THE ANTIQUE WOULD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1682, 16 February 1884, Page 27

THE ANTIQUE WOULD.

YAKNS OF AN OLD GREEK. RE-SPUN FOR YOUNG BRITONS.

Bt Ocphil. •

YARN XXXII.— HOW THE SAMIANS ASKED FOR MEAL. Polycrates the Prosperous was destined, as Ainasis had foretold, to experience the jealousy of the deity. As Cambyses was preparing to set cut on his expedition to Egypt, he received a message from Polycrates ot Samos, urging him to send to Samos to demand sorrfe troops to increase the army intended for the Egyptian conquest, and Cambygea, nothing loth, sent to Poly 1 rates, requesting him to send a naval contingent of Samians to accompany him on* his expedition. The fact is that there were some troublesome citizens that Pnly crates wished to get rid of, and this was the in#e nious plan he adopted to effect his object. He selected the citizens ho most suspected of seditious designs — a sufficient number to man forty galleys — and sent them to Cambyses, with his compliments, hinting ■at the same time that Cambyses need be in no hurry to send them home again. Whether this naval contingent of Samians ever reached Egypt is doubtful ; some say they did, and some say they didn't. According to some, they discovered the scheme ot Polycrates after landing in Egypt, and forthwith managed to effect their escape j according to others,, they saw through the plot shortly after sotting out, and never' went to Egypt at all. At any rate, as they were sailing back to Samos Polycrates set out with a fleet to meet them. The ships of the respective fleets joined battle, and the fleet of the seditious citizens was victorious, and they managed to effect a landing on the island. Here a hand-to-band battle was fought, in which, however, the citizens were defeated and forced to betake themselves again to their ships. In case, however, that the citizens who were left in Samos might joiu the rebela who were returning from Egypt, Polycrates had taken the precaution to shut up all the wives and children in the arsenal, to which he intended to set fire should thero be any sign of treachery. Meanwhile the Samians who had been beaten by Polycrates in a hand-to-hand fight on the island returned to their vessels, sind determined to betake themselves for help to the inhabitants of Sparta— a town lying some distance north of Cape Matapan, in Greece. Now those Spartans were in some respects a very peculiar people. Amongst their extraordinary characteristics was a dislike of much talking. They neither spoke much thoinselves, nor could they tolerate long-winded' speeches in others. Now the Samians, when they appeared at Sparta to ask for help against their tyrant, being very much in earnest, made a long_ speech before the magistrates of the city, setting forth their grievances at great length. At their first audience tbe magistrates answered them that they had forgotten the first part of their speech, and had not understood the last. Afc the second audience the Samian3, having gained wisdom by experience, brought with them an empty sack, and, holding it up, merely said, "Th& sack wants meal," whereupon the Spartans agreed to assist them against Polycrates — adding, howevor, that the word " sack" was superfluous.

The Spartans • then with a great armada attacked the island of Samos, where thoy were stoutly meb by Polyctates, and driven back even aftar they had succeeded in penetrating some part of the fortifications. Then the best of the Samians and their allies poured down from the citadel upon the invading Spartan?, but after holding them for Borne time in a hand-to-hand contest they were forced to flee back to the protection of their walls. If all the Spartans on that day had behaved with tbe noble courage of two of their men — Archias and Lycopas — without a doubt Samos would have been taken. The.se two Spartans, pursuiug the Qamians in their retreat within tho walls, and being shut iv when the gates closed, were obliged to sell their lives as dearly as they could. Such was the admiration of the Samians for the heroism of Archias that, notwithstanding he was an enemy, they gaye him a buijxl at the public charge. This expedition of the Spartans against Samos did not come to much. Some say that Polycrates bribed them to return home, and that to pay them he caused a great amount of the money of the country to be coined in load, and afterwards gilt to make it .appear like gold. At any rate, after a forty days' siege the Spar.taris, finding they were np nearer to taking the city than on the first day, returned to their homes, and left Polycrates and his disaffected subjects to settle their differences as they best could.