136 MELPOMENE.

thia, to the extent of a bow-shot. This, although it
was of no real importance, would prevent the Scy-
thians from passing the Ister on the bridge, and might
induce them to believe that no inclination was want­
ing on the part of the Ionians, to comply with their
wishes : accordingly Histiteus thus addressed them in
the name of the rest: " Men of Scythia, we consider
your advice as of consequence to our interest, and we
take in good part your urging it upon us. You have
shown us the path which we ought to pursue, and we
are readily disposed to follow it; we shall break down
the bridge as you recommend, and in all things shall
discover the most earnest zeal to secure our liberties:
in the mean time, whilst we shall thus be employed,
it becomes you to go in pursuit of the enemy, and
having found them, revenge yourselves and us."

CXL. The Scythians, placing an entire confidence
in the promises of the Ionians, returned to the pursuit
of the Persians; they did not, however, find them, for
in that particular district they themselves had destroy­
ed all the fodder for the horses, and corrupted all the
springs; they might otherwise easily have found the
Persians; and thus it happened, that the measure
which at first promised them success became ulti­
mately injurious. They directed their march to those
parts of Scythia where they were secure of water and
provisions for their horses, thinking themselves cer­
tain of here meeting with the enemy; but the Persian
prince, following the track he had before pursued,
found, though with the greatest difficulty, the place
he aimed at: arriving at the bridge by night, and find­
ing it broken down he was exceedingly disheartened,
and conceived himself abandoned by the Ionians.

CXLI. There was in the army of Darius an Egyp­
tian very remarkable for the loudness of his voice:
this man, Darius ordered to advance to the banks ol
the Ister, and to pronounce with all his strength, the
name of " Histiteus the Milesian;" Histiteus immedi­
ately heard him, and approaching with all the fleet,
enabled the Persians to repass, by again forming a
bridge.

CXLII. By these means the Persians escaped,