while he preserved for Evagoras those means whereby it was possible for him to gain the
 rule in accordance with piety and justice. For one of the princes, Abdemon: cf. Diodorus xiv. 98. starting a conspiracy, slew the tyrant
 and attempted to arrest Evagoras, believing that he would not be able to retain the rule
 himself unless he should get him out of the way. But Evagoras escaped this peril, and having saved himself by fleeing to Soli in Cilicia 
 did not show the same spirit as those who are the victims of like misfortune. For other
 exiles from royal power are humbled in spirit because of their misfortunes,whereas
 Evagoras attained to such greatness of soul that, although until that time he had lived as
 a private citizen, when he was driven into exile he determined to gain the throne. The wandering life of an exile, the dependence upon the help of others in seeking his
 restoration and the paying of court to his inferiors—all these he scorned: but this he
 took as his guiding principle, which those who would be god-fearing men must take—to act
 only in self-defense and never to be the aggressor: and he chose either by success to
 regain the throne or, failing in that, to die. And so, calling to his side men numbering,
 according to the highest estimates, about fifty, with these he prepared to effect his
 return from exile. And from this venture especially the character of Evagoras and his reputation among his
 associates may be seen: for although he was on the point of sailing with so few companions
 for the accomplishment of so great a design, and although all the attendant dangers were
 near at hand, neither did he himself lose heart, nor did any of his companions see fit to
 shrink from these dangers: nay, as if a god were their leader, they one and all held fast
 to their promises, and Evagoras, just as if either he had an army superior to that of his
 adversaries or foresaw the outcome, held to his opinion. This is evident from his acts: for, when he had landed on the island, he did not think it
 necessary to seize a strong position, make sure of his own safety, and then to wait and
 see if some of the citizens would rally to his aid: but immediately, just as he was, on
 that very night he broke through a little gate in the wall, and leading his followers
 through this opening, attacked the palace.