eiving all that was being done, bade Hermippos bear the papers sent
by Histiaios and deliver them to those to whom he was sent to bear
them, and to deliver to him the replies sent back by the Persians to
Histiaios. These things having been discovered, Artaphrenes upon that
put to death many of the Persians.

5. As regards Sardis therefore there was confusion of the design; and
when Histiaios had been disappointed of this hope, the Chians attempted
to restore him to Miletos at the request of Histiaios himself.
The Milesians, however, who had been rejoiced before to be rid of
Aristagoras, were by no means eager to receive another despot into their
land, seeing that they had tasted of liberty: and in fact Histiaios,
attempting to return to Miletos by force and under cover of night, was
wounded in the thigh by one of the Milesians. He then, being repulsed
from his own city, returned to Chios; and thence, as he could not
persuade the Chians to give him ships, he crossed over to Mytilene and
endeavoured to persuade the Lesbians to give him ships. So they manned
eight triremes and sailed with Histiaios to Byzantion, and stationing
themselves there they captured the ships which sailed out of the Pontus,
excepting where the crews of them said that they were ready to do the
bidding of Histiaios.

6. While Histiaios and the men of Mytilene were acting thus, a large
army both of sea and land forces was threatening to attack Miletos
itself; for the commanders of the Persians had joined together to form
one single army and were marching upon Miletos, considering the other
towns of less account. Of their naval force the most zealous were the
Phenicians, and with them also served the Cyprians, who had just been
subdued, and the Kilikians and Egyptians..

7. These, I say, were advancing upon Miletos and the rest of Ionia; and
meanwhile the Ionians being informed of this were sending deputies 1
chosen from themselves to the Panionion. 2 When these had arrived at
that place and took counsel together, they resolved not to gather a
land-army to oppose the Persians, but that the Milesians should defend
their walls by themselves, and that the Ionians should man their fleet,
leaving out not one of their ships, and having done so should assemble
as soon as possible at Lade, to fight a sea-battle in defence of
Miletos. Now Lade is a small island lying opposite the city of the
Milesians..

8. Then the Ionians manned their ships and came thith