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While Cambyses was carrying on this war in Egypt, the
Lacedaemonians likewise sent a force to Samos against Polycrates,
the son of Aeaces, who had by insurrection made himself master of that
island. At the outset he divided the state into three parts, and
shared the kingdom with his brothers, Pantagnotus and Syloson; but
later, having killed the former and banished the latter, who was the
younger of the two, he held the whole island. Hereupon he made a
contract of friendship with Amasis the Egyptian king, sending him
gifts, and receiving from him others in return. In a little while his
power so greatly increased, that the fame of it went abroad throughout
Ionia and the rest of Greece. Wherever he turned his arms, success
waited on him. He had a fleet of a hundred penteconters, and bowmen
to the number of a thousand. Herewith he plundered all, without
distinction of friend or foe; for he argued that a friend was better
pleased if you gave him back what you had taken from him, than if you
spared him at the first. He captured many of the islands, and several
towns upon the mainland. Among his other doings he overcame the
Lesbians in a sea-fight, when they came with all their forces to the
help of Miletus, and made a number of them prisoners. These
persons, laden with fetters, dug the moat which surrounds the castle
at Samos.
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