the history-第188章

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。　〃If；〃　he　said；　〃they　did　not　send　him　the　amount　required；　he　would　bring　the　Greek　fleet　upon　them；　and　besiege　them　till　he　took　their　cities。〃　By　these　means　he　collected　large　sums　from　the　Carystians　and　the　Parians；　who；　when　they　heard　that　Andros　was　already　besieged；　and　that　Themistocles　was　the　best　esteemed　of　all　the　captains；　sent　the　money　through　fear。　Whether　any　of　the　other　islanders　did　the　like；　I　cannot　say　for　certain；　but　I　think　some　did　besides　those　I　have　mentioned。　However；　the　Carystians；　though　they　complied；　were　not　spared　any　the　more；　but　Themistocles　was　softened　by　the　Parians'　gift；　and　therefore　they　received　no　visit　from　the　army。　In　this　way　it　was　that　Themistocles；　during　his　stay　at　Andros；　obtained　money　from　the　islanders；　unbeknown　to　the　other　captains。　　　　　King　Xerxes　and　his　army　waited　but　a　few　days　after　the　sea…fight；　and　then　withdrew　into　Boeotia　by　the　road　which　they　had　followed　on　their　advance。　It　was　the　wish　of　Mardonius　to　escort　the　king　a　part　of　the　way；　and　as　the　time　of　year　was　no　longer　suitable　for　carrying　on　war；　he　thought　it　best　to　winter　in　Thessaly；　and　wait　for　the　spring　before　he　attempted　the　Peloponnese。　After　the　army　was　come　into　Thessaly；　Mardonius　made　choice　of　the　troops　that　were　to　stay　with　him；　and；　first　of　all；　he　took　the　whole　body　called　the　〃Immortals；〃　except　only　their　leader；　Hydarnes；　who　refused　to　quit　the　person　of　the　king。　Next；　he　chose　the　Persians　who　wore　breastplates；　and　the　thousand　picked　horse；　likewise　the　Medes；　the　Sacans；　the　Bactrians；　and　the　Indians；　foot　and　horse　equally。　These　nations　he　took　entire：　from　the　rest　of　the　allies　he　culled　a　few　men；　taking　either　such　as　were　remarkable　for　their　appearance；　or　else　such　as　had　performed；　to　his　knowledge；　some　valiant　deed。　The　Persians　furnished　him　with　the　greatest　number　of　troops；　men　who　were　adorned　with　chains　and　armlets。　Next　to　them　were　the　Medes；　who　in　number　equalled　the　Persians；　but　in　valour　fell　short　of　them。　The　whole　army；　reckoning　the　horsemen　with　the　rest；　amounted　to　300；000　men。　　　　　At　the　time　when　Mardonius　was　making　choice　of　his　troops；　and　Xerxes　still　continued　in　Thessaly；　the　Lacedaemonians　received　a　message　from　the　Delphic　oracle；　bidding　them　seek　satisfaction　at　the　hands　of　Xerxes　for　the　death　of　Leonidas；　and　take　whatever　he　chose　to　give　them。　So　the　Spartans　sent　a　herald　with　all　speed　into　Thessaly；　who　arrived　while　the　entire　Persian　army　was　still　there。　This　man；　being　brought　before　the　king；　spake　as　follows：…　　　　　〃King　of　the　Medes；　the　Lacedaemonians　and　the　Heracleids　of　Sparta　require　of　thee　the　satisfaction　due　for　bloodshed；　because　thou　slewest　their　king；　who　fell　fighting　for　Greece。〃　　　　　Xerxes　laughed；　and　for　a　long　time　spake　not　a　word。　At　last；　however；　he　pointed　to　Mardonius；　who　was　standing　by　him；　and　said：…　〃Mardonius　here　shall　give　them　the　satisfaction　they　deserve　to　get。〃　And　the　herald　accepted　the　answer；　and　forthwith　went　his　way。　　　　　Xerxes；　after　this；　left　Mardonius　in　Thessaly；　and　marched　away　himself；　at　his　best　speed；　toward　the　Hellespont。　In　five…and…forty　days　he　reached　the　place　of　passage；　where　he　arrived　with　scarce　a　fraction；　so　to　speak；　of　his　former　army。　All　along　their　line　of　march；　in　every　country　where　they　chanced　to　be；　his　soldiers　seized　and　devoured　whatever　corn　they　could　find　belonging　to　the　inhabitants；　while；　if　no　corn　was　to　be　found；　they　gathered　the　grass　that　grew　in　the　fields；　and　stripped　the　trees；　whether　cultivated　or　wild；　alike　of　their　bark　and　of　their　leaves；　and　so　fed　themselves。　They　left　nothing　anywhere；　so　hard　were　they　pressed　by　hunger。　Plague　too　and　dysentery　attacked　the　troops　while　still　upon　their　march；　and　greatly　thinned　their　ranks。　Many　died；　others　fell　sick　and　were　left　behind　in　the　different　cities　that　lay　upon　the　route；　the　inhabitants　being　strictly　charged　by　Xerxes　to　tend　and　feed　them。　Of　these　some　remained　in　Thessaly；　others　in　Siris　of　Paeonia；　others　again　in　Macedon。　Here　Xerxes；　on　his　march　into　Greece；　had　left　the　sacred　car　and　steeds　of　Jove；　which　upon　his　return　he　was　unable　to　recover；　for　the　Paeonians　had　disposed　of　them　to　the　Thracians；　and；　when　Xerxes　demanded　them　back；　they　said　that　the　Thracian　tribes　who　dwelt　about　the　sources　of　the　Strymon　had　stolen　the　mares　as　they　pastured。　　　　　Here　too　a　Thracian　chieftain；　king　of　the　Bisaltians　and　of　Crestonia；　did　a　deed　which　went　beyond　nature。　He　had　refused　to　become　the　willing　slave　of　Xerxes；　and　had　fled　before　him　into　the　heights　of　Rhodope；　at　the　same　time　forbidding　his　sons　to　take　part　in　the　expedition　against　Greece。　But　they；　either　because　they　cared　little　for　his　orders；　or　because　they　wished　greatly　to　see　the　war；　joined　the　army　of　Xerxes。　At　this　time　they　had　all　returned　home　to　him…　the　number　of　the　men　was　six…　quite　safe　and　sound。　But　their　father　took　them；　and　punished　their　offence　by　plucking　out　their　eyes　from　the　sockets。　Such　was　the　treatment　which　these　men　received。　　　　　The　Persians；　having　journeyed　through　Thrace　and　reached　the　passage；　entered　their　ships　hastily　and　crossed　the　Hellespont　to　Abydos。　The　bridges　were　not　found　stretched　across　the　strait；　since　a　storm　had　broken　and　dispersed　them。　At　Abydos　the　troops　halted；　and；　obtaining　more　abundant　provision　than　they　had　yet　got　upon　their　march；　they　fed　without　stint；　from　which　cause；　added　to　the　change　in　their　water；　great　numbers　of　those　who　had　hitherto　escaped　perished。　The　remainder；　together　with　Xerxes　himself；　came　safe　to　Sardis。　　　　　There　is　likewise　another　account　given　of　the　return　of　the　king。　It　is　said　that　when　Xerxes　on　his　way　from　Athens　arrived　at　Eion　upon　the　Strymon；　he　gave　up　travelling　by　land；　and；　intrusting　Hydarnes　with　the　conduct　of　his　forces　to　the　Hellespont；　embarked　himself　on　board　a　Phoenician　ship；　and　so　crossed　into　Asia。　On　his　voyage　the　ship　was　assailed　by　a　strong　wind　blowing　from　the　mouth　of　the　Strymon；　which　caused　the　sea　to　run　high。　As　the　storm　increased；　and　the　ship　laboured　heavily；　because　of　the　number　of　the　Persians　who　had　come　in　the　king's　train；　and　who　now　crowded　the　deck；　Xerxes　was　seized　with　fear；　and　called　out　to　the　helmsman　in　a　loud　voice；　asking　him；　if　there　were　any　means　whereby　they　might　escape　the　danger。　〃No　means；　master；〃　the　helmsman　answered；　〃unless　we　could　be　quit　of　these　too　numerous　passengers。〃　Xerxes；　they　say；　on　hearing　this；　addressed　the　Persians　as　follows：　〃Men　of　Persia；〃　he　said；　〃now　is　the　time　for　you　to　show　what　love　ye　bear　your　king。　My　safety；　as　it　seems；　depends　wholly　upon　you。〃　So　spake　the　king；　and　the　Persians　instantly　made　obeisance；　and　then　leapt　over　into　the　sea。　Thus　was　the　ship　lightened；　and　Xerxes　got　safe　to　Asia。　As　soon　as　he　had　reached　the　shore；　he　sent　for　the　helmsman；　and　gave　him　a　golden　crown　because　he　had　preserved　the　life　of　the　kings…　but　because　he　had　caused　the　death　of　a　number　of　Persians；　he　ordered　his　head　to　be　struck　from　his　shoulders。　　　　　Such　is　the　other　account　which　is　given　of　the　return　of　Xerxes；　but　to　me　it　seems　quite　unwort