The Persians learned from the Greeks the burning of temples, repaying those who had
been the first to offend justice with the same wanton act.1
[2]
When the Carians were becoming
exhausted in their struggles with the Persians, they made inquiry respecting an alliance,
whether they should take the Milesians to be their allies. And the oracle replied:“
Of old Miletus' sons were mighty
men.
”
[3]
But the terror which lay close
at hand caused them to forget their former rivalry with one another and compelled them to man
the triremes with all speed.2
[4]
Hecataeus, the Milesian, whom
the Ionians dispatched as an ambassador,3 asked what cause Artaphernes had to put no faith in them. And when
Artaphernes replied that he was afraid that they would harbour resentment because of the
injuries they had received during their defeat,4 Hecataeus said, "Well then, if suffering ill treatment has the effect of creating
bad faith, receiving kind treatment will surely cause our cities to be well disposed toward the
Persians" And Artaphernes, approving the statement, restored to the cities their laws and laid
upon them fixed tributes according to their ability to pay.
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1 Hdt. 5.102 says that the Persians gave the burning by Greeks of the temple of Cybele in Sardis as an excuse for their burning the temples of Greece.
2 The reference is to the Ionians as they saw themselves threatened by the Persian fleet. Cp. Hdt. 6.7 f.
3 Hdt. 5.36, 125 f. mentions Hecataeus in connection with the Ionian revolt, but not with any embassy like this, which has every appearance of being an invention.
Diodorus Siculus. Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes with an English Translation by C. H. Oldfather. Vol. 4-8. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989.
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