herodotus

down by the back part of the wall, where the place was left mostunguarded by the enemy; and when day came, the men of the Chersonesesignified to the Athenians from the towers concerning that which hadhappened, and opened the gates to them. So the greater number of themwent in pursuit, and the rest occupied the city. 119. Now Oiobazos, ashe was escaping[119] into Thrace, was caught by the ApsinthianThracians and sacrificed to their native god Pleistoros with theirrites, and the rest who were with him they slaughtered in anothermanner: but Artaÿctes with his companions, who started on their flightlater and were overtaken at a little distance above Aigospotamoi,defended themselves for a considerable time and were some of themkilled and others taken alive: and the Hellenes had bound these andwere bringing them to Sestos, and among them Artaÿctes also in bondstogether with his son. 120. Then, it is said by the men of theChersonese, as one of those who guarded them was frying dried fish, aportent occurred as follows,--the dried fish when laid upon the firebegan to leap and struggle just as if they were fish newly caught: andthe others gathered round and were marvelling at the portent, butArtaÿctes seeing it called to the man who was frying the fish andsaid: "Stranger of Athens, be not at all afraid of this portent,seeing that it has not appeared for thee but for me. Protesilaos whodwells at Elaius signifies thereby that though he is dead and his bodyis dried like those fish,[120] yet he has power given him by the godsto exact vengeance from the man who does him wrong. Now therefore Idesire to impose this penalty for him,[121]--that in place of thethings which I took from the temple I should pay down a hundredtalents to the god, and moreover as ransom for myself and my son Iwill pay two hundred talents to the Athenians, if my life be spared."Thus he engaged to do, but he did not prevail upon the commanderXanthippos; for the people of Elaius desiring to take vengeance forProtesilaos asked that he might be put to death, and the inclinationof the commander himself tended to the same conclusion. They broughthim therefore to that headland to which Xerxes made the passageacross, or as some say to the hill which is over the town of Madytos,and there they nailed him to boards[122] and hung him up; and theystoned his son to death before the eyes of Artaÿctes himself. 121.Having so done, they sailed away to Hellas, taking with them, besidesother things, the ropes also of the bridges, in order to dedicate themas offerings in the temples: and for that year nothing happenedfurther than this.122. Now a forefather of this Artaÿctes who was hung up, was thatArtembares who set forth to the Persians a proposal which they took upand brought before Cyrus, being to this effect: "Seeing that Zeusgrants to the Persians leadership, and of all men to thee, O Cyrus, bydestroying Astyages, come, since the land we possess is small and also