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had passed Megara we had to decide how best to reach lonia. I had friends in Athens among those who had participated in the expedition to Sardis, but because a conservative faction had gained power there the friends might not wish to be reminded of their past.
    Corinth, on the other hand, was the most hospitable of Greek cities. From its two harbors ships sailed both east and west and even Phoenician vessels put in there freely. I had also heard that strangers were not shunned there.
    “Let us go to Corinth,” I suggested. “There we will hear the freshest news from lonia and will be able to sail in the spring at the latest.”
    Dorieus became glum. ‘‘We are friends, and as an Ionian you are more familiar with travel and cities than I. But as a Spartan I cannot follow another’s advice without protest.”
    “Then let us toss the sheep’s bones once more.”
    I drew the cardinal points on the sand according to the sun and indicated the positions of Athens and Corinth as well as I could. Dorieus tossed the bones and they indisputably pointed west.
    Morosely he said, “Let us go to Corinth. But this is my decision and not yours.”
    Because his will was stronger than mine, I confessed, “I am pampered by Ionian customs. My mind has been spoiled by the teachings of a sage who despised people. Whatever increases knowledge consumes the will. Hence let us obey your will and journey to Corinth.”
    His face brightened, he smiled, ran and threw his javelin as far as he could in the direction of Corinth. But when we reached it we saw that it had struck a rotted piece of ship’s rail that had been washed up by the sea. We both felt the omen to be unfavorable although we said nothing and avoided each other’s eyes. Dorieus pulled loose the javelin and we set off in the direction of Corinth without a backward glance.
8.
    In Corinth a stranger is not compelled to stay with friends, for the city has inns where one can obtain food and lodgings. Nor is a stranger judged by his face, clothes or even the color of his skin, but solely by the weight of the bag in which he carries his money. I suspect that the majority of the city’s residents follow no honest trade but have as their sole profession the aiding of strangers to spend their money as rapidly as possible.
    Upon our arrival we found many refugees from the Ionian cities. Most of them were wealthy people who, though they feared freedom and the will of the people, feared Persian vengeance even more. They were certain that reprisals awaited all the Ionian cities which had banished their tyrants, torn down the Persian buildings and replaced the ridge-stones of their walls. Many of the refugees were waiting for spring so that they might sail on the merchant vessels to the large Greek cities in Sicily or Italy and thus be as far from the Persians as possible.
    “In the west is a greater Greece with rich cities and room to breathe,” they said. “The future lies in the West, while only destruction and ceaseless oppression lie in the East.”
    But they had to admit that the uprising had spread as far as Cyprus, that Ionian ships ruled the sea, and that all the Ionian cities were again participating in the revolt.
    With the arrival of spring we sailed to lonia on one of the first vessels.

Book Two

Dionysius of Phocaea
1.
    In the war against the Persians I won fame as a man who laughed because he did not fear death. Dorieus for his part became famous for the sense of security provided by his leadership.
    But when the Persians had blockaded Miletus by land, Dorieus said, “Although Miletus still protects the Ionian cities which lie behind its back, every Ionian here fears for his native city and that fear is responsible for the confusion around us. Besides, the Persians are stronger on land than we are. Our fleet, however, is still intact behind the Lade peninsula.”
    Dorieus was now a bearded giant with a crest of plumes on his helmet and silver tracings on his shield. Looking