the history-第78部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


htway　went　up　to　Sardis。　Then　Darius；　when　he　was　come；　said　to　him；　〃Dear　Histiaeus；　hear　why　I　have　sent　for　thee。　No　sooner　did　I　return　from　Scythia；　and　lose　thee　out　of　my　sight；　than　I　longed；　as　I　have　never　longed　for　aught　else；　to　behold　thee　once　more；　and　to　interchange　speech　with　thee。　Right　sure　I　am　there　is　nothing　in　all　the　world　so　precious　as　a　friend　who　is　at　once　wise　and　true：　both　which　thou　art；　as　I　have　had　good　proof　in　what　thou　hast　already　done　for　me。　Now　then　'tis　well　thou　art　come；　for　look；　I　have　an　offer　to　make　to　thee。　Let　go　Miletus　and　thy　newly…founded　town　in　Thrace；　and　come　with　me　up　to　Susa；　share　all　that　I　have；　live　with　me；　and　be　my　counsellor。　　　　　When　Darius　had　thus　spoken　he　made　Artaphernes；　his　brother　by　the　father's　side；　governor　of　Sardis；　and　taking　Histiaeus　with　him；　went　up　to　Susa。　He　left　as　general　of　all　the　troops　upon　the　sea…coast　Otanes；　son　of　Sisamnes；　whose　father　King　Cambyses　slew　and　flayed；　because　that　he；　being　of　the　number　of　the　royal　judges；　had　taken　money　to　give　an　unrighteous　sentence。　Therefore　Cambyses　slew　and　flayed　Sisamnes；　and　cutting　his　skin　into　strips；　stretched　them　across　the　seat　of　the　throne　whereon　he　had　been　wont　to　sit　when　he　heard　causes。　Having　so　done　Cambyses　appointed　the　son　of　Sisamnes　to　be　judge　in　his　father's　room；　and　bade　him　never　forget　in　what　way　his　seat　was　cushioned。　　　　　Accordingly　this　Otanes；　who　had　occupied　so　strange　a　throne；　became　the　successor　of　Megabazus　in　his　command；　and　took　first　of　all　Byzantium　and　Chalcidon；　then　Antandrus　in　the　Troas；　and　next　Lamponium。　This　done；　he　borrowed　ships　of　the　Lesbians；　and　took　Lemnos　and　Imbrus；　which　were　still　inhabited　by　Pelasgians。　　　　　Now　the　Lemnians　stood　on　their　defence；　and　fought　gallantly；　but　they　were　brought　low　in　course　of　time。　Such　as　outlived　the　struggle　were　placed　by　the　Persians　under　the　government　of　Lycaretus；　the　brother　of　that　Maeandrius　who　was　tyrant　of　Samos。　（This　Lycaretus　died　afterwards　in　his　government。）　The　cause　which　Otanes　alleged　for　conquering　and　enslaving　all　these　nations　was　that　some　had　refused　to　join　the　king's　army　against　Scythia；　while　others　had　molested　the　host　on　its　return。　Such　were　the　exploits　which　Otanes　performed　in　his　command。　　　　　Afterwards；　but　for　no　long　time；　there　was　a　respite　from　suffering。　Then　from　Naxos　and　Miletus　troubles　gathered　anew　about　Ionia。　Now　Naxos　at　this　time　surpassed　all　the　other　islands　in　prosperity；　and　Miletus　had　reached　the　height　of　her　power；　and　was　the　glory　of　Ionia。　But　previously　for　two　generations　the　Milesians　had　suffered　grievously　from　civil　disorders；　which　were　composed　by　the　Parians；　whom　the　Milesians　chose　before　all　the　rest　of　the　Greeks　to　rearrange　their　government。　　　　　Now　the　way　in　which　the　Parians　healed　their　differences　was　the　following。　A　number　of　the　chief　Parians　came　to　Miletus；　and　when　they　saw　in　how　ruined　a　condition　the　Milesians　were；　they　said　that　they　would　like　first　to　go　over　their　country。　So　they　went　through　all　Milesia；　and　on　their　way；　whenever　they　saw　in　the　waste　and　desolate　country　any　land　that　was　well　farmed；　they　took　down　the　names　of　the　owners　in　their　tablets；　and　having　thus　gone　through　the　whole　region；　and　obtained　after　all　but　few　names；　they　called　the　people　together　on　their　return　to　Miletus；　and　made　proclamation　that　they　gave　the　government　into　the　hands　of　those　persons　whose　lands　they　had　found　well　farmed；　for　they　thought　it　likely　（they　said）　that　the　same　persons　who　had　managed　their　own　affairs　well　would　likewise　conduct　aright　the　business　of　the　state。　The　other　Milesians；　who　in　time　past　had　been　at　variance；　they　placed　under　the　rule　of　these　men。　Thus　was　the　Milesian　government　set　in　order　by　the　Parians。　　　　　It　was；　however；　from　the　two　cities　above　mentioned　that　troubles　began　now　to　gather　again　about　Ionia；　and　this　is　the　way　in　which　they　arose。　Certain　of　the　rich　men　had　been　banished　from　Naxos　by　the　commonalty；　and；　upon　their　banishment；　had　fled　to　Miletus。　Aristagoras；　son　of　Molpagoras；　the　nephew　and　likewise　the　son…in…law　of　Histiaeus；　son　of　Lysagoras；　who　was　still　kept　by　Darius　at　Susa；　happened　to　be　regent　of　Miletus　at　the　time　of　their　coming。　For　the　kingly　power　belonged　to　Histiaeus；　but　he　was　at　Susa　when　the　Naxians　came。　Now　these　Naxians　had　in　times　past　been　bond…friends　of　Histiaeus；　and　so　on　their　arrival　at　Miletus　they　addressed　themselves　to　Aristagoras　and　begged　him　to　lend　them　such　aid　as　his　ability　allowed；　in　hopes　thereby　to　recover　their　country。　Then　Aristagoras；　considering　with　himself　that；　if　the　Naxians　should　be　restored　by　his　help；　he　would　be　lord　of　Naxos；　put　forward　the　friendship　with　Histiaeus　to　cloak　his　views；　and　spoke　as　follows：…　　　　　〃I　cannot　engage　to　furnish　you　with　such　a　power　as　were　needful　to　force　you；　against　their　will；　upon　the　Naxians　who　hold　the　city；　for　I　know　they　can　bring　into　the　field　eight　thousand　bucklers；　and　have　also　a　vast　number　of　ships　of　war。　But　I　will　do　all　that　lies　in　my　power　to　get　you　some　aid；　and　I　think　I　can　manage　it　in　this　way。　Artaphernes　happens　to　be　my　friend。　Now　he　is　a　son　of　Hystaspes；　and　brother　to　King　Darius。　All　the　sea…coast　of　Asia　is　under　him；　and　he　has　a　numerous　army　and　numerous　ships。　I　think　I　can　prevail　on　him　to　do　what　we　require。〃　　　　　When　the　Naxians　heard　this；　they　empowered　Aristagoras　to　manage　the　matter　for　them　as　well　as　he　could；　and　told　him　to　promise　gifts　and　pay　for　the　soldiers；　which　（they　said）　they　would　readily　furnish；　since　they　had　great　hope　that　the　Naxians；　so　soon　as　they　saw　them　returned；　would　render　them　obedience；　and　likewise　the　other　islanders。　For　at　that　time　not　one　of　the　Cyclades　was　subject　to　King　Darius。　　　　　So　Aristagoras　went　to　Sardis　and　told　Artaphernes　that　Naxos　was　an　island　of　no　great　size；　but　a　fair　land　and　fertile；　lying　near　Ionia；　and　containing　much　treasure　and　a　vast　number　of　slaves。　〃Make　war　then　upon　this　land　（he　said）　and　reinstate　the　exiles；　for　if　thou　wilt　do　this；　first　of　all；　I　have　very　rich　gifts　in　store　for　thee　（besides　the　cost　of　the　armament；　which　it　is　fair　that　we　who　are　the　authors　of　the　war　should　pay）；　and；　secondly；　thou　wilt　bring　under　the　power　of　the　king　not　only　Naxos　but　the　other　islands　which　depend　on　it；　as　Paros；　Andros；　and　all　the　rest　of　the　Cyclades。　And　when　thou　hast　gained　these；　thou　mayest　easily　go　on　against　Euboea；　which　is　a　large　and　wealthy　island　not　less　in　size　than　Cyprus；　and　very　easy　to　bring　under。　A　hundred　ships　were　quite　enough　to　subdue　the　whole。〃　The　other　answered…　〃Truly　thou　art　the　author　of　a　plan　which　may　much　advantage　the　house　of　the　king；　and　thy　counsel　is　good　in　all　points　except　the　number　of　the　ships。　Instead　of　a　hundred；　two　hundred　shall　be　at　thy　disposal　when　the　spring　comes。　But　the　king　himself　must　first　approve　the　undertaking。〃　　　　　When　Aristagoras　heard　this　he　was　greatly　rejoiced；　and　went　home　in　good　heart　to　Miletus。　And　Artaphernes；　after　he　had　sent　a　messenger　to　Susa　to　lay　the　plans　of　Aristagoras　before　the　king；　and　received　his　approval　of　the　undertaking；　made　ready　a　fleet　of　two　hundred　triremes　and　a　vast　army　of　Persians　and　their　confederates。　The　command　of　these　he　gave　to　a　Persian　named　Megabates；　who　belonged　to　the　house　of　the　Achaemenids；　being　nephew　both　to　himself　and　to　King　Darius。　It　was　to　a　daughter　of　this　man　that　Pausanias　the　Lacedaemonian；　the　son　of　Cleombrotus　（if　at　least　there　be　any　truth　in　the　tale）；　was　allianced　many　years　afterwards；　when　he　conceived　the　desire　of　becoming　tyrant　of　Greece。　Artaphernes　now；　having　named　Megabates　to　the　command；　sent　forward　the　armament　to　Aristagoras。　　　　　Megabates　set　sail；　and；　touching　at　Miletus；　took　on　board　Aristagoras　with　the　Ionian　troops　and　the　Naxians；　after　which　he　steered；　as　he　gave　out；　for　the　Hellespont；　and　when　he　reached　Chios；　he　brought　the　fleet　to　anchor　off　Caucasa；　being　minded　to　wait　there　for　a　north　wind；　and　then　sail　straight　to　Naxos。　The　Naxians　however　were　not　to　perish　at　this　time；　and　so　the　following　events　were　brought　about。　As　Megabates　went　his　rounds　to　visit　the　watches　on　board　the　ships；　he　found　a　Myndian　vessel　upon　which　there　was　none　set。　Full　of　anger　at　such　carelessness；　he　bade　his　guards　to　seek　out　the　captain；　one　Scylax　by　name；　and　thrusting　him　through　one　of　the　holes　in　the　ship's　side；　to　fasten　him　there　in　such　a　way　that　his　head　might　show　outside　the　vessel；　while　his　body　remained　within。　When　Scylax　was　thus　fastened；　one　went　and　informed　Aristagoras　that　Megabates　had　bound　his　Myndian　friend　and　was　entreating　him　shamefully。　So　he　came　and　asked　Megabates　to　let　the　man　off；　but　the　Persian　refused　him；　whereupon　Aristagoras　went　himself　and　set　Scylax　free。　When　Megabates　heard　this　he　was　still　more　angry　than　before；　and　spoke　hotly　to　Aristagoras。　Then　the　latter　said　to　him…　　　　　〃What　has　thou　to　do　with　these　matters？　Wert　thou　not　sent　here　by　Artaphernes　to　obey　me；　and　to　sail　whithersoever　I　ordered？　Why　dost　meddle　so？　　　　　Thus　spake　Aristagoras。　The　other；　in　high　dudgeon　at　such　language；　waited　till　the　night；　and　then　despatched　a　boat　to　Naxos；　to　warn　the　Naxians　of　the　coming　danger。　　　　　Now　the　Naxians　up　to　this　time　had　not　had　any　suspicion　that　the　armament　was　directed　against　them；　as　soon；　therefore；　as　the　message　reached　them；　forthwith　they　brought　within　their　walls　all　that　they　had　in　the　open　field；　and　made　themselves　ready　against　a　siege　by　provisioning　their　town　both　with　food　and　drink。　Thus　was　Naxos　placed　in　a　posture　of　defence；　and　the　Persians；　when　they　crossed　the　sea　from　Chios；　found　the　Naxians　fully　prepared　for　them。　However　they　sat　down　before　the　place；　and　besieged　it　for　four　whole　months。　When　at　length　all　the　stores　which　they　had　brought　with　them　were　exhausted；　and　Aristagoras　had　likewise　spent　upon　the　siege　no　small　sum　from　his　private　means；　and　more　was　still　needed　to　insure　success；　the　Persians　gave　up　the　attempt；　and　first　building　certain　forts；　wherein　they　left　the　banished　Naxians；　withdrew　to　the　mainland