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The Persians now set out on their return home, carrying with them the
rest of the Barcaeans, whom they had made their slaves. On their way
they came to Cyrene; and the Cyrenaeans, out of regard for an
oracle, let them pass through the town. During the passage, Bares,
the commander of the fleet, advised to seize the place; but Amasis,
the leader of the land-force, would not consent; "because," he
said, "they had only been charged to attack the one Greek city of
Barca." When, however, they had passed through the town, and were
encamped upon the hill of Lycaean Jove, it repented them that they
had not seized Cyrene, and they endeavoured to enter it a second
time. The Cyrenaeans, however, would not suffer this; whereupon,
though no one appeared to offer them battle, yet a panic came upon the
Persians, and they ran a distance of full sixty furlongs before they
pitched their camp. Here as they lay, a messenger came to them from
Aryandes, ordering them home. Then the Persians besought the men of
Cyrene to give them provisions for the way, and, these consenting,
they set off on their return to Egypt. But the Libyans now beset
them, and, for the sake of their clothes and harness, slew all who
dropped behind and straggled, during the whole march homewards.
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