The Good Book (69 page)

 

Chapter 109

  1. The Greeks, when they understood that the barbarians had fled to the mainland, were annoyed at their escape:

  2. Nor could they decide at first what to do, whether to return home or proceed to the Hellespont.

  3. In the end they decided to do neither, but to make sail for the continent.

  4. So they prepared for a sea fight, with boarding-bridges and everything else necessary, and sailed to Mycale.

  5. Now when they came to the Persian camp they found no one to come out to meet them, but observed the ships dragged ashore within the barrier,

  6. And a strong land-force drawn up in battle array on the beach.

  7. Leotychides therefore sailed along the shore, keeping as close to land as possible, and by the voice of a herald addressed the Ionians:

  8. ‘Men of Ionia: the Persians will not understand me, because they do not speak our tongue, but you listen to me.

  9. ‘When we join battle with them, before everything else remember Freedom; and next, remember our watchword.'

10. In saying this Leotychides was using the same ploy as Themistocles had used at Artemisium:

11. Either the barbarians would not know what he said, and the Ionians would be persuaded to revolt from them;

12. Or if his words were reported to the former, they would mistrust their Greek soldiers. The trick worked, as subsequent events showed.

13. The Greeks then brought their ships to land, disembarked, and arrayed themselves for battle.

14. When the Persians saw them marshalling, their first act was to disarm the Samians, whom they now suspected of complicity with their enemies.

15. For it had happened lately that a number of the Athenians who had been made prisoners by the troops of Xerxes were brought to Asia on board the barbarian fleet;

16. And these men had all been ransomed by the Samians, who sent them back to Athens, well provided for the journey.

17. On this account, as much as on Leotychides' ruse, the Samians were suspected.

18. After disarming them, the Persians next dispatched the Milesians to watch the paths leading to the heights of Mycale,

19. Because (so they said) the Milesians were well acquainted with that region: their true object, however, was to remove them to a distance from the camp.

20. In this way the Persians sought to secure themselves against such of the Ionians as they thought likely to rebel.

21. They then joined shield to shield, and made themselves a breastwork against the enemy.

 

Chapter 110

  1. The Greeks now, having finished their preparations, advanced towards them.

  2. As they did so news flew through the Persian host that the Greeks had fought and conquered the army of Mardonius in Boeotia.

  3. Before the rumour reached them, the Greeks were full of trepidation, not so much on their own account, as for their countrymen, and for Greece herself.

  4. But when they heard the news, their fear vanished and they charged at their enemies vigorously.

  5. The Hellespont and the Islands formed the prize for which they were about to fight.

  6. The Athenians, and the force drawn up with them, who formed one half of the army, marched along the shore, where the country was low and level;

  7. But the way for the Lacedaemonians, and the troops with them, lay across hills and a torrent-course.

  8. Hence, while the Lacedaemonians were making their way round, the Athenians on the other wing had already closed with the enemy.

  9. So long as the wicker bucklers of the Persians lasted, they made a stout defence, and had not even the worst of the battle;

10. But when the Athenians and their allies, wishing to make the victory their own and not to share it with the Lacedaemonians,

11. Cheered each other on with shouts, and attacked them with the utmost ferocity, at last the face of things changed.

12. For, bursting through the line of shields and rushing forwards in a body, the Greeks fell upon the Persians;

13. Who, though they bore the charge and for a long time held their ground, yet at length tried to take refuge in their fortifications.

14. Here the Athenians themselves, together with those who followed them in the line of battle, the Corinthians, Sicyonians and Troezenians,

15. Pressed so closely on the heels of their foes, that they entered along with them into the fortress.

16. And now that their fortress was taken, the barbarians no longer offered resistance, but fled hastily away, all except the Persians.

17. They still continued to fight in knots of a few men against the Greeks, who kept pouring into the intrenchment.

18. And here, while two of the Persian commanders fled, two died: Artayntes and Ithamitres, who were leaders of the fleet, escaped,

19. While Mardontes, and the commander of the land force, Tigranes, died fighting.

20. The Persians were still holding out when the Lacedaemonians and their section of the army arrived, and joined in the remainder of the battle.

21. The number of Greeks who fell in the struggle here was not inconsiderable; the Sicyonians especially lost many, including Perilaus, their general.

22. The Samians who served with the Medes, and who, although disarmed, still remained in the camp,

23. Seeing from the very beginning of the fight that the victory was doubtful, did all that lay in their power to help the Greeks.

24. And the other Ionians likewise, beholding their example, revolted and attacked the Persians.

25. As for the Milesians, who had been ordered to watch the mountain paths,

26. Guided the flying Persians by wrong roads, which brought them into the presence of the enemy;

27. And at last they set upon them with their own hands, and showed themselves the hottest of their adversaries.

28. Ionia, therefore, on this day revolted a second time from Persia.

29. In this battle the Greeks who behaved with the greatest bravery were the Athenians;

30. And among them the palm was borne off by Hermolycus, son of Euthynus, a man accomplished in the Pancratium.

31. After the Athenians, the most distinguished on the Greek side were the Corinthians, Troezenians and Sicyonians.

32. The Greeks, when they had killed most of the barbarians, either in the battle or in the rout,

33. Set fire to the Persian ships and the rampart round them, first removing all the booty and carrying it down to the beach.

34. Besides other plunder they found many caskets of money.

 

Chapter 111

  1. The Greeks then sailed to Samos, and there discussed what to do about the Ionians.

  2. Ionia they proposed to abandon to the barbarians; and the question was, in what part of their own possessions in Greece they should settle the Ionian people.

  3. For it seemed to them impossible that they should be ever on the watch to protect Ionia; but otherwise there could be no hope that the Ionians would escape the vengeance of the Persians.

  4. The Peloponnesian leaders proposed that the seaport towns of those Greeks who had sided with Xerxes should be taken from them, and given to the Ionians.

  5. The Athenians, on the other hand, were unwilling that any removal should take place, and disliked the Peloponnesians holding councils concerning their colonists.

  6. So, as they set themselves against the change, the Peloponnesians yielded with a good will.

  7. At this the Samians, Chians, Lesbians, and other islanders who had helped the Greeks at this time,

  8. Were received into the league of the allies; and promised to be faithful and not desert the common cause.

  9. After this the Greeks sailed to the Hellespont, where they meant to destroy the bridges, which they supposed still stood across the strait.

10. The barbarians who escaped from the battle – a scanty remnant – took refuge in the heights of Mycale, whence they made good their retreat to Sardis.

11. During the march to Sardis, Masistes, son of Darius and brother of Xerxes, who had been present at the disaster, had words with Artayntes, the general,

12. On whom he showered reproaches, and said there was no punishment he did not deserve to suffer for bringing such grievous hurt on the king's house.

13. Artayntes bore the reproaches for a while, but at last he fell into a rage, and drew his scymitar to kill Masistes.

14. A certain Halicarnassian called Xenagoras, son of Praxilaus, who stood behind Artayntes at the time, seeing him do this,

15. Seized him and threw him to the ground; which gave time for Masistes' guards to come to his aid.

16. By this conduct Xenagoras gained the favour not of Masistes only, but of Xerxes himself,

17. For he had saved the king's brother from death; and he was rewarded by being appointed governor of Cilicia.

18. Except this, nothing happened on the road, and the remnant of the army safely reached Sardis.

19. At Sardis they found Xerxes, who had been there ever since he had fled to Asia after this defeat at Salamis.

 

Chapter 112

  1. During the time that Xerxes abode at Sardis, he fell in love with the wife of his brother Masistes.

  2. He sent her messages, but failed to win her consent; and he did not dare to use violence, out of regard to Masistes.

  3. This the woman knew well enough, which is why she had the boldness to resist him.

  4. So Xerxes, finding no other way, devised a marriage between his own son Darius and a daughter of this woman, thinking that he might better obtain his ends thereby.

  5. Accordingly he betrothed the two, and after the usual ceremonies were completed, went to his capital city of Susa.

  6. When he received his new daughter-in-law, whose name was Artaynta, into his palace, a change came over him;

  7. Losing all love for the wife of Masistes, he conceived a passion for Artaynta, who very soon returned his love.

  8. After a while the affair was discovered by Xerxes' wife Amestris.

  9. She had woven a long robe of many colours, very curiously made, as a gift for her husband.

10. Xerxes, who was greatly pleased with it, immediately put it on; and went in it to visit Artaynta.

11. She happened on this day to please him greatly in their pleasures in bed, so he bade her ask him for whatever she liked,

12. And promised that, whatever it was, he would grant it. She then boldly asked for the robe.

13. Hereupon Xerxes tried all possible means to avoid the gift; not that he grudged to give it, but because he dreaded Amestris,

14. Who already suspected, and would now, he feared, detect his love.

15. So he offered Artaynta cities instead, and heaps of gold, and an army which should obey no other leader. (The last of these is a thoroughly Persian gift.)

16. But, as nothing could make her change her mind, at last he gave her the robe.

17. Artaynta greatly rejoiced, and often wore the garment and was proud of it.

18. But it quickly came to the ears of Amestris that the robe had been given to Artaynta.

19. She felt no anger against Artaynta; but, looking upon Artaynta's mother, the wife of Masistes, as the cause of the mischief, she determined to kill her.

20. She waited until her husband gave the great royal banquet in celebration of his birthday, the feast called ‘Tykta'.

21. This is the only day in the year on which the king soaps his head, and distributes gifts to the Persians.

22. Amestris waited for this day, and then asked Xerxes to please give her, as her present, the wife of Masistes.

23. He refused; for it seemed to him monstrous to give into the power of another a woman who was not only his brother's wife,

24. But was also wholly guiltless of what had happened – the more especially as he knew what Amestris intended.

25. At length, however, wearied by her importunity,

26. And constrained by the law of the feast, which required that no request made at the king's board should be denied,

27. He yielded, but with a very ill will, and gave the woman into her power.

28. Having so done, the king called his brother and said,

29. ‘Masistes, you are my brother, and a good man. I ask you, live no longer with the wife you now have.

30. ‘I will give you instead my own daughter in marriage.'

31. Masistes, greatly astonished, answered, ‘My lord, how strange of you to ask this!

32. ‘You tell me put away my wife, who has borne me three good sons, and daughters besides,

33. ‘One of which you have taken to be your son's wife – you ask me to put away this wife, who pleases me greatly, and marry a daughter of yours!