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Immediately after the conquest of Lydia by the Persians, the Ionian
and Aeolian Greeks sent ambassadors to Cyrus at Sardis, and prayed
to become his lieges on the footing which they had occupied under
Croesus. Cyrus listened attentively to their proposals, and answered
them by a fable. "There was a certain piper," he said, "who was
walking one day by the seaside, when he espied some fish; so he began
to pipe to them, imagining they would come out to him upon the land.
But as he found at last that his hope was vain, he took a net, and
enclosing a great draught of fishes, drew them ashore. The fish then
began to leap and dance; but the piper said, 'Cease your dancing
now, as you did not choose to come and dance when I piped to you.'"
Cyrus gave this answer to the Ionians and Aeolians, because, when
he urged them by his messengers to revolt from Croesus, they refused;
but now, when his work was done, they came to offer their allegiance.
It was in anger, therefore, that he made them this reply. The
Ionians, on hearing it, set to work to fortify their towns, and held
meetings at the Panionium, which were attended by all excepting the
Milesians, with whom Cyrus had concluded a separate treaty, by which
he allowed them the terms they had formerly obtained from Croesus.
The other Ionians resolved, with one accord, to send ambassadors to
Sparta to implore assistance.
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