Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/287

THE IONIAN'S Al HIE DANUBE. 269 have attempted to cut down the gigantic sketch of Herodotus into a march with definite limits and direction, not one rests upon any positive grounds, or carries the least conviction. We can trace the pervading idea in the mind of the historian, but cannol find out what were his substantive data. The adventures which took place at the passage of that river, both on the out-march and the home-march, wherein the lonians are concerned, are far more within the limits of history. Hero Herodotus possessed better means of information, and had less of a dominant idea to illustrate. That which passed between Darius and the lonians on his first crossing is very curious : I have reserved it until the present moment, because it is par- ticularly connected with the incidents which happened on his return. On reaching the Danube from Thrace, he found the bridge of boats ready, and when the whole army had passed over, he or- dered the lonians to break it down, as well as to follow him in his land-march into Scythia ;* the ships being left with nothing but the rowers and seamen essential to navigate them homeward. pronounced by Niebuhr (Klcine Schrifren, p. 372) to be a mere supposition suggested by the probabilities of the case, because it could not be understood how his large army should cross even the Dniester : it is not to be treated as an affirmation resting upon any authority. " As Herodotus tells us what is impossible (adds Niebuhr), we know nothing at all historically respecting the expedition." So again the conjecture of Palmerius (Exercitationes ad Auctores Graecos, p. 21) carries on the march somewhat farther than the Dniester, to the Hypanis, or perhaps to the Borysthenes. Rennell, Klaproth, and Reichard, are not afraid to extend the march on to the Wolga. Dr. Thirlwall stops within the Tanais, admitting, however, that no correct historical account can be given of it. Eichwald supposes a long march up the Dniester into Volhynia and Lithuania. Compare Ukert, Skythien, p. 26 ; Dahlmann, Historische Forschungen, Ji, pp. 159-164 ; Schaffarik, Slavische Alterthumer, i, 10, 3, i, 13,4-5 ; and Mr. Kenrick, Remarks on the Life and Writings of Herodotus, prefixed to his Notes on the Second Book of Herodotus, p. xxi. The latter is among those who cannot swim the Dniester : he says : " Probably the Dniester (Tyras) was the real limit of the expedition, and Bessarabia, Moldavia, and the Bukovina, the scene of it." 1 Herodot. iv, 97. AapeZof eic&Evae roitf 'luvctf -rrjv a^eJf'^v AtxravTOf &TCP Bat KOT' ijKEtpov luvry, nal rbv in riJv VEUV orparov.