the history-第129章

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submitted　themselves　to　the　king。　In　the　Chersonese　the　Phoenicians　subdued　all　the　cities；　excepting　Cardia。　　　　　Up　to　this　time　the　cities　of　the　Chersonese　had　been　under　the　government　of　Miltiades；　the　son　of　Cimon；　and　grandson　of　Stesagoras；　to　whom　they　had　descended　from　Miltiades；　the　son　of　Cypselus；　who　obtained　possession　of　them　in　the　following　manner。　The　Dolonci；　a　Thracian　tribe；　to　whom　the　Chersonese　at　that　time　belonged；　being　harassed　by　a　war　in　which　they　were　engaged　with　the　Apsinthians；　sent　their　princes　to　Delphi　to　consult　the　oracle　about　the　matter。　The　reply　of　the　Pythoness　bade　them　〃take　back　with　them　as　a　colonist　into　their　country　the　man　who　should　first　offer　them　hospitality　after　they　quitted　the　temple。〃　The　Dolonci；　following　the　Sacred　Road；　passed　through　the　regions　of　Phocis　and　Boeotia；　after　which；　as　still　no　one　invited　them　in；　they　turned　aside；　and　travelled　to　Athens。　　　　　Now　Pisistratus　was　at　this　time　sole　lord　of　Athens；　but　Miltiades；　the　son　of　Cypselus；　was　likewise　a　person　of　much　distinction。　He　belonged　to　a　family　which　was　wont　to　contend　in　the　four…horse…chariot　races；　and　traced　its　descent　to　Aeacus　and　Egina；　but　which；　from　the　time　of　Philaeas；　the　son　of　Ajax；　who　was　the　first　Athenian　citizen　of　the　house；　had　been　naturalised　at　Athens。　It　happened　that　as　the　Dolonci　passed　his　door　Miltiades　was　sitting　in　his　vestibule；　which　caused　him　to　remark　them；　dressed　as　they　were　in　outlandish　garments；　and　armed　moreover　with　lances。　He　therefore　called　to　them；　and；　on　their　approach；　invited　them　in；　offering　them　lodging　and　entertainment。　The　strangers　accepted　his　hospitality；　and；　after　the　banquet　was　over；　they　laid　before　him　in　full　the　directions　of　the　oracle　and　besought　him　on　their　own　part　to　yield　obedience　to　the　god。　Miltiades　was　persuaded　ere　they　had　done　speaking；　for　the　government　of　Pisistratus　was　irksome　to　him；　and　he　wanted　to　be　beyond　the　tyrant's　reach。　He　therefore　went　straightway　to　Delphi；　and　inquired　of　the　oracle　whether　he　should　do　as　the　Dolonci　desired。　　　　　As　the　Pythoness　backed　their　request；　Miltiades；　son　of　Cypselus　who　had　already　won　the　four…horse　chariot…race　at　Olympia；　left　Athens；　taking　with　him　as　many　of　the　Athenians　as　liked　to　join　in　the　enterprise；　and　sailed　away　with　the　Dolonci。　On　his　arrival　at　the　Chersonese；　he　was　made　king　by　those　who　had　invited　him。　After　this　his　first　act　was　to　build　a　wall　across　the　neck　of　the　Chersonese　from　the　city　of　Cardia　to　Pactya；　to　protect　the　country　from　the　incursions　and　ravages　of　the　Apsinthians。　The　breadth　of　the　isthmus　at　this　part　is　thirty…six　furlongs；　the　whole　length　of　the　peninsula　within　the　isthmus　being　four　hundred　and　twenty　furlongs。　　　　　When　he　had　finished　carrying　the　wall　across　the　isthmus；　and　had　thus　secured　the　Chersonese　against　the　Apsinthians；　Miltiades　proceeded　to　engage　in　other　wars；　and　first　of　all　attacked　the　Lampsacenians；　but　falling　into　an　ambush　which　they　had　laid　he　had　the　misfortune　to　be　taken　prisoner。　Now　it　happened　that　Miltiades　stood　high　in　the　favour　of　Croesus；　king　of　Lydia。　When　Croesus　therefore　heard　of　his　calamity；　he　sent　and　commanded　the　men　of　Lampsacus　to　give　Miltiades　his　freedom；　〃if　they　refused；〃　he　said；　〃he　would　destroy　them　like　a　fir。〃　Then　the　Lampsacenians　were　somewhile　in　doubt　about　this　speech　of　Croesus；　and　could　not　tell　how　to　construe　his　threat　〃that　he　would　destroy　them　like　a　fir〃；　but　at　last　one　of　their　elders　divined　the　true　sense；　and　told　them　that　the　fir　is　the　only　tree　which；　when　cut　down；　makes　no　fresh　shoots；　but　forthwith　dies　outright。　So　the　Lampsacenians；　being　greatly　afraid　of　Croesus；　released　Miltiades；　and　let　him　go　free。　　　　　Thus　did　Miltiades；　by　the　help　of　Croesus；　escape　this　danger。　Some　time　afterwards　he　died　childless；　leaving　his　kingdom　and　his　riches　to　Stesagoras；　who　was　the　son　of　Cimon；　his　half…brother。　Ever　since　his　death　the　people　of　the　Chersonese　have　offered　him　the　customary　sacrifices　of　a　founder；　and　they　have　further　established　in　his　honour　a　gymnic　contest　and　a　chariot…race；　in　neither　of　which　is　it　lawful　for　any　Lampsacenian　to　contend。　Before　the　war　with　Lampsacus　was　ended　Stesagoras　too　died　childless：　he　was　sitting　in　the　hall　of　justice　when　he　was　struck　upon　the　head　with　a　hatchet　by　a　man　who　pretended　to　be　a　deserter；　but　was　in　good　sooth　an　enemy；　and　a　bitter　one。　　　　　Thus　died　Stesagoras；　and　upon　his　death　the　Pisistratidae　fitted　out　a　trireme；　and　sent　Miltiades；　the　son　of　Cimon；　and　brother　of　the　deceased；　to　the　Chersonese；　that　he　might　undertake　the　management　of　affairs　in　that　quarter。　They　had　already　shown　him　much　favour　at　Athens；　as　if；　forsooth；　they　had　been　no　parties　to　the　death　of　his　father　Cimon…　a　matter　whereof　I　will　give　an　account　in　another　place。　He　upon　his　arrival　remained　shut　up　within　the　house；　pretending　to　do　honour　to　the　memory　of　his　dead　brother；　whereupon　the　chief　people　of　the　Chersonese　gathered　themselves　together　from　all　the　cities　of　the　land；　and　came　in　a　procession　to　the　place　where　Miltiades　was；　to　condole　with　him　upon　his　misfortune。　Miltiades　commanded　them　to　be　seized　and　thrown　into　prison；　after　which　he　made　himself　master　of　the　Chersonese；　maintained　a　body　of　five　hundred　mercenaries；　and　married　Hegesipyla；　daughter　of　the　Thracian　king　Olorus。　　　　　This　Miltiades；　the　son　of　Cimon；　had　not　been　long　in　the　country　when　a　calamity　befell　him　yet　more　grievous　than　those　in　which　he　was　now　involved：　for　three　years　earlier　he　had　had　to　fly　before　an　incursion　of　the　Scyths。　These　nomads；　angered　by　the　attack　of　Darius；　collected　in　a　body　and　marched　as　far　as　the　Chersonese。　Miltiades　did　not　await　their　coming；　but　fled；　and　remained　away　until　the　Scyths　retired；　when　the　Dolonci　sent　and　fetched　him　back。　All　this　happened　three　years　before　the　events　which　befell　Miltiades　at　the　present　time。　　　　　He　now　no　sooner　heard　that　the　Phoenicians　were　attacking　Tenedos　than　he　loaded　five　triremes　with　his　goods　and　chattels；　and　set　sail　for　Athens。　Cardia　was　the　point　from　which　he　took　his　departure；　and　as　he　sailed　down　the　gulf　of　Melas；　along　the　shore　of　the　Chersonese；　he　came　suddenly　upon　the　whole　Phoenician　fleet。　However　he　himself　escaped；　with　four　of　his　vessels；　and　got　into　Imbrus；　one　trireme　only　falling　into　the　hands　of　his　pursuers。　This　vessel　was　under　the　command　of　his　eldest　son　Metiochus；　whose　mother　was　not　the　daughter　of　the　Thracian　king　Olorus；　but　a　different　woman。　Metiochus　and　his　ship　were　taken；　and　when　the　Phoenicians　found　out　that　he　was　a　son　of　Miltiades　they　resolved　to　convey　him　to　the　king；　expecting　thereby　to　rise　high　in　the　royal　favour。　For　they　remembered　that　it　was　Miltiades　who　counselled　the　Ionians　to　hearken　when　the　Scyths　prayed　them　to　break　up　the　bridge　and　return　home。　Darius；　however；　when　the　Phoenicians　brought　Metiochus　into　his　presence；　was　so　far　from　doing　him　any　hurt；　that　he　loaded　him　with　benefits。　He　gave　him　a　house　and　estate；　and　also　a　Persian　wife；　by　whom　there　were　children　born　to　him　who　were　accounted　Persians