procured by Polycrates's coining a great Quantity of Leaden Money, which he covered over with Gold, and diftributed among the Enemy's Officers. Some time after, Orates the King of Perfia's Vice-Roy at Sardes, and Succeffor of Harpagus in that Government, finding himself reproached at Court, for that he had not yet annexed Samos to the King's Dominions, which lay fo near to his Province, and fo eafy, as his Enemies alledged, to be reduced, did by all means compals the Destruction of Polycrates, and became the Inftrument of an unfortunate End to him whom Amafis had fo violently fufpected. This Orates knowing Polycrates's Ambition Is circumvento become Mafter of Ionia, and the Islands, he fent to acquaint him that he was not ignorant of the commendable Ambition he had to poffefs himself of thofe Provinces he fo well deferved; but that hearing he had a prefent Occafion of a Supply of Money, and knowing that his own Destruction was determined by his Master Cambyfes, if he would receive him into his Protection, he fhould have half of the King's Treafure which he had in Poffeffion, whereby he might not only attain his Ends in Asia, but even the Sovereignty of all Greece.

ted by Oro

tes,

Polycrates with great Joy received the Meffage, being very avaritious; and to make fure Work of it, firft fent over Maandrius his Secretary. Orates knowing him to be a cunning and circumfpect Man, filled feveral Chefts with Stones, and covering them at the top with Gold, thereby deceived him. Polycrates was diffuaded by all his Friends from going over, notwithstanding which, and many Omens and Prefages of ill Succefs, he embarked with a flender Retinue to fecure this Treafure, and going up the River Maander as far as Magnefia, was there feized by Orates, and nailed to and crucified. a Crofs.

duces thePhœ

As for Cambyfes, tho' he did not himself do any thing very remarkable at Sea, yet was he the occafion of that great Acceffion of Naval Power to the fucceeding Kings of Perfia, which enabled them to give fo much Disturbance to the Grecian Affairs. In his beforemention'd Expedition to Egypt, he by the way reduced to his O- Cambyfes rebedience the Phænicians, to long celebrated for their Naval Strength nicians, . and Knowledge; and having subdued Egypt, was defirous to add Carthage to his Empire, giving it in charge to the Phenicians to conquer that City: But they defired to be excufed from embruing their Hands in the Blood of their own Relations, it being a Colony of theirs who first founded that City, as well as many others both within and without the Mediterranean, as we have mentioned in the firft Book. From the Account there given of thefe People, we fhall not at all wonder that, chiefly in Confidence of their great Abilities at Sea, the Kings of Perfia ventured to wage a Naval War with Greece, then near arrived to her most flourishing Condition.

СНАР.

Perfians war against the Grecians.

Sub Anno

Mundi 3400.
Ariftagoras
deferts the
Perfians,

menes.

CHA P. II.

Of the Naval Wars of the Grecians, from the breaking
out of the Perfian War, to the Defeat of the Perfians,
and the burning their Fleet at the Promontory Mycale.

TH

HIS War was principally occafioned by the Athenians, who now first began to be Masters of a Naval Force. About this time Ariftagoras, Tyrant. of Miletus in Ionia, having abdicated his Government, on account of fome Mismanagements for which he feared to be expelled by the Perfians, he withdrew to Sparta, and reprefented to Cleomenes, then reigning there, the Hardships of Miletus and the other Colonies of Ionia, which groan'd under the Perfian Yoak. The great Courage and Power of the Grecians he artificially fet off to be yet much greater than it was, at the fame time expreffing himself very contemptibly of the Perfian Strength, and fhewing how eafy a Task it would be for Greece, but more efpeciflies to Cleo- ally the Spartans, to drive out of the Leffer Afia fo weak an Enemy, who, in comparison of them, were totally ignorant of the Art of War. But Cleomenes was too wife a Prince to hearken to these Delusions of an Exile, and engage in fo hazardous and unneceffary a War; who defpairing of Succels at Sparta, repaired to Athens to involve that City in his Misfortunes. On his Arrival there, an Affembly of the People being called, he made ufe of the fame Arguments as he had to Cleomenes, adding further, how reasonably the Ionians might expect Affistance from Greece in general, but most of all from the Athenians, as being their particular Colony. Scarce had he ended his Speech, but they decreed War against Persia, and immediately fitted out a Fleet of twenty Sail for fonia, where landing their Troops, they marched a few Miles up into the Countrey, and burn Sar- and furprized and burnt Sardes the Capital of Lydia. The News whereof coming to Darius, then keeping his Court at Sufa, he made a folemn Vow to be revenged on them, and ordered one of his Attendants who ftood by, every time he fat down at Table, to cry out, Sir, remember the Athenians. Nor were his Threats in vain, for foon after, with a great Fleet, of which the Phenicians made up the best part, he prefently reduced, as it were on his way, Lesbos, Chios, and other Islands of the Egean, who foon rifing in Rebellion, as ufually newly conquered Countries do, there enfued that memorable Fight between the Perfians and Iflanders at Lada, which was the most confiderable that had been hitherto fought at Sea, from the beginning of the World to this time. Lada was a fmall Island lying off Miletus: Near this the two Fleets came to an Engagement, that of the Ionians confifting of three hundred Gallies, and the Perfians of double the Number. The Battel was fought with great Courage and Refolution on both fides; on the one for Glory and Honour, on the other for their Lives and Liberties;

Athens de

clares War a

gainst the Per

fians,

des.

The Sea-Fight off Lada.

4

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