Polymnia   

top than it was required to be at the bottom. But the Phoenicians
showed in this the skill which they are wont to exhibit in all their
undertakings. For in the portion of the work which was allotted to
them they began by making the trench at the top twice as wide as the
prescribed measure, and then as they dug downwards approached the
sides nearer and nearer together, so that when they reached the bottom
their part of the work was of the same width as the rest. In a
meadow near, there was a place of assembly and a market; and hither
great quantities of corn, ready ground, were brought from Asia.
It seems to me, when I consider this work, that Xerxes, in
making it, was actuated by a feeling of pride, wishing to display
the extent of his power, and to leave a memorial behind him to
posterity. For notwithstanding that it was open to him, with no
trouble at all, to have had his ships drawn across the isthmus, yet he
issued orders that a canal should be made through which the sea
might flow, and that it should be of such a width as would allow of
two triremes passing through it abreast with the oars in action. He
likewise gave to the same persons who were set over the digging of the
trench, the task of making a bridge across the river Strymon.
While these things were in progress, he was having cables prepared
for his bridges, some of papyrus and some of white flax, a business
which he entrusted to the Phoenicians and the Egyptians. He likewise
laid up stores of provisions in divers places, to save the army and
the beasts of burthen from suffering want upon their march into
Greece. He inquired carefully about all the sites, and had the
stores laid up in such as were most convenient, causing them to be
brought across from various parts of Asia and in various ways, some in
transports and others in merchantmen. The greater portion was
carried to Leuce-Acte, upon the Thracian coast; some part, however,
was conveyed to Tyrodiza, in the country of the Perinthians, some to
Doriscus, some to Eion upon the Strymon, and some to Macedonia.
During the time that all these labours were in progress, the
land army which had been collected was marching with Xerxes towards
Sardis, having started from Critalla in Cappadocia. At this spot all
the host which was about to accompany the king in his passage across
the continent had been bidden to assemble. And here I have it not in
my power to mention which of the satraps was adjudged to have
brought his troops in the most gallant array, and on that account
rewarded by the king according to his promise; for I do not know
whether this matter ever came to a judgment. But it is certain that
the host of Xerxes, after crossing the river Halys, marched through
Phrygia till it reached the city of Celaenae. Here are the sources
of the river Maeander, and likewise of another stream of no less size,
which bears the name of Catarrhactes (or the Cataract); the last-named
river has its rise in the market-place of Celaenae, and empties itself
into the Maeander. Here, too, in this market-place, is hung up to view
the skin of the Silenus Marsyas, which Apollo, as the Phrygian story
goes, stripped off and placed there.
Now there lived in this city a certain Pythius, the son of Atys, a
Lydian. This man entertained Xerxes and his whole army in a most
magnificent fashion, offering at the same time to give him a sum of
money for the war. Xerxes, upon the mention of money, turned to the
Persians who stood by, and asked of them, "Who is this Pythius, and
what wealth has he, that he should venture on such an offer as
this?" They answered him, "This is the man, O king! who gave thy
father Darius the golden plane-tree, and likewise the golden vine; and
he is still the wealthiest man we know of in all the world,
excepting thee."
Xerxes marvelled at these last words; and now, addressing
Pythius with his own lips, he asked him what the amount of his
wealth really was. Pythius answered as follows:-
"O king! I will not hide this matter from thee, nor make
pretence that I do not know how rich I am; but as I know perfectly,
I will declare all fully before thee. For when thy journey was