72 THALIA.

in the neighbourhood of the city. Having done this, be
assembled the citizens of Samos, and thus addressed
them: " You are well acquainted that Polycrates con­
fided to me his sceptre and his power, which if I thiiit
proper I may retain; but I shall certainly avoid doinj
that myself, which I deemed reprehensible in another.
The ambition of Polycrates to rule over men who
were his equals, always seemed to me unjust; nor can
I approve of a like conduct in any man. Polycrates
has yielded to his destiny; and for my part, I lay down
the supreme authority, and restore you all to an equal­
ity of power. I only claim, which I think I reasonablj
may, six talents to be given me from the wealth of
Polycrates, as well as the appointment in perpetuity,
to me and my posterity, of the priesthood of Jupiter
Liberator, whose temple I have traced out; and then
I restore you to liberty." When Mteandrius had thus
spoken, a Samian exclaimed from the midst of the
assembly, " You are not worthy to rule over us, your
principles are bad, and your conduct reproachable.
Rather let us make you give an account of the wealth
which has passed through your hands." The name
of this person was Telesarchus, a man much respect­
ed by his fellow-citizens.

CXLIII. Mteandrius revolved this circumstance in
his mind; and being convinced that if he resigned his
power, some other would assume it, he determined to
continue as he was. Returning to the citadel, he sent
for the citizens, as if to give them an account of the
moneys which had been alluded to, instead of which
he seized and confined them. Whilst they remained
in imprisonment, Mteandrius was taken ill; his brother
Lycaretus, not thinking he would recover, that he
might the more easily succeed in his views upon Sa­
mos, put the citizens who were confined to death;
indeed it did not appear that they were desirous of life
under the government of a tyrant.

CXLIV. When, therefore, the Persians arrived it
Samos, with the view of restoring Syloson, they met
with no resistance. The Mteandrian faction expressed
themselves on certain conditions ready to submit:
and Mteandrius himself consented to leave the island.