THE STORY OF HISTIAEUS.
B.C. 504
Histiaeus at the bridge on the Danube.--Darius's anxiety.--Darius's
gratitude.--Scythia abandoned.--Darius sends for Histiaeus.--Petition
of Histiaeus.--Histiaeus organizes a colony.--The Paeonians.--Baseness
of the Paeonian chiefs.--Their stratagem.--The Paeonian
maiden.--Multiplicity of her avocations.--Darius and the maiden.--He
determines to make the Paeonians slaves.--Capture of the
Paeonians.--Megabyzus discovers Histiaeus's city.--Histiaeus
sent for.--Darius revokes his gift.--Histiaeus goes to
Susa.--Artaphernes.--Island of Naxos.--Civil war there.--Action of
Aristagoras.--Co-operation of Artaphernes.--Darius consulted.--His
approval.--Preparations.--Sailing of the expedition.--Plan of the
commander.--Difficulty in the fleet.--Cruel discipline.--Dissension
between the commanders.--The expedition fails.--Chagrin of
Aristagoras.--He resolves to revolt.--Position of Histiaeus.--His
uneasiness.--Singular mode of communication.--Its success.--Revolt
of Aristagoras.--Feigned indignation of Histiaeus.--The Ionian
rebellion.--Its failure.--Death of Histiaeus.
The nature of the government which was exercised in ancient times by a
royal despot like Darius, and the character of the measures and
management to which he was accustomed to resort to gain his political
ends, are, in many points, very strikingly illustrated by the story of
Histiaeus.
Histiaeus was the Ionian chieftain who had been left in charge of the
bridge of boats across the Danube when Darius made his incursion into
Scythia. When, on the failure of the expedition, Darius returned to
the river, knowing, as he did, that the two months had expired, he
naturally felt a considerable degree of solicitude lest he should find
the bridge broken up and the vessels gone, in which case his situation
would be very desperate, hemmed in, as he would have been, between the
Scythians and the river. His anxiety was changed into terror when his
advanced guard arrived at the bank and found that no signs of the
bridge were to be seen. It is easy to imagine what, under these
circumstances, must have been the relief and joy of all the army, when
they heard friendly answers to their shouts, coming, through the
darkness of the night, over the waters of the river, assuring them
that their faithful allies were still at their posts, and that they
themselves would soon be in safety.
Darius, though he was governed by no firm and steady principles of
justice, was still a man of many generous impulses. He was grateful
for favors, though somewhat capricious in his modes of requiting them.
He declared to Histiaeus that he felt under infinite obligations to him
for his persevering fidelity, and that, as soon as the army should
have safely arrived in Asia, he would confer upon him such rewards as
would evince the reality of his gratitude.
On his return from Scythia, Darius brought back the whole of his army
over the Danube, thus abandoning entirely the country of the
Scythians; but he did not transport the whole body across the
Bosporus. He left a considerable detachment of troops, under the
command of one of his generals, named Megabyzus, in Thrace, on the
European side, ordering Megabyzus to establish himself there, and to
reduce all the countries in that neighborhood to his sway. Darius
then proceeded to Sardis, which was the most powerful and wealthy of
his capitals in that quarter of the world. At Sardis, he was, as it
were, at home again, and he accordingly took an early opportunity to
send for Histiaeus, as well as some others who had rendered him special
services in his late campaign, in order that he might agree with them
in respect to their reward. He asked Histiaeus what favor he wished to
receive.
Histiaeus replied that he was satisfied, on the whole, with the
position which he already enjoyed, which was that of king or governor
of Miletus, an Ionian city, south of Sardis, and on the shores of the
AEgean Sea.[I] He should be pleased, however, he said, if the king
would assign him a certain small territory in Thrace, or, rather, on
the borders between Thrace and Macedonia, near the mouth of the River
Strymon. He wished to build a city there. The king immediately granted
this request, which was obviously very moderate and reasonable. He did
not, perhaps, consider that this territory, being in Thrace, or in its
immediate vicinity, came within the jurisdiction of Megabyzus, whom
he had left in command there, and that the grant might lead to some
conflict between the two generals. There was special danger of
jealousy and disagreement between them, for Megabyzus was a Persian,
and Histiaeus was a Greek.
[Footnote I: For these places, see the map at the commencement of the
next chapter.]
Histiaeus organized a colony, and, leaving a temporary and provisional
government at Miletus, he proceeded along the shores of the AEgean Sea
to the spot assigned him, and began to build his city. As the locality
was beyond the Thracian frontier, and at a considerable distance from
the head-quarters of Megabyzus, it is very probable that the
operations of Histiaeus would not have attracted the Persian general's
attention for a considerable time, had it not been for a very
extraordinary and peculiar train of circumstances, which led him to
discover them. The circumstances were these:
There was a nation or tribe called the Paeonians, who inhabited the
valley of the Strymon, which river came down from the interior of the
country, and fell into the sea near the place where Histiaeus was
building his city. Among the Paeonian chieftains there were two who
wished to obtain the government of the country, but they were not
quite strong enough to effect their object. In order to weaken the
force which was opposed to them, they conceived the base design of
betraying their tribe to Darius, and inducing him to make them
captives. If their plan should succeed, a considerable portion of the
population would be taken away, and they could easily, they supposed,
obtain ascendency over the rest. In order to call the attention of
Darius to the subject, and induce him to act as they desired, they
resorted to the following stratagem. Their object seems to have been
to lead Darius to undertake a campaign against their countrymen, by
showing him what excellent and valuable slaves they would make.
These two chieftains were brothers, and they had a very beautiful
sister; her form was graceful and elegant, and her countenance lovely.
They brought this sister with them to Sardis when Darius was there.
They dressed and decorated her in a very careful manner, but yet in a
style appropriate to the condition of a servant; and then, one day,
when the king was sitting in some public place in the city, as was
customary with Oriental sovereigns, they sent her to pass along the
street before him, equipped in such a manner as to show that she was
engaged in servile occupations. She had a jar, such as was then used
for carrying water, poised upon her head, and she was leading a horse
by means of a bridle hung over her arm. Her hands, being thus not
required either for the horse or for the vessel, were employed in
spinning, as she walked along, by means of a distaff and spindle.
The attention of Darius was strongly attracted to the spectacle. The
beauty of the maiden, the novelty and strangeness of her costume, the
multiplicity of her avocations, and the ease and grace with which she
performed them, all conspired to awaken the monarch's curiosity. He
directed one of his attendants to follow her and see where she should
go. The attendant did so. The girl went to the river. She watered her
horse, filled her jar and placed it on her head, and then, hanging the
bridle on her arm again, she returned through the same streets, and
passed the king's palace as before, spinning as she walked along.
The interest and curiosity of the king was excited more than ever by
the reappearance of the girl and by the report of his messenger. He
directed that she should be stopped and brought into his presence. She
came; and her brothers, who had been watching the whole scene from a
convenient spot near at hand, joined her and came too. The king asked
them who they were. They replied that they were Paeonians. He wished to
know where they lived. "On the banks of the River Strymon," they
replied, "near the confines of Thrace." He next asked whether all the
women of their country were accustomed to labor, and were as
ingenious, and dexterous, and beautiful as their sister. The brothers
replied that they were.
Darius immediately determined to make the whole people slaves. He
accordingly dispatched a courier with the orders. The courier crossed
the Hellespont, and proceeded to the encampment of Megabyzus in
Thrace. He delivered his dispatches to the Persian general, commanding
him to proceed immediately to Paeonia, and there to take the whole
community prisoners, and bring them to Darius in Sardis. Megabyzus,
until this time, had known nothing of the people whom he was thus
commanded to seize. He, however, found some Thracian guides who
undertook to conduct him to their territory; and then, taking with him
a sufficient force, he set out on the expedition. The Paeonians heard
of his approach. Some prepared to defend themselves; others fled to
the mountains. The fugitives escaped, but those who attempted to
resist were taken. Megabyzus collected the unfortunate captives,
together with their wives and children, and brought them down to the
coast to embark them for Sardis. In doing this, he had occasion to
pass by the spot where Histiaeus was building his city, and it was
then, for the first time, that Megabyzus became acquainted with the
plan. Histiaeus was building a wall to defend his little territory on
the side of the land. Ships and galleys were going and coming on the
side of the sea. Every thing indicated that the work was rapidly and
prosperously advancing.
Megabyzus did not interfere with the work; but, as soon as he arrived
at Sardis with his captives, and had delivered them to the king, he
introduced the subject of Histiaeus's city, and represented to Darius
that it would be dangerous to the Persian interests to allow such an
enterprise to go on. "He will establish a strong post there," said
Megabyzus, "by means of which he will exercise a great ascendency over
all the neighboring seas. The place is admirably situated for a naval
station, as the country in the vicinity abounds with all the materials
for building and equipping ships. There are also mines of silver in
the mountains near, from which he will obtain a great supply of
treasure. By these means he will become so strong in a short period of
time, that, after you have returned to Asia, he will revolt from your
authority, carrying with him, perhaps, in his rebellion, all the
Greeks of Asia Minor."
The king said that he was sorry that he had made the grant, and that
he would revoke it without delay.
Megabyzus recommended that the king should not do this in an open or
violent manner, but that he should contrive some way to arrest the
progress of the undertaking without any appearance of suspicion or
displeasure.
Darius accordingly sent for Histiaeus to come to him at Sardis, saying
that there was a service of great importance on which he wished to
employ him. Histiaeus, of course, obeyed such a summons with eager
alacrity. When he arrived, Darius expressed great pleasure at seeing
him once more, and said that he had constant need of his presence and
his counsels. He valued, above all price, the services of so faithful
a friend, and so sagacious and trusty an adviser. He was now, he said,
going to Susa, and he wished Histiaeus to accompany him as his privy
counselor and confidential friend. It would be necessary, Darius
added, that he should give up his government of Miletus, and also the
city in Thrace which he had begun to build; but he should be exalted
to higher honors and dignities at Susa in their stead. He should have
apartments in the king's palace, and live in great luxury and
splendor.
Histiaeus was extremely disappointed and chagrined at this
announcement. He was obliged, however, to conceal his vexation and
submit to his fate. In a few days after this, he set out, with the
rest of Darius's court, for the Persian capital, leaving a nephew,
whose name was Aristagoras, as governor of Miletus in his stead.
Darius, on the other hand, committed the general charge of the whole
coast of Asia Minor to Artaphernes, one of his generals. Artaphernes
was to make Sardis his capital. He had not only the general command of
all the provinces extending along the shore, but also of all the
ships, and galleys, and other naval armaments which belonged to Darius
on the neighboring seas. Aristagoras, as governor of Miletus, was
under his general jurisdiction. The two officers were, moreover,
excellent friends. Aristagoras was, of course, a Greek, and
Artaphernes a Persian.
Among the Greek islands situated in the AEgean Sea, one of the most
wealthy, important, and powerful at that time, was Naxos. It was
situated in the southern part of the sea, and about midway between the
shores of Asia Minor and Greece. It happened that, soon after Darius
had returned from Asia Minor to Persia, a civil war broke out in that
island, in which the common people were on one side and the nobles on
the other. The nobles were overcome in the contest, and fled from the
island. A party of them landed at Miletus, and called upon Aristagoras
to aid them in regaining possession of the island.
Aristagoras replied that he would very gladly do it if he had the
power, but that the Persian forces on the whole coast, both naval and
military, were under the command of Artaphernes at Sardis. He said,
however, that he was on very friendly terms with Artaphernes, and that
he would, if the Naxians desired it, apply to him for his aid. The
Naxians seemed very grateful for the interest which Aristagoras took
in their cause, and said that they would commit the whole affair to
his charge.
There was, however, much less occasion for gratitude than there
seemed, for Aristagoras was very far from being honest and sincere in
his offers of aid. He perceived, immediately on hearing the fugitives'
story, that a very favorable opportunity was opening for him to add
Naxos, and perhaps even the neighboring islands, to his own
government. It is always a favorable opportunity to subjugate a people
when their power of defense and of resistance is neutralized by
dissensions with one another. It is a device as old as the history of
mankind, and one resorted to now as often as ever, for ambitious
neighbors to interpose in behalf of the weaker party, in a civil war
waged in a country which they wish to make their own, and, beginning
with a war against a part, to end by subjugating the whole. This was
Aristagoras's plan. He proposed it to Artaphernes, representing to him
that a very favorable occasion had occurred for bringing the Greek
islands of the AEgean Sea under the Persian dominion. Naxos once
possessed, all the other islands around it would follow, he said, and
a hundred ships would make the conquest sure.
Artaphernes entered very readily and very warmly into the plan. He
said that he would furnish two hundred instead of one hundred
galleys. He thought it was necessary, however, first to consult
Darius, since the affair was one of such importance; and besides, it
was not best to commence the undertaking until the spring. He would
immediately send a messenger to Darius to ascertain his pleasure, and,
in the mean time, as he did not doubt that Darius would fully approve
of the plan, he would have all necessary preparations made, so that
every thing should be in readiness as soon as the proper season for
active operations should arrive.
Artaphernes was right in anticipating his brother's approval of the
design. The messenger returned from Susa with full authority from the
king for the execution of the project. The ships were built and
equipped, and every thing was made ready for the expedition. The
intended destination of the armament was, however, kept a profound
secret, as the invaders wished to surprise the people of Naxos when
off their guard. Aristagoras was to accompany the expedition as its
general leader, while an officer named Megabates, appointed by
Artaphernes for this purpose, was to take command of the fleet as a
sort of admiral. Thus there were two commanders--an arrangement which
almost always, in such cases, leads to a quarrel. It is a maxim in war
that _one_ bad general is better than two good ones.
The expedition sailed from Miletus; and, in order to prevent the
people of Naxos from being apprised of their danger, the report had
been circulated that its destination was to be the Hellespont.
Accordingly, when the fleet sailed, it turned its course to the
northward, as if it were really going to the Hellespont. The plan of
the commander was to stop after proceeding a short distance, and then
to seize the first opportunity afforded by a wind from the north to
come down suddenly upon Naxos, before the population should have time
to prepare for defense. Accordingly, when they arrived opposite the
island of Chios, the whole fleet came to anchor near the land. The
ships were all ordered to be ready, at a moment's warning, for setting
sail; and, thus situated, the commanders were waiting for the wind to
change.
Megabates, in going his rounds among the fleet while things were in
this condition, found one vessel entirely abandoned. The captain and
crew had all left it, and had gone ashore. They were not aware,
probably, how urgent was the necessity that they should be every
moment at their posts. The captain of this galley was a native of a
small town called Cnydus, and, as it happened, was a particular friend
of Aristagoras. His name was Syclax. Megabates, as the commander of
the fleet, was very much incensed at finding one of his subordinate
officers so derelict in duty. He sent his guards in pursuit of him;
and when Syclax was brought to his ship, Megabates ordered his head to
be thrust out through one of the small port-holes intended for the
oars, in the side of the ship, and then bound him in that
position--his head appearing thus to view, in the sight of all the
fleet, while his body remained within the vessel. "I am going to keep
him at his post," said Megabates, "and in such a way that every one
can _see_ that he is there."
Aristagoras was much distressed at seeing his friend suffering so
severe and disgraceful a punishment. He went to Megabates and
requested the release of the prisoner, giving, at the same time, what
he considered satisfactory reasons for his having been absent from his
vessel. Megabates, however, was not satisfied, and refused to set
Syclax at liberty. Aristagoras then told Megabates that he mistook his
position in supposing that he was master of the expedition, and could
tyrannize over the men in that manner, as he pleased. "I will have you
understand," said he, "that I am the commander in this campaign, and
that Artaphernes, in making you the sailing-master of the fleet, had
no intention that you should set up your authority over mine." So
saying, he went away in a rage, and released Syclax from his durance
with his own hands.
It was now the turn of Megabates to be enraged. He determined to
defeat the expedition. He sent immediately a secret messenger to warn
the Naxians of their enemies' approach. The Naxians immediately made
effectual preparations to defend themselves. The end of it was, that
when the fleet arrived, the island was prepared to receive it, and
nothing could be done. Aristagoras continued the siege four months;
but inasmuch as, during all this time, Megabates did every thing in
his power to circumvent and thwart every plan that Aristagoras formed,
nothing was accomplished. Finally, the expedition was broken up, and
Aristagoras returned home, disappointed and chagrined, all his hopes
blasted, and his own private finances thrown into confusion by the
great pecuniary losses which he himself had sustained. He had
contributed very largely, from his own private funds, in fitting out
the expedition, fully confident of success, and of ample reimbursement
for his expenses as the consequence of it.
He was angry with himself, and angry with Megabates, and angry with
Artaphernes. He presumed, too, that Megabates would denounce him to
Artaphernes, and, through him, to Darius, as the cause of the failure
of the expedition. A sudden order might come at any moment, directing
that he should be beheaded. He began to consider the expediency of
revolting from the Persian power, and making common cause with the
Greeks against Darius. The danger of such a step was scarcely less
than that of remaining as he was. While he was pondering these
momentous questions in his mind, he was led suddenly to a decision by
a very singular circumstance, the proper explaining of which requires
the story to return, for a time, to Histiaeus at Susa.
Histiaeus was very ill at ease in the possession of his forced
elevation and grandeur at Susa. He enjoyed great distinction there, it
is true, and a life of ease and luxury, but he wished for independence
and authority. He was, accordingly, very desirous to get back to his
former sphere of activity and power in Asia Minor. After revolving in
his mind the various plans which occurred to him for accomplishing
this purpose, he at last decided on inducing Aristagoras to revolt in
Ionia, and then attempting to persuade Darius to send him on to quell
the revolt. When once in Asia Minor, he would join the rebellion, and
bid Darius defiance.
The first thing to be done was to contrive some safe and secret way to
communicate with Aristagoras. This he effected in the following
manner: There was a man in his court who was afflicted with some
malady of the eyes. Histiaeus told him that if he would put himself
under _his_ charge he could effect a cure. It would be necessary, he
said, that the man should have his head shaved and scarified; that is,
punctured with a sharp instrument, previously dipped in some medicinal
compound. Then, after some further applications should have been made,
it would be necessary for the patient to go to Ionia, in Asia Minor,
where there was a physician who would complete the cure.
The patient consented to this proposal. The head was shaved, and
Histiaeus, while pretending to scarify it, pricked into the skin--as
sailors tattoo anchors on their arms--by means of a needle and a
species of ink which had probably no great medicinal virtue, the words
of a letter to Aristagoras, in which he communicated to him fully,
though very concisely, the particulars of his plan. He urged
Aristagoras to revolt, and promised that, if he would do so, he would
come on, himself, as soon as possible, and, under pretense of marching
to suppress the rebellion, he would really join and aid it.
As soon as he had finished pricking this treasonable communication
into the patient's skin, he carefully enveloped the head in bandages,
which, he said, must on no account be disturbed. He kept the man shut
up, besides, in the palace, until the hair had grown, so as
effectually to conceal the writing, and then sent him to Ionia to have
the cure perfected. On his arrival at Ionia he was to find
Aristagoras, who would do what further was necessary. Histiaeus
contrived, in the mean time, to send word to Aristagoras by another
messenger, that, as soon as such a patient should present himself,
Aristagoras was to shave his head. He did so, and the communication
appeared. We must suppose that the operations on the part of
Aristagoras for the purpose of completing the cure consisted,
probably, in pricking in more ink, so as to confuse and obliterate the
writing.
Aristagoras was on the eve of throwing off the Persian authority when
he received this communication. It at once decided him to proceed. He
organized his forces and commenced his revolt. As soon as the news of
this rebellion reached Susa, Histiaeus feigned great indignation, and
earnestly entreated Darius to commission him to go and suppress it. He
was confident, he said, that he could do it in a very prompt and
effectual manner. Darius was at first inclined to suspect that
Histiaeus was in some way or other implicated in the movement; but
these suspicions were removed by the protestations which Histiaeus
made, and at length he gave him leave to proceed to Miletus,
commanding him, however, to return to Susa again as soon as he should
have suppressed the revolt.
When Histiaeus arrived in Ionia he joined Aristagoras, and the two
generals, leaguing with them various princes and states of Greece,
organized a very extended and dangerous rebellion, which it gave the
troops of Darius infinite trouble to subdue. We can not here give an
account of the incidents and particulars of this war. For a time the
rebels prospered, and their cause seemed likely to succeed; but at
length the tide turned against them. Their towns were captured, their
ships were taken and destroyed, their armies cut to pieces. Histiaeus
retreated from place to place, a wretched fugitive, growing more and
more distressed and destitute every day. At length, as he was flying
from a battle field, he arrested the arm of a Persian, who was
pursuing him with his weapon upraised, by crying out that he was
Histiaeus the Milesian. The Persian, hearing this, spared his life, but
took him prisoner, and delivered him to Artaphernes. Histiaeus begged
very earnestly that Artaphernes would send him to Darius alive, in
hopes that Darius would pardon him in consideration of his former
services at the bridge of the Danube. This was, however, exactly what
Artaphernes wished to prevent; so he crucified the wretched Histiaeus
at Sardis, and then packed his head in salt and sent it to Darius.
[Illustration: GRECIAN EMPIRE.]