The histories of Herodotus;

208 HERODOTUS—BOOK III, THALIA [145-148
But if you are in dread of them, lend me your auxiliaries, and
I will punish them for coming here, and I am ready also to
send you out of the island." Thus spoke Charilaus ; and Maeandrius
accepted his offer, as I think, not that he had reached
such a pitch of folly as to imagine that his own power could
overcome that of the king, but rather out of envy to Syloson,
if without a struggle he should possess himself of the city
uninjured. Having therefore provoked the Persians, he
wished to make the Samian power as weak as possible, and
then to give it up: being well assured that the Persians, if
they suffered any ill treatment, would be exasperated against
the Samians ; and knowing also that he had for himself a
safe retreat from the island, whenever he chose, for he had
had a secret passage dug leading from the citadel to the sea.
Accordingly, Maeandrius himself sailed away from Samos;
but Charilaus, having armed all the auxiliaries, and having
thrown open the gates, sallied out upon the Persians, who did
not expect anything of the kind, but thought everything had
been agreed upon ; and the auxiliaries, falling on, slew those
of the Persians who were seated in chairs, and who were the
principal men among them. But the rest of the Persian army
came to their assistance, and the auxiliaries, being hard
pressed, were shut up again within the citadel. But Otanes,
the general, when he saw that the Persians had suffered great
loss, purposely neglected to obey the orders which Darius
had given him at his departure, that he should neither kill
nor take prisoner any of the Samians, but deliver the island
to Syloson without damage ; on the contrary, he commanded
his army to put to death every one they met with, both man
and child alike. Whereupon one part of the army besieged
the citadel, and the rest killed every one that came in their
way, all they met, as well within the temples as without.
Maeandrius, having escaped from Samos, sailed to Lacedaemon
; and having arrived there, and carried with him all the
treasures that he had when he set out, he did as follows:
When he had set out his silver and golden cups, his servants
began to clean them ; and he, at the same time, holding a
conversation with Cleomenes, son of Anaxandrides, then King
of Sparta, led him on to his house. When the king saw the
cups, he was struck with wonder and astonishment; upon
which Maeandrius bade him take away whatever he pleased,
and when Maeandrius had repeated his offer two or three
times, Cleomenes showed himself a man of the highest integrity,
who refused to accept what was offered ; and being
informed that by giving to other citizens he would gain their