The Life of Polycrates and Other Stories for Antiquated Children by Brendan Connell Page B
Authors: Brendan Connell
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and respectful tones . . . of his master, Oroetes, Satrap of Phrygia, Satrap of Sardis . . . of a certain quarrel that had developed between his master and Mitrobates, Satrap of Dascyleium . . . of certain fears his master had concerning Cambyses. . . .
But Polycrates seemed not to listen. He did not even bother to look at the man, but instead lay half inert, facing the wall and tracing with his big toe the patterns on one of his cushions. In the middle of the messenger’s speech, Polycrates cut him off by addressing a question to Anacreon 17 . So he left, not only having failed to elicit a reply to the questions Oroetes had given him to deliver, but having failed even to have his presence acknowledged by the Samian tyrant.
When the herald returned to Oroetes and informed him of his treatment at the court of Polycrates, the satrap was very angry. He felt sickened by the fact that the neighbouring tyrant held him in such low regard and determined to revenge the insult to his vanity. He sent a Lydian named Myrtus, the son of Gyges, and one of the most elegant men of the time, with another message to Polycrates stating that, due to certain unfortunate misunderstandings, he now had reason to fear for his life at the hands of Cambyses, King of Persia. Therefore, Oroetes said, he would like to defect to Samos with all his treasure, which consisted of eight chests full of gold, of which he would give Polycrates half, if only the Samian king would come to Sardis in person to, “fetch me and give me protection”.
At that time, Polycrates was in need of money. To keep a navy and large body of mercenaries, to keep so many artists and poets about his court, was no small expense—not to mention his own personal needs; and he was still ambitious for conquests.
“ I would take him up on his offer, if I knew it was genuine, if I knew he had the gold.”
“ Let me then go to Oroetes,” said Maeandrius, “and inspect the situation.”
So the secretary went to Sardis and when he returned informed Polycrates that the satrap had shown him six chests full of bright lion-headed staters and two full of ingots of pale gold. “Oroetes is sincere in his offer,” he said.
“ And I am sincere in my desire to relieve him of his treasure,” Polycrates said.
Tellias the Elean soothsayer sacrificed victims, but the livers of each were covered with hair. When he tried his hand at ovomancy, the egg white was in the shape of a hammer. He undertook divination by figs, by driftwood and by the coagulation of cheese, but each time with equally unpromising results. Yet, for all this, Polycrates in no way changed his plans and had his red-cheeked pentecoster readied for the voyage.
The day of his departure was absolutely cloudless; and the sea was so calm that it seemed almost asleep. Eriphyle ran to the harbour in distress.
“ Oroetes is a liar,” she said to her father.
“ And Maeandrius, son of Maeandrius?”
“ A fool.”
“ And me?”
“ My father.”
“ Go home, or I will have you married to dwarf Heracles!”
“ At least he will not go bald as many other men do,” Eriphyle jested and then smiled sadly.
Polycrates kissed her on the forehead and boarded the ship. His party consisted of a bodyguard of fifty picked men, Democedes the physician and Tellias the soothsayer who, as the boat glided over the sea, claimed that he saw in the formations of certain schools of fish inauspicious signs—but Polycrates, distracted by thoughts of fresh treasure, impelled by the will of the gods, still did not regard his words. The ship docked in Phocaea, and the party then made its way overland toward Sardis. On the way, however, they were ambushed by Oroetes and that man’s one-thousand Persian bodyguards. Polycrates was bound, spit upon and taken to Colophon where he was tied to the tail-end of a cart and whipped all the way to Priene. Then he was dragged up to the summit of Mt. Mycale, to an open and conspicuous spot; raised up on a
But Polycrates seemed not to listen. He did not even bother to look at the man, but instead lay half inert, facing the wall and tracing with his big toe the patterns on one of his cushions. In the middle of the messenger’s speech, Polycrates cut him off by addressing a question to Anacreon 17 . So he left, not only having failed to elicit a reply to the questions Oroetes had given him to deliver, but having failed even to have his presence acknowledged by the Samian tyrant.
When the herald returned to Oroetes and informed him of his treatment at the court of Polycrates, the satrap was very angry. He felt sickened by the fact that the neighbouring tyrant held him in such low regard and determined to revenge the insult to his vanity. He sent a Lydian named Myrtus, the son of Gyges, and one of the most elegant men of the time, with another message to Polycrates stating that, due to certain unfortunate misunderstandings, he now had reason to fear for his life at the hands of Cambyses, King of Persia. Therefore, Oroetes said, he would like to defect to Samos with all his treasure, which consisted of eight chests full of gold, of which he would give Polycrates half, if only the Samian king would come to Sardis in person to, “fetch me and give me protection”.
At that time, Polycrates was in need of money. To keep a navy and large body of mercenaries, to keep so many artists and poets about his court, was no small expense—not to mention his own personal needs; and he was still ambitious for conquests.
“ I would take him up on his offer, if I knew it was genuine, if I knew he had the gold.”
“ Let me then go to Oroetes,” said Maeandrius, “and inspect the situation.”
So the secretary went to Sardis and when he returned informed Polycrates that the satrap had shown him six chests full of bright lion-headed staters and two full of ingots of pale gold. “Oroetes is sincere in his offer,” he said.
“ And I am sincere in my desire to relieve him of his treasure,” Polycrates said.
Tellias the Elean soothsayer sacrificed victims, but the livers of each were covered with hair. When he tried his hand at ovomancy, the egg white was in the shape of a hammer. He undertook divination by figs, by driftwood and by the coagulation of cheese, but each time with equally unpromising results. Yet, for all this, Polycrates in no way changed his plans and had his red-cheeked pentecoster readied for the voyage.
The day of his departure was absolutely cloudless; and the sea was so calm that it seemed almost asleep. Eriphyle ran to the harbour in distress.
“ Oroetes is a liar,” she said to her father.
“ And Maeandrius, son of Maeandrius?”
“ A fool.”
“ And me?”
“ My father.”
“ Go home, or I will have you married to dwarf Heracles!”
“ At least he will not go bald as many other men do,” Eriphyle jested and then smiled sadly.
Polycrates kissed her on the forehead and boarded the ship. His party consisted of a bodyguard of fifty picked men, Democedes the physician and Tellias the soothsayer who, as the boat glided over the sea, claimed that he saw in the formations of certain schools of fish inauspicious signs—but Polycrates, distracted by thoughts of fresh treasure, impelled by the will of the gods, still did not regard his words. The ship docked in Phocaea, and the party then made its way overland toward Sardis. On the way, however, they were ambushed by Oroetes and that man’s one-thousand Persian bodyguards. Polycrates was bound, spit upon and taken to Colophon where he was tied to the tail-end of a cart and whipped all the way to Priene. Then he was dragged up to the summit of Mt. Mycale, to an open and conspicuous spot; raised up on a
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