Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/219

EXPRESSED BY A PERSIAN ARMY. 201 had he heard that the Median general Mazares was approaching al the head of an army dispatched by Cyrus against him, than he disbanded his force and fled to Kyme for protection as a sup- pliant. Presently, arrived a menacing summons from Mazares, demanding that he should be given up forthwith, which plunged the Kymaeans into profound dismay ; for the idea of giving up a suppliant to destruction was shocking to Grecian sentiment. They sent to solicit advice from the holy temple of Apollo, at Branchida? near Miletus ; and the reply directed, that Paktyas should be surrendered. Nevertheless, so ignominious did such a surrender appear, that Aristodikus and some other Kyma^an citizens denounced the messengers as liars, and required that a more trustworthy deputation should be sent to consult the god. Aristodikus himself, forming one of the second body, stated the perplexity to the oracle, and received a repetition of the same answer ; whereupon he proceeded to rob the birds'-nests which existed in abundance in and about the temple. A voice from the inner oracular chamber speedily arrested him, exclaiming : "Most impious of men, how darest thou to do such things ? Wilt thou snatch my suppliants from the temple itself?" Unabashed by the rebuke, Aristodikus replied: "Master, thus dost thou help suppliants thyself: and dost thou command the Kymaeans to give up a suppliant ? " " Yes, I do command it ' (rejoined the god forth with), in order that the crime may bring destruction upon you the sooner, and that you may not in future come to consult the oracle upon the surrender of suppliants." The ingenuity of Aristodikus completely nullified the oracular response, and left the Kymaeans in their original perplexity. Not choosing to surrender Paktyas, nor daring to protect him against a besieging army, they sent him away to Mitylene, whither the envoys of Mazares followed and demanded him ; offering a reward so considerable, that the Kymaeans became fearful of trusting them, and again conveyed away the suppliant to Chios, where he took refuge in the temple of Athene Po- liuchus. But here again the pursuers followed, and the Chians Were persuaded to drag him from the temple and surrender him, on consideration of receiving the territory of Atarneus (a Jis 1 Herodot. i, 159. Jl*