Herodotus. Book 5, Chapter 106.
106. Then he summoned into his presence Histiaeus of Miletus, whom he had kept at his court for so long a time. And on his appearance addressed him thus: "I am told, O Histiaeus, that your lieutenant, to whom you have given Miletus in charge, has raised a rebellion against me. He has brought men from the other continent to contend with me, and, prevailing on the Ionians, whose conduct I shall know how to reward, to join with this force, he has robbed me of Sardis! Is this as it should be, do you think? Or can it have been done without your knowledge and advice? Beware lest it be found later that the blame of these acts is yours."
Histiaeus answered, "What words are these, O king, to which you have given utterance? I advise nothing from which unpleasantness of any kind, little or great, should come to you! What could I gain by so doing? Or what is there that I lack now? Have I not all that you have, and am I not thought worthy to partake all your counsels? If my lieutenant has indeed done as you say, be sure he has done it all of his own head. For my part, I do not think it can really be that the Milesians and my lieutenant have raised a rebellion against you. But if they have indeed committed aught to your hurt, and the tidings are true which have come to you, judge you how ill-advised you were to remove me from the sea-coast. The Ionians, it seems, have waited till I was no longer in sight, and then sought to execute that which they long ago desired. Whereas, if I had been there, not a single city would have stirred. Suffer me then to hasten at my best speed to Ionia, that I may place matters there upon their former footing, and deliver up to you the deputy of Miletus, who has caused all the troubles. Having managed this business to your heart's content, I swear by all the gods of your royal house, that I will not put off the clothes in which I reach Ionia till I have made Sardinia, the biggest island in the world, your tributary."
106. Then he summoned into his presence Histiaeus of Miletus, whom he had kept at his court for so long a time. And on his appearance addressed him thus: "I am told, O Histiaeus, that your lieutenant, to whom you have given Miletus in charge, has raised a rebellion against me. He has brought men from the other continent to contend with me, and, prevailing on the Ionians, whose conduct I shall know how to reward, to join with this force, he has robbed me of Sardis! Is this as it should be, do you think? Or can it have been done without your knowledge and advice? Beware lest it be found later that the blame of these acts is yours."
Histiaeus answered, "What words are these, O king, to which you have given utterance? I advise nothing from which unpleasantness of any kind, little or great, should come to you! What could I gain by so doing? Or what is there that I lack now? Have I not all that you have, and am I not thought worthy to partake all your counsels? If my lieutenant has indeed done as you say, be sure he has done it all of his own head. For my part, I do not think it can really be that the Milesians and my lieutenant have raised a rebellion against you. But if they have indeed committed aught to your hurt, and the tidings are true which have come to you, judge you how ill-advised you were to remove me from the sea-coast. The Ionians, it seems, have waited till I was no longer in sight, and then sought to execute that which they long ago desired. Whereas, if I had been there, not a single city would have stirred. Suffer me then to hasten at my best speed to Ionia, that I may place matters there upon their former footing, and deliver up to you the deputy of Miletus, who has caused all the troubles. Having managed this business to your heart's content, I swear by all the gods of your royal house, that I will not put off the clothes in which I reach Ionia till I have made Sardinia, the biggest island in the world, your tributary."
Footer section, if any
Text source: Herodotus. Translated by George Rawlinson, first issued in 1858. Grammar and spelling updated by Michael Presky, 1993.
Footer section, if any
Footer section, if any