The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [133]
25. When he heard this, Darius sent off an army under Otanes, one of the seven, with orders to accomplish all that Syloson had desired. Otanes went down to the coast and made ready to cross over.
26. The government of Samos was at this time held by Maeandrius, son of Maeandrius, whom Polycrates had appointed as his deputy.
27. 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 assembled all the citizens, and spoke to them as follows:
28. ‘You know that the sceptre of Polycrates, and all his power, has passed into my hands, and if I choose I may rule over you.
29. ‘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.
30. ‘Therefore I lay down my office, and proclaim equal rights.
31. ‘All that I claim in return is six talents from the treasury of Polycrates, and a quiet life for myself and my descendants for ever.’
32. One of the leading Samians, by name Telesarchus, rose up and said, ‘As if you were fit to rule us, base-born and rascal as you are!
33. ‘Think rather of accounting for the monies which you have spent since being given the power.’
34. Maeandrius, therefore, feeling sure that if he laid down the sovereign power someone else would become tyrant in his place, gave up the thought of relinquishing it.
35. 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.
36. Soon afterwards Maeandrius fell sick: whereupon Lycaretus, one of his brothers, thinking that he was going to die, and wishing to secure the throne for himself more easily, killed all the prisoners. It seemed that the Samians did not choose to be a free people.
37. When the Persians whose business it was to restore Syloson reached Samos, not a man was found to lift up his hand against them.
38. Maeandrius and his partisans expressed themselves willing to quit the island on certain terms, and these terms were agreed by Otanes.
Chapter 37
1. After the treaty was made, the most distinguished of the Persians had their thrones brought, and seated themselves opposite the citadel.
2. Now Maeandrius had a hotheaded brother, Charilaus by name, whom he had emprisoned for some offence:
3. This man heard what was going on, and peering through his bars, saw the Persians sitting peacefully on their seats,
4. Whereupon he exclaimed aloud, and said he must speak with Maeandrius.
5. When this was reported to him, Maeandrius gave orders that Charilaus should be released from prison and brought to him.
6. No sooner did he arrive than Charilaus began reviling his brother, and strove to persuade him to attack the Persians.
7. ‘You mean-minded man,’ he said, ‘you can keep your brother chained in a dungeon, but when the Persians drive you from power, you look meekly on, though they might so easily be subdued.
8. ‘If you, however, are too afraid, lend me your soldiers, and I will make them pay dearly for their coming here. I engage too to send you first safe out of the island.’
9. Maeandrius gave consent, not because he was so foolish as to imagine that his forces could overcome those of the Persians, but because he was jealous of Syloson, and did not wish him to get so quietly an unharmed city.
10. He desired therefore to rouse the anger of the Persians against Samos, so that he might deliver it up to Syloson with its power at the lowest possible ebb;
11. For he knew well that if the Persians met with a disaster they would be furious against the Samians,
12. While he himself felt secure of a retreat at any time that he liked, since he had a secret passage underground leading from the citadel to the sea.
13. Maeandrius accordingly took ship and sailed away from Samos; and Charilaus, having armed all the mercenaries, threw open the gates,