Histories

It is common for some sign to be given when great ills threaten cities or nations; for before all this plain signs had been sent to the Chians.

Of a band of a hundred youths whom they had sent to Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi only two returned, ninety-eight being caught and carried off by pestilence; moreover, at about this same time, a little before the sea-fight, the roof fell in on boys learning their letters: of one hundred and twenty of them one alone escaped.

These signs a god showed to them; then the sea-fight broke upon them and beat the city to its knees; on top of the sea-fight came Histiaeus and the Lesbians. Since the Chians were in such a bad state, he easily subdued them.

Then Histiaeus brought a great force of Ionians and Aeolians against Thasos [24.716,40.783] (deserted settlement), Thasos, Kavalla, Macedonia, Greece, Europe Thasos. While he was besieging Thasos [24.716,40.783] (deserted settlement), Thasos, Kavalla, Macedonia, Greece, Europe Thasos a message came that the Phoenicians were putting out to sea from Miletus [27.3,37.5] (Perseus) Miletus to attack the rest of Ionia (region (general)), Europe Ionia. When he learned this, he left Thasos [24.716,40.783] (deserted settlement), Thasos, Kavalla, Macedonia, Greece, Europe Thasos unsacked, and hastened instead with all his army to Lesbos [26.333,39.166] (island), Lesvos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Lesbos.

From there, since his army suffered from hunger, he crossed over to reap from Atarneus [26.95,39.05] (Perseus) Atarneus the corn there and the Mysian corn of the Bakir Cayi [27,38.916] (river), Turkey, AsiaCaicus plain. Now it chanced that in that region was Harpagus, a Persian, with no small force under him; when Histiaeus landed, Harpagus met him in battle and took Histiaeus himself alive and killed most of his army.

Histiaeus was taken prisoner in this way: the Greeks fought with the Persians at Malene in the country of Atarneus [26.95,39.05] (Perseus) Atarneus; the armies fought for a long time, until the Persian cavalry charged and fell upon the Greeks. So this was the accomplishment of the cavalry; when the Greeks were routed, Histiaeus, supposing that the king would not put him to death for his present transgression, did what showed that he loved his life too well.