A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

(Μαιάνδριος), secretary to Polycrates, tyrant of Samos, was sent by his master to Sardis to see whether the promises of Oroetes, the satrap, might safely be trusted, and was so far deceived as to bring back a favourable report, in consequence of which Polycrates passed over to Asia Minor, leaving Maeandrius in Samos as regent, and, having placed himself in the power of Oroetes, was put to death, in B. C. 522. On receiving intelligence of this event, Maeandrius came forward with a speech, reported by IIerodotus with the most amusing naiveté, in which he expressed his extreme dislike of arbitrary power, and offered to lay it down for certain valuable considerations. But the terms of the proposed bargain being somewhat bluntly rejected, and a hint being given at the same time, by one Telesarchus, of the necessity of an inquiry into the expenditure of the money which had passed through his hands, Maeandrius thought he could not do better than keep the tyranny, and he therefore threw into chains his principal opponents, whom, during an illness with which he was attacked, his brother Lycaretus put to death. When a Persian force under Otanes invaded Samos, to place Syloson, brother of Polycrates, in the government, Maeandrius capitulated; but he encouraged his crazy brother, CHARILAUS, in his design of murdering the chief Persians, while he himself made his escape to Sparta, where he endeavoured to tempt Cleomenes I. and others, by bribes, to aid him in recovering his power; whereupon, by the advice of the king, the Ephori banished him out of the Peloponnesus. (Hdt. 3.123, 140-148; Plut. Ap. Lac. Cleom. 16.) Aelian says that the Persian war arose from the difference between Maeandrius and the Athenians; but we hear of no such quarrel, and the attempted explanation of Perizonius is pure conjecture. (Ael. VH 12.53; Perizon. ad loc.)

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