxerxes for the Persian monarchy, gave her whom he loved the best of all his concubines the name of Aspasia, who before that was called Milto.”
- enemies with Artaxerxes “Cyrus also, who made war against Artaxerxes for the Persian monarchy”
Lysander
- protégé: Lysander “Cyrus, delighted with his public spirit, gave him ten thousand darics, out of which he added the penny to the seamen's pay”
- friends with Lysander “By these means, and by their daily intercourse together, Lysander, especially by the submissiveness of his conversation, won the affections of the young prince”
- enemies with Tisaphernes “Cyrus was willing that Tisaphernes might be found in blame, and be ill reported of, as being, indeed, a dishonest man, and privately at feud with himself.”
Artaxerxes
- parent: Parysatis “who brought Darius four sons, the eldest Artaxerxes, the next Cyrus”
- siblings with Artaxerxes “Cyrus, from his earliest youth, showed something of a headstrong and vehement character; Artaxerxes, on the other side, was gentler in everything”
- siblings with Ostanes “who brought Darius four sons, the eldest Artaxerxes, the next Cyrus, and two younger than these, Ostanes and Oxathres.”
- siblings with Oxathres “who brought Darius four sons, the eldest Artaxerxes, the next Cyrus, and two younger than these, Ostanes and Oxathres.”
- enemies with Artaxerxes “Cyrus, then; not only relying upon those of his own province near the sea, but upon many of those in the upper countries near the king, commenced the war against him.”
- courtship with Aspasia “After which time he began to regard her, and loved her above all of her sex, and called her the Wise.”
- friends with Ariaeus “But Ariaeus, Cyrus's friend, was beforehand with him”
- friends with Satiphernes “though he both hit and slew Satiphernes, a noble man and a faithful friend to Cyrus.”
- parent: Darius (father) “Parysatis, who brought Darius four sons, the eldest Artaxerxes, the next Cyrus, and two younger than these, Ostanes and Oxathres.”
- admired: Aspasia “After which time he began to regard her, and loved her above all of her sex, and called her the Wise.”
- enemies with Artagerses “So that it is almost universally agreed to by all the author that Artagerses was slain by him.”
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Extracted from the original text of Plutarch's Lives. Made with Rho MD.