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Lysander
(? - 395 BC) Greece

Lysander

Spartan general

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Lysander brought the Peloponnesian War to a successful conclusion by capturing the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami in 405 BC, and by starving Athens into surrender in the following year. He then aspired to make Sparta supreme in greece, and himself in Sparta. He set up puppet governments in Athens and her former allies, and intrigued to secure himself the Spartan Kingship, but was killed in battle with the Thebans.

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At Sparta the party loving was called eispnelas and his affection was termed a "breathing in", or "inspiring" (eispnein); which expresses the pure and mental connection between the two persons, and corresponds with the name of the other, aitas i.e., "listener" or "hearer".

Now it appears to have been the practice for every youth of good character to have his lover; and on the other hand every well-educated man was bound by custom to be the lover of some youth. Instances of this connection are furnished by several of the royal family of Sparta; thus, Agesilaus, while he still belonged to the herd (agele) of youths, was the "hearer" (aitas) of Lysander.

The connection usually originated from the proposal of the lover; yet it was necessary that the listener should accept him with real affection, as a regard to the riches of the proposer was consid ered very disgraceful; sometimes, however, it happened that the proposal originated from the other party. The connection appears to have been very intimate and faithful; and was recognized by the state. If his relations were absent, the youth might be represented in the public assembly by his lover.

In battle too they stood near one another, where their fidelity and affection were often shown till death. While at home the youth was constantly under the eyes of his lover, who was to him as it were a model and pattern of life; which explains why, for many faults, particularly want of ambition, the lover could be punished instead of the listener.

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