lt. But as
he earnestly declared his innocence, and asserted that he could soon
bring it to an end, Darius permitted him to depart. Reaching Miletus, he
applied at the gates for admission, saying that he had come to the
city's aid. But Aristagoras was no longer there, and the Milesians had
no use for their former tyrant. They refused him admission, and even
wounded him when he tried to force his way in at night. He then went to
Lesbos, obtained there some ships, occupied the city of Byzantium, and
began a life of piracy, which he kept up till his death, pillaging the
Ionian merchant ships as they passed into and out of the Euxine Sea.
Thus ended the career of this treacherous and worthless despot, to whom
Darius owed his escape from Scythia.

_THE ATHENIANS AT MARATHON._

The time came when Darius of Persia did not need the bidding of a slave
to make him "Remember the Athenians." He was taught a lesson on the
battle-field of Marathon that made it impossible for him ever to forget
the Athenian name. Having dismally failed in his expedition against the
Scythians, he invaded Greece and failed as dismally. It is the story of
this important event which we have next to tell.

And here it may be well to remark what terrible consequences to mankind
the ambition of a single man may cause. The invasion of Greece, and all
that came from it, can be traced in a direct line of events from the
deeds of Histiaeus, tyrant of Miletus, who first saved Darius from
annihilation by the Scythians, then roused the Ionians to rebellion,
and, finally, through the medium of Aristagoras, induced the Athenians
to come to their aid and take part in the burning of Sardis. This roused
Darius, who had dwelt at Susa for many years in peace, to a thirst for
revenge on Athens, and gave rise to that series of invasions which
ravaged Greece for many years, and whose fitting sequel was the invasion
and conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great, a century and a half
later.

And now, with this preliminary statement, we may proceed with our tale.
No sooner had the Ionian revolt been brought to an end, and the Ionians
punished for their daring, than the angry Oriental despot prepared to
visit upon Athens the vengeance he had vowed. His preparations for this
enterprise were great. His experience in Scythia had taught him that the
Western barbarians--as he doubtless considered them--were not to be
despised. For two years, in every part of his vast empi