Plutarch, Artaxerxes 28-9
But Artaxerxes [II], being now advanced in years, saw that his sons were forming rival parties among his friends and chief courtiers with reference to the royal succession. For the conservatives thought it right that, as he himself had received the royal power by virtue of seniority, so he should leave the throne to Darius. But his youngest son, Ochus, who was of an impetuous and aggressive nature, not only had many adherents at court, but hoped for most success in winning over his father through the aid of [his sister] Atossa. For he sought to gain Atossa’s favour by promising that she should be his wife and share the throne with him after the death of their father. And there was a report that even while his father was alive Ochus had secret sexual relations with Atossa. But Artaxerxes was ignorant of this; and needing to shatter for once and for all Ochus’ ambitions (so that he might not venture upon the same course as Cyrus [the Younger] and so involve the kingdom again in wars and contests), he proclaimed Darius, then fifty years of age, his successor to the throne, and gave him permission to wear the upright kitanis, as the tiara was called.
Now, there was a custom among the Persians that the one appointed to the royal succession should ask a favour, and that the one who appointed him should give whatever was asked, if it was within his power. Accordingly, Darius asked for Aspasia, who had been the special favourite of Cyrus [the Younger], and was then a concubine of the king. . . . He thereby offended his father; for the barbarians are very jealous, especially about anything that pertains to love-lives, so that it is death for anyone merely approaching and touching a royal concubine. . . . And yet there was Atossa, whom the king passionately loved and had made his wife. . . . However. . . the king gave her to Darius under constraint of the custom, but a little while after he had given her, he took her back again and appointed her a priestess of Artemis of Ecbatana, who bears the name of Anaitis [Anahita] in order that she might remain chaste for the rest of her life, thinking that in this way he would inflict a punishment upon his son. . . . Darius’ resentment knew no bounds, partly because he was deeply stirred by his passion for Aspasia, and because he thought that he had been insulted and mocked by his father.
And now Teribazus, who became aware of the prince’s feelings, sought to embitter him still more. . . and was forever telling him that the upright tiara was of no use to those who did not seek by their own efforts to stand upright in affairs of state, and that he was very foolish if, when his brother was insinuating himself into affairs of state by way of the harem, and his father was of a nature so fickle and insecure, he could suppose that the succession to the throne was securely his. . . . Accordingly, Darius put himself in the hands of Teribazus and soon, when many people were involved in the conspiracy, a eunuch told the king about the plot, having accurate knowledge that the conspirators had resolved to enter the king’s chamber by night and kill him in his bed. When Artaxerxes heard the eunuch’s story, he. . . instructed the eunuch to watch the conspirators closely; meanwhile he himself cut away the wall of his chamber behind the bed, put a doorway there, and covered the door with a tapestry. Then, when the appointed hour was at hand and the eunuch told him the exact time, he went to bed and did not rise from it until he saw the faces of his assailants and recognised each man clearly. But when he saw them advancing upon him with drawn swords, he quickly drew aside the tapestry, retired into the inner chamber, closed the door with a slam, and raised a cry.
The murderers, accordingly, having been seen by the king, and having accomplished nothing, fled back through the door by which they had come, and told Teribazus and his friends to be off since their plot was known. The rest, then, were dispersed and fled; but Teribazus slew many of the king’s guards as they sought to arrest him, and at last was smitten by a spear at long range, and fell. Darius, together with his children, was brought to the king, who handed him over to the royal judges for trial.
The king was not present in person at the trial, but others brought in the indictment. However, the king ordered clerks to take down in writing the opinion of each judge and bring them all to him. All the judges were of one opinion and condemned Darius to death, whereupon the servants of the king seized him and led him away into a chamber nearby, whither the executioner was summoned. The executioner came with a sharp knife in his hand (the type used for cutting off the heads of condemned persons) but when he saw Darius, he was confused and retired towards the door with averted gaze, declaring that he could not and would not take the life of a king. But since the judges outside the door threatened and commanded him, he turned back, and with one hand clutching Darius by the hair, dragged him to the ground, and cut off his head with the knife.
Some say, however, that the trial was held in the presence of the king, and that Darius, when he was overwhelmed by proof, fell upon his face and begged and sued for mercy; but Artaxerxes rose up in anger, drew his scimitar, and smote him till he had killed him; then, going forth into court, he made obeisance to the sun and said. ‘Depart in joy and peace, Persians, and say to all you meet that those who have contrived impious and unlawful things have been punished by great Orosmasdes [Ahuramazda]’.
World History
