THE RING OF POLYCRATES. 105

and besieged the city forty days, but were forced to
retire without success. Then the exiles, thus made
homeless, became pirates. They attacked the weak
but rich island of Siphnos, which they ravaged, and
forced the inhabitants to buy them off at a cost of one
hundred talents. With this fund they purchased
the island of Hydrea, but in the end went to Crete,
where they captured the city of Cydonia. After
they had held this city for five years the Cretans re-
captured it, and the Samian exiles ended their career
by being sold into slavery.

Meanwhile the good fortune of Polycrates con-
tinued, and Samos flourished under his rule. In
addition to his great buildings and works of engi-
neering he became interested in stock-raising, and
introduced into the island the finest breeds of sheep,
goats, and pigs. By high wages he attracted the
ablest artisans of Greece to the city, and added to
his popularity by lending his rich hangings and
costly plate to those who wanted them for a wedding
feast or a sumptuous banquet. And that none of
his subjects might betray him while he was off upon
an extended expedition, he had the wives and chil-
dren of all whom he suspected shut up in the sheds
built to shelter his ships, with orders that these
should be burned in case of any rebellious outbreak.

Yet the misfortune that the return of the ring
had indicated came at length. The warning which
Solon had given Croesus applied to Polycrates as
well. The prosperous despot had a bitter enemy,
Orcetes by name, the Persian governor of Sardis.
As to why he hated Polycrates two stories are told,