Histories

While the city was burning, the Lydians and all the Persians who were in the citadel, being hemmed in on every side since the fire was consuming the outer parts and having no exit from the city, came thronging into the marketplace and to the river Pactolus, which flows through the marketplace carrying down gold dust from Tmolus and issues into the river Hermus, which in turn issues into the sea. They assembled in the marketplace by this Pactolus and were forced to defend themselves there.

When the Ionians saw some of their enemies defending themselves and a great multitude of others approaching, they were afraid and withdrew to the mountain called Tmolus, from where they departed to their ships at nightfall.

In the fire at Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis,[*](In 498.) a temple of Cybebe,[*](Or Cybele, the great goddess of the Phrygians and Lydians.) the goddess of that country, was burnt, and the Persians afterwards made this their pretext for burning the temples of Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas. At this time, the Persians of the provinces this side[*](Lit. “within”; that is, from the Greek point of view, and so west of the Halys River (river), Turkey, Asia Halys.) of the Halys River (river), Turkey, Asia Halys, on hearing of these matters, gathered together and came to aid the Lydians.

It chanced that they found the Ionians no longer at Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis, but following on their tracks, they caught them at +Ephesus [27.316,37.916] (deserted settlement), Izmir Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Ephesus. There the Ionians stood arrayed to meet them, but were utterly routed in the battle.