d the forces of Peisistratos, as they went towards the
city starting from Marathon, met them just when they came to the temple
of Athene Pallenis, and there encamped opposite to them. Then moved
by divine guidance 75 there came into the presence of Peisistratos
Amphilytos the Arcarnanian, 76 a soothsayer, who approaching him uttered
an oracle in hexameter verse, saying thus:

"But now the cast hath been made and the net hath been widely extended,
And in the night the tunnies will dart through the moon-lighted waters."

63. This oracle he uttered to him being divinely inspired, and
Peisistratos, having understood the oracle and having said that he
accepted the prophecy which was uttered, led his army against the enemy.
Now the Athenians from the city were just at that time occupied with the
morning meal, and some of them after their meal with games of dice or
with sleep; and the forces of Peisistratos fell upon the Athenians and
put them to flight. Then as they fled, Peisistratos devised a very
skilful counsel, to the end that the Athenians might not gather again
into one body but might remain scattered abroad. He mounted his sons on
horseback and sent them before him; and overtaking the fugitives they
said that which was commanded them by Peisistratos, bidding them be of
good cheer and that each man should depart to his own home.

64. Thus then the Athenians did, and so Peisistratos for the third time
obtained possession of Athens, and he firmly rooted his despotism by
many foreign mercenaries and by much revenue of money, coming partly
from the land itself and partly from about the river Strymon, and also
by taking as hostages the sons of those Athenians who had remained in
the land and had not at once fled, and placing them in the hands of
Naxos; for this also Peisistratos conquered by war and delivered into
the charge of Lygdamis. Moreover besides this he cleansed the island
of Delos in obedience to the oracles; and his cleansing was of the
following kind:--so far as the view from the temple extended 77 he dug up
all the dead bodies which were buried in this part and removed them to
another part of Delos. So Peisistratos was despot of the Athenians; but
of the Athenians some had fallen in the battle, and others of them with
the sons of Alcmaion were exiles from their native land.

65. Such was the condition of things which Croesus heard was prevailing
among the Athenians during this time; but as to the Lacedem