The Athenians agreed to send to the succour of their own colonists, the Ionians, twenty vessels of war.

Melanthius, a man of amiable character and popular influence, was appointed the chief.
This was the true commencement of the great Persian war.
V.

Thus successful, Aristagoras departed from Athens.

Arriving at Miletus, he endeavoured yet more to assist his design, by attempting to arouse a certain colony in Phrygia, formed of Thracian captives [266] taken by Megabazus, the Persian general.

A great proportion of these colonists seized the occasion to return to their native land-- baffled the pursuit of the Persian horse--reached the shore--and were transported in Ionian vessels to their ancient home on the banks of the Strymon.