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with the fight； and ofttimes cut the line of the enemy； until at last； after they had taken very many of their adversaries' ships； they ended by losing more than half of their own。 Hereupon； with the remainder of their vessels； the Chians fled away to their own country。 As for such of their ships as were damaged and disabled； these； being pursued by the enemy； made straight for Mycale； where the crews ran them ashore； and abandoning them began their march along the continent。 Happening in their way upon the territory of Ephesus； they essayed to cross it； but here a dire misfortune befell them。 It was night； and the Ephesian women chanced to be engaged in celebrating the Thesmophoria… the previous calamity of the Chians had not been heard of… so when the Ephesians saw their country invaded by an armed band； they made no question of the new…comers being robbers who purposed to carry off their women； and accordingly they marched out against them in full force； and slew them all。 Such were the misfortunes which befell them of Chios。 Dionysius； the Phocaean； when he perceived that all was lost； having first captured three ships from the enemy； himself took to flight。 He would not； however； return to Phocaea； which he well knew must fall again； like the rest of Ionia； under the Persian yoke； but straightway； as he was； he set sail for Phoenicia； and there sunk a number of merchantmen； and gained a great booty； after which he directed his course to Sicily； where he established himself as a corsair； and plundered the Carthaginians and Tyrrhenians； but did no harm to the Greeks。 The Persians； when they had vanquished the Ionians in the sea…fight； besieged Miletus both by land and sea； driving mines under the walls； and making use of every known device； until at length they took both the citadel and the town； six years from the time when the revolt first broke out under Aristagoras。 All the inhabitants of the city they reduced to slavery； and thus the event tallied with the announcement which had been made by the oracle。 For once upon a time； when the Argives had sent to Delphi to consult the god about the safety of their own city； a prophecy was given them； in which others besides themselves were interested； for while it bore in part upon the fortunes of Argos； it touched in a by…clause the fate of the men of Miletus。 I shall set down the portion which concerned the Argives when I come to that part of my History； mentioning at present only the passage in which the absent Milesians were spoken of。 This passage was as follows：…
Then shalt thou； Miletus； so oft the contriver of evil； Be； thyself； to many a least and an excellent booty： Then shall thy matrons wash the feet of long…haired masters… Others shall then possess our lov'd Didymian temple。
Such a fate now befell the Milesians； for the Persians； who wore their hair long； after killing most of the men； made the women and children slaves； and the sanctuary at Didyma； the oracle no less than the temple was plundered and burnt； of the riches whereof I have made frequent mention in other parts of my History。 Those of the Milesians whose lives were spared； being carried prisoners to Susa； received no ill treatment at the hands of King Darius； but were established by him in Ampe； a city on the shores of the Erythraean sea； near the spot where the Tigris flows into it。 Miletus itself； and the plain about the city； were kept by the Persians for themselves； while the hill…country was assigned to the Carians of Pedasus。 And now the Sybarites； who after the loss of their city occupied Laus and Scidrus； failed duly to return the former kindness of the Milesians。 For these last； when Sybaris was taken by the Crotoniats； made a great mourning； all of them； youths as well as men； shaving their heads； since Miletus and Sybaris were； of all the cities whereof we have any knowledge； the two most closely united to one another。 The Athenians； on the other hand； showed themselves beyond measure afflicted at the fall of Miletus； in many ways expressing their sympathy； and especially by their treatment of Phrynichus。 For when this poet brought out upon the stage his drama of the Capture of Miletus； the whole theatre burst into tears； and the people sentenced him to pay a fine of a thousand drachms； for recalling to them their own misfortunes。 They likewise made a law that no one should ever again exhibit that piece。 Thus was Miletus bereft of its inhabitants。 In Samos the people of the richer sort were much displeased with the doings of the captains； and the dealings they had had the Medes； they therefore held a council； very shortly after the sea…fight； and resolved that they would not remain to become the slaves of Aeaces and the Persians； but before the tyrant set foot in their country； would sail away and found a colony in another land。 Now it chanced that about this time the Zanclaeans of Sicily had sent ambassadors to the Ionians； and invited them to Kale…Acte where they wished an Ionian city to be founded。 This place； Kale…Acte （or the Fair Strand） as it is called； is in the country of the Sicilians； and is situated in the part of Sicily which looks towards Tyrrhenia。 The offer thus made to all the Ionians was embraced only by the Samians； and by such of the Milesians as had contrived to effect their escape。 Hereupon this is what ensued。 The Samians on their voyage reached the country of the Epizephyrian Locrians； at a time when the Zanclaeans and their king Scythas were engaged in the siege of a Sicilian town which they hoped to take。 Anaxilaus； tyrant of Rhegium； who was on ill terms with the Zanclaeans knowing how matters stood； made application to the Samians； and persuaded them to give up the thought of Kale…Acte the place to which they were bound； and to seize Zancle itself； which was left without men。 The Samians followed this counsel and possessed themselves of the town； which the Zanclaeans no sooner heard than they hurried to the rescue； calling to their aid Hippocrates； tyrant of Gela； who was one of their allies。 Hippocrates came with his army to their assistance； but on his arrival he seized Scythas； the Zanclaean king； who had just lost his city； and sent him away in chains； together with his brother Pythogenes； to the town of Inycus； after which he came to an understanding with the Samians； exchanged oaths with them； and agreed to betray the people of Zancle。 The reward of his treachery was to be one…half of the goods and chattels； including slaves； which the town contained； and all that he could find in the open country。 Upon this Hippocrates seized and bound the greater number of the Zanclaeans as slaves； delivering； however； into the hands of the Samians three hundred of the principal citizens； to be slaughtered； but the Samians spared the lives of these persons。 Scythas； the king of the Zanclaeans； made his escape from Inycus； and fled to Himera； whence he passed into Asia； and went up to the court of Darius。 Darius thought him the most upright of all the Greeks to whom he afforded a refuge； for with the king's leave he paid a visit to Sicily； and thence returned back to Persia； where he lived in great comfort； and died by a natural death at an advanced age。 Thus did the Samians escape the yoke of the Medes； and possess themselves without any trouble of Zancle； a most beautiful city。 At Samos itself the Phoenicians； after the fight which had Miletus for its prize was over； re…established Aeaces； the son of Syloson； upon his throne。 This they did by the command of the Persians； who looked upon Aeaces as one who had rendered them a high service and therefore deserved well at their hands。 They likewise spared the Samians； on account of the desertion of their vessels； and did not burn either their city or their temples； as they did those of the other rebels。 Immediately after the fall of Miletus the Persians recovered Caria； bringing some of the cities over by force； while others submitted of their own accord。 Meanwhile tidings of what had befallen Miletus reached Histiaeus the Milesian； who was still at Byzantium； employed in intercepting the Ionian merchantmen as they issued from the Euxine。 Histiaeus had no sooner heard the news than he gave the Hellespont in charge to Bisaltes； son of Apollophanes； a native of Abydos； and himself； at the head of his Lesbians； set sail for Chios。 One of the Chian garrisons which opposed him he engaged at a place called 〃The Hollows；〃 situated in the Chian territory； and of these he slaughtered a vast number； afterwards； by the help of his Lesbians； he reduced all the rest of the Chians； who were weakened by their losses in the sea…fight； Polichne； a city of Chios； serving him as head…quarters。 It mostly happens that there is some warning when great misfortunes are about to befall a state or nation； and so it was in this instance； for the Chians had previously had some strange tokens sent to them。 A choir of a hundred of their youths had been despatched to Delphi； and of these only two had returned； the remaining ninety…eight having been carried off by a pestilence。 Likewise； about the same time； and very shortly before the sea…fight； the roof of a school…house had fallen in upon a number o