Polymnia   

men by helping to enslave their fatherland, or the most righteous by
joining in the struggle to keep it free. If then they choose the
side of injustice, they will do us but scant good; while if they
determine to act justly, they may greatly injure our host. Lay thou to
heart the old proverb, which says truly, 'The beginning and end of a
matter are not always seen at once.'
"Artabanus," answered Xerxes, "there is nothing in all that thou
hast said, wherein thou art so wholly wrong as in this, that thou
suspectest the faith of the Ionians. Have they not given us the surest
proof of their attachment- a proof which thou didst thyself witness,
and likewise all those who fought with Darius against the Scythians?
When it lay wholly with them to save or to destroy the entire
Persian army, they dealt by us honourably and with good faith, and did
us no hurt at all. Besides, they will leave behind them in our country
their wives, their children, and their properties- can it then be
conceived that they will attempt rebellion? Have no fear, therefore,
on this score; but keep a brave heart and uphold my house and
empire. To thee, and thee only, do I intrust my sovereignty."
After Xerxes had thus spoken, and had sent Artabanus away to
return to Susa, he summoned before him all the Persians of most
repute, and when they appeared, addressed them in these words:-
"Persians, I have brought you together because I wished to
exhort you to behave bravely, and not to sully with disgrace the
former achievements of the Persian people, which are very great and
famous. Rather let us one and all, singly and jointly, exert ourselves
to the uttermost; for the matter wherein we are engaged concerns the
common weal. Strain every nerve, then, I beseech you, in this war.
Brave warriors are the men we march against, if report says true;
and such that, if we conquer them, there is not a people in all the
world which will venture thereafter to with. stand our arms. And now
let us offer prayers to the gods who watch over the welfare of Persia,
and then cross the channel."
All that day the preparations for the passage continued; and on
the morrow they burnt all kinds of spices upon the bridges, and
strewed the way with myrtle boughs, while they waited anxiously for
the sun, which they hoped to see as he rose. And now the sun appeared;
and Xerxes took a golden goblet and poured from it a libation into the
sea, praying the while with his face turned to the sun "that no
misfortune might befall him such as to hinder his conquest of
Europe, until he had penetrated to its uttermost boundaries." After he
had prayed, he cast the golden cup into the Hellespont, and with it
a golden bowl, and a Persian sword of the kind which they call
acinaces. I cannot say for certain whether it was as an offering to
the sun-god that he threw these things into the deep, or whether he
had repented of having scourged the Hellespont, and thought by his
gifts to make amends to the sea for what he had done.
When, however, his offerings were made, the army began to cross; and
the foot-soldiers, with the horsemen, passed over by one of the
bridges- that (namely) which lay towards the Euxine- while the
sumpter-beasts and the camp-followers passed by the other, which
looked on the Egean. Foremost went the Ten Thousand Persians, all
wearing garlands upon their heads; and after them a mixed multitude of
many nations. These crossed upon the first day.
On the next day the horsemen began the passage; and with them went
the soldiers who carried their spears with the point downwards,
garlanded, like the Ten Thousand;- then came the sacred horses and the
sacred chariot; next Xerxes with his lancers and the thousand horse;
then the rest of the army. At the same time the ships sailed over to
the opposite shore. According, however, to another account which I
have heard, the king crossed the last.
As soon as Xerxes had reached the European side, he stood to
contemplate his army as they crossed under the lash. And the
crossing continued during seven days and seven nights, without rest or
pause. 'Tis said that here, after Xerxes had made the passage, a