Polymnia   

the night, as the Persians declare, a vision of this nature- he
thought a tall and beautiful man stood over him and said, "Hast thou
then changed thy mind, Persian, and wilt thou not lead forth thy
host against the Greeks, after commanding the Persians to gather
together their levies? Be sure thou doest not well to change; nor is
there a man here who will approve thy conduct. The course that thou
didst determine on during the day, let that be followed." After thus
speaking the man seemed to Xerxes to fly away.
Day dawned; and the king made no account of this dream, but called
together the same Persians as before, and spake to them as follows:-
"Men of Persia, forgive me if I alter the resolve to which I
came so lately. Consider that I have not yet reached to the full
growth of my wisdom, and that they who urge me to engage in this war
leave me not to myself for a moment. When I heard the advice of
Artabanus, my young blood suddenly boiled; and I spake words against
him little befitting his years: now however I confess my fault, and am
resolved to follow his counsel. Understand then that I have changed my
intent with respect to carrying war into Greece, and cease to
trouble yourselves."
When they heard these words, the Persians were full of joy, and,
falling down at the feet of Xerxes, made obeisance to him.
But when night came, again the same vision stood over Xerxes as he
slept, and said, "Son of Darius, it seems thou hast openly before
all the Persians renounced the expedition, making light of my words,
as though thou hadst not heard them spoken. Know therefore and be well
assured, that unless thou go forth to the war, this thing shall happen
unto thee thou art grown mighty and puissant in a short space, so
likewise shalt thou within a little time be brought low indeed."
Then Xerxes, greatly frightened at the vision which he had seen,
sprang from his couch, and sent a messenger to call Artabanus, who
came at the summons, when Xerxes spoke to him in these words:-
"Artabanus, at the moment I acted foolishly, when I gave thee
ill words in return for thy good advice. However it was not long ere I
repented, and was convinced that thy counsel was such as I ought to
follow. But I may not now act in this way, greatly as I desire to do
so. For ever since I repented and changed my mind a dream has
haunted me, which disapproves my intentions, and has now just gone
from me with threats. Now if this dream is sent to me from God, and if
it is indeed his will that our troops should march against Greece,
thou too wilt have the same dream come to thee and receive the same
commands as myself. And this will be most sure to happen, I think,
if thou puttest on the dress which I am wont to wear, and then,
after taking thy seat upon my throne, liest down to sleep on my bed."
Such were the words of Xerxes. Artabanus would not at first
yield to the command of the king; for he deemed himself unworthy to
sit upon the royal throne. At the last however he was forced to give
way, and did as Xerxes bade him; but first he spake thus to the king
(SS 1.):-
"To me, sire, it seems to matter little whether a man is wise
himself or willing to hearken to such as give good advice. In thee
truly are found both but the counsels of evil men lead thee astray:
they are like the gales of wind which vex the sea- else the most
useful thing for man in the whole world- and suffer it not to follow
the bent of its own nature. For myself, it irked me not so much to
be reproached by thee, as to observe that when two courses were placed
before the Persian people, one of a nature to increase their pride,
the other to humble it, by showing them how hurtful it is to allow
one's heart always to covet more than one at present possesses, thou
madest choice of that which was the worse both for thyself and for the
Persians. (SS 2.) Now thou sayest that from the time when thou didst
approve the better course, and give up the thought of warring
against Greece, a dream has haunted thee, sent by some god or other,
which will not suffer thee to lay aside the expedition. But such
things, my son, have of a truth nothing divine in them. The dreams