the history-第52章
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upon Darius exclaimed； 〃Oh！ thou most generous of men； art thou indeed he who； when I had no power at all； gavest me something； albeit little？ Truly the favour is as great as a very grand present would be nowadays。 I will therefore give thee in return gold and silver without stint； that thou mayest never repent of having rendered a service to Darius； son of Hystaspes。 〃Give me not； O king；〃 replied Syloson； 〃either silver or gold； but recover me Samos； my native land； and let that be thy gift to me。 It belongs now to a slave of ours； who； when Oroetes put my brother Polycrates to death； became its master。 Give me Samos； I beg； but give it unharmed； with no bloodshed… no leading into captivity。〃 When he heard this； Darius sent off an army； under Otanes； one of the seven； with orders to accomplish all that Syloson had desired。 And Otanes went down to the coast and made ready to cross over。 The government of Samos was held at this time by Maeandrius； son of Maeandrius； whom Polycrates had appointed as his deputy。 This person conceived the wish to act like the justest of men； but it was not allowed him to do so。 On receiving tidings of the death of Polycrates； he forthwith raised an altar to love the Protector of Freedom； and assigned it the piece of ground which may still be seen in the suburb。 This done； he assembled all the citizens； and spoke to them as follows：… 〃Ye know； friends； that the sceptre of Polycrates； and all his power； has passed into my hands； and if I choose I may rule over you。 But what I condemn in another I will； if I may； avoid myself。 I never approved the ambition of Polycrates to lord it over men as good as himself； nor looked with favour on any of those who have done the like。 Now therefore； since he has fulfilled his destiny； I lay down my office； and proclaim equal rights。 All that I claim in return is six talents from the treasures of Polycrates； and the priesthood of Jove the Protector of Freedom； for myself and my descendants for ever。 Allow me this； as the man by whom his temple has been built； and by whom ye yourselves are now restored to liberty。〃 As soon as Maeandrius had ended； one of the Samians rose up and said； 〃As if thou wert fit to rule us； base…born and rascal as thou art！ Think rather of accounting for the monies which thou hast fingered。〃 The man who thus spoke was a certain Telesarchus； one of the leading citizens。 Maeandrius； therefore； feeling sure that if he laid down the sovereign power some one else would become tyrant in his room； gave up the thought of relinquishing it。 Withdrawing to the citadel； he sent for the chief men one by one； under pretence of showing them his accounts； and as fast as they came arrested them and put them in irons。 So these men were bound； and Maeandrius within a short time fell sick： whereupon Lycaretus； one of his brothers； thinking that he was going to die； and wishing to make his own accession to the throne the easier； slew all the prisoners。 It seemed that the Samians did not choose to be a free people。 When the Persians whose business it was to restore Syloson reached Samos； not a man was found to lift up his hand against them。 Maeandrius and his partisans expressed themselves willing to quit the island upon certain terms； and these terms were agreed to by Otanes。 After the treaty was made； the most distinguished of the Persians had their thrones brought； and seated themselves over against the citadel。 Now the king Maeandrius had a lightheaded brother… Charilaus by name… whom for some offence or other he had shut up in prison： this man heard what was going on； and peering through his bars； saw the Persians sitting peacefully upon their seats； whereupon he exclaimed aloud； and said he must speak with Maeandrius。 When this was reported to him； Maeandrius gave orders that Charilaus should be released from prison and brought into his presence。 No sooner did he arrive than he began reviling and abusing his brother； and strove to persuade him to attack the Persians。 〃Thou meanest…spirited of men；〃 he said； 〃thou canst keep me； thy brother； chained in a dungeon； notwithstanding that I have done nothing worthy of bonds； but when the Persians come and drive thee forth a houseless wanderer from thy native land； thou lookest on； and hast not the heart to seek revenge； though they might so easily be subdued。 If thou； however； art afraid； lend me thy soldiers； and I will make them pay dearly for their coming here。 I engage too to send thee first safe out of the island。〃 So spake Charilaus； and Maeandrius gave consent； not （I believe） that he was so void of sense as to imagine that his own forces could overcome those of the king； but because he was jealous of Syloson； and did not wish him to get so quietly an unharmed city。 He desired therefore to rouse the anger of the Persians against Samos； that so he might deliver it up to Syloson with its power at the lowest possible ebb； for he knew well that if the Persians met with a disaster they would be furious against the Samians； while he himself felt secure of a retreat at any time that he liked； since he had a secret passage under ground leading from the citadel to the sea。 Maeandrius accordingly took ship and sailed away from Samos； and Charilaus； having armed all the mercenaries； threw open the gates； and fell upon the Persians； who looked for nothing less； since they supposed that the whole matter had been arranged by treaty。 At the first onslaught therefore all the Persians of most note； men who were in the habit of using litters； were slain by the mercenaries； the rest of the army； however； came to the rescue； defeated the mercenaries； and drove them back into the citadel。 Then Otanes； the general； when he saw the great calamity which had befallen the Persians； made up his mind to forget the orders which Darius had given him； 〃not to kill or enslave a single Samian； but to deliver up the island unharmed to Syloson；〃 and gave the word to his army that they should slay the Samians； both men and boys； wherever they could find them。 Upon this some of his troops laid siege to the citadel； while others began the massacre； killing all they met； some outside； some inside the temples。 Maeandrius fled from Samos to Lacedaemon； and conveyed thither all the riches which he had brought away from the island； after which he acted as follows。 Having placed upon his board all the gold and silver vessels that he had； and bade his servants employ themselves in cleaning them； he himself went and entered into conversation with Cleomenes； son of Anaxandridas； king of Sparta； and as they talked brought him along to his house。 There Cleomenes； seeing the plate； was filled with wonder and astonishment； whereon the other begged that he would carry home with him any of the vessels that he liked。 Maeandrius said this two or three times； but Cleomenes here displayed surpassing honesty。 He refused the gift； and thinking that if Maeandrius made the same offers to others he would get the aid he sought； the Spartan king went straight to the ephors and told them 〃it would be best for Sparta that the Samian stranger should be sent away from the Peloponnese； for otherwise he might perchance persuade himself or some other Spartan to be base。〃 The ephors took his advice； and let Maeandrius know by a herald that he must leave the city。 Meanwhile the Persians netted Samos； and delivered it up to Syloson； stripped of all its men。 After some time； however； this same general Otanes was induced to repeople it by a dream which he had； and a loathsome disease that seized on him。 After the armament of Otanes had set sail for Samos； the Babylonians revolted； having made every preparation for defence。 During all the time that the Magus was king； and while the seven were conspiring； they had profited by the troubles； and had made themselves ready against a siege。 And it happened somehow or other that no one perceived what they were doing。 At last when the time came for rebelling openly； they did as follows：… having first set apart their mothers； each man chose besides out of his whole household one woman； whomsoever he pleased； these alone were allowed to live； while all the rest were brought to one place and strangled。 The women chosen were kept to make bread for the men； while the others were strangled that they might not consume the stores。 When tidings reached Darius of what had happened； he drew together all his power； and began the war by marching straight upon Babylon； and laying siege to the place。 The Babylonians； however； cared not a whit for his siege。 Mounting upon the battlements that crowned their walls； they insulted and jeered at Darius and his mighty host。 One even shouted to them and said； 〃Why sit ye there； Persians？ why do ye not go back to your homes？ Till mules foal ye will not take our city。〃 This was by a Babylonian who thought that a mule would never foal。 Now when a year and seven months had passed； Darius and his army were quite wearied out； finding that they could not anyhow take the city。 All stratagems and all arts had been used； and yet the king could not prevail… not even when he tried the means by which Cyrus made himself master of the place。 The Babylonians were ever upon the watch； and he found no way of conquering them。 At last； in the twentieth month； a marvellous thing happened to Zopyrus； son of the Megabyzus who was among the seven men that overthrew the Magus。 One of his sumpter…mules gave birth to a foal。 Zopyrus； when they told him； not thinking that it could be true； went and saw the colt with his own eyes； after which he commanded his servants to tell no one what had come to pass； while he himself pondered the matter。 Calling to mind then the words of the Babylonian at the beginning of the siege； 〃Till mules foal ye shall not take our city〃… he thought； as he reflected on this speech； that Babylon might now be taken。 For it seemed to him that there was a Divine Providence in the man having used the phrase； and then his mule having foaled。 As soon therefore as he felt within himself that Babylon was fated to be taken； he went to Darius and asked him if he set a very high value on its conquest。 When he found that Darius did indeed value it highly； he considered further with himself how he might make the deed his own； and be the man to take Babylon。 Noble exploits in Persia are ever highly honoured and bring their authors to greatness。 He therefore reviewed all ways of bringing the city under； but found none by which he could hope to prevail； unless he maimed himself and then went over to the enemy。 To do this seeming to him a light matter； he mutilated himself in a way that was utterly without remedy。 For he cut off his own nose and ears； and then； clipping his hair close and flogging himself with a scourge； he came in this plight before Darius。 Wrath stirred within the king at the sight of a man of his lofty rank in such a condition； leaping down from his throne； he exclaimed aloud； and asked Zopyrus who it was that had disfigured him； and what he had done to be so treated。 Zopyrus answered； 〃There is not a man in the world； but thou； O king； that could reduce me to such a plight… no stranger's hands have wrought this work on me； but my own only。 I maimed myself I could n
