Histories

After such dealings with Gelon the Greek envoys sailed away. Gelon, however, feared that the Greeks would not be able to overcome the barbarian, while believing it dreadful and intolerable that he, the tyrant of Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily, should go to the +Peloponnese [22,37.5] (region), Greece, Europe Peloponnese to be at the beck and call of Lacedaemonians. For this reason he took no more thought of this plan but followed another instead.

As soon as he was informed that the Persian had crossed the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont, he sent Cadmus son of Scythes,[*](Probably the expelled ruler of +Zancle [15.5667,38.1833] (Perseus) Zancle; cp. the following chapter, and Hdt. 6.23.) a man of Kos City [27.3,36.8917] (Perseus)Cos, to Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi with three fifty-oared ships, bringing them money and messages of friendship. Cadmus was to observe the outcome of the battle, and if the barbarian should be victorious, he was to give him both the money, and earth and water on behalf of Gelon's dominions. If, however, the Greeks were victorious, he was to bring everything back again.

This Cadmus had previously inherited from his father the tyranny of Cos. Although the tyranny was well established, he nevertheless handed the government over to the whole body of Coans of his own free will. This he did under no constraint of danger, but out of a sense of justice, and he then went to Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily, where he was given by the Samians the city of +Zancle [15.5667,38.1833] (Perseus) Zancle which he colonized and changed its name to +Messene [21.9333,37.175] (Perseus) Messene.

This is how Cadmus had come, and it was he whom Gelon now sent because of his sense of justice. What I will now relate was not the least of the many just acts of Cadmus' life; he had in his possession great wealth entrusted to him by Gelon and might have kept it. He nevertheless would not do so, but when the Greeks had prevailed in the sea-fight and Xerxes had headed home, Cadmus returned to Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily with all that money.