, I defer my answer to thee until
the day after to-morrow." 37

50. Thus far then they advanced at that time; and when the appointed
day arrived for the answer, and they had come to the place agreed upon,
Cleomenes asked Aristagoras how many days' journey it was from the sea
of the Ionians to the residence of the king. Now Aristagoras, who in
other respects acted cleverly and imposed upon him well, in this point
made a mistake: for whereas he ought not to have told him the truth, at
least if he desired to bring the Spartans out to Asia, he said in fact
that it was a journey up from the sea of three months: and the other
cutting short the rest of the account which Aristagoras had begun to
give of the way, said: "Guest-friend from Miletos, get thee away from
Sparta before the sun has set; for thou speakest a word which sounds not
well in the ears of the Lacedemonians, desiring to take them a journey
of three months from the sea."

51. Cleomenes accordingly having so said went away to his house:
but Aristagoras took the suppliant's branch and went to the house of
Cleomenes; and having entered in as a suppliant, he bade Cleomenes send
away the child and listen to him; for the daughter of Cleomenes was
standing by him, whose name was Gorgo, and this as it chanced was his
only child, being of the age now of eight or nine years. Cleomenes
however bade him say that which he desired to say, and not to stop on
account of the child. Then Aristagoras proceeded to promise him money,
beginning with ten talents, if he would accomplish for him that for
which he was asking; and when Cleomenes refused, Aristagoras went on
increasing the sums of money offered, until at last he had promised
fifty talents, and at that moment the child cried out: "Father, the
stranger will do thee hurt, 38 if thou do not leave him and go."
Cleomenes, then, pleased by the counsel of the child, departed into
another room, and Aristagoras went away from Sparta altogether, and had
no opportunity of explaining any further about the way up from the sea
to the residence of the king.

52. As regards this road the truth is as follows.--Everywhere there are
royal stages 39 and excellent resting-places, and the whole road runs
through country which is inhabited and safe. Through Lydia and Phrygia
there extend twenty stages, amounting to ninety-four and a half leagues;
40 and after Phrygia succeeds the river Halys, at which there is a gate
4001 which one must needs p