§4.97.1Δαρεῖος δὲ ὡς ἀπίκετο καὶ ὁ πεζὸς ἅμʼ αὐτῷ στρατὸς ἐπὶ τὸν Ἴστρον, ἐνθαῦτα διαβάντων πάντων Δαρεῖος ἐκέλευσε τούς τε Ἴωνας τὴν σχεδίην λύσαντας ἕπεσθαι κατʼ ἤπειρον ἑωυτῷ καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῶν νεῶν στρατόν.
When Darius and the infantry army with him arrived at the Ister, after everyone had crossed over there, Darius ordered the Ionians to dismantle the bridge and follow him by land, along with the army from the ships.
§4.97.2μελλόντων δὲ τῶν Ἰώνων λύειν καὶ ποιέειν τὰ κελευόμενα, Κώης ὁ Ἐρξάνδρου στρατηγὸς ἐὼν Μυτιληναίων ἔλεξε Δαρείῳ τάδε, πυθόμενος πρότερον εἰ οἱ φίλον εἴη γνώμην ἀποδέκεσθαι παρὰ τοῦ βουλομένου ἀποδείκνυσθαι.
And as the Ionians were about to dismantle it and do what was ordered, Coes, the son of Erxandros, who was the general of the Mytileneans, spoke to Darius as follows, having first inquired whether it would be pleasing to him to receive an opinion from anyone who wished to express one.
§4.97.3ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἐπὶ γῆν γὰρ μέλλεις στρατεύεσθαι τῆς οὔτε ἀρηρομένον φανήσεται οὐδὲν οὔτε πόλις οἰκεομένη· σύ νυν γέφυραν ταύτὴν ἔα κατὰ χώρην ἑστάναι, φυλάκους αὐτῆς λιπὼν τούτους οἵπερ μιν ἔζευξαν.
"O King, since you are about to march against a land where nothing cultivated will be seen, nor any inhabited city; do you now let this bridge stand in its place, leaving as its guards those very men who built it.
§4.97.4καὶ ἤν τε κατὰ νόον πρήξωμεν εὑρόντες Σκύθας, ἔστι ἄποδος ἡμῖν, ἤν τε καὶ μή σφεας εὑρεῖν δυνώμεθα, ἥ γε ἄποδος ἡμῖν ἀσφαλής· οὐ γὰρ ἔδεισά κω μὴ ἑσσωθέωμεν ὑπὸ Σκυθέων μάχῃ, ἁλλὰ μᾶλλον μὴ οὐ δυνάμενοι σφέας εὑρεῖν πάθωμεν τι ἀλώμενοι.
And if we succeed according to our mind by finding the Scythians, we have a return, and even if we cannot find them, our return at least is safe; for I have never yet feared lest we be defeated by the Scythians in battle, but rather lest, being unable to find them, we should suffer some harm while wandering.
§4.97.5καὶ τάδε λέγειν φαίη τις ἄν με ἐμεωυτοῦ εἵνεκεν, ὡς καταμένω· ἐγὼ δὲ γνώμην μὲν τὴν εὕρισκον ἀρίστην σοί, βασιλεῦ, ἐς μέσον φέρω, αὐτὸς μέντοι ἕψομαί τοι καὶ οὐκ ἂν λειφθείην. §4.97.6κάρτα τε ἥσθη τῇ γνώμῃ Δαρεῖος καὶ μιν ἀμείψατο τοῖσιδε. ξεῖνε Λέσβιε, σωθέντος ἐμεῦ ὀπίσω ἐς οἶκον τὸν ἐμὸν ἐπιφάνηθί μοι πάντως, ἵνα σε ἀντὶ χρηστῆς συμβουλίης χρηστοῖσι ἔργοισι ἀμείψωμαι.
And someone might say that I say this for my own sake, so that I may remain behind; but I, O King, am bringing forward into the open the opinion which I found to be the best for you, and I myself will follow you and will not be left behind." Darius was greatly pleased with this opinion and answered him with these words: "My Lesbian guest-friend, when I have returned safely back to my home, do show yourself to me by all means, so that I may requite you for your good advice with good deeds."