Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/317

mSTLEUS FLEES TO CHIOS. 299 be farther added, in order to increase his popularity, that Darius had contemplated the translation of the Ionian population to Phenicia, as well as that of tho Phenician population to Ionia, to prevent which translation he, Histiams, had instigated the revolt. This allegation, though nothing better than a pure fabrication, obtained for him the good-will of the Chians, who carried him back to Miletus. But before he departed, he avenged himself on Artaphernes by despatching to Sardis sonva false letters, implicating many distinguished Persians in a con- spiracy jointly with himself: these letters were so managed as to fall into the hands of the satrap himself, who became full of suspicion, and put to death several of the parties, to the great uneasiness of all ai'ound him. 1 On arriving at Miletus, Histiseus found Aristagoras no longer present, and the citizens altogether adverse to the return of their old despot. Nevertheless, he tried to force his way by night into the town, but was repulsed and even wounded in the thigh. He returned to Chios, but the Chians refused him the aid of any of their ships : he next passed to Lesbos, from the inhabitants of which island he obtained eight triremes, and employed them to occupy Byzantium, pillaging and detaining the Ionian merchant- ships as they passed into or out of the Euxine. 2 The few re- maining piracies of this worthless traitor, mischievous to his countrymen dowu to the day of his death; hardly deserve our notice, amidst the last struggles and sufferings of the subjugated lonians, to which we are now hastening. A vast Persian force, both military and naval, was gradually concentrating itself near Miletus, against which city Artapher- nes had determined to direct his principal efforts. Not only the whole army of Asia Minor, but also the Kilikian and Egyptian troops fresh from the conquest of Cyprus, and even the con- quered Cypriots themselves, were brought up as reinforcements ; while the entire Phenician fleet, no less than six hundred ships strong, cooperated on the coast. 3 To meet such a land-force in the field, being far beyond the strength of the lonians, the joint P*n-Ionic council resolved that the Milesians should be left to 1 Herodot. vi, 2-5. * Herodot. vi, 5-26. 8 Herodot. vi, 6-9.