"Dost thou count thyself a man, who didst never yet win for the king the island of Samos, which lies close to thy province, when it is so exceedingly easy of conquest that one of the natives of it rose up against the government with fifteen men-at-arms and got possession of the island, and is now despot of it?" Some say that because he heard this and was stung by the reproach, he formed the desire, not so much to take vengeance on him who said this, as to bring Polycrates to destruction at all costs, since by reason of him he was ill spoken of:
"Ai, zer-nolako gizona hi! heure herrialdea ukitzen duen Samoko irla, hain eskuraerraza izanik bertako batek hamabost hoplitekin oldatuz bereganatu eta orain tyrano duena, erregearentzat irabazi ez duan hori!".