Page:History of Greece Vol III.djvu/277

IONIC GREEKS. 261 precaution he employed either to insure subjection or collect tribute, the brevity of the historian does not acquaint us. But they were required partially at least, if not entirely, to raze their fortifications ; for on occasion of the danger which supervened a few years afterwards from Cyrus, they are found practically un- fortified. 1 Thus completely successful in his aggressions on the continen- tal Asiatic Greeks, Croesus conceived the idea of assembling a fleet, for the purpose of attacking the islanders of Chios and Sa- mos, but was convinced, as some said, by the sarcastic remark of one of the seven Greek sages, Bias or Pittakus of the im- practicability of the project. lie carried his arms, however, with full success, over other parts of the continent of Asia Minor, un- til he had subdued the whole territory within the river Ilalys, excepting only the Kilikians and the Lykians. The Lydian empire thus reached the maximum of its power, comprehending, besides the -ZEolic, Ionic, and Doric Greeks on the coast of Asia Minor, the Phrygians, Mysians, Mariandynians, Chalybes, Paph- lagonians, Thynian and Bithynian Thracians, Karians, and Pamphylians. And the treasures amassed by Croesus at Sardis, derived partly from this great number of tributaries, partly from mines in various places as well as the auriferous sands of the Paktolus, exceeded anything which the Greeks had ever before known. We learn, from the brief but valuable observations of Herod- otus, to appreciate the great importance of these conquests of Croesus, with reference not merely to the Grecian cities actually subjected, but also indirectly to the whole Grecian world. " Before the reign of Croesus, observes the historian, all the Greeks were free ; it was by him first that Greeks were subdued into tribute." And he treats this event as the initial phenom- enon of the series, out of which grew the hostile relations In reference to the rope reaching from the city to the nrtemision, we may quote an analogous case of the Kylonian suppliants at Athens, who sought to maintain their contact with the altar by means of a continuous cord, unfortunately, the cord hroke (Plutarch, Solon, c. 12). 1 Herodot. i, 141. 'luvtf 6s, t>c j/Kovaav Tfi^ea ~e Trtpie^u^ovro IKOC- rot, etc : compare also the statement respecting Vhokoea, c. 1G8.