herodotus

Athenian. This Miltiades was sitting in the entrance of his owndwelling, and seeing the Dolonkians going by with dress that was notof the native Athenian fashion and with spears, he shouted to them;and when they approached, he offered them lodging and hospitality.They then having accepted and having been entertained by him,proceeded to declare all the utterances of the Oracle; and havingdeclared it they asked him to do as the god had said: and Miltiadeswhen he heard it was at once disposed to agree, because he was vexedby the rule of Peisistratos and desired to be removed out of the way.He set out therefore forthwith to Delphi to inquire of the Oraclewhether he should do that which the Dolonkians asked of him: 36, and asthe Pythian prophetess also bade him do so, Miltiades the son ofKypselos, who had before this been victor at Olympia with a four-horsechariot, now taking with him of the Athenians everyone who desired toshare in the expedition, sailed with the Dolonkians and tookpossession of the land: and they who had invited him to come to themmade him despot over them. First then he made a wall across theisthmus of the Chersonese from the city of Cardia to Pactye, in orderthat the Apsinthians might not be able to invade the land and do themdamage. Now the number of furlongs[21] across the isthmus at thisplace is six-and-thirty, and from this isthmus the Chersonese withinis altogether four hundred and twenty furlongs in length. 37. Havingmade a wall then across the neck of the Chersonese and having in thismanner repelled the Apsinthians, Miltiades made war upon the people ofLampsacos first of all others; and the people of Lampsacos laid anambush and took him prisoner. Now Miltiades had come to be afriend[22] of Crœsus the Lydian; and Crœsus accordingly, beinginformed of this event, sent and commanded the people of Lampsacos tolet Miltiades go; otherwise he threatened to destroy them utterly likea pine-tree.[23] Then when the people of Lampsacos were perplexed intheir counsels as to what that saying should mean with which Crœsushad threatened them, namely that he would destroy them utterly like apine-tree, at length one of the elder men with difficulty perceivedthe truth, and said that a pine alone of all trees when it has beencut down does not put forth any further growth but perishes, beingutterly destroyed. The people of Lampsacos therefore fearing Crœsusloosed Miltiades and let him go. 38. He then escaped by means ofCrœsus, but afterwards he brought his life to an end leaving no son tosucceed him, but passing over his rule and his possessions toStesagoras, who was the son of Kimon, his brother on the mother'sside:[24] and the people of the Chersonese still offer sacrifices tohim after his death as it is usual to do to a founder, and hold in hishonour a contest of horse-races and athletic exercises, in which noneof the men of Lampsacos are allowed to contend. After this there waswar with those of Lampsacos; and it happened to Stesagoras also thathe died without leaving a son, having been struck on the head with an