Histories

After this, King Darius conquered +Nisos Samos [26.8,37.75] (island), Samos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Samos, the greatest of all city states, Greek or barbarian, the reason for his conquest being this: when Cambyses, son of Cyrus, invaded Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, many Greeks came with the army, some to trade, as was natural, and some to see the country itself; among them was Syloson, son of Aeaces, who was Polycrates' brother and in exile from +Nisos Samos [26.8,37.75] (island), Samos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Samos.

This Syloson had a stroke of good luck. He was in the market at Mit Rahina [31.25,29.85] (inhabited place), Giza, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaMemphis wearing a red cloak, when Darius, at that time one of Cambyses' guard and as yet a man of no great importance, saw him, and coveting the cloak came and tried to buy it.

When Syloson saw Darius' eagerness, by good luck he said, “I will not sell this for any money, but I give it to you free if you must have it so much.” Extolling this, Darius accepted the garment.

Syloson supposed that he had lost his cloak out of foolish good nature. But in time Cambyses died, the seven rebelled against the Magus, and Darius of the seven came to the throne; Syloson then learned that the successor to the royal power was the man to whom he had given the garment in Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt; so he went up to Shush [48.333,32.2] (inhabited place), Khuzestan, Iran, AsiaSusa and sat in the king's antechamber, saying that he was one of Darius' benefactors.