Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners/Part III/I

by George L. Bennett

Layout 2

I.—SYLOSON’S CLOAK.

A seasonable gift.

It was for this reason that Darius took Samos. At the time when Cambyses undertook his expedition to Egypt, very many Greeks had come to Egypt; some for the purpose of trading, others to see the country. Among these was Syloson, the brother of Polycrates, being banished from Samos. The following piece of luck happened to this Syloson. Having taken a cloak of a ruddy colour, he was walking wrapped up in it in the forum at Memphis, when Darius, who was then a bodyguard of Cambyses, saw it. Being seized with a desire for the cloak, he went to Syloson to buy it. Syloson, through some heaven-sent instinct, said, ‘I certainly will not sell this, for any price: I give it you for nothing.’ After praising this reply, Darius takes the cloak.

An idea strikes Syloson.

108.—But after some time had elapsed, after that, on the death of Cambyses, the seven men had plotted against the Magus, and of the seven, Darius had got possession of the kingdom, Syloson remembered the gift So he went to Susa, and sitting in the vestibule of the royal palace, said, ‘I have deserved well of Darius.’ When the guardian of the gate heard this, he brought word to the King. Darius in surprise said, ‘What Greek, pray, has deserved well of me? Scarcely a single one of that people has come up (country) to me. Yet bring him in.’

He obtains his reward.

109.—The doorkeeper introduces Syloson, and the interpreters question him as he stands in the midst. ‘Who are you and by what deed have you deserved well of the king?’ Therefore he sets forth the whole matter relating to the cloak. Then the king said, ‘most generous of men, are you then the man who gave the cloak to me when I had no power? Therefore I give in return to you a great weight of gold and silver, that you may not be sorry for your gift.’ To these words Syloson (said in reply): ‘Do not give me gold or silver; but restore to me my country, Samos, which now, after my brother Polycrates was slain by Oroetes, a slave of ours is holding. Give this to me, freed from slaughter and slavery.’ Having heard this, Darius sent an army, and Otanes as general, to do everything which Syloson had asked.