conquest, and the valour of their leader, all tended to deter him from
the project: should he be victorious, Cyrus would probably not rest
contented with tke annexation of a few unimportant districts or the
imposition of a tribute, but would treat his adversary as he had
Astyages, and having dethroned him, would divide Lydia into departments
to be ruled by one or other of his partisans. Warlike ideas,
nevertheless, prevailed at the court of Sardes, and, taking all into
consideration, we cannot deny that they had reason on their side. The
fall of Ecbatana had sealed the fate of Media proper, and its immediate
dependencies had naturally shared the fortunes of the capital; but the
more distant provinces still wavered, and they would probably attempt
to take advantage of the change of rule to regain their liberty. Cyrus,
obliged to take up arms against them, would no longer have his entire
forces at his disposal, and by attacking him at that juncture it might
be possible to check his power before it became irresistible. Having
sketched out his plan of campaign, Croesus prepared to execute it with
all possible celerity. Egypt and Chaldæa, like himself, doubtless felt
themselves menaced; he experienced little difficulty in persuading them
to act in concert with him in face of the common peril, and he obtained
from both Amasis and Nabonidus promises of effective co-operation. At
the same time he had recourse to the Greek oracles, and that of
Delphi was instrumental in obtaining for him a treaty of alliance and
friendship with Sparta. Negotiations had been carried on so rapidly,
that by the end of 548 all was in readiness for a simultaneous movement;
Sparta was equipping a fleet, and merely awaited the return of the
favourable season to embark her contingent; Egypt had already despatched
hers, and her Cypriot vassals were on the point of starting, while bands
of Thracian infantry were marching to reinforce the Lydian army. These
various elements represented so considerable a force of men, that, had
they been ranged on a field of battle, Cyrus would have experienced