104 HISTORICAL TALES.

and ally that the alliance between them was at an
end.

It cannot be said that Amasis profited much by
this act. Soon afterwards his own country was
overrun and conquered by Cambyses, the Persian
king, and his reign came to a disastrous termina-
tion.

Whether there is any historical basis for this story
of the ring may be questioned. But this we do know,
that the friendship between Amasis and Polycrates
was broken, and that Polycrates offered to help
Cambyses in his invasion, and sent forty ships to the
Nile for this purpose. .On these were some Samians
whom the tyrant wished to get rid of, and whom he
secretly asked the Persian king not to let return.

These exiles, however, suspecting what was in
store for them, managed in some way to escape, and
returned to Samos, where they made an attack on
Polyerates. Being driven off by him, they went to
Sparta and asked for assistance, telling so long a
story of their misfortunes and sufferings that the
Spartans, who could not bear long speeches, curtly
answered, “ We have forgotten the first part of your
speech, and the last part we do not understand.”
This answer taught the Samians a lesson. The next
day they met the Spartans with an empty wallet,
saying, “Our wallet has no meal in it.” “Your
wallet is superfluous,” said the Spartans; meaning
that the words would have served without it. The
aid which the Spartans thereupon granted the exiles
proved of no effect, for it was against Polycrates,
the fortunate. They sent an expedition to Samos,