with an ambition of distinguishing himself, expreffed a defire of entering the lifts, the Greeks, who were his competitors, repelled him with scorn, afferting, that this was a conteft, not of Barbarians, but of Greeks; but he proved himself to be an Argive, and was confequently allowed to be a Greek. He was then permitted to contend, and was paired with the first combatant 28.

do fo. Their decifions might be appealed from, and they might even be accufed before the fenate of Olympia, who fometimes fet aside their determinations. They who were elected Hellanodice were compelled to refide ten months fucceffively in a building appropriated to their use at Olympia, and named from them the Hellanodicæon, in order to inftruct themselves, previous to their entering on their office.-Larcher.

28 With the first combatant.]—See Lucian, Hermotimus, vol. i. p. 782-3.-Hemsterhufius.

Lycinus. Do not, Hermotimus, tell me what anciently was done, but what you yourself have feen at no great distance of time.

1

Hermotimus.-A filver urn was produced facred to the god, into which fome fmall lots of the fize of beans were thrown: two of these are infcribed with the letter A, two more with B, two others with G, and so on, according to the number of competitors, there being always two lots marked with the fame. letter. The combatants then advanced one by one, and calling on the name of Jupiter, put his hand into the urn, and drew out a lot. An officer ftood near with a cudgel in his hand, and ready to ftrike if any one attempted to see what letter he had drawn. Then the Alytarch, or one of the Hellanodicæ, obliging them to stand in a circle, paired fuch together as had drawn the fame letter. If the number of competitors was not equal, he who drew the odd letter was matched against the victor, which was no small advantage, as he had to enter the lifts quite fresh against a man already fatigued..

XXIII. I have related the facts which happened Megabyzus, taking the Paeonians along with him, paffed the Hellefpont, and arrived at Sardis. At this period, Hiftiæus the Milefian was engaged in defending with a wall the place which had been given him by Darius, as a reward for his preferving the bridge; it is called Myncinus, and is 316 near the river Strymon. Megaby zus, as foon as he 188 came to Sardis, and learned what had been done. with refpect to Hiftiæus, thus addreffed Darius: "Have you, Sir, done wifely, in permitting a

Greek of known activity and abilities to erect a city in Thrace? in a place which abounds with every requifite for the conftruction and equip

ment of fhips; and where there are alfo mines of "filver? A number of Greeks are there, mixed “with Barbarians, who, making him their leader, "will be ready on every occafion to execute his "commands. Suffer him therefore to proceed no "farther, left a civil war be the confequence. Do

not, however, ufe violent measures; but when you shall have him in your power, take care to prevent the poffibility of his return to Greece."

XXIV. Darius was eafily induced to yield to the arguments of Megabyzus, of whofe fagacity he entirely approved. He immediately therefore fent him a meffage to the following purport: "Hif"tiæus, king Darius confiders you as one of the

29 Myncinus.]-This place in fome books of geography is written Myncenus.-T.

"ableft

"ableft fupports of his throne, of which he has "already received the ftrongeft teftimony. He "has now in contemplation a business of great importance, and requires your prefence and ad"vice." Hiftiæus believed the meffenger, and, delighted with the idea of being invited to the king's councils, haftened to Sardis, where on his arrival Darius thus addreffed him: "Hiftiæus, my motive for foliciting your prefence is this << my not feeing you at my return from Scythia "filled me with the extremeft regret; my defire to "converfe with you continually increased, being "well convinced that there is no treasure so great as a fincere and fagacious friend, for of your truth "as well as prudence I have received the moft fa"tisfactory proofs. You have done well in coming "to me; I therefore intreat that, forgetting Miletus, " and leaving the city you have recently built in "Thrace, you will accompany me to Sufa; you "fhall there have apartments in my palace, and "live with me, my companion and my friend."

XXV. Darius having thus accomplished his wishes, took Hiftiæus with him, and departed for Sufa. Artaphernes; his brother by the father's fide, was left governor of Sardis; Otanes was entrufted with the command of the fea-coaft. Sifamnes, the father of the latter, had been one of the royal judges; but having been guilty of corruption in the execution of his office, was put to death by Cambyfes. By order of this prince, the entire skin was taken from his body, and fixed over the tribunal

Cc 3

tribunal" at which he formerly prefided. Cambyfes

gave the office of Sifamnes to his fon Otanes, commanding him to have conftantly in memory in what tribunal he fat.

XXVI. Otanes having at firft the above appointment, fucceeded afterwards to the command of Megabyzus, when he reduced Byzantium and Chalcedon. He took alfo Lamponium " and Antandros", which latter is in the province of Troy. With the affiftance of a fleet from Lefbos, he made himself master of Lemnos and Imbros, both of which were then inhabited by Pelafgi.

XXVII. The Lemnians fought with great bravery, and made a long and vigorous refiftance, but were at length fubdued. Over fuch as furvived the conflict the Perfians appointed Lycaretus governor; he was the brother of Mæander, who had

30 Fixed over the tribunal.]-This it feems was a common cuftom in Perfia; and corrupt judges were fometimes flayed alive, and their skins afterwards thus difpofed. Larcher quotes a paffage from Diodorus Siculus, which informs us that Artaxerxes punished fome unjuft judges precifely in this manner. -T.

31 Lamponium.]-Pliny, and I believe Strabo, call this place Lamporea. It was an island of the Cherfonese.

32 Antandros.]

Claffemque fub ipfâ

382

Virg. Æn. iii. 5.

Antandro et Phrygiæ molimur montibus Idæ.

This place has experienced a variety of names, Affos, Apollo

nia, and now Dimitri-T.

reigned

reigned at Samos, but he died during his government. All the above-mentioned people were reduced to fervitude: it was pretended that fome had been deferters in the Scythian expedition, and that others had harraffed Darius in his retreat. Such was the conduct of Otanes in his office, which he did not long enjoy with tranquillity.

XXVIII. The Ionians were foon vifited by new calamities, from Miletus and from Naxos 33. Of all the islands, Naxos was the happieft; but Miletus might be deemed the pride of Ionia, and was at that time in the height of its profperity. In the two preceding ages it had been confiderably weakened by internal factions, but the tranquillity of its inhabitants was finally reftored by the interpofition of the Parians 34, whom the Milesians had preferred on this occafion to all the other Greeks,

XXIX.

33 Naxos.]-This place was firft called Strongyle, afterwards Dia, and then Naxos; there was a place of this name also in Sicily. The Naxos of the Egean is now called Naxia; it was anciently famous for its whetstones, and Naxia cos became a proverb. In claffical ftory, this ifland is famous for being the place where Thefeus, returning from Crete, forfook Ariadne, who afterwards became the wife of Bacchus: a very minute and fatisfactory account of the ancient and modern condition of this ifland, is to be found in Tournefort. Stephens the geographer fays, that the women of Naxos went with child but eight months, and that the island poffeffed a spring of pure wine.-T.

34 Parians.]The inhabitants of Paros have always been accounted people of good fenfe, and the Greeks of the neigh