Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/264

 246 HISTORY OF GREECE. prophets and the agony of his terrified daughter, to whom hii approaching fate had been revealed in a dream. The satrap slew him and crucified his body ; releasing all the Saraians who accompanied him, with an intimation that they ought to thank him for procuring them a free government, but retaining both the foreigners and the slaves as prisoners. 1 The death of Oroctes himself, which ensued shortly afterwards, has already been de- scribed. It is considered by Herodotus as a judgment for his flagitious deed in the case of Polykrates. 2 At the departure of the latter from Samos, in anticipation of a speedy return, Maeandrius had been left as his lieutenant at Samos ; and the unexpected catastrophe of Polykrates filled him with sur- prise and consternation. Though possessed of the fortresses, the soldiers, and the treasures, which had constituted the machinery of his powerful master, he knew the risk of trying to employ them on his own account. Partly from this apprehension, partly from the genuine political morality which prevailed with more or less force in every Grecian bosom, he resolved to lay down his authority and enfranchise the island. " He wished (says the historian, in a remarkable phrase) 3 to act like the justest of men ; but he was not allowed to do so." His first proceeding was to erect in the suburbs an altar in honor of Zeus Eleutherius, and to inclose a piece of ground as a precinct, which still existed in the time of Herodotus : he next convened an assembly of the Samians. " You know (says he) that the whole power of Poly- krates is now in my hands, nor is there anything to hinder me from continuing to rule over you. Nevertheless, what I condemn in another I will not do myself, and I have always disapproved of Polykrates, and others like him, for seeking to rule over men as good as themselves. Now that Polykrates has come to the end of his destiny, I at once lay down the command, and proclaim among you equal law ; reserving to myself as privileges, first, six talents out of the treasures of Polykrates, next, the hereditary 1 Herodot. iii, 124, 125. 2 Herodot. iii, 126. 'Opoirea HoZvicpaTeof naief fitrri/.-Qov. U-c-jtvero. Compare his remark on Kadmus, who Yoluntarily resigned thfl 4espotisin at Kos (iii, 164).
 * Herodot. iii, 142. r<p 6LKaioTu.ru dvdpuv povTiOftevy yevicrdai, oi