第 97 节
作者:孤独半圆      更新:2021-02-21 16:05      字数:9322
  e married to daughters of the king; after pursuing the Ionians who had fought at Sardis; defeating them; and driving them to their ships; divided their efforts against the different cities; and proceeded in succession to take and sack each one of them。     Daurises attacked the towns upon the Hellespont; and took in as many days the five cities of Dardanus; Abydos; Percote; Lampsacus; and Paesus。 From Paesus he marched against Parium; but on his way receiving intelligence that the Carians had made common cause with the Ionians; and thrown off the Persian yoke; he turned round; and; leaving the Hellespont; marched away towards Caria。     The Carians by some chance got information of this movement before Daurises arrived; and drew together their strength to a place called 〃the White Columns;〃 which is on the river Marsyas; a stream running from the Idrian country; and emptying itself into the Maeander。 Here when they were met; many plans were put forth; but the best; in my judgment; was that of Pixodarus; the son of Mausolus; a Cindyan; who was married to a daughter of Syennesis; the Cilician king。 His advice was that the Carians should cross the Maeander; and fight with the river at their back; that so; all chance of flight being cut off; they might be forced to stand their ground; and have their natural courage raised to a still higher pitch。 His opinion; however; did not prevail; it was thought best to make the enemy have the Maeander behind them; that so; if they were defeated in the battle and put to flight; they might have no retreat open; but be driven headlong into the river。     The Persians soon afterwards approached; and; crossing the Maeander; engaged the Carians upon the banks of the Marsyas; where for a long time the battle was stoutly contested; but at last the Carians were defeated; being overpowered by numbers。 On the side of the Persians there fell 2000; while the Carians had not fewer than 10;000 slain。 Such as escaped from the field of battle collected together at Labranda; in the vast precinct of Jupiter Stratius… a deity worshipped only by the Carians… and in the sacred grove of plane…trees。 Here they deliberated as to the best means of saving themselves; doubting whether they would fare better if they gave themselves up to the Persians; or if they abandoned Asia for ever。     As they were debating these matters a body of Milesians and allies came to their assistance; whereupon the Carians; dismissing their former thoughts; prepared themselves afresh for war; and on the approach of the Persians gave them battle a second time。 They were defeated; however; with still greater loss than before; and while all the troops engaged suffered severely; the blow fell with most force on the Milesians。     The Carians; some while after; repaired their ill fortune in another action。 Understanding that the Persians were about to attack their cities; they laid an ambush for them on the road which leads to Pedasus; the Persians; who were making a night…march; fell into the trap; and the whole army was destroyed; together with the generals; Daurises; Amorges; and Sisimaces: Myrsus too; the son of Gyges; was killed at the same time。 The leader of the ambush was Heraclides; the son of Ibanolis; a man of Mylasa。 Such was the way in which these Persians perished。     In the meantime Hymeas; who was likewise one of those by whom the Ionians were pursued after their attack on Sardis; directing his course towards the Propontis; took Cius; a city of Mysia。 Learning; however; that Daurises had left the Hellespont; and was gone into Caria; he in his turn quitted the Propontis; and marching with the army under his command to the Hellespont; reduced all the Aeolians of the Troad; and likewise conquered the Gergithae; a remnant of the ancient Teucrians。 He did not; however; quit the Troad; but; after gaining these successes; was himself carried off by disease。     After his death; which happened as have related; Artaphernes; the satrap of Sardis; and Otanes; the third general; were directed to undertake the conduct of the war against Ionia and the neighbouring Aeolis。 By them Clazomenae in the former; and Cyme in the latter; were recovered。     As the cities fell one after another; Aristagoras the Milesian (who was in truth; as he now plainly showed; a man of but little courage); notwithstanding that it was he who had caused the disturbances in Ionia and made so great a commotion; began; seeing his danger; to look about for means of escape。 Being convinced that it was in vain to endeavour to overcome King Darius; he called his brothers…in…arms together; and laid before them the following project:… 〃'Twould be well;〃 he said; 〃to have some place of refuge; in case they were driven out of Miletus。 Should he go out at the head of a colony to Sardinia; or should he sail to Myrcinus in Edonia; which Histiaeus had received as a gift from King Darius; and had begun to fortify?〃     To this question of Aristagoras; Hecataeus; the historian; son of Hegesander; made answer that in his judgement neither place was suitable。 〃Aristagoras should build a fort;〃 he said; 〃in the island of Leros; and; if driven from Miletus; should go there and bide his time; from Leros attacks might readily be made; and he might re…establish himself in Miletus。〃 Such was the advice given by Hecataeus。     Aristagoras; however; was bent on retiring to Myrcinus。 Accordingly; he put the government of Miletus into the hands of one of the chief citizens; named Pythagoras; and; taking with him all who liked to go; sailed to Thrace; and there made himself master of the place in question。 From thence he proceeded to attack the Thracians; but here he was cut off with his whole army; while besieging a city whose defenders were anxious to accept terms of surrender。                        The Sixth Book; Entitled                                  ERATO
  ARISTAGORAS; the author of the Ionian revolt; perished in the way which I have described。 Meanwhile Histiaeus; tyrant of Miletus; who had been allowed by Darius to leave Susa; came down to Sardis。 On his arrival; being asked by Artaphernes; the Sardian satrap; what he thought was the reason that the Ionians had rebelled; he made answer that he could not conceive; and it had astonished him greatly; pretending to be quite unconscious of the whole business。 Artaphernes; however; who perceived that he was dealing dishonestly; and who had in fact full knowledge of the whole history of the outbreak; said to him; 〃I will tell thee how the case stands; Histiaeus: this shoe is of thy stitching; Aristagoras has but put it on。〃     Such was the remark made by Artaphernes concerning the rebellion。 Histiaeus; alarmed at the knowledge which he displayed; so soon as night fell; fled away to the coast。 Thus he forfeited his word to Darius; for though he had pledged himself to bring Sardinia; the biggest island in the whole world; under the Persian yoke; he in reality sought to obtain the direction of the war against the king。 Crossing over to Chios; he was there laid in bonds by the inhabitants; who accused him of intending some mischief against them in the interest of Darius。 However; when the whole truth was laid before them; and they found that Histiaeus was in reality a foe to the king; they forthwith set him at large again。     After this the Ionians inquired of him for what reason he had so strongly urged Aristagoras to revolt from the king; thereby doing their nation so ill a service。 In reply; he took good care not to disclose to them the real cause; but told them that King Darius had intended to remove the Phoenicians from their own country; and place them in Ionia; while he planted the Ionians in Phoenicia; and that it was for this reason he sent Aristagoras the order。 Now it was not true that the king had entertained any such intention; but Histiaeus succeeded hereby in arousing the fears of the Ionians。     After this; Histiaeus; by means of a certain Hermippus; a native of Atarneus; sent letters to many of the Persians in Sardis; who had before held some discourse with him concerning a revolt。 Hermippus; however; instead of conveying them to the persons to whom they were addressed; delivered them into the hands of Artaphernes; who; perceiving what was on foot; commanded Hermippus to deliver the letters according to their addresses; and then bring him back the answers which were sent to Histiaeus。 The traitors being in this way discovered; Artaphernes put a number of Persians to death; and caused a commotion in Sardis。     As for Histiaeus; when his hopes in this matter were disappointed; he persuaded the Chians to carry him back to Miletus; but the Milesians were too well pleased at having got quit of Aristagoras to be anxious to receive another tyrant into their country; besides which they had now tasted liberty。 They therefore opposed his return; and when he endeavoured to force an entrance during the night; one of the inhabitants even wounded him in the thigh。 Having been thus rejected from his country; he went back to Chios; whence; after failing in an attempt to induce the Chians to give him ships; he crossed over to Mytilene; where he succeeded in obtaining vessels from the Lesbians。 They fitted out a squadron of eight triremes; and sail