However, he could not avoid going on the expedition, and sailed forthwith.  He despatched sixty of his ships to Egypt, but kept the rest with him.  He conquered the Phoenician fleet in a sea-fight, recovered the cities of Cilicia, and began to meditate an attack upon those of Egypt, as his object was nothing less than the utter destruction of the Persian empire, especially when he learned that Themistokles had risen to great eminence among the Persians, and had undertaken to command their army in a campaign against Greece.  It is said that one of the chief reasons which caused Themistokles to despair of success was his conviction that he could not surpass the courage and good fortune of Kimon.  He therefore committed suicide, while Kimon, who was now revolving immense schemes of conquest as he lay at Cyprus with his fleet, sent an embassy to the shrine of Ammon to ask something secret.  What it was no one ever knew, for the god made no response, but as soon as the messengers arrived bade them return, as Kimon was already with him.  On hearing this, they retraced their steps to the sea, and when they reached the headquarters of the Greek force, which was then in Egypt, they heard that Kimon was dead.  On counting back the days to that on which they received the response, they perceived that the god had alluded to Kimon’s death when he said that he was with him, meaning that he was among the gods.

XIX.  According to most authorities Kimon died of sickness during a siege; but some writers say that he died of a wound which he received in a battle with the Persians.  When dying he ordered his friends to conceal his death, but at once to embark the army and sail home.  This was effected, and we are told by Phanodemus that no one, either of the enemy or of the Athenian allies conceived any suspicion that Kimon had ceased to command the forces until after he had been dead for thirty days.  After his death no great success was won by any Greek general over the Persians, but they were all incited by their popular orators and the war-party to fight with one another, which led to the great Peloponnesian war.  This afforded a long breathing-time to the Persians, and wrought terrible havoc with the resources of Greece.  Many years afterwards Agesilaus invaded Asia, and carried on war for a short time against the Persian commanders who were nearest the coast.  Yet he also effected nothing of any importance, and being recalled to Greece by the internal troubles of that country, left Persia drawing tribute from all the Greek cities and friendly districts of the sea-coast, although in the time of Kimon no Persian tax-gatherer or Persian horseman was ever seen within a distance of four hundred stades (fifty miles) from the sea.

His remains were brought back to Attica, as is proved by the monument which to this day is known as the “Tomb of Kimon.”  The people of Kitium,[314] also, however, pay respect to a tomb, said to be that of Kimon, according to the tale of the orator Nausikrates, who informs us that once during a season of pestilence and scarcity the people of Kitium were ordered by an oracle not to neglect Kimon, but to pay him honour and respect him as a superior being.  Such a man as this was the Greek general.