M THALIA.

crates met and engaged them at sea, where he was
defeated; but that, landing afterwards on the island,
they had a second engagement by land, in which they
were totally routed, and obliged to fly to LacedEemon.
They who assert that the Samians returned from
Egypt, and obtained a victory over Polycrates, are in
my opinion mistaken; for if their own force was suffi­
cient to overcome him, there was no necessity for
their applying to the Lacedtemonians for assistance.
Neither is it at all consistent with probability, that a
prince who had so many forces under his command,
composed as well of foreign auxiliaries as of archers
of his own, could possibly be overcome by the few
Samians who were returning home. Polycrates,
moreover, had in his power the wives and children of
his Samian subjects: these were all assembled and
confined in his different harbours; and he was deter­
mined to destroy them by fire, and the harbours along
with them, in case of any treasonable conjunction
between the inhabitants and the Samians who were
returning.

XLVI. The Samians who were expelled by Poly­
crates, immediately on their arrival at Sparta, ob­
tained an audience of the magistrates, and spoke a
great while in the language of suppliants. The an­
swer which they first received informed them, that
the commencement of their discourse was not remem­
bered, and the .conclusion not understood. At the
second interview they simply produced a leathern
bag, and complained that it contained no bread;
even to this, the Lacedtemonians replied, that their
observation was unnecessary;—they determined nev­
ertheless to assist them.

XLVII. After the necessary preparations, the La­
cedtemonians embarked with an army against Samos:
if the Samians may be credited, the conduct of the
Lacedtemonians in this business was the effect of
gratitude, they themselves having formerly received
a supply of ships against the Messenians. But the
Laceda?monians assert, that they engaged in this ex­
pedition not so much to satisfy the wishes of those
Samians who had sought their assistance, as to ob­