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On the same day that the blow was struck at Plataea, another defeat
befell the Persians at Mycale in Ionia. While the Greek fleet
under Leotychides the Lacedaemonian was still lying inactive at
Delos, there arrived at that place an embassy from Samos, consisting
of three men, Lampon the son of Thrasycles, Athenagoras the son of
Archestratidas, and Hegesistratus the son of Aristagoras. The
Samians had sent them secretly, concealing their departure both from
the Persians and from their own tyrant Theomestor, the son of
Androdamas, whom the Persians had made ruler of Samos. When the
ambassadors came before the Greek captains Hegesistratus took the
word, and urged them with many and various arguments, saying, "that
the Ionians only needed to see them arrive in order to revolt from the
Persians; and that the Persians would never abide their coming; or
if they did, 'twould be to offer them the finest booty that they could
anywhere expect to gain;" while at the same time he made appeal to the
gods of their common worship, and besought them to deliver from bondage
a Grecian race, and withal to drive back the barbarians. "This,"
he said, "might very easily be done, for the Persian ships were bad
sailers, and far from a match for theirs;" adding, moreover, "that
if there was any suspicion lest the Samians intended to deal
treacherously, they were themselves ready to become hostages, and to
return on board the ships of their allies to Asia."
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