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the history-第130章

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estate; and also a Persian wife; by whom there were children born to him who were accounted Persians。 As for Miltiades himself; from Imbrus he made his way in safety to Athens。     At this time the Persians did no more hurt to the Ionians; but on the contrary; before the year was out; they carried into effect the following measures; which were greatly to their advantage。 Artaphernes; satrap of Sardis; summoned deputies from all the Ionian cities; and forced them to enter into agreements with one another; not to harass each other by force of arms; but to settle their disputes by reference。 He likewise took the measurement of their whole country in parasangs… such is the name which the Persians give to a distance of thirty furlongs… and settled the tributes which the several cities were to pay; at a rate that has continued unaltered from the time when Artaphernes fixed it down to the present day。 The rate was very nearly the same as that which had been paid before the revolt。 Such were the peaceful dealings of the Persians with the Ionians。     The next spring Darius superseded all the other generals; and sent down Mardonius; the son of Gobryas; to the coast; and with him a vast body of men; some fit for sea; others for land service。 Mardonius was a youth at this time; and had only lately married Artazostra; the king's daughter。 When Mardonius; accompanied by this numerous host; reached Cilicia; he took ship and proceeded along shore with his fleet; while the land army marched under other leaders towards the Hellespont。 In the course of his voyage along the coast of Asia he came to Ionia; and here I have a marvel to relate which will greatly surprise those Greeks who cannot believe that Otanes advised the seven conspirators to make Persia a commonwealth。 Mardonius put down all the despots throughout Ionia; and in lieu of them established democracies。 Having so done; he hastened to the Hellespont; and when a vast multitude of ships had been brought together; and likewise a powerful land force; he conveyed his troops across the strait by means of his vessels; and proceeded through Europe against Eretria and Athens。     At least these towns served as a pretext for the expedition; the real purpose of which was to subjugate as great a number as possible of the Grecian cities; and this became plain when the Thasians; who did not even lift a hand in their defence; were reduced by the sea force; while the land army added the Macedonians to the former slaves of the king。 All the tribes on the hither side of Macedonia had been reduced previously。 From Thasos the fleet stood across to the mainland; and sailed along shore to Acanthus; whence an attempt was made to double Mount Athos。 But here a violent north wind sprang up; against which nothing could contend; and handled a large number of the ships with much rudeness; shattering them and driving them aground upon Athos。 'Tis said the number of the ships destroyed was little short of three hundred; and the men who perished were more than twenty thousand。 For the sea about Athos abounds in monsters beyond all others; and so a portion were seized and devoured by these animals; while others were dashed violently against the rocks; some; who did not know how to swim; were engulfed; and some died of the cold。     While thus it fared with the fleet; on land Mardonius and his army were attacked in their camp during the night by the Brygi; a tribe of Thracians; and here vast numbers of the Persians were slain; and even Mardonius himself received a wound。 The Brygi; nevertheless; did not succeed in maintaining their own freedom: for Mardonius would not leave the country till he had subdued them and made them subjects of Persia。 Still; though he brought them under the yoke; the blow which his land force had received at their hands; and the great damage done to his fleet off Athos; induced him to set out upon his retreat; and so this armament; having failed disgracefully; returned to Asia。     The year after these events; Darius received information from certain neighbours of the Thasians that those islanders were making preparations for revolt; he therefore sent a herald; and bade them dismantle their walls; and bring all their ships to Abdera。 The Thasians; at the time when Histiaeus the Milesian made his attack upon them; had resolved that; as their income was very great; they would apply their wealth to building ships of war; and surrounding their city with another and a stronger wall。 Their revenue was derived partly from their possessions upon the mainland; partly from the mines which they owned。 They were masters of the gold mines at Scapte…Hyle; the yearly produce of which amounted in all to eighty talents。 Their mines in Thasos yielded less; but still were so far prolific that; besides being entirely free from land…tax; they had a surplus income; derived from the two sources of their territory on the main and their mines; in common years of two hundred; and in the best years of three hundred talents。     I myself have seen the mines in question: by far the most curious of them are those which the Phoenicians discovered at the time when they went with Thasus and colonised the island; which afterwards took its name from him。 These Phoenician workings are in Thasos itself; between Coenyra and a place called Aenyra; over against Samothrace: a huge mountain has been turned upside down in the search for ores。 Such then was the source of their wealth。 On this occasion no sooner did the Great King issue his commands than straightway the Thasians dismantled their wall; and took their whole fleet to Abdera。     After this Darius resolved to prove the Greeks; and try the bent of their minds; whether they were inclined to resist him in arms or prepared to make their submission。 He therefore sent out heralds in divers directions round about Greece; with orders to demand everywhere earth and water for the king。 At the same time he sent other heralds to the various seaport towns which paid him tribute; and required them to provide a number of ships of war and horse…transports。     These towns accordingly began their preparations; and the heralds who had been sent into Greece obtained what the king had bid them ask from a large number of the states upon the mainland; and likewise from all the islanders whom they visited。 Among these last were included the Eginetans; who; equally with the rest; consented to give earth and water to the Persian king。     When the Athenians heard what the Eginetans had done; believing that it was from enmity to themselves that they had given consent; and that the Eginetans intended to join the Persian in his attack upon Athens; they straightway took the matter in hand。 In good truth it greatly rejoiced them to have so fair a pretext; and accordingly they sent frequent embassies to Sparta; and made it a charge against the Eginetans that their conduct in this matter proved them to be traitors to Greece。     Hereupon Cleomenes; the son of Anaxandridas; who was then king of the Spartans; went in person to Egina; intending to seize those whose guilt was the greatest。 As soon however as he tried to arrest them; a number of the Eginetins made resistance; a certain Crius; son of Polycritus;
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