Aristagoras together at the same time. He took counsel therefore with
his partisans, declaring to them both his own opinion and the message
from Hisiaios; and while all the rest expressed an opinion to the same
effect, urging him namely to make revolt, Hecataios the historian
urged first that they should not undertake war with the king of the
Persians, enumerating all the nations over whom Dareios was ruler, and
his power: and when he did not succeed in persuading him, he
counselled next that they should manage to make themselves masters of
the sea. Now this, he continued, could not come to pass in any other
way, so far as he could see, for he knew that the force of the
Milesians was weak, but if the treasures should be taken[21] which
were in the temple at Branchidai, which Crœsus the Lydian dedicated as
offerings, he had great hopes that they might become masters of the
sea; and by this means they would not only themselves have wealth at
their disposal, but the enemy would not be able to carry the things
off as plunder. Now these treasures were of great value, as I have
shown in the first part of the history.[22] This opinion did not
prevail; but nevertheless it was resolved to make revolt, and that one
of them should sail to Myus, to make the force which had returned from
Naxos and was then there, and endeavour to seize the commanders who
sailed in the ships. 37. So Iatragoras was sent for this purpose and
seized by craft Oliatos the son of Ibanollis of Mylasa, and Histiaios
the son of Tymnes of Termera, and Coës the son of Erxander, to whom
Dareios had given Mytilene as a gift, and Aristagoras the son of
Heracleides of Kyme, and many others; and then Aristagoras openly made
revolt and devised all that he could to the hurt of Dareios. And first
he pretended to resign the despotic power and give to Miletos
equality,[23] in order that the Milesians might be willing to revolt
with him: then afterwards he proceeded to do this same thing in the
rest of Ionia also; and some of the despots he drove out, but those