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The Egyptians who fought in the battle, no sooner turned their backs
upon the enemy, than they fled away in complete disorder to Memphis,
where they shut themselves up within the walls. Hereupon Cambyses
sent a Mytilenaean vessel, with a Persian herald on board, who was
to sail up the Nile to Memphis, and invite the Egyptians to a
surrender. They, however, when they saw the vessel entering the
town, poured forth in crowds from the castle, destroyed the ship,
and, tearing the crew limb from limb, so bore them into the fortress.
After this Memphis was besieged, and in due time surrendered.
Hereon the Libyans who bordered upon Egypt, fearing the fate of that
country, gave themselves up to Cambyses without a battle, made an
agreement to pay tribute to him, and forthwith sent him gifts. The
Cyrenaeans too, and the Barcaeans, having the same fear as the
Libyans, immediately did the like. Cambyses received the Libyan
presents very graciously, but not so the gifts of the Cyrenaeans.
They had sent no more than five hundred minx of silver, which
Cambyses, I imagine, thought too little. He therefore snatched the
money from them, and with his own hands scattered it among his soldiers.
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