s. Now of Miletos it happened that Aristagoras son
of Molpagoras was ruler in charge, being both a son-in-law and also a
cousin of Histiaios the son of Lysagoras, whom Dareios was keeping at
Susa: for Histiaios was despot of Miletos, and it happened that he was
at Susa at this time when the Naxians came, who had been in former
times guest-friends of Histiaios. So when the Naxians arrived, they made
request of Aristagoras, to see if perchance he would supply them with
a force, and so they might return from exile to their own land: and he,
thinking that if by his means they should return to their own State, he
would be ruler of Naxos, but at the same time making a pretext of the
guest-friendship of Histiaios, made proposal to them thus: "I am not
able to engage that I can supply you with sufficient force to bring you
back from exile against the will of those Naxians who have control
of the State; for I hear that the Naxians have an army which is eight
thousand shields strong and many ships of war: but I will use every
endeavour to devise a means; and my plan is this:--it chances that
Artaphrenes is my friend: now Artaphrenes, ye must know, 1801 is a son
of Hystaspes and brother of Dareios the king; and he is ruler of all the
people of the sea-coasts in Asia, with a great army and many ships. This
man then I think will do whatsoever we shall request of him." Hearing
this the Naxians gave over the matter to Aristagoras to manage as
best he could, and they bade him promise gifts and the expenses of
the expedition, saying that they would pay them; for they had full
expectation that when they should appear at Naxos, the Naxians would do
all their bidding, and likewise also the other islanders. For of these
islands, that is the Cyclades, not one was as yet subject to Dareios.

31. Aristagoras accordingly having arrived at Sardis, said to
Artaphrenes that Naxos was an island not indeed large in size, but fair
nevertheless and of fertile soil, as well as near to Ionia, and that
there was in it much wealth and many slaves: "Do thou therefore send an
expedition against this land, and restore it to those who are now exiles
from it: and if thou shalt do this, first I have ready for thee large
sums of money apart from the expenses incurred for the expedition (which
it is fair that we who conduct it should supply), and next thou wilt
gain for the king not only Naxos itself but also the islands which are
dependent upon it, Paros and Andr