Book 1
For neither to the north of them nor to the south does the land effect the same thing as in Ionia (region (general)), Europe Ionia [nor to the east nor to the west], affected here by the cold and wet, there by the heat and drought.
They do not all have the same speech but four different dialects. Miletus [27.3,37.5] (Perseus) Miletus lies farthest south among them, and next to it come Myous (deserted settlement), Aydin Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Myus and Priene [27.2833,37.6333] (Perseus) Priene ; these are settlements in Caria [28,37.5] (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Caria , and they have a common language; Ephesus [27.316,37.916] (deserted settlement), Izmir Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Ephesus , Colophon [27.1333,38.1167] (Perseus) Colophon , Lebedos, Teos [26.8,38.1667] (Perseus) Teos , Klazomenai [26.7833,38.3167] (Perseus) Clazomenae , Foca [26.75,38.666] (inhabited place), Izmir Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Phocaea , all of them in Lydia [27.516,38.683] (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Lydia ,
have a language in common which is wholly different from the speech of the three former cities. There are yet three Ionian cities, two of them situated on the islands of Nisos Samos [26.8,37.75] (island), Samos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Samos and Chios [26,38.366] (island), Khios, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Chios , and one, Erythrae, on the mainland; the Chians and Erythraeans speak alike, but the Samians have a language which is their own and no one else's. It is thus seen that there are four modes of speech.
Among these Ionians, the Milesians were safe from the danger (for they had made a treaty), and the islanders among them had nothing to fear: for the Phoenicians were not yet subjects of the Persians, nor were the Persians themselves mariners.
But those of Asia (continent) Asia were cut off from the rest of the Ionians only in the way that I shall show. The whole Hellenic stock was then small, and the last of all its branches and the least regarded was the Ionian; for it had no considerable city except Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus) Athens .
Now the Athenians and the rest would not be called Ionians, but spurned the name; even now the greater number of them seem to me to be ashamed of it; but the twelve cities aforesaid gloried in this name, and founded a holy place for themselves which they called the Panionion [27.1167,37.6833] (Perseus) Panionion , and agreed among themselves to allow no other Ionians to use it (nor in fact did any except the men of Smyrna [27.1667,38.4167] (Perseus) Smyrna ask to be admitted);
just as the Dorians of what is now the country of the “Five Cities”—formerly the country of the “Six Cities”—forbid admitting any of the neighboring Dorians to the Triopian temple, and even barred from using it those of their own group who had broken the temple law.
For long ago, in the games in honor of Triopian Apollo, they offered certain bronze tripods to the victors; and those who won these were not to carry them away from the temple but dedicate them there to the god.
Now when a man of Bodrum [27.466,37.5] (inhabited place), Mugla Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Halicarnassus called Agasicles won, he disregarded this law, and, carrying the tripod away, nailed it to the wall of his own house. For this offense the five cities—Lindos [28.1083,36.0833] (Perseus) Lindus , Trianda [28.166,36.416] (inhabited place), Rhodes, Sporades, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Ialysus , Camirus, Kos City [27.3,36.8917] (Perseus) Cos , and Cnidus Nova [27.366,36.666] (deserted settlement), Mugla Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Cnidus —forbade the sixth city—Bodrum [27.466,37.5] (inhabited place), Mugla Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Halicarnassus —to share in the use of the temple. Such was the penalty imposed on the Halicarnassians.
As for the Ionians, the reason why they made twelve cities and would admit no more was in my judgment this: there were twelve divisions of them when they dwelt in the Peloponnese [22,37.5] (region), Greece, Europe Peloponnese , just as there are twelve divisions of the Achaeans who drove the Ionians out—Pellene [22.5583,38.05] (Perseus) Pellene nearest to Sikyon [22.725,37.9833] (Perseus) Sicyon ; then Aegira [22.3833,38.1333] (Perseus) Aegira and Aegae [22.05,40.8] (Perseus) Aegae , where is the never-failing river Crathis, from which the river in Italy [12.833,42.833] (nation), Europe Italy took its name; Bura [22.2167,38.15] (Perseus) Bura and Helike [22.1167,38.2167] (Perseus) Helice , where the Ionians fled when they were worsted in battle by the Achaeans; Aegion; Rhype; Patrai [21.75,38.2333] (Perseus) Patrae ; Phareae; and Olenus [21.55,38.15] (Perseus) Olenus , where is the great river Pirus; Dyme [21.5833,38.1] (Perseus) Dyme and Tritaeae, the only inland city of all these—these were the twelve divisions of the Ionians, as they are now of the Achaeans.
For this reason, and for no other, the Ionians too made twelve cities; for it would be foolishness to say that these are more truly Ionian or better born than the other Ionians; since not the least part of them are Abantes from Euboea [23.833,38.566] (island), Nomos Evvoias, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Euboea , who are not Ionians even in name, and there are mingled with them Minyans of Orkhomenos (deserted settlement), Boeotia, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Orchomenus , Cadmeans, Dryopians, Phocian renegades from their nation, Molossians, Pelasgian Arcadians, Dorians of Epidauros [23.0917,37.6] (Perseus) Epidaurus , and many other tribes;
and as for those who came from the very town-hall of Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus) Athens and think they are the best born of the Ionians, these did not bring wives with them to their settlements, but married Carian women whose parents they had put to death.
For this slaughter, these women made a custom and bound themselves by oath (and enjoined it on their daughters) that no one would sit at table with her husband or call him by his name, because the men had married them after slaying their fathers and husbands and sons. This happened at Miletus [27.3,37.5] (Perseus) Miletus .
And as kings, some of them chose Lycian descendants of Glaucus son of Hippolochus, and some Caucones of Pylus, descendants of Codrus son of Melanthus, and some both. Yet since they set more store by the name than the rest of the Ionians, let it be granted that those of pure birth are Ionians;
and all are Ionians who are of Athenian descent and keep the feast Apaturia.A festival celebrated at Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus) Athens and most Ionian cities by the members of each “phratria” or clan, lasting three days; on the last day grown-up youths were formally admitted as members of the phratria. The festival was held in the month Pyanepsion (late October and early November). All do keep it, except the men of Ephesus [27.316,37.916] (deserted settlement), Izmir Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Ephesus and Colophon [27.1333,38.1167] (Perseus) Colophon ; these are the only Ionians who do not keep it, and these because, they say, of a certain pretext of murder.
The Panionion [27.1167,37.6833] (Perseus) Panionion is a sacred ground in Mykale [26.8667,38.1] (Perseus) Mykale , facing north; it was set apart for Poseidon of Helicon by the joint will of the Ionians. Mykale [26.8667,38.1] (Perseus) Mykale is a western promontory of the mainland opposite Nisos Samos [26.8,37.75] (island), Samos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Samos ; the Ionians used to assemble there from their cities and keep the festival to which they gave the name of Panionia.
Not only the Ionian festivals, but all those of all the Greeks alike, end in the same letter, just as do the names of the Persians.
Those are the Ionian cities, and these are the Aeolian: Kyme [24.1167,38.6333] (Perseus) Cyme (called “Phriconian”),Perhaps so called from a mountain in Aeolis (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Aeolis , Phricion, near which the Aeolians had been settled before their migration to Asia (continent) Asia . Lerisae, Neon Teichos, Temnos, Cilla, Notium (deserted settlement), Izmir Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Notion , Aegiroessa, Pitane [26.9333,38.9333] (Perseus) Pitane , Aegaeae, Mirina [25.66,39.866] (inhabited place), Lemnos, Lesvos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Myrina , Gryneia.These places lie between Smyrna [27.1667,38.4167] (Perseus) Smyrna and Bergama [27.166,39.133] (inhabited place), Izmir Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Pergamum , on or near the coast. But Aegiroessa has not been exactly identified. These are the ancient Aeolian cities, eleven in number; but one of them, Smyrna [27.1667,38.4167] (Perseus) Smyrna , was taken away by the Ionians; for these too were once twelve, on the mainland.
These Aeolians had settled where the land was better than the Ionian territory, but the climate was not so good.
Now this is how the Aeolians lost Smyrna [27.1667,38.4167] (Perseus) Smyrna . Some men of Colophon [27.1333,38.1167] (Perseus) Colophon , the losers in civil strife and exiles from their country, had been received by them into the town. These Colophonian exiles waited for the time when the men of Smyrna [27.1667,38.4167] (Perseus) Smyrna were holding a festival to Dionysus outside the walls; then they shut the gates and so got the city.
Then all the Aeolians came to recover it; and an agreement was made, whereby the Aeolians would receive back their movable goods from the Ionians, and leave the city. After this was done, the other eleven cities divided the Smyrnaeans among themselves and made them citizens of their own.
These then are the Aeolian cities on the mainland, besides those that are situated on Ida and are separate.
Among those on the islands, five divide Lesbos [26.333,39.166] (island), Lesvos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Lesbos among them (there was a sixth on Lesbos [26.333,39.166] (island), Lesvos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Lesbos , Arisba, but its people were enslaved by their kinfolk of Methymna [26.2,39.3333] (Perseus) Methymna ); there is one on Tenedos [26.05,39.8167] (Perseus) Tenedos , and one again in the “Hundred Isles,”A group of small islands between Lesbos [26.333,39.166] (island), Lesvos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Lesbos and the mainland. as they are called.
The men of Lesbos [26.333,39.166] (island), Lesvos, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Lesbos and Tenedos [26.05,39.8167] (Perseus) Tenedos , then, like the Ionian islanders, had nothing to fear. The rest of the cities deliberated together and decided to follow the Ionians' lead.
So when the envoys of the Ionians and Aeolians came to Sparta [22.4417,37.0667] (Perseus) Sparta (for they set about this in haste) they chose a Phocaean, whose name was Pythennos, to speak for all. He then put on a purple cloak, so that as many Spartans as possible might assemble to hear him, and stood up and made a long speech asking aid for his people.
But the Lacedaemonians would not listen to him and refused to help the Ionians. So the Ionians departed; but the Lacedaemonians, though they had rejected their envoys, did nevertheless send men in a ship of fifty oars to see (as I suppose) the situation with Cyrus and Ionia (region (general)), Europe Ionia .
These, after coming to Foca [26.75,38.666] (inhabited place), Izmir Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Phocaea , sent Lacrines, who was the most esteemed among them, to Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis , to repeat there to Cyrus a proclamation of the Lacedaemonians, that he was to harm no city on Greek territory, or else the Lacedaemonians would punish him.
When the herald had proclaimed this, Cyrus is said to have asked the Greeks who were present who and how many in number these Lacedaemonians were who made this declaration. When he was told, he said to the Spartan herald, “I never yet feared men who set apart a place in the middle of their city where they perjure themselves and deceive each other. They, if I keep my health, shall talk of their own misfortunes, not those of the Ionians.”
He uttered this threat against all the Greeks, because they have markets and buy and sell there; for the Persians themselves were not used to resorting to markets at all, nor do they even have a market of any kind.
Presently, entrusting Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis to a Persian called Tabalus, and instructing Pactyes, a Lydian, to take charge of the gold of Croesus and the Lydians, he himself marched away to Hamadan [48.583,34.766] (inhabited place), Hamadan, Iran, Asia Ecbatana , taking Croesus with him, and at first taking no notice of the Ionians.
For he had Babylon [44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, Asia Babylon on his hands and the Bactrian nation and the Sacae and Egyptians; he meant to lead the army against these himself, and to send another commander against the Ionians.
But no sooner had Cyrus marched away from Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis than Pactyes made the Lydians revolt from Tabalus and Cyrus; and he went down to the sea, where, as he had all the gold of Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis , he hired soldiers and persuaded the men of the coast to join his undertaking. Then, marching to Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis , he penned Tabalus in the acropolis and besieged him there.
When Cyrus heard of this on his journey, he said to Croesus, “What end to this business, Croesus? It seems that the Lydians will never stop making trouble for me and for themselves. It occurs to me that it may be best to make slaves of them; for it seems I have acted like one who slays the father and spares the children.
So likewise I have taken with me you who were more than a father to the Lydians, and handed the city over to the Lydians themselves; and then indeed I marvel that they revolt!” So Cyrus uttered his thought; but Croesus feared that he would destroy Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis , and answered him thus:
“O King, what you say is reasonable. But do not ever yield to anger, or destroy an ancient city that is innocent both of the former and of the present offense. For the former I am responsible, and bear the punishment on my head; while Pactyes, in whose charge you left Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis , does this present wrong; let him, then, pay the penalty.
But pardon the Lydians, and give them this command so that they not revolt or pose a danger to you: send and forbid them to possess weapons of war, and order them to wear tunics under their cloaks and knee-boots on their feet, and to teach their sons lyre-playing and song and dance and shop-keeping. And quickly, O king, you shall see them become women instead of men, so that you need not fear them, that they might revolt.”
Croesus proposed this to him, because he thought this was better for the Lydians than to be sold as slaves; he knew that without some reasonable plea he could not change the king's mind, and feared that even if the Lydians should escape this time they might later revolt and be destroyed by the Persians.
Cyrus was pleased by this counsel; he relented in his anger and said he would follow Croesus' advice. Then calling Mazares, a Mede, he told him to give the Lydians the commands that Croesus advised; further, to enslave all the others who had joined the Lydians in attacking Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis ; and as for Pactyes himself, by all means to bring him into his presence alive.
After giving these commands on his journey, he marched away into the Persian country. But Pactyes, learning that an army sent against him was approaching, was frightened and fled to Kyme [24.1167,38.6333] (Perseus) Cyme .
Mazares the Mede, when he came to Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis with the part that he had of Cyrus' host and found Pactyes' followers no longer there, first of all compelled the Lydians to carry out Cyrus' commands; and by his order they changed their whole way of life.