Histories

All this now came upon the Milesians, since most of their men were slain by the Persians, who wore long hair, and their women and children were accounted as slaves, and the temple at Didyma [27.25,37.3667] (Perseus) Didyma with its shrine and place of divination was plundered and burnt. Of the wealth that was in this temple I have often spoken elsewhere in my history.

After that, the captive Milesians were brought to Shush [48.333,32.2] (inhabited place), Khuzestan, Iran, AsiaSusa. King Darius did them no further harm, settling them by the sea called Red, in the city of Ampe, by which the river Tigris [47.416,31] (river), AsiaTigris flows as it issues into the sea. Of the Milesian land the Persians themselves held what was nearest to the city, and the plain, giving the hill country into the possession of Carians from Pedasa [27.3833,37.0333] (Perseus) Pedasa.

Now when the Milesians suffered all this at the hands of the Persians, the Sybarites (who had lost their city and dwelt in Laus and Scidrus) did not give them equal return for what they had done. When Sybaris [16.4833,39.75] (Perseus) Sybaris was taken by the Crotoniates, all the people of Miletus [27.3,37.5] (Perseus) Miletus, young and old, shaved their heads and made great public lamentation; no cities which we know were ever so closely joined in friendship as these.

The Athenians acted very differently. The Athenians made clear their deep grief for the taking of Miletus [27.3,37.5] (Perseus) Miletus in many ways, but especially in this: when Phrynichus wrote a play entitled “The Fall of Miletus [27.3,37.5] (Perseus) Miletus” and produced it, the whole theater fell to weeping; they fined Phrynichus a thousand drachmas for bringing to mind a calamity that affected them so personally, and forbade the performance of that play forever.

Miletus [27.3,37.5] (Perseus) Miletus then was left empty of Milesians. The men of property among the Samians were displeased by the dealings of their generals with the Medes, so after the sea-fight they took counsel immediately and resolved that before Aeaces the tyrant came to their country they would sail to a colony, rather than remain and be slaves of the Medes and Aeaces.

The people of Zancle [15.5667,38.1833] (Perseus)Zancle [*](Zancle [15.5667,38.1833] (Perseus) Zancle is the later Messina [15.55,38.183] (inhabited place), Messina, Sicily, Italy, EuropeMessene, modern Messina [15.55,38.183] (inhabited place), Messina, Sicily, Italy, Europe Messina.) in Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily about this time sent messengers to Ionia (region (general)), Europe Ionia inviting the Ionians to the Fair Coast, desiring there to found an Ionian city. This Fair Coast, as it is called, is in Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily, in that part which looks towards Etruria (region (general)), Italy, EuropeTyrrhenia. At this invitation, the Samians alone of the Ionians, with those Milesians who had escaped, set forth.