Histories

These, besieged by him, dedicated their city to Artemis; they did this by attaching a rope to the city wall from the temple of the goddess, which stood seven stades away from the ancient city which was then besieged.

These were the first whom Croesus attacked; afterwards he made war on the Ionian and Aeolian cities in turn, upon different pretexts: he found graver charges where he could, but sometimes alleged very petty grounds of offense.

Then, when he had subjugated all the Asiatic Greeks of the mainland and made them tributary to him, he planned to build ships and attack the islanders;

but when his preparations for shipbuilding were underway, either Bias of Priene [27.2833,37.6333] (Perseus) Priene or Pittacus of Mytilene [26.55,39.1] (Perseus) Mytilene (the story is told of both) came to Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis and, asked by Croesus for news about Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas, put an end to the shipbuilding by giving the following answer:

“O King, the islanders are buying ten thousand horse, intending to march to Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis against you.” Croesus, thinking that he spoke the truth, said: “Would that the gods would put this in the heads of the islanders, to come on horseback against the sons of the Lydians!” Then the other answered and said: