PERSIA, a most ancient and celebrated empire of Asia, extending in length from the mouth of the river Araxes to that of the river Indus, about 1840 of our miles, and in breadth from the river Oxus to the Persian gulph, about 1080 of the same miles. It is bounded on the north by the Caspian Sea, the river Oxus, and mount Caucasus; on the east, by the river Indus and the dominions of the Great Mogul; on the south, by the Persian gulph and the Indian ocean; and on the west, by the dominions of the Grand Signor.
The most ancient name of this country was that of Elam, or, as some write it, Elam, from Elam the son of Shem, from whom its first inhabitants are descended. Herodotus calls its inhabitants Cephenes; and in very ancient times the people are said to have called themselves Artai, and the country where they dwelt Artea. In the books of Daniel, Ezechias, &c. it is called by the names of Pars, Pharas, or Fars, whence the modern name of Persia; but whence those names have been derived, is now uncertain.
That Persia was originally peopled by Elam the son of Shem is universally allowed; but before the time of Cyrus we know little or nothing of their history. This prince is celebrated both by sacred and profane historians; but the latter are at no small variance concerning his birth and accession to the throne. According to Herodotus, Attyages, the last king of the Medes, being warned in a dream, that the son who was to be born of his daughter Mandane, should one day be lord of Asia, resolved to marry her, not to a Mede, but to a Persian. Accordingly, he chose for her husband one Cambyses, a man of a peaceable disposition, and of no very high station. However, about a year after they were married, Attyages was frightened by another
dream, which made him resolve to dispatch the infant as soon as it should be born. Hereupon the king sent for his daughter, and put her under confinement, where she was soon after delivered of a son. The infant was committed to the care of one Harpagus, with strict orders to destroy it in what manner he thought proper. But he, having acquainted his wife with the command he had received, by her advice gave it to a shepherd, desiring him to let it perish by exposing it. But the shepherd, out of compassion, exposed a still-born child which his wife happened to be then delivered of, and brought up the son of Mandane as his own, giving him the name of Cyrus.
When the young prince had attained the age of ten years, as he was one day at play with other children of the same age, he was chosen king by his companions; and having, in virtue of that dignity, divided them into several orders and classes, the son of Artembares, a lord of eminent dignity among the Medes, refused to obey his orders; whereupon Cyrus caused him to be seized, and whipped very severely. The boy ran crying to his father; and he immediately hastened to the king's palace, loudly complaining of the affront his son had received from the son of a slave, and intreating Attyages to revenge, by some exemplary punishment, the indignity offered to him and his family. Attyages, commanding both the herdsman and his son to be brought before him, asked the latter, how he, who was the son of so mean a man, had dared to abuse the son of one of the chief lords of the kingdom? Cyrus replied, that he had done no more than he had a right to do; for the boys of the neighbourhood having chosen him king, because they thought him most worthy of that dignity, and performed what he, vested with that character, had commanded, the son of Artembares alone had slighted his orders, and for his disobedience had suffered the punishment he deserved. In the course of this conversation Attyages happening to recollect, that his grandson, whom he had ordered to be destroyed, would have been about the same age with Cyrus, began to question the shepherd concerning his supposed son, and at last obtained from him a confession of the whole truth.
Attyages having now discovered Cyrus to be his grandson, sent for Harpagus, who also confessed that he had not seen Mandane's son destroyed, but had given him to the shepherd; at which Attyages was so much incensed, that, having invited Harpagus to an entertainment, he caused him to be served with the flesh of his own son. When he had done, the king asked him whether he liked his victuals; and Harpagus answering, that he had never tasted any thing more delicious, the officers appointed for that purpose brought in a basket, containing the head, hands, and feet of his son, desiring him to uncover the basket, and take what he liked best. He did as they desired, and beheld the mangled remains of his only child without betraying the least concern, so great was the command which he had over his passions. The king then asked him, whether he knew with what kind of meat he had been entertained. Harpagus replied, that he knew very well, and was always pleased with what his sovereign thought fit to ordain; and having thus replied, with a surprising temper, he collected the mangled parts of his innocent son, and went home.
Allyages having thus vented his rage on Harpagus, began next to consult what he should do with Cyrus. The magi, however, eased him of his fears with regard to him, by assuring him, that as the boy had been once chosen king by his companions, the dream had been already verified, and that Cyrus never would reign in any other sense. The king, being well pleased with this answer, called Cyrus, and, owning how much he had been wanting in the affection which he ought to have had towards him, desired him to prepare for a journey into Persia, where he would find his father and mother in circumstances very different from those of the poor shepherd and his wife with whom he had hitherto lived. Cyrus, on his arrival at his father's house, was received with the greatest joy. When he grew up, he soon became popular on account of his extraordinary parts; till at last his friendship was courted by Harpagus, who had never forgot the cruel treatment he received from Allyages. By his means a conspiracy was formed against Allyages; who being overthrown in two successive engagements, was taken prisoner and confined for life.
The account given by Xenophon of the rise of Cyrus is much more consonant to scripture; for he tells us, that Babylon was conquered by the united forces of the Medes and Persians. According to him, Cyrus was the son of Cambyses king of the Medes, and Mandane the daughter of Allyages king of Persia. He was born a year after his uncle Cyaxares, the brother of Mandane. He lived till the age of twelve with his parents in Persia, being educated after the manner of the country, and inured to fatigues and military exercises. At this age he was taken to the court of Allyages, where he resided four years; when the revolt of the Medes and Persians from the Babylonians happened, and which ended in the destruction of the Babylonish empire, as related under the article BABYLON.
While Cyrus was employed in the Babylonish war, before he attacked the metropolis itself, he reduced all the nations of Asia Minor. The most formidable of these were the Lydians, whose king Crœsus assembled a very numerous army, composed of all the other nations in that part of Asia, as well as of Egyptians, Greeks, and Thracians. Cyrus being informed of these vast preparations, augmented his forces to 196,000 men, and with them advanced against the enemy, who were assembled near the river Pactolus. After long marches, he came up with them at Thymbra, not far from Sardis the capital of Lydia. Besides the horse and foot, which amounted to 196,000, as already observed, Cyrus had 300 chariots armed with scythes, each chariot drawn by four horses abreast, covered with trappings that were proof against all sorts of missile weapons: he had likewise a great number of chariots of a larger size, upon each of which was placed a tower about 18 or 20 feet high, and in each tower were lodged 20 archers. These towers were drawn by 16 oxen yoked abreast. There was moreover a considerable number of camels, each mounted by two Arabian archers, the one looking towards the head, and the other towards the hinder part of the camel. The army of Crœsus consisted of 420,000 men. The Egyptians, who alone were 120,000 in number, being the main strength of the army, were placed in the centre. Both armies were drawn up in an im-
mense plain, which gave room for the extending of the wings on either side; and the design of Crœsus, upon which alone he founded his hopes of victory, was to surround and hem in the enemy's army.
When the two armies were in sight of each other, Crœsus, observing how much his front exceeded that of Cyrus, made the centre halt, but commanded the two wings to advance, with a design to inclose the Persian army, and begin the attack on both sides at once. When the two detached bodies of the Lydian forces were sufficiently extended, Crœsus gave the signal to the main body, which marched up to the front of the Persian army, while the two wings attacked them in flank; so that Cyrus's army was hemmed in on all sides, and, as Xenophon expresses it, was inclosed like a small square drawn within a great one. This motion, however, did not at all alarm the Persian commander; but, giving his troops the signal to face about, he attacked in flank those forces that were going to fall upon his rear, so vigorously, that he put them into great disorder. At the same time a squadron of camels was made to advance against the enemy's other wing, which consisted mostly of cavalry. The horses were so frightened at the approach of these animals, that most of them threw their riders and trod them under foot; which occasioned great confusion. Then Artagefes, an officer of great valour and experience, at the head of a small body of horse, charged them so briskly, that they could never afterwards rally; and at the same time the chariots, armed with scythes, being driven in among them, they were entirely routed. Both the enemy's wings being thus put to flight, Cyrus commanded his chief favourite Abradates to fall upon the centre with the large chariots above-mentioned. The first ranks, consisting mostly of Lydians, not being able to stand so violent a charge, immediately gave way; but the Egyptians, being covered with their bucklers, and marching so close that the chariots had not room to penetrate their ranks, a great slaughter of the Persians ensued. Abradates himself was killed, his chariot overturned, and the greatest part of his men were cut in pieces. Upon his death, the Egyptians, advancing boldly, obliged the Persian infantry to give way, and drove them back quite to their engines. There they met with a new shower of darts and javelins from their machines; and at the same time the Persian rear advancing sword in hand, obliged their spearmen and archers to return to the charge. In the mean time Cyrus, having put to flight both the horse and foot on the left of the Egyptians, pushed on to the centre, where he had the misfortune to find his Persians again giving ground; and judging that the only way to stop the Egyptians, who were pursuing them, would be to attack them in the rear, he did so; and at the same time the Persian cavalry coming up to his assistance, the fight was renewed with great slaughter on both sides. Cyrus himself was in great danger; for his horse being killed under him, he fell among the midst of his enemies: but the Persians, alarmed at the danger of their general, threw themselves headlong on their opponents, rescued him, and made a terrible slaughter; till at last Cyrus, admiring the valour of the Egyptians, offered them honourable conditions; letting them know at the same time, that all their allies had abandoned them. They accepted the terms offered them; and having
5
Sardis taken, and the Lydian empire overthrown.
Perſia. having agreed with Cyrus that they should not be obliged to carry arms againſt Cræſus, they engaged in the ſervice of the conqueror, and continued faithful to him ever after.
The next morning Cyrus advanced towards Sardis, and Cræſus marched out to oppoſe him at the head of the Lydians only; for his allies had all abandoned him. Their ſtrength conſiſted moſtly in cavalry: which Cyrus being well apprized of, he ordered his camels to advance; by whom the horſes were ſo frightened, that they became quite ungovernable. However, the Lydians diſmounted, and for ſome time made a vigorous reſiſtance on foot; but were at laſt driven into the city, which was taken two days after: and thus the Lydian empire was totally deſtroyed.
6
Reduces Babylon.
After the conqueſt of Sardis, Cyrus turned his arms againſt Babylon itſelf, which he reduced in the manner related under that article. Having ſettled the civil government of the conquered kingdoms, Cyrus took a review of all his forces, which he found to conſiſt of 600,000 foot, 120,000 horſe, and 2000 chariots armed with ſcythes. With theſe he extended his dominion all over the nations to the confines of Ethiopia, and to the Red Sea; after which he continued to reign peaceably over his vaſt empire till his death, which happened about 529 before Chriſt. According to Xenophon, he died a natural death; but others tell us, that, having engaged in a war with the Scythians, he was by them overthrown and cut in pieces with his whole army, amounting to 200,000 men. But this is very improbable, ſeeing all authors agree, that the tomb of Cyrus was extant at Paſargada in Perſia in the time of Alexander the Great; which it could not have been, if his body had remained in the poſſeſſion of the Scythians, as theſe authors aſſert.
7
His death.
In the time of Cyrus, the Perſian empire extended from the river Indus to the Egean ſea. On the north it was bounded by the Euxine and Caſpian ſeas, and on the ſouth by Ethiopia and Arabia. That monarch kept his reſidence for the ſeven cold months at Babylon, by reaſon of the warmth of that climate; three months in the ſpring he ſpent at Suſa, and two at Ecbatan during the heat of ſummer. On his death-bed he appointed his ſon Cambyſes to ſucceed him in the empire; and to his other ſon, Smerdis, he gave ſeveral conſiderable governments. The new monarch immediately ſet about the conqueſt of Egypt; which he accompliſhed in the manner related in the hiſtory of that country.
8
Cambyſes conquers Egypt.
Having reduced Egypt, Cambyſes next reſolved to turn his arms againſt the Carthaginians, Hammonians, and Ethiopians. But he was obliged to drop the firſt of theſe enterprizes, becauſe the Phœnicians reſuſed to ſupply him with ſhips againſt the Carthaginians, who were a Phœnician colony. However, he ſent ambaſſadors into Ethiopia with a deſign to get intelligence of the ſtate and ſtrength of the country. But the Ethiopian monarch, being well apprized of the errand on which they came, treated them with great contempt. In return for the preſents ſent him by Cambyſes, he ſent his own bow; and adviſed the Perſians to make war upon the Ethiopians when they could bend ſuch a ſtrong bow as eaſily as he did, and to thank the gods that the Ethiopians had no ambition to extend their dominions beyond their own country.
9
His unſucceſſful expedition againſt Ethiopia and the Hammonians.
Cambyſes was no ſooner informed of this anſwer by his ambaſſadors, than he flew into a violent paſſion; and ordered his army immediately to begin their march, without conſidering that they were neither furniſhed with proviſions nor any other neceſſary. When he arrived at Thebes in Upper Egypt, he detached 50,000 men, with orders to deſtroy the temple of Jupiter Ammon; but all theſe periſhed in the deſart; not a ſingle perſon arriving either at the oracle, or returning to Thebes. The reſt of the army, led by Cambyſes himſelf, experienced incredible hardſhips; for, not being provided with any neceſſaries, they had not marched a fifth part of the way when they were obliged to kill and eat their beaſts of burthen. When theſe failed, the ſoldiers fed on graſs and roots, as long as any could be found; and at laſt were reduced to the dreadful neceſſity of eating one another; every tenth man, on whom the lot fell, being condemned to ſerve as food for his companions. The king, however, obſtinately perſiſted in his deſign; till, being apprehenſive of the danger he himſelf was in, he retreated to Thebes, after having loſt the greateſt part of his army.
10
He murders his brother.
Cambyſes was a man of a very cruel and ſuſpicious temper, of which he gave many inſtances; and the following proved indirectly the cauſe of his death.— We have already obſerved that the king of Ethiopia ſent his bow in return for the preſents brought to him by the ambaſſadors of Cambyſes. The only man in the Perſian army who could bend this bow was Smerdis the king's brother; and this inſtance of his perſonal ſtrength ſo alarmed the tyrant, that, without any crime alleged, he cauſed him to be murdered. This gave occaſion to one Smerdis, a magi, who greatly reſembled the other Smerdis in looks, to aſſume the name of the deceaſed prince, and to raiſe a rebellion againſt Cambyſes who was generally hated for his cruelty; and this he could the more eaſily do, as the chief management of affairs had been committed to this Smerdis during the king's abſence. Cambyſes, on receiving the news of this revolt, immediately ordered his army to march, in order to ſuppreſs it; but as he was mounting his horſe, his ſword, ſlipping out of its ſcabbard, wounded him in the thigh. On this accident, he aſked the name of the city where he was; and being told that it was Ecbatan, he ſaid in the preſence of all his attendants, "Fate has decreed, that Cambyſes the ſon of Cyrus ſhall die in this place." For, having conſulted the oracle of Butus, which was very famous in that country, he was told that he ſhould die at Ecbatan. This he had always underſtood of Ecbatan in Media, and had therefore reſolved to avoid it. Being now, however, convinced that his end approached, he aſſembled the chief Perſian lords who ſerved in the army, and having told them that his brother was certainly dead, he exhorted them never to ſubmit to the impoſtor, or ſuffer the ſovereignty again to paſs from the Perſians to the Medes, to which nation Smerdis belonged, but to uſe their utmoſt endeavours to place one of their own blood on the throne.
11
His death.
As the king's wound mortified, he lived but a few days after this; but the aſſembly ſuppoſing that he had ſpoken only out of hatred to his brother, quietly ſubmitted to the impoſtor, who was thus for a time
12
Persia. established on the throne. Indeed, from his conduct
during the short time which he enjoyed the kingdom,
he appears to have been not at all undeserving of a
crown. He began with granting to all his subjects an
exemption from taxes and military service for three years,
and treated all of them in the most beneficent manner.
To secure himself on the throne the more effectually,
he married Atossa the daughter of Cyrus; thinking,
that, in case of a discovery, he might hold the em-
pire by her title. She had before been married to her
brother Cambyse, on a decision of the magi that a
king of Persia might do as he pleased; and by virtue of
this decision Smerdis also married her as her brother.
13
His im- posture dis- covered.
The extreme caution of Smerdis, however, promoted
the discovery of his imposture. He had married all
his predecessor's wives, among whom was one Phedyma,
the daughter of Otanes a Persian nobleman of the
first rank. Otanes, who suspected that the king was
not Smerdis the son of Cyrus, sent a truly messenger
to his daughter, desiring to know whether he was so or
not; but Phedyma, having never seen this Smerdis,
could not give any answer. Her father then desired
her to inquire at Atossa, who could not but know her
own brother. However, he was again disappointed;
for Phedyma acquainted him that all the king's wives
were lodged in distinct and separate apartments,
without being allowed to see each other. This greatly
increased the suspicions of Otanes; upon which he sent
his daughter a third message, desiring her, the next time
she should be admitted to the king's bed, to take an
opportunity of feeling whether he had ears or not: for Cy-
rus had formerly caused the ears of Smerdis the magi to
be cut off for some crime of which he had been guilty;
so that, if the king had ears, she might then be assured
that he was Smerdis the son of Cyrus. The event
showed that the suspicions of Otanes were just; and
Phedyma having acquainted her father that the king had
no ears, a conspiracy was immediately formed against
him. While the conspirators were debating about the
proper means of carrying their designs into execution,
Darius the son of Hystaspes happening to arrive at
Susa where his father was governor, they all agreed to
make him privy to their design. He told them, at
their first meeting, that he thought nobody in the em-
pire but himself had known that Smerdis the son of
Cyrus was dead, and the throne usurped by a magi;
that he had come with a design to kill the usurper,
without imparting his design to any one, that the
glory of such an action might be entirely his own.
But since others were apprised of the imposture, he
insisted that the usurper should be dispatched without
delay. Otanes, on the other hand, was for putting
off the enterprise till some better opportunity offered;
but Darius protested, that if they did not make the
attempt that very day, he would prevent any one from
accusing him, by disclosing the whole matter to the
magi himself.
In the mean time, Smerdis and his brother had by
great promises prevailed on Prenaspes (the executioner
of the true Smerdis) to bind himself by an oath not to
discover the fraud they had put on the Persians, and
even to make a public speech, declaring that the pre-
sent king of Persia was really the son of Cyrus. At the
time appointed, he began his discourse with the ge-
nealogy of Cyrus, putting his hearers in mind of the
great favours the nation had received from that prince.
After having extolled Cyrus and his family, to the
great astonishment of all present, he confessed the
whole transaction with regard to the death of Smer-
dis; telling the people, that the apprehensions of the
danger he must inevitably run by publishing the im-
posture had constrained him to conceal it so long; but
now, not being able any longer to act such a dishonour-
able part, he acknowledged that he had been compelled
by Cambyse to put his brother to death with his
own hand, and that the person who possessed the throne
was Smerdis the Magi. He then begged pardon of
the gods and men for the crime he had committed; and
fulminating many imprecations against the Persians if
they failed to recover the sovereignty, he threw him-
self headlong from the top of the tower on which he
stood, and died on the spot.
15
In the mean time the conspirators, who were ad-
vancing towards the palace, were informed of what had
happened; and Otanes was again for deferring the ex-
ecution of their enterprise: but Darius insisting upon
the danger of delay, they proceeded boldly to the pa-
lace; and being admitted by the guards, who did not
suspect them, they killed both the usurper and his bro-
ther; after which, they exposed their heads to the
people, and declared the whole imposture. The Per-
sians at this were so enraged, that they fell on the
whole sect, and killed every one of the magi they could
meet with; and had not the slaughter been stopped by
night, not one of the order would have been left alive.
The day on which this slaughter happened was af-
terwards celebrated by the Persians with the greatest so-
lemnity, and called by the name of Magoponia, or
the slaughter of the Magi. On that festival the magi
durst not appear abroad, but were obliged to shut
themselves up in their houses. Smerdis the magi
reigned only eight months.
When the tumult was a little subsided, the conspi-
rators, who were seven in number, met together in
order to elect a new king, or to determine what form
of government they should next introduce. Otanes
was for a republic: but being over-ruled by the rest,
he declared, that as he was determined not to be
a king, neither would he be ruled by one; and
therefore insisted that he and his family should ever af-
terwards remain free from subjection to the royal power.
This was not only granted, but it was further agreed
by the other six, that whoever was chosen should every
year present Otanes with a Median vest, a mark of
great distinction among the Persians, because he had
been the chief author of the enterprise. They further
agreed to meet at a certain place next morning at sun-
rise on horseback, and that he whose horse first neigh-
ed should be king. This being overheard by Oeborees,
16
Darius Hy-
staspes cho-
sen king.
who had the care of Darius's horses, he led a mare
over-night to the place, and brought his master's horse
to her. The next morning, the horse remembering
the place, immediately neighed for the mare; and the
five lords dismounting, adored Darius as their king.
Darius Hystaspes was elected king of Persia in the
year 522 B. C. Immediately after his accession, he
promoted the other six conspirators to the first employ-
ments in the kingdom, married the two daughters of
Cyrus, Atossa and Artystona, Parmys the daughter of
the true Smerdis, and Phedyma the daughter of O-
tanes,
Perfis. tanes, who had detected the magi. He then divided the whole empire into 20 satrapies or governments, and appointed a governor over each division, ordering them to pay him an annual tribute. The inhabitants of Colchis, with some others, were enjoined only to make annual presents, and the Arabians to furnish every year such a quantity of frankincense as equalled the weight of 1000 talents. Thus Darius received the yearly tribute of 14,560 Eubæic talents, upwards 260,000 pounds Sterling.
Under Darius, the building of the temple of Jerusalem, which had been obstructed by Cambyses and Smerdis, went on successfully, and the Jewish state was entirely restored. The most remarkable of Darius's other transactions were his expeditions against Babylon; against Scythia, India, and Greece. The expedition against Babylon took place in the 517 B. C. when that people, unable to bear the oppression of the Persians, and likewise discontented because the seat of government was removed from their city to Susa in Persia, took the opportunity of the troubles which happened in the reigns of Cambyses and Smerdis, to store their city with all kinds of provisions sufficient to serve them for many years; after which they broke out into an open rebellion, and this quickly brought upon them Darius with all his forces. The Babylonians perceiving themselves shut up by so numerous an army, turned all their thoughts towards the supporting of a long siege, which they imagined would tire out the king's troops. To prevent the consumption of their provisions, they took the most barbarous and cruel resolution that ever was put in execution by any nation. They agreed among themselves to get rid of all unnecessary mouths; and therefore, gathering together all the old men, women, and children, they strangled them without distinction; every one being allowed only to keep the wife he liked best, and a maid-servant to do the work of the house. The siege continued for a year and eight months; nor was there any likelihood of its being ended, when Zopyrus, one of Darius's chief commanders, put him in possession of it by the following stratagem. He cut off his nose and ears, and having mangled his body with stripes in a most cruel manner, he fled to the Babylonians thus disguised, pretending that he had been so treated by Darius, for advising him to raise the siege. Being intrusted with the command of some forces, he cut off several parties of the Persian army, whom Darius thus sacrificed in order to raise the character of Zopyrus the higher among the Babylonians. In this manner he so much established his credit, that at last he was made commander in chief of all the Babylonish forces, and the guard of the city committed entirely to his care; and no sooner was this done, than he delivered it up to Darius, who, to prevent their rebelling a second time, beat down the walls of that metropolis to the height of 50 cubits. Three thousand of the most active in the rebellion were impaled; the rest pardoned. As they had destroyed most of their women, the neighbouring nations were commanded to furnish them with wives, and 50,000 women were sent to that city, by which means it was prevented from being depopulated. Zopyrus was rewarded with the highest honours, and had the whole revenues of Babylon bestowed on him for life.
Perfis. After the reduction of Babylon, Darius undertook a Scythian expedition, directed against those nations which lie between the Danube and the Tanais. His pretext for this war was, to revenge the calamities which these nations had brought upon Asia about 120 years before, when they invaded and subdued Media; keeping it in subjection for the space of 28 years, as we have related under that article. In this expedition he was attended with an army of 700,000 men. With these he marched to the Thracian Bosphorus; which having passed on a bridge of boats, he reduced all Thrace. From Thrace he advanced to the Danube, where he had appointed his fleet to meet him. This river he passed on another bridge of boats, and entered Scythia. His enemies, however, were too wise to oppose such a formidable power in the open field; and therefore retired before him, wasting the country as they went along, till at last the king, sensible of the danger he was in, resolved to give over the enterprise and return home. In order to do so with safety, he lighted a great number of fires in the night-time, and decamped; leaving behind him the old men and the sick, who fell into the hands of their enemies. The Scythians perceiving that Darius was gone, detached a considerable body to the bridge over the Danube; and as they were well acquainted with the roads, they got thither before the Persians. The Scythians had sent express before-hand to persuade the Ionians, whom Darius had left to guard the bridge, to break it down and retire to their own country; and this they pressed the more earnestly, that as the time prescribed by Darius was now expired, they were at liberty to return home, without breaking their word or being wanting in their duty. Miltiades, prince of the Chersonesus of Thrace, was for embracing so favourable an opportunity of cutting off Darius's retreat, and shaking off the Persian yoke at once: all the other commanders agreed with him, except Hysticus prince of Miletus; who represented to the Ionian chiefs, that their power was connected with that of Darius, since it was under his protection that each of them was lord in his own city; and that the cities of Ionia would not fail to depose them and recover their liberty, if the Persian power should sink or decline. This speech made a deep impression on the rest, and it was at last determined that they should wait for Darius; and in order to deceive the Scythians, they began to break down the bridge, but advised them to return back and defeat Darius. They did so, but missed him; and he having thus safely escaped so great a danger, immediately repassed the Bosphorus, and took up his winter-quarters at Sardis, leaving Megabyzus, one of his chief generals, to complete the conquest of Thrace.
The king having sufficiently refreshed his troops, who had suffered extremely in the Scythian expedition, began to think of extending his dominions eastward; and, in order to facilitate his design, resolved in the first place to discover those countries. With this view, he caused a fleet to be built and equipped at Captopurus, a city on the river Indus. The command of this fleet he gave to one Seylax, a Grecian of Caryandia a city of Caria, who was well versed in maritime affairs. Him he ordered to sail down the current, and make the best discoveries he could of the countries lying on either side of the river, till he arrived at the southern