The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [143]
19. ‘Now, therefore, act so as to be free from blame, alike in his sight, and in ours.
20. ‘Tarry here the appointed time, and at the end go your ways.’ Having said this, and received a promise from the Ionians to do as they desired, the Scythians hastened back.
21. After sending the tokens to Darius, the Scythian army drew out in battle array against the Persians, and seemed about to come to an engagement.
22. But as they stood in battle array, it chanced that a hare started up between them and the Persians, and set to running;
23. When immediately all the Scythians who saw it rushed off in pursuit, with great confusion and loud cries and shouts.
24. Darius, hearing the noise, enquired the cause of it, and was told that the Scythians were all engaged in hunting a hare.
25. At this he said, ‘These men do indeed despise us utterly: and now I see that Gobryas was right about the Scythian gifts.
26. ‘As, therefore, his opinion is now mine likewise, it is time we form some wise plan to secure ourselves a safe return home.’
27. ‘Sir,’ Gobryas rejoined, ‘I was sure, before we came here, that this was an impracticable race; since our coming I am yet more convinced of it, especially now that I see them making game of us.
28. ‘My advice is, therefore, that, when night falls, we light our fires as we are wont to do at other times,
29. ‘And leaving behind us on some pretext that portion of our army which is weak and unequal to hardship, taking care also to leave our asses tethered,
30. ‘Let us retreat from Scythia, before our foes march forward to the Ister and destroy the bridge, or the Ionians come to any resolution which may lead to our ruin.’
31. When night came Darius followed Gobryas’ counsel, and leaving his sick soldiers, and those whose loss would be of least account, with the asses also tethered about the camp, he marched away.
32. The asses were left that their noise might be heard: the men, really because they were sick and useless,
33. But under the pretence that he was about to fall upon the Scythians with the flower of his troops, and that they meanwhile were to guard his camp for him.
34. Having thus declared his plans to the men he was deserting, and having caused the fires to be lighted, Darius set forth, and marched hastily towards the Ister.
35. The asses, aware of the departure of the host, brayed louder than ever; and the Scythians, hearing the sound, believed that the Persians were still in the same place.
Chapter 47
1. When day dawned, the men who had been left behind, perceiving that they were betrayed by Darius, stretched out their hands towards the Scythians, and spoke as befitted their situation.
2. The Scythians no sooner heard, than they quickly combined their troops in one, and set off in pursuit, straight for the Ister.
3. As, however, the Persian army was chiefly foot, and had no knowledge of the routes, which are not cut out in Scythia;
4. While the Scythians were all horsemen and well acquainted with the shortest way; it so happened that the two armies missed one another,
5. And the Scythians, getting far ahead of their adversaries, came first to the bridge.
6. Finding that the Persians were not yet arrived, they addressed the Ionians, who were aboard their ships, in these words:
7. ‘Men of Ionia, the number of your days is out, and you do wrong to remain. Fear doubtless has kept you here until now:
8. ‘Now, however, you may safely break the bridge, and hasten back to your homes, rejoicing that you are free.
9. ‘Your former lord we undertake so to handle, that he will never again make war on anyone.’
10. The Ionians now held a council. Miltiades the Athenian, who was king of the Chersonesites of the Hellespont, and their commander at the Ister,
11. Recommended the other generals to do as the Scythians wished, and restore freedom to Ionia.
But Histiaeus the Milesian opposed this advice. ‘It is through Darius,’ he said, ‘that we enjoy our thrones in our several states.
12. ‘If his power be overturned, I cannot continue lord