Histories

Herodotus

Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).

It so happened, too, that something else occurred contributing to this campaign. There was among Amasis' mercenaries a man who was a Halicarnassian by birth, a clever man and a good soldier, whose name was Phanes.

This Phanes had some grudge against Amasis, and fled from Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt aboard ship, hoping to talk to Cambyses. Since he was a man much admired among the mercenaries and had an exact knowledge of all Egyptian matters, Amasis was anxious to catch him, and sent a trireme with his most trusted eunuch to pursue him. This eunuch caught him in +Lycia (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Lycia but never brought him back to Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, for Phanes was too clever for him.

He made his guards drunk and so escaped to Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia. There he found Cambyses prepared to set out against Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, but in doubt as to his march, how he should cross the waterless desert; so Phanes showed him what was Amasis' condition and how he should march; as to this, he advised Cambyses to send and ask the king of the Arabians for a safe passage.

Now the only apparent way of entry into Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt is this. The road runs from +Phoenicia (region (general)), Asia Phoenicia as far as the borders of the city of Cadytis,[*](Probably +Gaza Strip [34.333,31.416] (occupied territory), Israel, Asia Gaza.) which belongs to the so-called Syrians of +Palestine [35.333,31.916] (region (general)), Asia Palestine.

From Cadytis (which, as I judge, is a city not much smaller than Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis) to the city of Ienysus the seaports belong to the Arabians; then they are Syrian again from Ienysus as far as the Serbonian marsh, beside which the Casian promontory stretches seawards;