Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.; History, Ancient
60, and about the Samians I have spoken at greater length, because they
have three works which are greater than any others that have been made
by Hellenes: first a passage beginning from below and open at both ends,
dug through a mountain not less than a hundred and fifty fathoms 52 in
height; the length of the passage is seven furlongs 53 and the height
and breadth each eight feet, and throughout the whole of it another
passage has been dug twenty cubits in depth and three feet in breadth,
through which the water is conducted and comes by the pipes to the city,
brought from an abundant spring: and the designer of this work was a
Megarian, Eupalinos the son of Naustrophos. This is one of the three;
and the second is a mole in the sea about the harbour, going down to
a depth of as much as 54 twenty fathoms; and the length of the mole is
more than two furlongs. The third work which they have executed is a
temple larger than all the other temples of which we know. Of this the
first designer was Rhoicos the son of Philes, a native of Samos. For
this reason I have spoken at greater length of the Samians.
61. Now while Cambyses the son of Cyrus was spending a long time in
Egypt and had gone out of his right mind, there rose up against him two
brothers, Magians, of whom the one had been left behind by Cambyses
as caretaker of his household. This man, I say, rose up against him
perceiving that the occurrence of the death of Smerdis was being kept
secret, and that there were but few of the Persians who were aware of
it, while the greater number believed without doubt that he was still
alive. Therefore he endeavoured to obtain the kingdom, and he formed his
plan as follows:—he had a brother (that one who, as I said, rose up
with him against Cambyses), and this man in form very closely resembled
Smerdis the son of Cyrus, whom Cambyses had slain, being his own
brother. He was like Smerdis, I say, in form, and not only so but he had
the same name, Smerdis. Having persuaded this man that he would manage
everything for him, the Magian Patizeithes brought him and seated him
upon the royal throne: and having so done he sent heralds about to
the various provinces, and among others one to the army in Egypt, to
proclaim to them that they must obey Smerdis the son of Cyrus for the
future instead of Cambyses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account