for when Alexander chose to contend and entered
the lists for that purpose, the Greeks who were
to run against him wanted to bar him from the race, saying that the contest
should be for Greeks and not for foreigners.
Alexander, however, proving himself to be an
Argive, was judged to be a Greek. He accordingly competed in the furlong race and tied step
for first place. This, then, is approximately what happened.
Megabazus, bringing with him the Paeonians, came to the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey,
Asia Hellespont, and after crossing it from there, he
came to Sardis [28.0167,38.475]
(Perseus) Sardis. Histiaeus the
Milesian was by this time fortifying the place
which he hadasked of Darius as his reward for
guarding the bridge, a place called Myrcinus by
the river Strymon. Megabazus discovered what he was doing, and upon his arrival at
Sardis [28.0167,38.475]
(Perseus) Sardis with the Paeonians, he said to Darius,
” Sire, what is this that you have done? You have permitted a clever and
cunning Greek to build a city in Thrace (region (general)),
EuropeThrace, where there are abundant forests for
ship-building, much wood for oars, mines of silver, and many people both
Greek and foreign dwelling around, who, when
they have a champion to lead them, will carry out all his orders by day or
by night.
Stop this man, then, from doing these things so that you will not be
entangled in a war with your own subjects, but use gentle means to do so.
When you have him in your grasp, see to it that he never returns to Greece [22,39] (nation),
EuropeHellas.”