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第112章

the history-第112章

小说: the history 字数: 每页4000字

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 his army to their assistance; but on his arrival he seized Scythas; the Zanclaean king; who had just lost his city; and sent him away in chains; together with his brother Pythogenes; to the town of Inycus; after which he came to an understanding with the Samians; exchanged oaths with them; and agreed to betray the people of Zancle。 The reward of his treachery was to be one…half of the goods and chattels; including slaves; which the town contained; and all that he could find in the open country。 Upon this Hippocrates seized and bound the greater number of the Zanclaeans as slaves; delivering; however; into the hands of the Samians three hundred of the principal citizens; to be slaughtered; but the Samians spared the lives of these persons。     Scythas; the king of the Zanclaeans; made his escape from Inycus; and fled to Himera; whence he passed into Asia; and went up to the court of Darius。 Darius thought him the most upright of all the Greeks to whom he afforded a refuge; for with the king's leave he paid a visit to Sicily; and thence returned back to Persia; where he lived in great comfort; and died by a natural death at an advanced age。     Thus did the Samians escape the yoke of the Medes; and possess themselves without any trouble of Zancle; a most beautiful city。 At Samos itself the Phoenicians; after the fight which had Miletus for its prize was over; re…established Aeaces; the son of Syloson; upon his throne。 This they did by the command of the Persians; who looked upon Aeaces as one who had rendered them a high service and therefore deserved well at their hands。 They likewise spared the Samians; on account of the desertion of their vessels; and did not burn either their city or their temples; as they did those of the other rebels。 Immediately after the fall of Miletus the Persians recovered Caria; bringing some of the cities over by force; while others submitted of their own accord。     Meanwhile tidings of what had befallen Miletus reached Histiaeus the Milesian; who was still at Byzantium; employed in intercepting the Ionian merchantmen as they issued from the Euxine。 Histiaeus had no sooner heard the news than he gave the Hellespont in charge to Bisaltes; son of Apollophanes; a native of Abydos; and himself; at the head of his Lesbians; set sail for Chios。 One of the Chian garrisons which opposed him he engaged at a place called 〃The Hollows;〃 situated in the Chian territory; and of these he slaughtered a vast number; afterwards; by the help of his Lesbians; he reduced all the rest of the Chians; who were weakened by their losses in the sea…fight; Polichne; a city of Chios; serving him as head…quarters。     It mostly happens that there is some warning when great misfortunes are about to befall a state or nation; and so it was in this instance; for the Chians had previously had some strange tokens sent to them。 A choir of a hundred of their youths had been despatched to Delphi; and of these only two had returned; the remaining ninety…eight having been carried off by a pestilence。 Likewise; about the same time; and very shortly before the sea…fight; the roof of a school…house had fallen in upon a number of their boys; who were at lessons; and out of a hundred and twenty children there was but one left alive。 Such were the signs which God sent to warn them。 It was very shortly afterwards that the sea…fight happened; which brought the city down upon its knees; and after the sea…fight came the attack of Histiaeus and his Lesbians; to whom the Chians; weakened as they were; furnished an easy conquest。     Histiaeus now led a numerous army; composed of Ionians and Aelians; against Thasos; and had laid siege to the place when news arrived that the Phoenicians were about to quit Miletus and attack the other cities of Ionia。 On hearing this; Histiaeus raised the siege of Thasos; and hastened to Lesbos with all his forces。 There his army was in great straits for want of food; whereupon Histiaeus left Lesbos and went across to the mainland; intending to cut the crops which were growing in the Atarnean territory; and likewise in the plain of the Caicus; which belonged to Mysia。 Now it chanced that a certain Persian named Harpagus was in these regions at the head of an army of no little strength。 He; when Histiaeus landed; marched out to meet him; and engaging with his forces destroyed the greater number of them; and took Histiaeus himself prisoner。     Histiaeus fell into the hands of the Persians in the following manner。 The Greeks and Persians engaged at Malena; in the region of Atarneus; and the battle was for a long time stoutly contested; till at length the cavalry came up; and; charging the Greeks; decided the conflict。 The Greeks fled; and Histiaeus; who thought that Darius would not punish his fault with death; showed how he loved his life by the following conduct。 Overtaken in his flight by one of the Persians; who was about to run him through; he cried aloud in the Persian tongue that he was Histiaeus the Milesian。     Now; had he been taken straightway before King Darius; I verily believe that he would have received no hurt; but the king would have freely forgiven him。 Artaphernes; however; satrap of Sardis; and his captor Harpagus; on this very account… because they were afraid that; if he escaped; he would be again received into high favour by the king… put him to death as soon as he arrived at Sardis。 His body they impaled at that place; while they embalmed his head and sent it up to Susa to the king。 Darius; when he learnt what had taken place; found great fault with the men engaged in this business for not bringing Histiaeus alive into his presence; and commanded his servants to wash and dress the head with all care; and then bury it; as the head of a man who had been a great benefactor to himself and the Persians。 Such was the sequel of the history of Histiaeus。     The naval armament of the Persians wintered at Miletus; and in the following year proceeded to attack the islands off the coast; Chios; Lesbos; and Tenedos; which were reduced without difficulty。 Whenever they became masters of an island; the barbarians; in every single instance; netted the inhabitants。 Now the mode in which they practise this netting is the following。 Men join hands; so as to form a line across from the north coast to the south; and then march through the island from end to end and hunt out the inhabitants。 In like manner the Persians took also the Ionian towns upon the mainland; not however netting the inhabitants; as it was not possible。     And now their generals made good all the threats wherewith they had menaced the Ionians before the battle。 For no sooner did they get possession of the towns than they choose out all the best favoured boys and made them eunuchs; while the most beautiful of the girls they tore from their homes and sent as presents to the king; at the same time burning the cities themselves; with their temples。 Thus were the Ionians for the third time reduced to slavery; once by the Lydians; and a second; and now a third time; by the Persians。     The sea force; after quitting Ionia; proceeded to the Hellespont; and took all the towns which lie on the left shore as one sails into the straits。 For the cities on the right bank had already been reduced by the land force of the Persians。 Now these are the places which border the Hellespont on the European side; the Chersonese; which contains a number of cities; Perinthus; the forts in Thrace; Selybria; and Byzantium。 The Byzantines at this time; and their opposite neighbours; the Chalcedonians; instead of awaiting the coming of the Phoenicians; quitted their country; and sailing into the Euxine; took up their abode at the city of Mesembria。 The Phoenicians; after burning all the places above mentioned; proceeded to Proconnresus and Artaca; which they likewise delivered to the flames; this done; they returned to the Chersonese; being minded to reduce those cities which they had not ravaged in their former cruise。 Upon Cyzicus they made no attack at all; as before their coming the inhabitants had made terms with Oebares; the son of Megabazus; and satrap of Dascyleium; and had submitted themselves to the king。 In the Chersonese the Phoenicians subdued all the cities; exceptin

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