the history-第97章

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！


　have　excluded　him　from　the　contest…　saying　that　Greeks　only　were　allowed　to　contend；　and　not　barbarians。　But　Alexander　proved　himself　to　be　an　Argive；　and　was　distinctly　adjudged　a　Greek；　after　which　he　entered　the　lists　for　the　foot…race；　and　was　drawn　to　run　in　the　first　pair。　Thus　was　this　matter　settled。　　　　　Megabazus；　having　reached　the　Hellespont　with　the　Paeonians；　crossed　it；　and　went　up　to　Sardis。　He　had　become　aware　while　in　Europe　that　Histiaeus　the　Milesian　was　raising　a　wall　at　Myrcinus…　the　town　upon　the　Strymon　which　he　had　obtained　from　King　Darius　as　his　guerdon　for　keeping　the　bridge。　No　sooner　therefore　did　he　reach　Sardis　with　the　Paeonians　than　he　said　to　Darius；　〃What　mad　thing　is　this　that　thou　hast　done；　sire；　to　let　a　Greek；　a　wise　man　and　a　shrewd；　get　hold　of　a　town　in　Thrace；　a　place　too　where　there　is　abundance　of　timber　fit　for　shipbuilding；　and　oars　in　plenty；　and　mines　of　silver；　and　about　which　are　many　dwellers　both　Greek　and　barbarian；　ready　enough　to　take　him　for　their　chief；　and　by　day　and　night　to　do　his　bidding！　I　pray　thee　make　this　man　cease　his　work；　if　thou　wouldest　not　be　entangled　in　a　war　with　thine　own　followers。　Stop　him；　but　with　a　gentle　message；　only　bidding　him　to　come　to　thee。　Then　when　thou　once　hast　him　in　thy　power；　be　sure　thou　take　good　care　that　he　never　get　back　to　Greece　again。〃　　　　　With　these　words　Megabazus　easily　persuaded　Darius；　who　thought　he　had　shown　true　foresight　in　this　matter。　Darius　therefore　sent　a　messenger　to　Myrcinus；　who　said；　〃These　be　the　words　of　the　king　to　thee；　O　Histiaeus！　I　have　looked　to　find　a　man　well　affectioned　towards　me　and　towards　my　greatness；　and　I　have　found　none　whom　I　can　trust　like　thee。　Thy　deeds；　and　not　thy　words　only；　have　proved　thy　love　for　me。　Now　then；　since　I　have　a　mighty　enterprise　in　hand；　I　pray　thee　come　to　me；　that　I　may　show　thee　what　I　purpose！〃　　　　　Histiaeus；　when　he　heard　this；　put　faith　in　the　words　of　the　messenger；　and；　as　it　seemed　to　him　a　grand　thing　to　be　the　king's　counsellor；　he　straightway　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