XXIX. To heal the diforders which exifted amongst them, the Parians applied the following remedy:-Thofe employed in this office were of confiderable distinction; and perceiving, on their arrival at Miletus, that the whole ftate was involved in extreme confufion, they defired to examine the condition of their territories: wherever, in their progress through this defolate country, they obferved any lands well cultivated, they wrote down the name of the owner. In the whole dif

trict, however, they found but few eftates fo circumftanced. Returning to Miletus, they called an affembly of the people, and they placed the direction of affairs in the hands of those who had beft cultivated their lands; for they concluded, that they would be watchful of the public intereft who had taken care of their own: they enjoined all the Milefians who had before been factious, to obey thefe, and they thus reftored the general tranquillity.

XXX. The evils which the Ionians experienced from thefe cities were of this nature:-Some of the more noble inhabitants of Naxos were driven by the common people into banishment; they fought a refuge at Miletus; Miletus was then governed by Ariftagoras, fon of Molpagoras, the fonin-law and coufin of Hiftiæus, fon of Lyfagoras, whom Darius detained at Sufa: Hiftiæus was

300

bouring islands often make them arbitrators of their difputes. 304

-See Tournefort, who gives an excellent account of this

ifland.

prince of Miletus, but was at Sufa when the Naxians arrived in his dominions. These exiles petitioned Ariftagoras to affift them with supplies, to enable them to return to their country: he immediately conceived the idea, that by accomplishing their return, he might eventually become mafter of Naxos. He thought proper, however, to remind them of the alliance which fubfifted betwixt Hif tiæus and their countrymen; and he addreffed them as follows: "I am not master of adequate force "to restore you to your country, if they who are "in poffeffion of Naxos fhall think proper to op"pofe me: the Naxians, I am told, have eight

thousand men in arms, and many fhips of war; "I, nevertheless, wish to effect it, and I think it may be thus accomplished-Artaphernes, fon of "Hyftafpes, and brother of Darius, is my particular friend; he has the command of all the fea"coaft of Afia, and is provided with a numerous

army, and a powerful fleet; he will, I think, do "all that I defire." The Naxians inftantly intrusted Anaxagoras with the management of the business, intreating him to complete it as he could; they engaged to affift the expedition with forces, and to make prefents to Artaphernes; and they expreffed great hopes that as foon as they should appear before the place, Naxos, with the reft of the iflands, would immediately fubmit; for hitherto none of the Cyclades were under the power of Darius.

XXXI. Aristagoras went immediately to Sardis, where

where meeting with Artaphernes, he painted to him in flattering terms the island of Naxos, which, though of no great extent, he reprefented as exceedingly fair and fertile, conveniently fituated with refpect to lonia, very wealthy, and remarkably populous." It will be worth your while," faid he, « to make an expedition against it, under pretence " of restoring its exiles; to facilitate this, I already poffefs a confiderable fum of money, besides "what will be otherwife fupplied. It is proper "that we who fet the expedition on foot should "provide the contingent expences; but you will

certainly acquire to the king our mafter, Naxos "with its dependencies, Paros and Andros, with "the reft of the islands called the Cyclades: from

hence you may easily attempt the invafion of "Euboea 3, an ifland large and fertile, and not at "all inferior to Cyprus; this will afford you an

eafy conqueft, and a fleet of an hundred ships "will be fufficient to effect the whole." To this Artaphernes replied, "What you recommend ❝will, unquestionably, promote the interest of the

king, and the particulars of your advice are rea"fonable and confiftent; inftead of one hundred, a "fleet of two hundred veffels fhall be ready for you "in the beginning of fpring; it will be proper,

35 Eubea.]-This large island is now commonly called Negropont or Negrepont, by the Europeans; which is a corruption of its proper appellation Egripo: anciently it had, at different times, a great variety of names, Macris, Chalcis, Afopis, &c. At Artemifium, one of its promontories, the first battle was fought betwixt Xerxes and the Greeks.-T.

« however,

« however, to have the fanction of the king's au<<thority."

XXXII. Pleased with the answer he received, Ariftagoras returned to Miletus. Artaphernes fent immediately to acquaint Darius with the project of Ariftagoras, which met his approbation; he accordingly fitted out two hundred triremes, which he manned partly with Perfians and partly with their allies: Megabates had the command of the whole, a Perfian of the family of the Achæmenides, related to Darius and himself, whofe daughter, if report may be credited 30, was, in fucceeding times, betrothed to Paufanias the Lacedæmonian, fon of Cleombrotus, who afpired to the fovereignty of Greece. Thefe forces, under the direction of this Megabates, were fent by Artaphernes to Arifta goras.

XXXIII. Megabates embarking at Miletus, with Ariftagoras, a body of Ionians, and the Naxians, pretended to fail towards the Hellefpont; but arriving at Chios, he laid-to near Caucafa 37, meaning,

36 If report may be credited.]-It appears by this, that when Herodotus compofed this work, he had no knowledge of the letter in which Paufanias demanded of Xerxes his daughter in marriage. It may be feen in Thucydides.-Larcher.

37 Near Caucafa.]-This paffage has been erroneously rendered, by the French tranflators of Herodotus who preceded Larcher, as well as by our countryman Littlebury, " over-against mount Caucafus;" but whoever will be at the pains to attend to

the

219

meaning, under the favour of a north wind, to pass from thence to Naxos. The following circumstance, however, happened, as if to prove that it was not ordained for the Naxians to fuffer from this expedition:-Megabates, in going his rounds, found a Myndian veffel deferted by its crew; he was fo exafperated, that he commanded his guards to find Scylax, who commanded it, and to bind him in fuch a fituation, that his head should appear outwardly from the aperture through which the oar paffed, his body remaining in the veffel. Ariftagoras being informed of the treatment which his friend the Myndian had received, went to Megabates to make his excufe, and obtain his liberty; but as his expoftulations proved ineffectual, he went himself and released Scylax. Megabates was much incensed, and expreffed his difpleafure to Ariftagofrom whom he received this reply: "Your authority," faid Ariftagoras, "does not extend "fo far as you fuppofe; you were sent to attend રે me, and to fail wherever I fhould think expe"dient-you are much too officious." Megabates took this reproach fo ill, that at the approach of night he dispatched fome emiffaries to Naxos, to acquaint the inhabitants with the intended invafion.

ras;

the geographical distances of mount Caucafus and the islands of the Ægean fea, Chios and Naxos, will eafily perceive that the place here meant must be some strait in the island of Chios, or fome fmall island in its vicinity.-See the Effais de Critique fur les Traductions d'Herodote, by the Abbé Bellanger.— T.