The histories of Herodotus;

159-162] PACTYAS 63
was the inquiry of Aristodicus ; but the oracle gave the same
answer as before, and bade them surrender Pactyas to the
Persians. Upon this Aristodicus deliberately acted as follows
walking round the temple, he took away the sparrows and
all other kinds of birds that had built nests in the temple ; and
while he was doing this, it is reported that a voice issued from
the sanctuary, and, addressing Aristodicus, spoke as follows:
"O most impious of men,, how darest thou do this? Dost
thou tear my suppliants from my temple ? " Aristodicus without
hesitation answered, " O king, art thou then so careful to
succour thy suppliants, but biddest the Cymaeans to deliver up
theirs?" The oracle again rejoined: "Yes, I bid you do so;
that having acted impiously, ye may the sooner perish, and
never more come and consult the oracle about the delivering
up of suppliants." When the Cymaeans heard this last answer,
they, not wishing to bring destruction on themselves by surrendering
Pactyas, or to subject themselves to a siege by protecting
him, sent him away to Mitylene. But the Mitylenaeans,
when Mazares sent a message to them requiring them
to deliver up Pactyas, were preparing to do so for some remuneration
; what, I am unable to say precisely, for the proposal
was never completed. For the Cymaeans, being informed
of what was being done by the Mitylenaeans, despatched a
vessel to Lesbos, and transported Pactyas to Chios, whence
he was torn by violence from the Temple of Minerva Poliuchus
by the Chians, and delivered up. The Chians delivered
him up in exchange for Atarneus ; this Atarneus was a place
situated in Mysia, opposite Lesbos. In this manner Pactyas
fell into the hands of the Persians ; therefore having got possession
of Pactyas, they kept him under guard in order that
they might deliver him up to Cyrus. And for a long time
after this none of the Chians would offer barley meal from
Atarneus to any of the gods, or make any cakes of the fruit
that came from thence ; but all the productions of that country
were excluded from the temples. Thus the Chians gave
up Pactyas. Mazares, after this, marched against those who
had assisted in besieging Tabalus ; and in the first place he
reduced the Prienians to slavery, and in the next overran the
whole plain of the Maeander, and gave it to his army to pillage
and he treated Magnesia in the same manner: and shortly
afterward he fell sick and died.
On his death Harpagus came down as his successor in
the command : he also was by birth a Mede, the same whom
Astyages, King of the Medes, entertained at an impious feast,
and who assisted Cyrus in ascending the throne. This man,
; :