Calliope   

they set themselves against the change, the Peloponnesians yielded
with a good will. Hereupon the Samians, Chians, Lesbians, and other
islanders, who had helped the Greeks at this time, were received
into the league of the allies; and took the oaths, binding
themselves to be faithful, and not desert the common cause. Then the
Greeks sailed away to the Hellespont, where they meant to break down
the bridges, which they supposed to be still extended across the
strait.
The barbarians who escaped from the battle- a scanty remnant- took
refuge in the heights of Mycale, whence they made good their retreat
to Sardis. During the march, Masistes, the son of Darius, who had been
present at the disaster, had words with Artayntes, the general, on
whom he showered many reproaches. He called him, among other things,
"worse than a woman," for the way in which he had exercised his
command, and said there was no punishment which he did not deserve
to suffer for doing the king's house such grievous hurt. Now with
the Persians there is no greater insult than to call a man "worse than
a woman." So when Artayntes had borne the reproaches for some while,
at last he fell in a rage, and drew his scymitar upon Masistes,
being fain to kill him. But a certain Halicarnassian, Xenagoras by
name, the son of Praxilaus, who stood behind Artayntes at the time,
seeing him in the act of rushing forward, seized him suddenly round
the waist, and, lifting him from his feet, dashed him down upon the
ground; which gave time for the spearmen who guarded Masistes to
come to his aid. By his conduct here Xenagoras gained the favour,
not of Masistes only, but likewise of Xerxes himself, whose brother he
had preserved from death; and the king rewarded his action by
setting him over the whole land of Cilicia. Except this, nothing
happened upon the road; and the men continued their march and came all
safe to Sardis. At Sardis they found the king, who had been there ever
since he lost the sea-fight and fled from Athens to Asia.
During the time that Xerxes abode at this place, he fell in love
with the wife of Masistes, who was likewise staying in the city. He
therefore sent her messages, but failed to win her consent; and he
could not dare to use violence, out of regard to Masistes, his
brother. This the woman knew well enough, and hence it was that she
had the boldness to resist him. So Xerxes, finding no other way
open, devised a marriage between his own son Darius and a daughter
of this woman and Masistes- thinking that he might better obtain his
ends if he effected this union. Accordingly he betrothed these two
persons to one another, and, after the usual ceremonies were
completed, took his departure for Susa. When he was come there, and
had received the woman into his palace as his son's bride, a change
came over him, and losing all love for the wife of Masistes, he
conceived a passion for his son's bride, Masistes' daughter. And
Artaynta- for so was she called- very soon returned his love.
After a while the thing was discovered in the way which I will now
relate. Amestris, the wife of Xerxes, had woven with her own hands a
long robe, of many colours, and very curious, which she presented to
her husband as a gift. Xerxes, who was greatly pleased with it,
forthwith put it on; and went in it to visit Artaynta, who happened
likewise on this day to please him greatly. He therefore bade her
ask him whatever boon she liked, and promised that, whatever it was,
he would assuredly grant her request. Then Artaynta, who was doomed to
suffer calamity together with her whole house, said to him- "Wilt thou
indeed give me whatever I like to ask?" So the king, suspecting
nothing less than that her choice would fall where it did, pledged his
word, and swore to her. She then, as soon as she heard his oath, asked
boldly for the robe. Hereupon Xerxes tried all possible means to avoid
the gift; not that he grudged to give it, but because he dreaded
Amestris, who already suspected, and would now, he feared, detect
his love. So he offered her cities instead, and heaps of gold, and
an army which should obey no other leader. (The last of these is a
thoroughly Persian gift.) But, as nothing could prevail on Artaynta to