nswered thus: "Thou didst
exceedingly well, and double thanks are due to thee, for thy words and
also for thy gift; and we invite thee to come to dinner." The fisherman
then, thinking this a great thing, went away to this house; and the
servants as they were cutting up the fish found in its belly the
signet-ring of Polycrates. Then as soon as they had seen it and taken it
up, they bore it rejoicing to Polycrates, and giving him the signet-ring
they told him in what manner it had been found: and he perceiving that
the matter was of God, wrote upon paper all that he had done and all
that had happened to him, and having written he despatched it to Egypt.
36

43. Then Amasis, when he had read the paper which had come from
Polycrates, perceived that it was impossible for man to rescue man from
the event which was to come to pass, and that Polycrates was destined
not to have a good end, being prosperous in all things, seeing that he
found again even that which he cast away. Therefore he sent an envoy to
him in Samos and said that he broke off the guest-friendship; and this
he did lest when a fearful and great mishap befell Polycrates, he might
himself be grieved in his soul as for a man who was his guest.

44. It was this Polycrates then, prosperous in all things, against whom
the Lacedemonians were making an expedition, being invited by those
Samians who afterwards settled at Kydonia in Crete, to come to their
assistance. Now Polycrates had sent an envoy to Cambyses the son of
Cyrus without the knowledge of the Samians, as he was gathering an army
to go against Egypt, and had asked him to send to him in Samos and to
ask for an armed force. So Cambyses hearing this very readily sent to
Samos to ask Polycrates to send a naval force with him against Egypt:
and Polycrates selected of the citizens those whom he most suspected
of desiring to rise against him and sent them away in forty triremes,
charging Cambyses not to send them back.

45. Now some say that those of the Samians who were sent away by
Polycrates never reached Egypt, but when they arrived on their voyage at
Carpathos, 37 they considered with themselves, and resolved not to sail
on any further: others say that they reached Egypt and being kept under
guard there, they made their escape from thence. Then, as they were
sailing in to Samos, Polycrates encountered them with ships and engaged
battle with them; and those who were returning home had the better and
landed