a smaller history of greece-第14章

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f　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　adventurer　met　with　a　traitor's　death。　　Having　landed　on　the　coast　of　Mysia；　he　was　surprised　by　a　Persian　force　and　made　prisoner。　　Being　carried　to　Sardis；　Artaphernes　at　once　caused　him　to　be　crucified；　and　sent　his　head　to　Darius；　who　ordered　it　to　be　honourably　buried；　condemning　the　ignominious　execution　of　the　man　who　had　once　saved　the　life　of　the　Great　King。

In　the　sixth　year　of　the　revolt　（B。C。　495）；　when　several　Grecian　cities　had　already　been　taken　by　the　Persians；　Artaphernes　laid　siege　to　Miletus　by　sea　and　by　land。　　A　naval　engagement　took　place　at　Lade　a　small　island　off　Miletus；　which　decided　the　fate　of　the　war。　　The　Samians　deserted　at　the　commencement　of　the　battle；　and　the　Ionian　fleet　was　completely　defeated。　　Miletus　was　soon　afterwards　taken；　and　was　treated　with　signal　severity。　Most　of　the　males　were　slain；　and　the　few　who　escaped　the　sword　were　carried　with　the　women　and　children　into　captivity　（B。C。　494）。　　The　other　Greek　cities　in　Asia　and　the　neighbouring　islands　were　treated　with　the　same　cruelty。　　The　islands　of　Chios；　Lesbos；　and　Tenedos　were　swept　of　their　inhabitants；　and　the　Persian　fleet　sailed　up　to　the　Hellespont　and　Propontis；　carrying　with　it　fire　and　sword。　　The　Athenian　Miltiades　only　escaped　falling　into　the　power　of　the　Persians　by　a　rapid　flight　to　Athens。

The　subjugation　of　Ionia　was　now　complete。　　This　was　the　third　time　that　the　Asiatic　Greeks　had　been　conquered　by　a　foreign　power：　　first　by　the　Lydian　Croesus；　secondly　by　the　generals　of　Cyrus；　and　lastly　by　those　of　Darius。　　It　was　from　the　last　that　they　suffered　most；　and　they　never　fully　recovered　their　former　prosperity。

Darius　was　now　at　liberty　to　take　vengeance　upon　the　Athenians。　He　appointed　Mardonius　to　succeed　Artaphernes　as　satrap　in　western　Asia；　and　he　placed　under　his　command　a　large　armament；　with　injunctions　to　bring　to　Susa　those　Athenians　and　Eretrians　who　had　insulted　the　authority　of　the　Great　King。　　Mardonius；　after　crossing　the　Hellespont；　commenced　his　march　through　Thrace　and　Maced