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and　asked…　〃What　he　should　pay　them　to　eat　the　bodies　of　their　fathers　when　they　died？〃　To　which　they　answered；　that　there　was　no　sum　that　would　tempt　them　to　do　such　a　thing。　He　then　sent　for　certain　Indians；　of　the　race　called　Callatians；　men　who　eat　their　fathers；　and　asked　them；　while　the　Greeks　stood　by；　and　knew　by　the　help　of　an　interpreter　all　that　was　said　…　〃What　he　should　give　them　to　burn　the　bodies　of　their　fathers　at　their　decease？〃　The　Indians　exclaimed　aloud；　and　bade　him　forbear　such　language。　Such　is　men's　wont　herein；　and　Pindar　was　right；　in　my　judgment；　when　he　said；　〃Law　is　the　king　o'er　all。〃　　　　　While　Cambyses　was　carrying　on　this　war　in　Egypt；　the　Lacedaemonians　likewise　sent　a　force　to　Samos　against　Polycrates；　the　son　of　Aeaces；　who　had　by　insurrection　made　himself　master　of　that　island。　At　the　outset　he　divided　the　state　into　three　parts；　and　shared　the　kingdom　with　his　brothers；　Pantagnotus　and　Syloson；　but　later；　having　killed　the　former　and　banished　the　latter；　who　was　the　younger　of　the　two；　he　held　the　whole　island。　Hereupon　he　made　a　contract　of　friendship　with　Amasis　the　Egyptian　king；　sending　him　gifts；　and　receiving　from　him　others　in　return。　In　a　little　while　his　power　so　greatly　increased；　that　the　fame　of　it　went　abroad　throughout　Ionia　and　the　rest　of　Greece。　Wherever　he　turned　his　arms；　success　waited　on　him。　He　had　a　fleet　of　a　hundred　penteconters；　and　bowmen　to　the　number　of　a　thousand。　Herewith　he　plundered　all；　without　distinction　of　friend　or　foe；　for　he　argued　that　a　friend　was　better　pleased　if　you　gave　him　back　what　you　had　taken　from　him；　than　if　you　spared　him　at　the　first。　He　captured　many　of　the　islands；　and　several　towns　upon　the　mainland。　Among　his　other　doings　he　overcame　the　Lesbians　in　a　sea…fight；　when　they　came　with　all　their　forces　to　the　help　of　Miletus；　and　made　a　number　of　them　prisoners。　These　persons；　laden　with　fetters；　dug　the　moat　which　surrounds　the　castle　at　Samos。　　　　　The　exceeding　good　fortune　of　Polycrates　did　not　escape　the　notice　of　Amasis；　who　was　much　disturbed　thereat。　When　therefore　his　successes　continued　increasing；　Amasis　wrote　him　the　following　letter；　and　sent　it　to　Samos。　〃Amasis　to　Polycrates　thus　sayeth：　It　is　a　pleasure　to　hear　of　a　friend　and　ally　prospering；　but　thy　exceeding　prosperity　does　not　cause　me　joy；　forasmuch　as　I　know　that　the　gods　are　envious。　My　wish　for　myself　and　for　those　whom　I　love　is　to　be　now　successful；　and　now　to　meet　with　a　check；　thus　passing　through　life　amid　alternate　good　and　ill；　rather　than　with　perpetual　good　fortune。　For　never　yet　did　I　hear　tell　of　any　one　succeeding　in　all　his　undertakings；　who　did　not　meet　with　calamity　at　last；　and　come　to　utter　ruin。　Now；　therefore；　give　ear　to　my　words；　and　meet　thy　good　luck　in　this　way：　bethink　thee　which　of　all　thy　treasures　thou　valuest　most　and　canst　least　bear　to　part　with；　take　it；　whatsoever　it　be；　and　throw　it　away；　so　that　it　may　be　sure　never　to　come　any　more　into　the　sight　of　man。　Then；　if　thy　good　fortune　be　not　thenceforth　chequered　with　ill；　save　thyself　from　harm　by　again　doing　as　I　have　counselled。〃　　　　　When　Polycrates　read　this　letter；　and　perceived　that　the　advice　of　Amasis　was　good；　he　considered　carefully　with　himself　which　of　the　treasures　that　he　had　in　store　it　would　grieve　him　most　to　lose。　After　much　thought　he　made　up　his　mind　that　it　was　a　signet…ring　which　he　was　wont　to　wear；　an　emerald　set　in　gold；　the　workmanship　of　Theodore；　son　of　Telecles；　a　Samian。　So　he　determined　to　throw　this　away；　and；　manning　a　penteconter；　he　went　on　board；　and　bade　the　sailors　put　out　into　the　open　sea。　When　he　was　now　a　long　way　from　the　island；　he　took　the　ring　from　his　finger；　and；　in　the　sight　of　all　those　who　were　on　board；　flung　it　into　the　deep。　This　done；　he　returned　home；　and　gave　vent　to　his　sorrow。　　　　　Now　it　happened　five　or　six　days　afterwards　that　a　fisherman　caught　a　fish　so　large　and　beautiful　that　he　thought　it　well　deserved　to　be　made　a　present　of　to　the　king。　So　he　took　it　with　him　to　the　gate　of　the　palace；　and　said　that　he　wanted　to　see　Polycrates。　Then　Polycrates　allowed　him　to　come　in；　and　the　fisherman　gave　him　the　fish　with　these　words　following…　〃Sir　king；　when　I　took　this　prize；　I　thought　I　would　not　carry　it　to　market；　though　I　am　a　poor　man　who　live　by　my　trade。　I　said　to　myself；　it　is　worthy　of　Polycrates　and　his　greatness；　and　so　I　brought　it　here　to　give　it　to　you。〃　The　speech　pleased　the　king；　who　thus　spoke　in　reply：…　〃Thou　didst　right　well；　friend；　and　I　am　doubly　indebted；　both　for　the　gift；　and　for　the　speech。　Come　now；　and　sup　with　me。〃　So　the　fisherman　went　home；　esteeming　it　a　high　honour　that　he　had　been　asked　to　sup　with　the　king。　Meanwhile　the　servants；　on　cutting　open　the　fish；　found　the　signet　of　their　master　in　its　belly。　No　sooner　did　they　see　it　than　they　seized　upon　it；　and　hastening　to　Polycrates　with　great　joy；　restored　it　to　him；　and　told　him　in　what　way　it　had　been　found。　The　king；　who　saw　something　providential　in　the　matter；　forthwith　wrote　a　letter　to　Amasis；　telling　him　all　that　had　happened；　what　he　had　himself　done；　and　what　had　been　the　upshot…　and　despatched　the　letter　to　Egypt。　　　　　When　Amasis　had　read　the　letter　of　Polycrates；　he　perceived　that　it　does　not　belong　to　man　to　save　his　fellow…man　from　the　fate　which　is　in　store　for　him；　likewise　he　felt　certain　that　Polycrates　would　end　ill；　as　he　prospered　in　everything；　even　finding　what　he　had　thrown　away。　So　he　sent　a　herald　to　Samos；　and　dissolved　the　contract　of　friendship。　This　he　did；　that　when　the　great　and　heavy　misfortune　came；　he　might　escape　the　grief　which　he　would　have　felt　if　the　sufferer　had　been　his　bond…friend。　　　　　It　was　with　this　Polycrates；　so　fortunate　in　every　undertaking；　that　the　Lacedaemonians　now　went　to　war。　Certain　Samians；　the　same　who　afterwards　founded　the　city　of　Cydonia　in　Crete；　had　earnestly　intreated　their　help。　For　Polycrates；　at　the　time　when　Cambyses；　son　of　Cyrus；　was　gathering　together　an　armament　against　Egypt；　had　sent　to　beg　him　not　to　omit　to　ask　aid　from　Samos；　whereupon　Cambyses　with　much　readiness　despatched　a　messenger　to　the　island；　and　made　request　that　Polycrates　would　give　some　ships　to　the　naval　force　which　he　was　collecting　against　Egypt。　Polycrates　straightway　picked　out　from　among　the　citizens　such　as　he　thought　most　likely　to　stir　revolt　against　him；　and　manned　with　them　forty　triremes；　which　he　sent　to　Cambyses；　bidding　him　keep　the　men　safe；　and　never　allow　them　to　return　home。　　　　　Now　some　accounts　say　that　these　Samians　did　not　reach　Egypt；　for　that　when　they　were　off　Carpathus；　they　took　counsel　together　and　resolved　to　sail　no　further。　But　others　maintain　that　they　did　go　to　Egypt；　and；　finding　themselves　watched；　deserted；　and　sailed　back　to　Samos。　There　Polycrates　went　out　against　them　with　his　fleet；　and　a　battle　was　fought　and　gained　by　the　exiles；　after　which　they　disembarked　upon　the　island　and　engaged　the　land　forces　of　Polycrates；　but　were　defeated；　and　so　sailed　off　to　Lacedaemon。　Some　relate　that　the　Samians　from　Egypt　overcame　Polycrates；　but　it　seems　to　me　untruly；　for　had　the　Samians　been　strong　enough　to　conquer　Polycrates　by　themselves；　they　would　not　have　needed　to　call　in