d
as follows:--first, he would set out his cups of silver and of gold,
and then while the servants were cleaning them, he would be engaged
in conversation with Cleomenes the son of Anaxandrides, then king of
Sparta, and would bring him on to his house; and when Cleomenes saw the
cups he marvelled and was astonished at them, and Maiandrios would bid
him take away with him as many of them as he pleased. Maiandrios said
this twice or three times, but Cleomenes herein showed himself the most
upright of men; for he not only did not think fit to take that which was
offered, but perceiving that Maiandrios would make presents to others
of the citizens, and so obtain assistance for himself, he went to the
Ephors and said that it was better for Sparta that the stranger of Samos
should depart from Peloponnesus, lest he might persuade either himself
or some other man of the Spartans to act basely. They accordingly
accepted his counsel, and expelled Maiandrios by proclamation.

149. As to Samos, the Persians, after sweeping the population off it,
131 delivered it to Syloson stripped of men. Afterwards however the
commander Otanes even joined in settling people there, moved by a vision
of a dream and by a disease which seized him, so that he was diseased in
the genital organs.

150. After a naval force had thus gone against Samos, the Babylonians
made revolt, being for this exceedingly well prepared; for during all
the time of the reign of the Magian and of the insurrection of the
seven, during all this time and the attendant confusion they were
preparing themselves for the siege of their city: and it chanced by some
means that they were not observed to be doing this. Then when they made
open revolt, they did as follows:--after setting apart their mothers
first, each man set apart also for himself one woman, whosoever he
wished of his own household, and all the remainder they gathered
together and killed by suffocation. Each man set apart the one who has
been mentioned to serve as a maker of bread, and they suffocated the
rest in order that they might not consume their provisions.

151. Dareios being informed of this and having gathered together all his
power, made expedition against them, and when he had marched his army
up to Babylon he began to besiege them; but they cared nothing about the
siege, for the Babylonians used to go up to the battlements of the wall
and show contempt of Dareios and of his army by gestures and by word