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amians　been　strong　enough　to　conquer　Polycrates　by　themselves；　they　would　not　have　needed　to　call　in　the　aid　of　the　Lacedaemonians。　And　moreover；　it　is　not　likely　that　a　king　who　had　in　his　pay　so　large　a　body　of　foreign　mercenaries；　and　maintained　likewise　such　a　force　of　native　bowmen；　would　have　been　worsted　by　an　army　so　small　as　that　of　the　returned　Samians。　As　for　his　own　subjects；　to　hinder　them　from　betraying　him　and　joining　the　exiles；　Polycrates　shut　up　their　wives　and　children　in　the　sheds　built　to　shelter　his　ships；　and　was　ready　to　burn　sheds　and　all　in　case　of　need。　　　　　When　the　banished　Samians　reached　Sparta；　they　had　audience　of　the　magistrates；　before　whom　they　made　a　long　speech；　as　was　natural　with　persons　greatly　in　want　of　aid。　Accordingly　at　this　first　sitting　the　Spartans　answered　them　that　they　had　forgotten　the　first　half　of　their　speech；　and　could　make　nothing　of　the　remainder。　Afterwards　the　Samians　had　another　audience；　whereat　they　simply　said；　showing　a　bag　which　they　had　brought　with　them；　〃The　bag　wants　flour。〃　The　Spartans　answered　that　they　did　not　need　to　have　said　〃the　bag〃；　however；　they　resolved　to　give　them　aid。　　　　　Then　the　Lacedaemonians　made　ready　and　set　forth　to　the　attack　of　Samos；　from　a　motive　of　gratitude；　if　we　may　believe　the　Samians；　because　the　Samians　had　once　sent　ships　to　their　aid　against　the　Messenians；　but　as　the　Spartans　themselves　say；　not　so　much　from　any　wish　to　assist　the　Samians　who　begged　their　help；　as　from　a　desire　to　punish　the　people　who　had　seized　the　bowl　which　they　sent　to　Croesus；　and　the　corselet　which　Amasis；　king　of　Egypt；　sent　as　a　present　to　them。　The　Samians　made　prize　of　this　corselet　the　year　before　they　took　the　bowl…　it　was　of　linen；　and　had　a　vast　number　of　figures　of　animals　inwoven　into　its　fabric；　and　was　likewise　embroidered　with　gold　and　tree…wool。　What　is　most　worthy　of　admiration　in　it　is　that　each　of　the　twists；　although　of　fine　texture；　contains　within　it　three　hundred　and　sixty　threads；　all　of　them　clearly　visible。　The　corselet　which　Amasis　gave　to　the　temple　of　Minerva　in　Lindus　is　just　such　another。　　　　　The　Corinthians　likewise　right　willingly　lent　a　helping　hand　towards　the　expedition　against　Samos；　for　a　generation　earlier；　about　the　time　of　the　seizure　of　the　wine…bowl；　they　too　had　suffered　insult　at　the　hands　of　the　Samians。　It　happened　that　Periander；　son　of　Cypselus；　had　taken　three　hundred　boys；　children　of　the　chief　nobles　among　the　Corcyraeans；　and　sent　them　to　Alyattes　for　eunuchs；　the　men　who　had　them　in　charge　touched　at　Samos　on　their　way　to　Sardis；　whereupon　the　Samians；　having　found　out　what　was　to　become　of　the　boys　when　they　reached　that　city；　first　prompted　them　to　take　sanctuary　at　the　temple　of　Diana；　and　after　this；　when　the　Corinthians；　as　they　were　forbidden　to　tear　the　suppliants　from　the　holy　place；　sought　to　cut　off　from　them　all　supplies　of　food；　invented　a　festival　in　their　behalf；　which　they　celebrate　to　this　day　with　the　selfsame　rites。　Each　evening；　as　night　closed　in；　during　the　whole　time　that　the　boys　continued　there；　choirs　of　youths　and　virgins　were　placed　about　the　temple；　carrying　in　their　hands　cakes　made　of　sesame　and　honey；　in　order　that　the　Corcyraean　boys　might　snatch　the　cakes；　and　so　get　enough　to　live　upon。　　　　　And　this　went　on　for　so　long；　that　at　last　the　Corinthians　who　had　charge　of　the　boys　gave　them　up；　and　took　their　departure；　upon　which　the　Samians　conveyed　them　back　to　Corcyra。　If　now；　after　the　death　of　Periander；　the　Corinthians　and　Corcyraeans　had　been　good　friends；　it　is　not　to　be　imagined　that　the　former　would　ever　have　taken　part　in　the　expedition　against　Samos　for　such　a　reason　as　this；　but　as；　in　fact；　the　two　people　have　always；　ever　since　the　first　settlement　of　the　island；　been　enemies　to　one　another；　this　outrage　was　remembered；　and　the　Corinthians　bore　the　Samians　a　grudge　for　it。　Periander　had　chosen　the　youths　from　among　the　first　families　in　Corcyra；　and　sent　them　a　present　to　Alyattes；　to　avenge　a　wrong　which　he　had　received。　For　it　was　the　Corcyraeans　who　began　the　quarrel　and　injured　Periander　by　an　outrage　of　a　horrid　nature。　　　　　After　Periander　had　put　to　death　his　wife　Melissa；　it　chanced　that　on　this　first　affliction　a　second　followed　of　a　different　kind。　His　wife　had　borne　him　two　sons；　and　one　of　them　had　now　reached　the　age　of　seventeen；　the　other　of　eighteen　years；　when　their　mother's　father；　Procles；　tyrant　of　Epidaurus；　asked　them　to　his　court。　They　went；　and　Procles　treated　them　with　much　kindness；　as　was　natural；　considering　they　were　his　own　daughter's　children。　At　length；　when　the　time　for　parting　came；　Procles；　as　he　was　sending　them　on　their　way；　said；　〃Know　you　now；　my　children；　who　it　was　that　caused　your　mother's　death？〃　The　elder　son　took　no　account　of　this　speech；　but　the　younger；　whose　name　was　Lycophron；　was　sorely　troubled　at　it…　so　much　so；　that　when　he　got　back　to　Corinth；　looking　upon　his　father　as　his　mother's　murderer；　he　would　neither　speak　to　him；　nor　answer　when　spoken　to；　nor　utter　a　word　in　reply　to　all　his　questionings。　So　Periander　at　last；　growing　furious　at　such　behaviour；　banished　him　from　his　house。　　　　　The　younger　son　gone；　he　turned　to　the　elder　and　asked　him；　〃what　it　was　that　their　grandfather　had　said　to　them？〃　Then　he　related　in　how　kind　and　friendly　a　fashion　he　had　received　them；　but；　not　having　taken　any　notice　of　the　speech　which　Procles　had　uttered　at　parting；　he　quite　forgot　to　mention　it。　Periander　insisted　that　it　was　not　possible　this　should　be　all…　their　grandfather　must　have　given　them　some　hint　or　other…　and　he　went　on　pressing　him；　till　at　last　the　lad　remembered　the　parting　speech　and　told　it。　Periander；　after　he　had　turned　the　whole　matter　over　in　his　thoughts；　and　felt　unwilling　to　give　way　at　all；　sent　a　messenger　to　the　persons　who　had　opened　their　houses　to　his　outcast　son；　and　forbade　them　to　harbour　him。　Then　the　boy；　when　he　was　chased　from　one　friend；　sought　refuge　with　another；　but　was　driven　from　shelter　to　shelter　by　the　threats　of　his　father；　who　menaced　all　those　that　took　him　in；　and　commanded　them　to　shut　their　doors　against　him。　Still；　as　fast　as　he　was　forced　to　leave　one　house　he　went　to　another；　and　was　received　by　the　inmates；　for　his　acquaintance；　although　in　no　small　alarm；　yet　gave　him　shelter；　as　he　was　Periander's　son。　　　　　At　last　Periander　made　proclamation　that　whoever　harboured　his　son　or　even　spoke　to　him；　should　forfeit　a　certain　sum　of　money　to　Apollo。　On　hearing　this　no　one　any　longer　liked　to　take　him　in；　or　even　to　hold　converse　with　him；　and　he　himself　did　not　think　it　right　to　seek　to　do　what　was　forbidden；　so；　abiding　by　his　resolve；　he　made　his　lodging　in　the　public　porticos。　When　four　days　had　passed　in　this　way；　Periander；　secing　how　wretched　his　son　was；　that　he　neither　washed　nor　took　any　food；　felt　moved　with　compassion　towards　him；　wherefore；　foregoing　his　anger；　he　approached　him；　and　said；　〃Which　is　better；　oh！　my　son；　to　fare　as　now　thou　farest；　or　to　receive　my　crown　and　all　the　good　things　that　I　possess；　on　the　one　condition　of　submitting　thyself　to　thy　father？　See；　now；　though　my　own　child；　and　lord　of　this　wealthy　Corinth；　thou　hast　brought　thyself　to　a　beggar's　life；　because　thou　must　resist　and　treat　with　anger　him　whom　it　least　behoves　thee　to　oppose。　If　there　has　been　a　calamity；　and　thou　bearest　me　ill　will　on　that　account；　bethink　thee　that　I　too　feel　it；　and　am　the　greatest　sufferer；　in　as　much　as　it　was　by　me　that　the　deed　was　done。　For　thyself；　now　that　thou　knowest　how　much　better　a　thing　it　is　to　be　envied　than　pitied；　and　how　dangerous　it　is　to　indulge　anger　against　parents　and　superiors；　come　back　with　me　to　thy　home。〃　With　such　words　as　these　did　Periander　chide　his　son；　but　the　son　made　no　reply；　except　to　remind　his　father　that　he　was　indebted　to　the　god　in　the　penalty　for　coming　and　holding　converse　with　him。　Then　Periander　knew　that　there　was　no　cure　for　the　youth's　malady；　nor　means　of　overcoming　it；　so　he　prepared　a　ship　and　sent　him　away　out　of　his　sight　to　Corcyra；　which　island　at　that　time　belonged　to　him。　As　for　Procles；　Periander；　regarding　him　as　the　true　author　of　all　his　present　troubles；　went　to　war　with　him　as　soon　as　his　son　was　gone；　and　not　only　made　himself　master　of　his　kingdom　Epidaurus；　but　also　took　Procles　himself；　and　carried　him　into　captivity。　　　　　As　time　went　on；　and　Periander　came　to　be　old；　he　found　himself　no　longer　equal　to　the　oversight　and　management　of　affairs。　Seeing；　therefore；　in　his　eldest　son　no　manner　of　ability；　but　knowing　him　to　be　dull　and　blockish；　he　sent　to　Corcyra　and　recalled　Lycophron　to　take　the　kingdom。　Lycophron；　however；　did　not　even　deign　to　ask　the　bearer　of　this　message　a　question。　But　Periander's　heart　was　set　upon　the　youth；　so　he　sent　again　to　him；　this　time　by　his　own　daughter；　the　sister　of　Lycophron；　who　would；　he　thought；　have　more　power　to　persuade　him　than　any　other　person。　Then　she；　when　she　reached　Corcyra；　spoke　thus　with　her　brother：…　〃Dost　thou　wish　the　kingdom；　brother；　to　pass　into　strange　hands；　and　our　father's　wealth　to　be　made　a　prey；　rather　than　thyself　return　to　enjoy　it？　Come　back　home　with　me；　and　cease　to　punish　thyself。　It　is　scant　gain；　this　obstinacy。　Why　seek　to　cure　evil　by　evil？　Mercy；　remember；　is　by　many　set　above　justice。　Many；　also；　while　pushing　their　mother's　claims　have　forfeited　their　father's　fortune。　Power　is　a　slippery　thing…　it　has　many　suitors；　and　he　is　old　and　stricken　in　years…　let　not　thy　own　inheritance　go　to　another。〃　Thus　did　the　sister；　who　had　been　tutored　by　Periander　what　to　say；　urge　all　the　arguments　most　likely　to　have　weight　with　her　brother。　He　however　made　answer；　〃That　so　long　as　he　knew　his　father　to　be　still　alive；　he　would　never　go　back　to　Corinth。〃　When　the　sister　brought　Periander　this　reply；　he　sent　his　son　a　third　time　by　a　herald；　and　said　he　would　come　himself　to　Corcyra；　and　let　his　son　take　his　place　at　Corinth　as　heir　to　his　kingdom。　To　these　terms　Lycophron　agreed；　and　Periander　was　making　ready　to　pass　into　Corcyra　and　his　son　to　return　to　Corinth；　when　the　Corcyraeans；　being　informed　of　what　was　taking　place；　to　keep　Periander　away；　put　the　young　man　to　death。　For　this　reason　it　was　that　Periander　took　vengeance　on　the　Corcyraeans。　　　　　The　Lacedaemonians　arrived　before　Samos　with　a　mighty　armament；　and　forthwith　laid　siege　to　the　place。　In　one　of　the　assaults　upon　the　walls；　they　forced　their　way　to　the　top　of　the　tower　which　stands　by　the　sea　on　the　side　where　the　suburb　is；　but　Polycrates　came　in　person　to　the　rescue　with　a　strong　force；　and　beat　them　back。　Meanwhile　at　the　upper　tower；　which　stood　on　the　ridge　of　the　hill；　the　besieged；　both　mercenaries　and　Samians；　made　a　sally；　but　after　they　had　withstood　the　Lacedaemonians　a　short　time；　they　fled　backwards；　and　the　Lacedaemonians；　pressing　upon　them；　slew　numbers。　　　　　If　now　all　who　were　present　had　behaved　that　day　like　Archias　and　Lycopas；　two　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　Samos　might　have　been　taken。　For　these　two　heroes；　following　hard　upon　the　flying　Samians；　entered　the　city　along　with　them；　and；　being　all　alone；　and　their　retreat　cut　off；　were　slain　within　the　walls　of　the　place。　I　myself　once　fell　in　with　the　grandson　of　this　Archias；　a　man　named　Archias　like　h