Greece -- History -- To 146 B.C.; History, Ancient
21. When the Milesians suffered this treatment from the Persians, the
men of Sybaris, who were dwelling in Laos and Skidros, being deprived of
their own city, did not repay like with like: for when Sybaris was taken
by the men of Croton, the Milesians all from youth upwards shaved their
heads and put on great mourning: for these cities were more than all
others of which we know bound together by ties of friendship. Not like
the Sybarites were the Athenians; for these made it clear that they were
grieved at the capture of Miletos, both in many other ways and also by
this, that when Phrynichos had composed a drama called the "Capture of
Miletos" and had put it on the stage, the body of spectators fell to
weeping, and the Athenians moreover fined the poet a thousand drachmas
on the ground that he had reminded them of their own calamities; and
they ordered also that no one in future should represent this drama.
22. Miletos then had been stripped bare of its former inhabitants: but
of the Samians they who had substance were by no means satisfied with
that which had been concerted by the commanders of their fleet with the
Medes; and taking counsel forthwith after the sea-fight it seemed good
to them, before their despot Aiakes arrived in the country, to sail away
and make a colony, and not to stay behind and be slaves of the Medes
and of Aiakes: for just at this time the people of Zancle in Sicily
were sending messengers to Ionia and inviting the Ionians to come to the
"Fair Strand," 1101 desiring there to found a city of Ionians. Now this
which is called the Fair Strand is in the land of the Sikelians and on
that side of Sicily which lies towards Tyrsenia. So when these gave the
invitation, the Samians alone of all the Ionians set forth, having with
them those of the Milesians who had escaped: and in the course of this
matter it happened as follows:--
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