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The Siphnians, however, were unable to understand the oracle,
either at the time when it was given, or afterwards on the arrival of
the Samians. For these last no sooner came to anchor off the island
than they sent one of their vessels, with an ambassage on board, to
the city. All ships in these early times were painted with vermilion;
and this was what the Pythoness had meant when she told them to beware
of danger "from a wooden host, and a herald in scarlet." So the
ambassadors came ashore and besought the Siphnians to lend them ten
talents; but the Siphnians refused, whereupon the Samians began to
plunder their lands. Tidings of this reached the Siphnians, who
straightway sallied forth to save their crops; then a battle was
fought, in which the Siphnians suffered defeat, and many of their
number were cut off from the city by the Samians, after which these
latter forced the Siphnians to give them a hundred talents.
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