King Darius on hearing what was going on immediately asked 'Who are the Athenians?' On being informed he called for his bow and placing an arrow on the string shot upward into the sky (this was a way of sending a message to the gods). Saying 'Grant me, Ormuzd (their version of Zeus) to revenge myself on the Athenians'. He asked his servants to remind him three times a day 'Master, remember the Athenians'.
Darius called on Histiaeus to see where his loyalties lie. On deceiving the king that he knew nothing about it, he set out to gain control of the Ionian coast for the king. The king only bidding that afterwards he was to come back to Susa.
Now the Persians began to retake all that were previously lost. The Persian army started to retake the cities and making their way north, starting with Cyprus.
Aristagoras started to realise what was going on and left with a contingent to Thrace, the Ionain coast was being lost. He left the government of the city of Miletus to Pythagoras until his return (yes this is THE Pythagoras)(See Note#1)
The Greeks having retreated from Sardis arrived back to where their navy had landed, the Persian forces now having mustered together, were quickly following them gathering in strength as they went. At Ephesus they gathered together and forced a battle with the Athenias, who came out worst out of the conflict. The Eretrian general was killed in the battle and the Athenian fleet finding that they were coming out worst, disengaged and retreated.
