ation of Artaphernes.--Darius consulted.--His
approval.--Preparations.--Sailing of the expedition.--Plan of the
commander.--Difficulty in the fleet.--Cruel discipline.--Dissension
between the commanders.--The expedition fails.--Chagrin of
Aristagoras.--He resolves to revolt.--Position of Histiaeus.--His
uneasiness.--Singular mode of communication.--Its success.--Revolt
of Aristagoras.--Feigned indignation of Histiaeus.--The Ionian
rebellion.--Its failure.--Death of Histiaeus.

The nature of the government which was exercised in ancient times by a
royal despot like Darius, and the character of the measures and
management to which he was accustomed to resort to gain his political
ends, are, in many points, very strikingly illustrated by the story of
Histiaeus.

Histiaeus was the Ionian chieftain who had been left in charge of the
bridge of boats across the Danube when Darius made his incursion into
Scythia. When, on the failure of the expedition, Darius returned to
the river, knowing, as he did, that the two months had expired, he
naturally felt a considerable degree of solicitude lest he should find
the bridge broken up and the vessels gone, in which case his situation
would be very desperate, hemmed in, as he would have been, between the
Scythians and the river. His anxiety was changed into terror when his
advanced guard arrived at the bank and found that no signs of the
bridge were to be seen. It is easy to imagine what, under these
circumstances, must have been the relief and joy of all the army, when
they heard friendly answers to their shouts, coming, through the
darkness of the night, over the waters of the river, assuring them
that their faithful allies were still at their posts, and that they
themselves would soon be in safety.

Darius, though he was governed by no firm and steady principles of
justice, was still a man of many generous impulses. He was grateful
for favors, though somewhat capricious in his modes of requiting them.
He declared to Histiaeus that he felt under infinite obligations to him
for his persevering fidelity, and that, as soon as the army should
have safely arrived in Asia, he would confer upon him such rewards as
would evince the reality of his gratitude.

On his return from Scythia, Darius brought back the whole of his army
over the Danube, thus abandoning entirely the country of the
Scythians; but he did not transport the whole body across the
Bosporus. He left a considerable detac