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48. The Corinthians readily assisted in abetting the expedition against Samos; because an injury had been also done to them by the Samians in the age preceding this expedition, done about the same time as the seizure of the bowl. For Periander, son of Cypselus, had sent three hundred youths, of the noblest families of the Corcyræans, to Alyattes at Sardis, for the purpose of emasculation; but when the Corinthians who were conducting the youths touched at Samos, the Samians, having ascertained for what purpose they were being conducted to Sardis, first of all instructed the youths to touch the temple of Diana, and afterwards would not suffer the Corinthians to remove the suppliants from the sanctuary; and when the Corinthians denied the youths any sustenance, the Samians instituted a festival, which they still observe in the same way. For when night came on, as long as the youths continued suppliants, they instituted choruses of virgins and young men, and made a law that they should carry cakes of sesame and honey, in order that the Corcyræan youths might seize them and have food. This was continued until the Corinthians, who had charge of the youths, went away and left them; then the Samians sent home the youths to Corcyra. 49. Now if, after the death of Periander, the Corinthians had been on friendly terms with the Corcyræans, they would not have assisted in the expedition against Samos for the above-mentioned cause: but in fact, from the first colonization of the island, they have always been at variance with one another for this reason, therefore, the Corinthians remembered their grudge against the Samians. But Periander had selected the sons of the Corcyræan nobles, and sent them to Sardis to be emasculated, in revenge of an insult offered him; for the Corcyræans had first committed an outrageous deed against him. 50. When Periander had killed his own wife Melissa, it happened that another calamity succeeded the former. He had two sons by Melissa, one seventeen, the other eighteen years of age. These their maternal grandfather, Procles, who was tyrant of Epidaurus, sent for, and treated affectionately, as was natural, they being the sons of his own daughter. But when he sent them home, as he escorted them on their way, he said, "Do you know, my sons, who killed your mother?" The elder of them took no notice of these words; but the younger, whose name was Lycophron, when he heard it, was so grieved at hearing

this, that on his return at Corinth, he neither addressed his father, regarding him as the murderer of his mother, nor entered into conversation with him, nor answered a word to his questions. At last Periander, being exceedingly angry, drove him from the palace. 51. Having driven him out, he inquired of the elder one what their grandfather had said to them. He related to him how kindly he had received them; but he did not mention the words Procles said as he was escorting them, for he had paid no attention to them. But Periander affirmed that it was impossible but that he had suggested something to them; and he persevered in his inquiries, till the young man recovered his memory, and mentioned this also. Periander, reflecting on this, and resolving not to show any indulgence, sent a messenger to the persons by whom the son who was driven out was entertained, and forbade them to receive him in their houses. But he, when being driven out from one house he came to another, was driven from this also, since Periander threatened all that received him, and required them to expel him. Being thus driven about, he went to some other of his friends; and they, though in dread, yet received him as the son of Periander. 52. At last Periander made a proclamation, that whoever should either receive him in his house, or converse with him, should pay a sacred fine to Apollo, mentioning the amount. In consequence of this proclamation, therefore, no one would either converse with him, or receive him into their houses; besides he himself did not think it right to attempt what was forbidden, but persisting in his purpose strayed among the porticoes. On the fourth day Periander, seeing him reduced to a state of filth and starvation, felt compassion, and relaxing his anger approached him, and said, "My son, which of these is preferable, your present mode of life, or by accommodating yourself to your father's wishes, to succeed to the power and riches which I now possess? You, who are my son, and a prince of wealthy Corinth, have chosen a vagabond life, by opposing and showing anger towards him, whom, least of all, you ought so to treat. For if any calamity has occurred in our family on account of which you have conceived any suspicion of me, it has fallen upon me, and I bear the chief burden of it, inasmuch as I murdered her. Do you, therefore, having learnt how much better it is to be envied than pitied, and at the same time what it is to be angry with parents

and superiors, return to your home." With these words Periander endeavoured to restrain him. He, however, gave his father no other answer, but said, that he had made himself liable to pay the sacred fine to the god, by having spoken to him. Periander therefore perceiving that the distemper of his son was impracticable and invincible, put him on board a ship, and sent him out of his sight to Corcyra, for he was also master of that island. Periander having sent him away, made war on his father-in-law, Procles, as being the principal author of the present troubles; and he took Epidaurus, and took Procles himself and kept him prisoner. 53. But when, in lapse of time, Periander grew old, and became conscious that he was no longer able to superintend and manage public affairs, having sent to Corcyra, he recalled Lycophron to assume the government, for he did not perceive in his eldest son any capacity for government,2 but he appeared to him dull of intellect. But Lycophron did not deign to give an answer to the bearer of the message. Nevertheless Periander, having a strong affection for the youth, next sent to him his sister, who was his own daughter, thinking she would be most likely to persuade him. On her arrival she thus addressed him : 66 Brother, would you that the government should pass to others, and that your father's family should be utterly destroyed, rather than yourself return and possess it? Come home, then, and cease to punish yourself. Obstinacy is a sorry possession: think not to cure one evil by another. Many have preferred equity to strict justice; and many, ere this, in seeking their mother's rights have lost their father's inheritance. A kingdom is an uncertain possession, and many are suitors for it. He is now old, and past the vigour of life. Do not give your own to others." Thus she, having been instructed by her father, said what was most likely to persuade him. But he in answer said, that he would never return to Corinth so long as he should hear his father was living. When she brought back this answer, Periander sent a third time by a herald to say, that he himself intended to go to Corcyra; and urged him to return to Corinth and become his successor in the kingdom. The son consenting to this proposal, Periander prepared to set out for Corcyra, and his son for Corinth; but

2 After ἐνεώρα, τὸ εἶναι δυνατὸν τὰ πράγματα διέπειν, must be supplied to complete the sentence.

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the Corcyræans being informed of each particular, in order that Periander might not come to their country, killed the young man and in return for this, Periander took vengeance on the Corcyræans.

54. The Lacedæmonians, arriving with a great armament, besieged Samos, and having attacked the fortifications, they had passed beyond the tower that faced the sea near the suburbs ; but afterwards, when Polycrates himself advanced with a large force, they were driven back. Immediately after, the auxiliaries and many of the Samians poured down from the upper tower, which stands on the ridge of the mountain; and having withstood the Lacedæmonians for a short time, they fled back again, and the enemy pursued them with great slaughter. 55. Now, if all the Lacedæmonians who were present on that day had behaved as well as Archias and Lycopas, Samos would have been taken. For Archias and Lycopas alone rushing on with the Samians as they fled to the wall, and being shut out from retreat, died in the city of the Samians. Another Archias, the son of Samius, son of Archias, the third in descent from this Archias, I myself met with in Pitane, for he was of that tribe. He esteemed the Samians above all other strangers, and said, that the surname of Samian was given to his father, because he was son to that Archias who fell so gloriously at Samos; and he said that he honoured the Samians, because his grandfather had been buried by them at the public charge. 56. The Lacedæmonians, after forty days had been spent in besieging Samos, finding their affairs were not at all advanced, returned to Peloponnesus; though a groundless report has gone abroad, for it is said that Polycrates, having coined a large quantity of the country money in lead, had it gilt and gave it to them; and that they, having received it, thereupon took their departure. This was the first expedition that the Lacedæmonian Dorians undertook against Asia.

57. Those of the Samians who had fomented the war against Polycrates, when the Lacedæmonians were about to abandon them, set sail for Siphnus, for they were in want of money. The affairs of the Siphnians were at that time in a flourishing condition, and they were the richest of all the islanders, having in the island gold and silver mines, so that from the tenth of the money accruing from thence, a treasure

is laid up at Delphi equal to the richest; and they used every year to divide the riches that accrued from the mines. When, therefore, they established this treasure, they consulted the oracle, whether their present prosperity should continue with them for a long time; but the Pythian answered as follows: "When the Prytaneum in Siphnus shall be white, and the market white-fronted, then there is need of a prudent man to guard against a wooden ambush and a crimson herald.❞ The market and Prytaneum of the Siphnians were then adorned with Parian marble. 58. This response they were unable to comprehend, either then on the moment, or when the Samians arrived. For as soon as the Samians reached Siphnus, they sent one of their ships conveying ambassadors to the city. Formerly, all ships were painted red. And this it was that the Pythian forewarned the Siphnians, bidding them beware of a wooden ambush and a crimson herald. These ambassadors then, having arrived, requested the Siphnians to lend them ten talents; but when the Siphnians refused the loan, the Samians ravaged their territory. But the Siphnians having heard of it, came out to protect their property, and having engaged were beaten, and many of them were cut off from the city by the Samians; and they afterwards exacted from them a hundred talents. 59. From the Hermionians they received an island instead of money, Thyrea, near Peloponnesus, and gave it in charge to the Trazenians; and they themselves founded Cydonia in Crete; though they did not sail thither for that purpose, but to expel the Zacynthians from the island. They continued in this settlement, and were prosperous for five years; so much so that these are the people who erected the sacred precincts that are now in Cydonia, and the temple of Dictynna. But in the sixth year the Æginetæ, having vanquished them in a sea-fight, reduced them to slavery, together with the Cretans; and they cut off the prows of their ships, which represented the figure of a boar, and dedicated them in the temple of Minerva, in Ægina. The Æginetæ did this on account of a grudge they bore the Samians; for former Samians, when Amphicrates reigned in Samos, having made war against Ægina, did the Æginetæ much mischief, and suffered in return. This, then, was the cause.

60. I have dwelt longer on the affairs of the Samians, because they have three works the greatest that have been ac

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