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Now the king Maeandrius had a lightheaded brother - Charilaus by
name - whom for some offence or other he had shut up in prison: this
man heard what was going on, and peering through his bars, saw the
Persians sitting peacefully upon their seats, whereupon he exclaimed
aloud, and said he must speak with Maeandrius. When this was
reported to him, Maeandrius gave orders that Charilaus should be
released from prison and brought into his presence. No sooner did he
arrive than he began reviling and abusing his brother, and strove to
persuade him to attack the Persians. "Thou meanest-spirited of
men," he said, "thou canst keep me, thy brother, chained in a
dungeon, notwithstanding that I have done nothing worthy of bonds;
but when the Persians come and drive thee forth a houseless wanderer
from thy native land, thou lookest on, and hast not the heart to seek
revenge, though they might so easily be subdued. If thou, however,
art afraid, lend me thy soldiers, and I will make them pay dearly for
their coming here. I engage too to send thee first safe out of the island."
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