Such was the state of affairs in Salamis , and
 the descendants of the usurper were in possession of the throne when Evagoras was born. I
 prefer to say nothing of the portents, the oracles, the visions appearing in dreams, from
 which the impression might be gained that he was of superhuman birth, not because I
 disbelieve the reports, but that I may make it clear to all that I am so far from
 resorting to invention in speaking of his deeds that even of those matters which are in
 fact true I dismiss such as are known only to the few and of which not all the citizens
 are cognizant. And I shall begin my account of him with the generally acknowledged facts.
 When Evagoras was a boy he possessed beauty, bodily strength, and modesty, the very
 qualities that are most becoming to that age. Witnesses could be produced for these
 assertions: for his modesty— fellow-citizens who were educated with him: for his
 beauty—all who beheld him: for his strength—all the contests I.e., the official records of winners in the contests sanctioned by the state. in which he vanquished his age-mates. When he attained to manhood not only did all these qualities grow up with him, but to
 them were also added manly courage, wisdom, and justice, and that too in no ordinary
 measure, as is the case with some others, but each of these characteristics in
 extraordinary degree. So surpassing was his excellence of both body and mind, that when the kings of that time looked upon him they were terrified and feared for their
 throne, thinking that a man of such nature could not possibly pass his life in the status
 of a private citizen, but whenever they observed his character, they felt such confidence
 in him that they believed that even if anyone else should dare to injure them, Evagoras
 would be their champion. And although opinions of him were so at variance, they were mistaken in neither respect:
 for he neither remained in private life, nor did them injury: on the contrary, the Deity
 took such thought for him that he should honorably assume the throne, that all the
 preparations which necessarily involved impiety were made by another,