The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [145]
12. Showing him an engraved map of the Persian empire and describing the great riches that the Spartans would acquire if they conquered Darius.
13. And as he spoke he offered Cleomenes more and more money to undertake the venture;
14. But Gorgo, the eight-year-old daughter of Cleomenes, said, ‘Father, come away before this man corrupts you and your kingdom.’
15. Then Aristagoras went to Athens, which after Sparta was the most powerful of the Greek states;
16. And there proved that it is easier to persuade a multitude than a single man;
17. For whereas in Sparta he had to deal with Cleomenes, here he had to deal with the Athenian people as a whole: and this proved the simpler task.
18. Accordingly he appeared before them, and, as he had done at Sparta, spoke to them of the good things there were in Asia,
19. And of the Persian mode of fight, how they used neither shield nor spear, and were very easy to conquer.
20. All this he urged, and reminded them also that Miletus was a colony from Athens, and therefore ought to receive their help, since they were so powerful;
21. And in the earnestness of his entreaties he cared little what he promised, till at last he won them over.
22. The Athenians voted that twenty ships should be sent to help Ionia, under the command of Melanthius, a man of mark in every way.
23. These ships were the beginning of mischief both to the Greeks and to the barbarians.
24. When the Athenian fleet joined Aristagoras at Miletus, he assembled his allies and proceeded to attack Sardis,
25. Not however leading the army himself, but appointing as commanders Hermophantus and his own brother Charopinus. He himself remained in Miletus.
26. The Ionians sailed to Ephesus, and, leaving their ships at Coressus, took guides and went up country with a great host.
27. They marched along the River Cayster, and, crossing over the ridge of Timolus, fell on Sardis and took it, no man opposing them;
28. The whole city fell to them, except the citadel, which Artaphernes defended in person with a large force.
29. But though they took the city, they did not succeed in plundering it; for, as the houses in Sardis were built of reeds,
30. And even the few of brick had reed thatching for their roofs, one of them was no sooner fired by a soldier than the flames ran speedily from house to house.
31. As the fire raged, the Lydians and such Persians as were in the city, enclosed on every side by the flames and finding themselves unable to get out,
32. Came in crowds into the marketplace, and gathered on the banks of the Pactolus.
33. This stream, which comes down from Mount Timolus, and brings the Sardians a quantity of gold dust, runs directly through the marketplace.
34. So the Lydians and Persians, thus crowded together, were forced to stand on their defence;
35. And the Ionians, when they saw the enemy in part resisting, in part pouring towards them in dense crowds, took fright,
36. And retreating to the ridge called Timolus, went back to their ships when night came.
37. As soon as what had happened was known, all the Persians who were stationed west of the Halys drew together, and brought help to the Lydians.
38. Finding when they arrived that the Ionians had already withdrawn, they pursued them, and caught them at Ephesus.
39. The Ionians turned and fought, but suffered greatly the worse, great numbers of the Greeks being slain by the Persians.
40. The Athenians forsook the Ionians after this, and, though Aristagoras sent ambassadors begging further help, they refused.
41. Still the Ionians continued their efforts to wage war against Darius, which their recent conduct towards him now made unavoidable.
42. Sailing into the Hellespont, they brought Byzantium, and all the other cities in that quarter, under their sway.
43. They went to Caria, and won the greater part of the Carians to their side; while Caunus, which had formerly refused to join them, after the burning of Sardis came over likewise.
44. Also Cyprus; all the Cyprians, excepting