Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/304

 286 HISTORY OF GREECE iaries to the Persians. To this treatment the only ex-eption mentioned is Koes, who was stoned to death by the Mityle- naeans. 1 By these first successful steps the Ionic revolt was made to assume an extensive and formidable character ; much more so, probably, than the prudent Hekatasus had anticipated as practi- cable. The naval force of the Persians in the ^Egean was at once taken away from them, and passed to their opponents, who were thus completely masters of the sea ; and would in fact have re- mained so, if a second naval force had not been brought up against them from Phenicia, a proceeding never before resorted to, and perhaps at that time not looked for. Having exhorted all the revolted towns to name their generals, and to put themselves in a state of defence, Aristagoras crossed the 2Egean to obtain assistance from Sparta, then under the gov- ernment of king Kleomenes ; to whom he addressed himself, " holding in his hand a brazen tablet, wherein was engraved the circuit of the entire earth, with the whole sea and all the rivers." Probably this was the first map or plan which had ever been seen at Sparta, and so profound was the impression which it made, that it was remembered there even in the time of Herod- otus. 2 Having emphatically entreated the Spartans to step forth in aid of their Ionic brethren, now engaged in a desperate struggle for freedom, he proceeded to describe the wealth and 1 Herodot. v, 36, 37 ; vi, 9. 2 Herodot. v, 49. T j (KXeopevei) if Aoyoi'f 7/i'e, tif Aanedatpovioi Aeyovat, F%UV XUAKEOV it'ivana, ev T$ -yT/c airuaTjf irepiodof ivT-/j.rjTO, Kal Quhaaad rt Trucra Kal T^orafiol Trdvref. The earliest map of which mention is made was prepared by Anaximan- der in Ionia, apparently not long before this period : see Strabo, i, p. 7 ; Agathemerus, 1, c. 1 ; Diogen. Laert. ii, 1. Grosskurd, in his note on the above passage of Strabo, as well as Larcher and other critics, appear to think, that though this tablet or chart of Anax- imander was the earliest which embraced the whole known earth, thera were among the Greeks others still earlier, which described particular coun- tries. There is no proof of this, nor can I think it probable : the passage of Apollonius Rhodius (iv, 279) with the Scholia to it, which is cited as evidence, appears to me unworthy of attention. Among the Roman Agrimensores, it was the ancient practice to engrave their plans, of land surveyed, upon tablets of brass, which were deposited