Aristagoras came forward before the assembly of the people and said
the same things as he had said at Sparta about the wealth which there
was in Asia, and about the Persian manner of making war, how they used
neither shield nor spear and were easy to overcome. Thus I say he
said, and also he added this, namely that the Milesians were colonists
from the Athenians, and that it was reasonable that the Athenians
should rescue them, since they had such great power; and there was
nothing which he did not promise, being very urgent in his request,
until at last he persuaded them: for it would seem that it is easier
to deceive many than one, seeing that, though he did not prove able to
deceive Cleomenes the Lacedemonian by himself, yet he did this to
thirty thousand Athenians. The Athenians then, I say, being persuaded,
voted a resolution to despatch twenty ships to help the Ionians, and
appointed to command them Melanthios one of their citizens, who was in
all things highly reputed. These ships proved to be the beginning of
evils for the Hellenes and the Barbarians.

98. Aristagoras however sailed on before and came to Miletos; and then
having devised a plan from which no advantage was likely to come for
the Ionians (nor indeed was he doing what he did with a view to that,
but in order to vex king Dareios), he sent a man to Phrygia to the
Piaonians who had been taken captive by Megabazos from the river
Strymon, and who were dwelling in a district and village of Phrygia
apart by themselves; and when the messenger came to the Paionians he
spoke these words: "Paionians, Aristagoras the despot of Miletos sent
me to offer to you salvation, if ye shall be willing to do as he says;
for now all Ionia has revolted from the king and ye have an
opportunity of coming safe to your own land: to reach the sea shall be
your concern, and after this it shall be thenceforth ours." The
Paionians hearing this received it as a most welcome proposal, and