Polymnia   

storm arising broke the whole work to pieces, and destroyed all that
had been done.
So when Xerxes heard of it he was full of wrath, and straightway
gave orders that the Hellespont should receive three hundred lashes,
and that a pair of fetters should be cast into it. Nay, I have even
heard it said that he bade the branders take their irons and therewith
brand the Hellespont. It is certain that he commanded those who
scourged the waters to utter, as they lashed them, these barbarian and
wicked words: "Thou bitter water, thy lord lays on thee this
punishment because thou hast wronged him without a cause, having
suffered no evil at his hands. Verily King Xerxes will cross thee,
whether thou wilt or no. Well dost thou deserve that no man should
honour thee with sacrifice; for thou art of a truth a treacherous
and unsavoury river." While the sea was thus punished by his orders,
he likewise commanded that the overseers of the work should lose their
heads.
Then they, whose business it was, executed the unpleasing task
laid upon them; and other master-builders were set over the work,
who accomplished it in the way which I will now describe.
They joined together triremes and penteconters, 360 to support the
bridge on the side of the Euxine Sea, and 314 to sustain the other;
and these they placed at right angles to the sea, and in the direction
of the current of the Hellespont, relieving by these means the tension
of the shore cables. Having joined the vessels, they moored them
with anchors of unusual size, that the vessels of the bridge towards
the Euxine might resist the winds which blow from within the
straits, and that those of the more western bridge facing the Egean
might withstand the winds which set in from the south and from the
south-east. A gap was left in the penteconters in no fewer than
three places, to afford a passage for such light craft as chose to
enter or leave the Euxine. When all this was done, they made the
cables taut from the shore by the help of wooden capstans. This
time, moreover, instead of using the two materials separately, they
assigned to each bridge six cables, two of which were of white flax,
while four were of papyrus. Both cables were of the same size and
quality; but the flaxen were the heavier, weighing not less than a
talent the cubit. When the bridge across the channel was thus
complete, trunks of trees were sawn into planks, which were out to the
width of the bridge, and these were laid side by side upon the
tightened cables, and then fastened on the top. This done, brushwood
was brought, and arranged upon the planks, after which earth was
heaped upon the brushwood, and the whole trodden down into a solid
mass. Lastly a bulwark was set up on either side of this causeway,
of such a height as to prevent the sumpter-beasts and the horses
from seeing over it and taking fright at the water.
And now when all was prepared- the bridges, and the works at
Athos, the breakwaters about the mouths of the cutting, which were
made to hinder the surf from blocking up the entrances, and the
cutting itself; and when the news came to Xerxes that this last was
completely finished- then at length the host, having first wintered at
Sardis, began its march towards Abydos, fully equipped, on the first
approach of spring. At the moment of departure, the sun suddenly
quitted his seat in the heavens, and disappeared, though there were no
clouds in sight, but the sky was clear and serene. Day was thus turned
into night; whereupon Xerxes, who saw and remarked the prodigy, was
seized with alarm, and sending at once for the Magians, inquired of
them the meaning of the portent. They replied- "God is foreshowing
to the Greeks the destruction of their cities; for the sun foretells
for them, and the moon for us." So Xerxes, thus instructed,
proceeded on his way with great gladness of heart.
The army had begun its march, when Pythius the Lydian,
affrighted at the heavenly portent, and emboldened by his gifts,
came to Xerxes and said- "Grant me, O my lord! a favour which is to
thee a light matter, but to me of vast account." Then Xerxes' who