CHAPTER II.

THE BATTLE OF MYCALE.

On the same day on which the defeat at Platæa occurred, another happened to take place at Mycale in Ionia. For while the Greeks were stationed at Delos, there came to them as ambassadors from Samos, Lampon, Athenagoras, and Hegesistratus, being sent by the Samians, unknown to the Persians. When they came to the generals, Hegesistratus urged that "if only the Ionians should see them, they would revolt from the Persians, and that the barbarians would not withstand them; or, if they should withstand them, the Greeks would not find any other such booty." Invoking, too, their common gods, he besought them to deliver Grecian men from servitude, and to repel the barbarian; and he said, "that this would be easy for them to do, for their ships sailed badly, and were not fit to fight with them; and, if they suspected at all that they were leading them on deceitfully, they were themselves ready to go on board their ships as hostages." The Samian stranger was so earnest in his entreaties, that Leotychides asked: "O Samian friend, what is your name?" "Hegesistratus," he answered; upon which, interrupting the rest of his discourse, Leotychides exclaimed: "I accept the "Hegesistratus,"[30] my Samian friend; only do you take care that before you sail away both you yourself and those who are with you, pledge your faith that the Samians will be zealous allies to us." The Samians immediately pledged their faith and made oath of confederacy with the Greeks. The others sailed home, but he ordered Hegesistratus to sail with the fleet, regarding his name as an omen. The Greeks tarried that day, and on the next sacrificed auspiciously, Deiphonus, son of Evenius, of Apollonia in the Ionian gulf, acting as diviner.

The following incident befel his father, Evenius. There are in this Apollonia sheep sacred to the sun, which by day feed near the river that flows from Mount Lacmon through the Apollonian territory into the sea, near the port of Oricus; but by night, chosen men, the most eminent of the citizens for wealth and birth, keep watch over them, each for a year: for the Apollonians set a high value upon these sheep, in consequence of some oracle. They are folded in a cavern at a distance from the city. There, once on a time, Evenius, being chosen, kept watch, and one night when he had fallen asleep during his watch, wolves entered the cave, and destroyed about sixty of the sheep. When he discovered what had happened, he mentioned it to no one, purposing to buy others, and put them in their place. This occurrence, however, did not escape the notice of the Apollonians; and as soon as they discovered it, they brought him to trial, and gave sentence that, for having fallen asleep during his watch, he should be deprived of sight. But after they had blinded Evenius, from that time forward neither did their sheep multiply, nor did the land yield its usual fruit. An admonition was given them at Dodona and Delphi, when they inquired of the prophets the cause of the present calamities "that they had unjustly deprived Evenius, the keeper of the sacred sheep, of his sight; for they themselves had sent the wolves, and would not cease avenging him, until the people should give such satisfaction for what they had done, as he himself should choose, and think sufficient: then, the gods themselves would give such a present to Evenius, that most men would pronounce him happy, from possessing it." The Apollonians, keeping this answer secret, deputed some of their citizens to negociate the matter with Evenius. One day when he was seated on a bench, they went and sat down by him, and conversed on different subjects, till at length they began to commiserate his misfortune, and leading him artfully on, they asked, "what reparation he would choose, if the Apollonians were willing to give him satisfaction for what they had done." Not having heard of the oracle he made this choice, "if any one would give him the lands of certain citizens," naming those who he knew had the two best estates in Apollonia, "and besides these a house," which he knew was the handsomest in the city, he said, "he would thenceforth forego his anger, and this reparation would content him." Immediately taking him up they said, "the Apollonians make you this reparation for the loss of your eyes, in obedience to an oracle they have received." He thereupon was very indignant, on hearing the whole truth, for he had been deceived; but the Apollonians bought the property from the owners, and gave him what he had chosen, and immediately the gift of divination was implanted in him, so that he became very celebrated.

Deiphonus, the son of this Evenius, was brought by the Corinthians to officiate as diviner to the army.

The Greeks at length determined to sail to the continent: having therefore prepared boarding-ladders, and all other things that were necessary for a sea-fight, they sailed to Mycale. No one was seen near the camp, ready to meet them, but they beheld the ships drawn up within the fortification, and a numerous land-force disposed along the beach, thereupon Leotychides, advancing first in a ship, and nearing the beach as closely as possible, made proclamation by a herald to the Ionians, saying: "Men of Ionia, as many of you as hear me, attend to what I say; for the Persians will understand nothing of the advice I give you. When we engage, it behooves every one first of all to remember Liberty; and next the watch-word, Hebe; and let him who does not hear this, learn it from those who do hear." The meaning of this proceeding was the same as that of Themistocles at Artemisium; for either these words, being concealed from the barbarians, would induce the Ionians to revolt, or, if they should be reported to the barbarians, would make them distrustful of the Greeks. Then the Greeks put their ships to shore, landed on the beach, and drew up in order of battle. But when the Persians saw them preparing for action, and knew that they had admonished the Ionians, they suspected that the Samians favored the Greeks, and took away their arms.

Then the Greeks advanced toward the barbarians; and a rumor flew through the whole army that a herald's staff was seen lying on the beach and that the Greeks had fought and conquered the army of Mardonius in Bœotia. Thus the interposition of heaven is manifest by many plain signs; since on this same day on which the defeat at Platæa took place, and when that at Mycale was just about to happen, a rumor reached the Greeks in this latter place; so that the army was inspired with much greater courage, and was more eager to meet danger.

The Athenians, and those who were drawn up next to them, forming about half the army, had to advance along the shore over level ground; but the Lacedæmonians and their associates, along a ravine and some hills. So that whilst the Lacedæmonians were making a circuit, those in the other wing were already engaged. Now, so long as the bucklers of the Persians remained standing, they defended themselves strenuously, and had not the worst of the battle; but when the Athenians and their comrades mutually encouraged one another, in order that the victory might belong to them, and not to the Lacedæmonians, they flew with such vigor into the battle, that the face of affairs was immediately changed. They broke through the bucklers and fell in a body upon the Persians. They sustained the attack and defended themselves for a time but at last fled to the fortification. The Athenians, Corinthians, Sicyonians, and Trœzenians, drawn up in order together, following close upon them, rushed into the fortification at the same time. When the fortification was taken, the barbarians no longer thought of resisting, but all except the Persians betook themselves to flight; they, in small detachments, fought with the Greeks who were continually rushing within the fortification. And of the Persian generals, two made their escape, and two died. Artayntes and Ithramitres, commanders of the naval forces escaped; but Mardontes, and Tigranes, generals of the land army, died fighting. While the Persians were still fighting, the Lacedæmonians came up, and assisted in accomplishing the rest. Of the Greeks themselves many fell on this occasion, especially the Sicyonians, and their general Perilaus. The Samians, who were in the camp of the Medes and had been deprived of their arms, as soon as they saw the battle turning, did all they could, wishing to help the Greeks; and the rest of the Ionians, as the Samians led the way, fled from the Persians and attacked the barbarians. The Milesians had been appointed to guard the passes for the Persians so that in the event of failure they might have guides to conduct them to the heights of Mycale. They, however, did every thing contrary to what was ordered; guiding them in their flight by other ways which led to the enemy, and at last themselves assisted in slaying them. Thus Ionia revolted a second time from the Persians. In this battle of the Greeks, the Athenians most distinguished themselves. When they had killed most of the barbarians, some fighting and others flying, they brought out all the booty on the beach, including several chests of money, and burnt the ships and the whole fortification. Then they took into their alliance the Samians, Chians, Lesbians, and other islanders, who were then serving with the Greeks, bound them by pledges and oaths that they would remain firm and not revolt; then sailed to the Hellespont, and home.

SYNCHRONISTICAL TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN HERODOTUS.

GREEKS.

------------------------------------------------ _Peloponnesus._

------------------------------------------------ B.C. Rape of Io from Argos 1687 Pelops conq. the Pelopon 1362 Eurystheus conquered 1311 Rape of Helen 1290 Aristodemus conq. the Pelo. 1190

_Lacedæmon._ | _Corinth._ | Procles and Eurysthenes | Oligarchy of kings 1178 | Bacchiadæ. Theras col. Callista | Cypselus born 700 (Thera) 1150 | Lycurgus 884 | Seizes the Battus migrates | trannny 663 from Cal. and | Periander 633 founds Cyrene 632 | Banishes First war with | Lycophron 575 Tegea 620 | Sends 300 Ariston and | Corcyræan Anaxandrides, | boys to kings of Lacedæmon 574 | Alyattes 565 Ally with Crœsus 554 | Dies 563 | Miltiades, son Tegea taken 546 | of Cypselus, War with Argives | founds about Thyrea 545 | Chersonesus 560 Send troops ag't. | Polycrates 525 | Demaratus 520 | Stesagoras Cleomenes 515 | succeeds 531 Dorieus migrates | to Libya 515 | Miltiades, son of Cleo. violates the | Cimon, succeeds Argive grove 514 | 515 Cleomenes expels | Clisthenes | from Athens 508 | Takes Lemnos 510 Invades Attica 507 | Demaratus exiled 492 | Retires before the | Scythians 507 Leotychides king 492 | Cleomenes kills | Escapes from the himself 490 | Persians to Leonidas slain at | Imbros 497 Thermopylæ 480 | Pausanias wins | at Platæa 479 | At the battle Leotychides at | of Salamis 480 Mycale 479 |

---------------------------+------------------------- _Attica, Bœotia, | _Greeks in Asia Phocis, Ætolia, etc._ | and the Islands._ ---------------------------+------------------------- B.C. | B.C. Deucalion 1570 | Ion goes to Asia 1391 Cecrops 1550 | Erectheus 1510 | Æolian migrations Ion, son of Xuthus 1427 | under Orestes, Rape of Medea by the | Penthilus, and Argonauts 1349 | Echelatus 1210-1174 Theseus defeated | Eurystheus 1311 | Ionian migrations Decaleans give up | (driven from the Helen to the Tyndaridæ | Pelop. by the 1296 | Achæans) 1130 Pelasgians expelled | from Attica, conquer | Dorian migration Lemnos 1162 | Samians reach Codrus 1153 | Tartessus 640 Rape of Ath. women | Thrasybulus 625 from Brauron 1152 | Conquered by Alcmæon, the last | Crœsus Archon 683 | Conquered by Conspiracy of Ceylon 612 | Harpagus 542 Legislation of Solon 594 | Phocæans defeat Megacles mar. Clisthenes' | Carthaginians, daughter 570 | etc. Pisistratus, tyrant 561 | Found Hyela 535 Expelled 559 | Polycrates tyrant Re-established 555 | at Samos 532-523 Re-expelled 553 | Regains it 542 | Samians found Dies 528 | Cydonia 524 Hipparchus succeeds 528 | Syloson obtains Assassina. of Cimon 527 | Samos 512 Hipparchus assassinated | Ionians commence 514 | disturbances 504 Hippias succeeds 514 | Expelled 510 | Burn Sardis 503 Factions of Clisthenes | Joined by the and Isagoras 509 | Cyprians 502 Clisthenes expelled 508 | Miletus taken 498 Inv. of Cleomenes 507 | Aristagoras slain 498 Athenians defeat the | Bœotians, invade | Samians take Zancle 497 Eubœa, and conquer | Chios, Tenedos, the Chalcidians 506 | etc., taken by Miltiades gains the | the Persians 497 battle of Marathon 490 | Phocians defeat Dies 489 | Thessalians 482 Xerxes takes Athens 480 | Battle of Salamis 480 | Ionians join the Mardonius retakes | allies at Mycale 479 Athens 479 |

BARBARIANs

-------------------+---------------------+------------------- | | _Scythians _Phœnicians._ | _Egyptians._ | and | | Cimmerians._ -------------------+---------------------+------------------- | | Migrated | God-kings, | Cimmerians from the | 17570 | invade Erythræan | to | Asia, to | 15570. | but Phoenicia, | | expelled about | Menes | by the 2267. | to | Scythians | Mœris, | about Colonized | 2235 | 624. Thasos, | to | 1550. | 1416. | Scythians | | rule Founded | Sesostris | Upper Carthage, | to | Asia, 819. | Sethon, | 624 | 1416 | to Circumnavigate | to | 596. Libya, | 671. | 609. | | Invaded | Twelve kings | by | to | Darius, | Amasis | 508. | 671 | | to | Invade | 525. | the | | Chersonesus; | | Miltiades | | retires, | | 507.

-----------------------------------------+----------------- | _Assyrians and Babylonians._ | _Lydians._ | -----------------------------------------+----------------- B.C. | Empire 1221-711 | Atyadæ to Semiramis 747-733 | 1221. Medic revolt 711 | Heraclidæ | 1221-716. _Babylonia._ | _Media, etc._ | Gyges, 716. | | Ardys, 678. Nitocris, | Deioces, 700. | Cimmerians 604-561. | Div. the Medes. | take Sardis, Turns the | Phraortes, 647. | 634. Euphrates | Invades Assyria | Sadyattes, and improves | Perished before | 629. Babylon. | Nineveh. | Milesian war, | Cyaxares, 625. | 622-610. Labynetus | Conq. Assyria. | Alyattes, 617. (Belshazzar), | Besieges | Drove out son of | Nineveh, 603. | Cimmerians, Nitocris, | Scythian invasion, | 613. succeeds. | 624-596. | War with Arbitrates | Astyages, 585. | Cyaxares, 602. between | CYRUS born, | Crœsus, 560. Cyaxares | 571. | and | King in sport, | Conquers Alyattes. | 561. | Greeks. | | | | Visited by | | Solon. | _Persian Empire_ |

CYRUS, king 550.

Attacked by Crœsus. Conquers Lydia, and takes Sardis. Mazares punishes Lydian rebels. Harpagus takes Phocæa, conquers Ionia and Æolis.

Babylon taken by Cyrus, 536.

Massagetan expedition. Cyrus slain, 530.

CAMBYSES, 530-523. Conquers Egypt, 525. Unsuccessful expedition against the Ethiopians and Ammonians. Wounds Apis. Goes mad. Slays his brother Smerdis. Marries and kills his sister. Magian revolt. Dies, 523.

SMERDIS MAGUS, 523. Conspiracy of the Seven. Death of the Magi.

DARIUS, 522-485. Sends Democydes to spy Greece. Babylonian revolt. Babylon taken by Zopyrus, 516. Restores Syloson to Samos, 512. Barca conquered, 512. Invades Scythia, 508. Megabazus subdues Thrace. Otanes subdues Lemnos and Imbros. Disturbances in Ionia. Burning of Sardis, 503. Cyprians join the revolt, 502; conquered, 501. Miletus taken, 498. Pacification of Ionia, 497. Mardonius marches against Greece, 495. Wrecked at Athos. Darius sends to Greece for earth and water, 493. Expedition of Datis and Artaphernes, 492; enslave Naxos and Eretria, 490. Marathon, 490. Preparations for another invasion, 489. Egyptian revolt, 486.

XERXES, 485-479. Subdues Egypt, 484. Prepares for a Greek expedition. Leaves Susa, April, 481. Winters at Sardis. Battle of Thermopylæ, 480. Takes Athens, 480. Battle of Salamis, Sept., 480. Retires to Asia. Mardonius defeated at Platæa, and the Persian fleet at Mycale, the same day, Sept. 22, 479.

HERODOTEAN WEIGHTS AND MONEY, DRY AND LIQUID MEASURES, AND MEASUREMENTS OF LENGTH.

_Eubœic or Attic Silver Weights and Money._

WEIGHT (Avoirdupois). VALUE. lbs. oz. grs. 1 Obol — — 11.08 $.033 6 Obols 1 Drachma — — 66.5 .198 100 Drachmæ 1 Mina — 15 33.75 19.784 60 Minæ 1 Talent 56 15¼ 100.32 1187.00

_Æginetan Silver Weights and Money._

lbs. oz. grs. 1 Obol — — 16 $.04½ 6 Obols 1 Drachma — — 96 27.00 100 Drachmæ 1 Mina 1 5¾ 78.96 — 60 Minæ 1 Talent 82 3¾ 30.46 1620.00

The gold Stater of Crœsus and the gold Daric are each supposed to be worth about 20 Attic silver drachmæ, or about $4.00 in our money.

Herodotus makes the Babylonian Talent equal to 70 Eubœic Minæ, but Hussey calculates its weight at 71_lbs._ 1½_oz._ 69.45_grs._ If, however, these are reckoned by comparison with our gold money, they are worth much more.

_Attic Dry Measures._

Gallons. Quarts. 1 Chœnix — 1 48 Chœnices 1 Medimnus 12 — 1 Medimnus and } 3 Chœnices } 1 Persian Artaba 12 3

_Liquid Measures._

Gallons. Pints. 1 Chœnix — 1½ 48 Chœnices 1 Amphora 9 —

Hesychius considers the Aryster to be the same as the Cotyla, which Hussey calculates to hold half a pint.

_Measures of Length._

Miles. Yards. Feet. Inches. 1 Digit (finger's breadth) — — — .7584 4 Digits 1 Palm (hand-breadth) — — — 3.0336 3 Palms 1 Span — — — 9.1008 4 Palms 1 Foot — — 1 0.135 2 Spans or 6 Palms 1 Cubit — — 1 6.2016 1 Cubit and 6 Digits 1 Royal Cubit — — 1 8.4768 4 Cubits 1 Fathom (Orgya) — — 6 0.81 100 Feet or 16⅔ Orgyæ 1 Plethrum — 33 2 1.5 6 Plethra 1 Stadium — 202 0 9 30 Stadia 1 Persian Parasan 3 787 1 6 2 Parasangs 1 Schœnus 6½ 494 3 0

The Egyptian Cubit contained nearly 17¾ inches.

The Arura contained 21,904 square English feet, or a fraction over half an acre.

[30] Hegesistratus means "leader of an army."

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PLUTARCH FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. Selected and edited by Prof. John S. White. Quarto, with many illustrations $3 00.

This edition contains all the "Lives" and "Parallels" in Plutarch's own words, with such omissions only as were necessary to adapt them for young readers. There is also an Introduction and Life of Plutarch by the editor. As a standard work, adapted to both boys and girls, its wealth of anecdote and faithful portrayal of character render it peculiarly valuable.

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