The present chapter deals with sections of Plutarch's Artaxerxes which may be ascribed to Deinon with a certain degree of likelihood, although they are not explicitly attributed to him. In assigning these passages to Deinon, the chapter follows a cautious course, progressing from sections that are more probable to ones that are less so. We shall start with a literary understanding of these sections, and then proceed to assumptions concerning their original internal organisation based on Plutarch's passages and external material. Most of the episodes here, which Plutarch presumably adopts from Deinon but does not ascribe to him explicitly, belong to the period after the conclusion of Ctesias’ Persica (that is, events after 398 BCE).

SECTION (I): PLUTARCH, ARTAXERXES, 26–30

The first section we shall examine is the unit consisting of the last five sections of the biography, all taking place in the royal court and revolving around the same court figures. The story has an internal unity of plot, which indicates that it came from the same source.

The section begins with the bestowal of the title of heir to the king's eldest son Darius (26.4: ἀνέδϵιζϵ τὸν Δαρϵῖον βασιƛέα) and not to his youngest child Ochus. This is said to take place while the king is still alive, and is intended to shatter Ochus’ hopes already at this stage, to prevent the recurrence of the course of action adopted by Cyrus the Younger in instigating revolt and war. Since according to a Persian custom, the heir apparent usually has his wish granted, Darius asks for Aspasia, a Greek concubine of Artaxerxes who was formerly of Cyrus’ retinue (26.5: ᾔτησϵν Ἀσπασίαν ὁ Δαρϵῖος τὴν μάƛιστα σπουδασθϵῖσαν ὑπὸ Κύρου, τότϵ δὲ τῷ βασιƛϵῖ παƛƛακϵυομένην). Plutarch then uses the device of flashback (ana-lepsis) to return to the first encounter between Cyrus and Aspasia (26.6–9). Artaxerxes is offended by Darius’ request (27.1: ἠνίασϵ τὸν πατέρα), and gives Aspasia the choice to decide whether she agrees (27.3: ƛαμβάνϵιν ἐκέƛϵυσϵ βουƛομένην). Since she chooses Darius (27.3: παρ’ ἐƛπίδας τοῦ βασιƛέως ἑƛομένης τὸν Δαρϵῖον), the king is forced to oblige, and indeed does so, but soon changes his mind and takes Aspasia back, making her a priestess of Artemis (Anaitis), and celibate for life (27.4: ἱέρϵιαν ἀνέδϵιζϵν αὐτήν, ὅπως ἁγνὴ διάγῃ τὸν ἐπίƛοιπον βίον).