ey were before, and deliver into thy
hands this deputy of Miletos who contrived these things: and when I have
done this after thy mind, I swear by the gods of the royal house that I
will not put off from me the tunic which I wear when I go down to Ionia,
until I have made Sardinia tributary to thee, which is the largest of
all islands."

107. Thus saying Histiaios endeavoured to deceive the king, and
Dareios was persuaded and let him go, charging him, when he should have
accomplished that which he had promised, to return to him again at Susa.

108. In the meantime, while the news about Sardis was going up to the
king, and while Dareios, after doing that which he did with the bow,
came to speech with Histiaios, and Histiaios having been let go by
Dareios was making his journey to the sea-coast,--during all that time
the events were happening which here follow.--As Onesilos of Salamis
was besieging those of Amathus, it was reported to him that Artybios
a Persian, bringing with him in ships a large Persian army, was to be
expected shortly to arrive in Cyprus. Being informed of this, Onesilos
sent heralds to different places in Ionia to summon the Ionians to his
assistance; and they took counsel together and came without delay with a
large force. Now the Ionians arrived in Cyprus just at the time when the
Persians having crossed over in ships from Kilikia were proceeding by
land to attack Salamis, while the Phenicians with the ships were sailing
round the headland which is called the "Keys of Cyprus."

109. This being the case, the despots of Cyprus called together the
commanders of the Ionians and said: "Ionians, we of Cyprus give you
a choice which enemy ye will rather fight with, the Persians or the
Phenicians: for if ye will rather array yourselves on land and make
trial of the Persians in fight, it is time now for you to disembark from
your ships and array yourselves on the land, and for us to embark in
your ships to contend against the Phenicians; but if on the other hand
ye will rather make trial of the Phenicians,--whichever of these two ye
shall choose, ye must endeavour that, so far as it rests with you, both
Ionia and Cyprus shall be free." To this the Ionians replied: "We were
sent out by the common authority of the Ionians to guard the sea, and
not to deliver our ships to the Cyprians and ourselves fight with the
Persians on land. We therefore will endeavour to do good service in that
place to which we were a