a smaller history of greece-第11部分

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une　at　length　excited　the　alarm　of　his　ally　Amasis；　the　king　of　Egypt。　　According　to　the　tale　related　by　Herodotus；　the　Egyptian　king；　convinced　that　such　amazing　good　fortune　would　sooner　or　later　incur　the　envy　of　the　gods；　wrote　to　Polycrates；　advising　him　to　throw　away　one　of　his　most　valuable　possessions　and　thus　inflict　some　injury　upon　himself。　　Thinking　the　advice　to　be　good；　Polycrates　threw　into　the　sea　a　favourite　ring　of　matchless　price　and　beauty；　but　unfortunately　it　was　found　a　few　days　afterwards　in　the　belly　of　a　fine　fish　which　a　fisherman　had　sent　him　as　a　present。　　Amasis　now　foresaw　that　the　ruin　of　Polycrates　was　inevitable；　and　sent　a　herald　to　Samos　to　renounce　his　alliance。　　The　gloomy　anticipations　of　the　Egyptian　monarch　proved　well　founded。　　In　the　midst　of　all　his　prosperity　Polycrates　fell　by　a　most　ignominious　fate。　　Oroetes；　the　satrap　of　Sardis；　had　for　some　unknown　cause　conceived　a　deadly　hatred　against　the　Samian　despot。　　By　a　cunning　stratagem　the　satrap　allured　him　to　the　mainland；　where　he　was　immediately　arrested　and　hanged　upon　a　cross　（B。C。　522）。

The　reign　of　Darius；　the　third　king　of　Persia。　　（B。C。　521…485）；　is　memorable　in　Grecian　history。　　In　his　invasion　of　Scythia；　his　fleet；　which　was　furnished　by　the　Asiatic　Greeks；　was　ordered　to　sail　up　the　Danube　and　throw　a　bridge　of　boats　across　the　river。　The　King　himself；　with　his　land　forces；　marched　through　Thrace；　and；　crossing　the　bridge；　placed　it　under　the　care　of　the　Greeks；　telling　them　that；　if　he　did　not　return　within　sixty　days；　they　might　break　it　down；　and　sail　home。　　He　then　left　them；　and　penetrated　into　the　Scythian　territory。　　The　sixty　days　had　already　passed　away；　and　there　was　yet　no　sign　of　the　Persian　army；　but　shortly　afterwards　the　Greeks　were　astonished　by　the　appearance　of　a　body　of　Scythians；　who　informed　them　that　Darius　was　in　full　retreat；　pursued　by　the　whole　Scythian　nation；　and　that　his　only　hope　of　safety　depended　upon　that　bridge。　　They　urged　the　Greeks　to　seize　this　opportunity　of　destroying　the　Persian　army；　and　of　recovering　their　own　liberty；　by　breaking　down　the　bridge。　　Their　exhortations　were　warmly　seconded　by　the　Athenian　Miltiades；　the　tyrant　of　the　Thracian　Chersonesus；　and　the　future　conqueror　of　Marathon。　　The　other　rulers　of　the　Ionian　cities　were　at　first　disposed　to　follow　his　suggestion；　but　as　soon　as　Histiaeus　of　Miletus　reminded　them　that　their　sovereignty　depended　upon　the　support　of　the　Persian　king；　and　that　his　ruin　would　involve　their　own；　they　changed　their　minds　and　resolved　to　await　the　Persians。　　After　enduring　great　privations　and　sufferings　Darius　and　his　army　at　length　reached　the　Danube　and　crossed　the　bridge　in　safety。　　Thus　the　selfishness　of　these　Grecian　despots　threw　away　the　most　favourable　opportunity　that　ever　presented　itself　of　delivering　their　native　cities　from　the　Persian　yoke。　　To　reward　the　services　of　Histiaeus；　Darius　gave　him　the　town　of　Myrainus；　near　the　Strymon。　　Darius；　on　his　return　to　Asia；　left　Megabazus　in　Europe　with　an　army　of　80；000　men　to　complete　the　subjugation　of　Thrace　and　of　the　Greek　cities　upon　the　Hellespont。　　Megabazus　not　only　subdued　the　Thracians；　but　crossed　the　Strymon；　conquered　the　Paeonians；　and　penetrated　as　far　as　the　frontiers　of　Macedonia。　　He　then　sent　heralds　into　the　latter　country　to　demand　earth　and　water；　the　customary　symbols　of　submission。　　These　were　immediately　granted　by　Amyntas；　the　reigning　monarch　（B。C。　510）；　and　thus　the　Persian　dominions　were　extended　to　the　borders　of　Thessaly。　　Megabazus；　on　his　return　to　Sardis；　where　Darius　awaited　him；　informed　the　Persian　monarch　that　Histiaeus　was　collecting　the　elements　of　a　power　which　might　hereafter　prove　formidable　to　the　Persian　sovereignty；　since　Myrcinus　commanded　the　navigation　of　the　Strymon；　and　consequently　the　commerce　with　the　interior　of　Thrace。　　Darius；　perceiving　that　the　apprehensions　of　his　general　were　not　without　foundation；　summoned　Histiaeus　to　his　presence；　and；　under　the　pretext　that　he　could　not　bear　to　be　deprived　of　the　company　of　his　friend；　carried　him　with　the　rest　of　the　court　to　Susa。　　This　apparently　trivial　circumstance　was　attended　with　important　consequences　to　the　Persian　empire　and　to　the　whole　Grecian　race。

For　the　next　few　years　everything　remained　quiet　in　the　Greek　cities　of　Asia；　but　about　B。C。　502　a　revolution　in　Naxos；　one　of　the　islands　in　the　AEgean　Sea；　first　disturbed　the　general　repose；　and　occasioned　the　war　between　Greece　and　Asia。　　The　aristocratical　exiles；　who　had　been　driven　out　of　Naxos　by　a　rising　of　the　people；　applied　for　aid　to　Aristagoras；　the　tyrant　of　Miletus　and　the　son…in…law　of　Histiaeus。　　Aristagoras　readily　promised　his　assistance；　knowing　that；　if　they　were　restored　by　his　means；　he　should　become　master　of　the　island。　　He　obtained　the　co…operation　of　Artaphernes；　the　satrap　of　western　Asia　by　holding　out　to　him　the　prospect　of　annexing　not　only　Naxos；　but　all　the　islands　of　the　AEgean　sea；　to　the　Persian　empire。　　He　offered　at　the　same　time　to　defray　the　expense　of　the　armament。　Artaphernes　placed　at　his　disposal　a　fleet　of　200　ships　under　the　command　of　Megabates；　a　Persian　of　high　rank；　but　Aristagoras　having　affronted　the　Persian　admiral；　the　latter　revenged　himself　by　privately　informing　the　Naxians　of　the　object　of　the　expedition；　which　had　hitherto　been　kept　a　secret。　　When　the　Persian　fleet　reached　Naxos　they　experienced　a　vigorous　resistance；　and　at　the　end　of　four　months　they　were　compelled　to　abandon　the　enterprise　and　return　to　Miletus。　　Aristagoras　was　now　threatened　with　utter　ruin。　　Having　deceived　Artaphernes；　and　incurred　the　enmity　of　Megabates；　he　could　expect　no　favour　from　the　Persian　government；　and　might　be　called　upon　at　any　moment　to　defray　the　expenses　of　the　armament。　　In　these　difficulties　he　began　to　think　of　exciting　a　revolt　of　his　countrymen；　and　while　revolving　the　project　he　received　a　message　from　his　father…in…　law；　Histiaeus；　urging　him　to　this　very　step。　　Afraid　of　trusting　any　one　with　so　dangerous　a　message；　Histiaeus　had　shaved　the　head　of　a　trusty　slave；　branded　upon　it　the　necessary　words；　and　as　soon　as　the　hair　had　grown　again　sent　him　off　to　Miletus。　　His　only　motive　for　urging　the　Ionians　to　revolt　was　the　desire　of　escaping　from　captivity　at　Susa；　thinking　that　Darius　would　set　him　at　liberty　in　order　to　put　down　an　insurrection　of　his　countrymen。　　The　message　from　Histiaeus　fixed　the　wavering　resolution　of　Aristagoras。　　He　forthwith　called　together　the　leading　citizens　of　Miletus；　laid　before　them　the　project　of　revolt；　and　asked　them　for　advice。　　They　all　approved　of　the　scheme；　with　the　exception　of　Hecataeus；　one　of　the　earliest　Greek　historians。　　Aristagoras　laid　down　the　supreme　power　in　Miletus；　and　nominally　resigned　to　the　people　the　management　of　their　own　affairs。　　A　democratical　form　of　government　was　established　in　the　other　Greek　cities　of　Asia；　which　thereupon　openly　revolted　from　Persia　（B。C。　500）。

Aristagoras　now　resolved　to　cross　over　to　Greece；　in　order　to　solicit　assistance。　　The　Spartans；　to　whom　he　first　applied；　refused　to　take　any　part　in　the　war；　but　at　Athens　he　met　with　a　very　different　reception。　　The　Athenians　sympathised　with　the　Ionians　as　their　kinsmen　and　colonists；　and　were　incensed　against　the　satrap　Artaphernes；　who　had　recently　commanded　them　to　recall　Hippias。　　Accordingly　they　voted　to　send　a　squadron　of　twenty　ships　to　the　assistance　of　the　Ionians；　and　in　the　following　year　（B。C。　499）　this　fleet；　accompanied　by　five　ships　from　Eretria　in　Euboea；　crossed　the　AEgean。　　The　troops　landed　at　Ephesus；　and；　being　reinforced　by　a　strong　body；　of　Ionians；　marched　upon　Sardis。　　Artaphernes　was　taken　unprepared；　and　not　having　sufficient　troops　to　man　the　walls；　he　retired　into　the　citadel；　leaving　the　town　a　prey　to　the　invaders。　　Accordingly　they　entered　it　unopposed；　and　while　engaged　in　pillage；　one　of　the　soldiers　set　fire　to　a　house。　　As　most　of　the　houses　were　built　of　wickerwork　and　thatched　with　straw；　the　flames　rapidly　spread；　and　in　a　short　time　the　whole　city　was　in　flames。　　The　Greeks；　on　their　return　to　the　coast；　were　overtaken　by　a　large　Persian　force　and　defeated　with　great　slaughter。　　The　Athenians　hastened　on　board　their　ships　and　sailed　home。

When　Darius　heard　of　the　burning　of　Sardis；　he　burst　into　a　paroxysm　of　rage。　　It　was　against　the　obscure　strangers　who　had　dared　to　burn　one　of　his　capitals　that　his　wrath　was　chiefly　directed。　　〃The　Athenians！〃　　he　exclaimed；　〃who　are　they？〃　　Upon　being　informed　he　took　his　bow；　shot　an　arrow　high　into　the　air；　saying；　〃Grant　me；　Jove；　to　take　vengeance　upon　the　Athenians！〃　And　he　charged　one　of　his　attendants　to　remind　him　thrice　every　day　at　dinner　〃Sire；　remember　the　Athenians。〃　　Meantime　the　insurrection　spread　to　the　Greek　cities　in　Cyprus；　as　well　as　to　those　on　the　Hellespont　and　the　Propontis；　and　seemed　to　promise　permanent　independence　to　the　Asiatic　Greeks；　but　they　were　no　match　for　the　whole　power　of　the　Persian　empire；　which　was　soon　brought　against　them。　　Cyprus　was　subdued；　and　siege　laid　to　the　cities　upon　the　coast　of　Asia。　　Aristagoras　now　began　to　despair；　and　basely　deserted　his　countrymen；　whom　he　had　led　into　peril。　Collecting　a　large　body　of　Milesians；　he　set　sail　for　the　Thracian　coast；　where　he　was　slain　under　the　walls　of　a　town　to　which　he　had　laid　siege。　　Soon　after　his　departure；　his　father…　in…law；　Histiaeus　came　down　to　the　coast。　　The　artful　Greek　not　only　succeeded　in　removing　the　suspicions　which　Darius　first　entertained　respecting　him；　but　he　persuaded　the　king　to　send　him　into　Ionia；　in　order　to　assist　the　Persian　generals　in　suppressing　the　rebellion。　　Artaphernes；　however；　was　not　so　easily　deceived　as　his　master；　and　plainly　accused　Histiaeus　of　treachery　when　the　latter　arrived　at　Sardis。　　〃I　will　tell　you　how　the　facts　stand〃　said　Artaphernes　to　Histiaeus；　〃it　was　you　who　made　the　shoe；　and　Aristagoras　has　put　it　on。〃　　Finding　himself　unsafe　at　Sardis；　he　escaped　to　the　island　of　Chios；　but　he　was　regarded　with　suspicion　by　all　parties。　　At　length　he　obtained　eight　galleys　from　Lesbos；　with　which　he　sailed　towards　Byzantium；　and　carried　on　piracies　as　well　against　the　Grecian　as　the　barbarian　vessels。　　This　unprincipled　ad