the history-第148章

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n　the　labour。　Two　Persians；　Bubares；　the　son　of　Megabazus；　and　Artachaees；　the　son　of　Artaeus；　superintended　the　undertaking。　　　　　Athos　is　a　great　and　famous　mountain；　inhabited　by　men；　and　stretching　far　out　into　the　sea。　Where　the　mountain　ends　towards　the　mainland　it　forms　a　peninsula；　and　in　this　place　there　is　a　neck　of　land　about　twelve　furlongs　across；　the　whole　extent　whereof；　from　the　sea　of　the　Acanthians　to　that　over　against　Torone；　is　a　level　plain；　broken　only　by　a　few　low　hills。　Here；　upon　this　isthmus　where　Athos　ends；　is　Sand；　a　Greek　city。　Inside　of　Sand；　and　upon　Athos　itself；　are　a　number　of　towns；　which　Xerxes　was　now　employed　in　disjoining　from　the　continent：　these　are　Dium；　Olophyxus；　Acrothoum；　Thyssus；　and　Cleonae。　Among　these　cities　Athos　was　divided。　　　　　Now　the　manner　in　which　they　dug　was　the　following：　a　line　was　drawn　across　by　the　city　of　Sand；　and　along　this　the　various　nations　parcelled　out　among　themselves　the　work　to　be　done。　When　the　trench　grew　deep；　the　workmen　at　the　bottom　continued　to　dig；　while　others　handed　the　earth；　as　it　was　dug　out；　to　labourers　placed　higher　up　upon　ladders；　and　these　taking　it；　passed　it　on　farther；　till　it　came　at　last　to　those　at　the　top；　who　carried　it　off　and　emptied　it　away。　All　the　other　nations；　therefore；　except　the　Phoenicians；　had　double　labour；　for　the　sides　of　the　trench　fell　in　continually；　as　could　not　but　happen；　since　they　made　the　width　no　greater　at　the　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　noised　abroad；　and　I　heard　thou　wert　coming　down　to　the　Grecian　coast；　straightway；　as　I　wished　to　give　thee　a　sum　of　money　for　the　war；　I　made　count　of　my　stores；　and　found　them　to　be　two　thousand　talents　of　silver；　and　of　gold　four　millions　of　Daric　staters；　wanting　seven　thousand。　All　this　I　willingly　make　over　to　thee　as　a　gift；　and　when　it　is　gone；　my　slaves　and　my　estates　in　land　will　be　wealth　enough　for　my　wants。〃　　　　　This　speech　charmed　Xerxes；　and　he　replied；　〃Dear　Lydian；　since　I　left　Persia　there　is　no　man　but　thou　who　has　either　desired　to　entertain　my　army；　or　come　forward　of　his　own　free　will　to　offer　me　a　sum　of　money　for　the　war。　Thou　hast　done　both　the　one　and　the　other；　feasting　my　troops　magnificently；　and　now　making　offer　of　a　right　noble　sum。　In　return；　this　is　what　I　will　bestow　on　thee。　Thou　shalt　be　my　sworn　friend　from　this　day；　and　the　seven　thousand　staters　which　are　wanting　to　make　up　thy　four　millions　I　will　supply；　so　that　the　full　tale　may　be　no　longer　lacking；　and　that　thou　mayest　owe　the　completion　of　the　round　sum　to　me。　Continue　to　enjoy　all　that　thou　hast　acquired　hitherto；　and　be　sure　to　remain　ever　such　as　thou　now　art。　If　thou　dost；　thou　wilt　not　repent　of　it　so　long　as　thy　life　endures。〃　　　　　When　Xerxes　had　so　spoken　and　had　made　good　his　promises　to　Pythius；　he　pressed　forward　upon　his　march；　and　passing　Anaua；　a　Phrygian　city；　and　a　lake　from　which　salt　is　gathered；　he　came　to　Colossae；　a　Phrygian　city　of　great　size；　situated　at　a　spot　where　the　river　Lycus　plunges　into　a　chasm　and　disappears。　This　river；　after　running　under　ground　a　distance　of　about　five　furlong