herodotus

Next to these Kilikians are the Armenians, whom thou mayest see here,and these also have great numbers of sheep and cattle. Next to theArmenians are the Matienians occupying this country here; and next tothem is the land of Kissia here, in which land by the banks of thisriver Choaspes is situated that city of Susa where the great king hashis residence, and where the money is laid up in treasuries. After yehave taken this city ye may then with good courage enter into acontest with Zeus in the matter of wealth. Nay, but can it be that yefeel yourselves bound to take upon you the risk of[36] battles againstMessenians and Arcadians and Argives, who are equally matched againstyou, for the sake of land which is not much in extent nor veryfertile, and for confines which are but small, though these peopleshave neither gold nor silver at all, for the sake of which desireincites one to fight and to die,--can this be, I say, and will yechoose some other way now, when it is possible for you easily to havethe rule over all Asia?" Aristagoras spoke thus, and Cleomenesanswered him saying: "Guest-friend from Miletos, I defer my answer tothee until the day after to-morrow."[37] 50. Thus far then theyadvanced at that time; and when the appointed day arrived for theanswer, and they had come to the place agreed upon, Cleomenes askedAristagoras how many days' journey it was from the sea of the Ioniansto the residence of the king. Now Aristagoras, who in other respectsacted cleverly and imposed upon him well, in this point made amistake: for whereas he ought not to have told him the truth, at leastif he desired to bring the Spartans out to Asia, he said in fact thatit was a journey up from the sea of three months: and the othercutting short the rest of the account which Aristagoras had begun togive of the way, said: "Guest-friend from Miletos, get thee away fromSparta before the sun has set; for thou speakest a word which soundsnot well in the ears of the Lacedemonians, desiring to take them ajourney of three months from the sea." 51. Cleomenes accordinglyhaving so said went away to his house: but Aristagoras took thesuppliant's branch and went to the house of Cleomenes; and havingentered in as a suppliant, he bade Cleomenes send away the child andlisten to him; for the daughter of Cleomenes was standing by him,whose name was Gorgo, and this as it chanced was his only child, beingof the age now of eight or nine years. Cleomenes however bade him saythat which he desired to say, and not to stop on account of the child.Then Aristagoras proceeded to promise him money, beginning with tentalents, if he would accomplish for him that for which he was asking;and when Cleomenes refused, Aristagoras went on increasing the sums ofmoney offered, until at last he had promised fifty talents, and atthat moment the child cried out: "Father, the stranger will do theehurt,[38] if thou do not leave him and go." Cleomenes, then, pleasedby the counsel of the child, departed into another room, andAristagoras went away from Sparta altogether, and had no opportunity