the history-第131章

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hey　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　looked　for　nothing　less　than　such　a　prayer　as　Pythius　in　fact　preferred；　engaged　to　grant　him　whatever　he　wished；　and　commanded　him　to　tell　his　wish　freely。　So　Pythius；　full　of　boldness；　went　on　to　say：…　　　　　〃O　my　lord！　thy　servant　has　five　sons；　and　it　chances　that　all　are　called　upon　to　join　thee　in　this　march　against　Greece。　I　beseech　thee；　have　compassion　upon　my　years；　and　let　one　of　my　sons；　the　eldest；　remain　behind；　to　be　my　prop　and　stay；　and　the　guardian　of　my　wealth。　Take　with　thee　the　other　four；　and　when　thou　hast　done　all　that　is　in　thy　heart；　mayest　thou　come　back　in　safety。〃　　　　　But　Xerxes　was　greatly　angered；　and　replied　to　him：　〃Thou　wretch！　darest　thou　speak　to　me　of　thy　son；　when　I　am　myself　on　the　march　against　Greece；　with　sons；　and　brothers；　and　kinsfolk；　and　friends？　Thou；　who　art　my　bond…slave；　and　art　in　duty　bound　to　follow　me　with　all　thy　household；　not　excepting　thy　wife！　Know　that　man's　spirit　dwelleth　in　his　ears；　and　when　it　hears　good　things；　straightway　it　fills　all　his　body　with　delight；　but　no　sooner　does　it　hear　the　contrary　than　it　heaves　and　swells　with　passion。　As　when　thou　didst　good　deeds　and　madest　good　offers　to　me；　thou　wert　not　able　to　boast　of　having　outdone　the　king　in　bountifulness；　so　now　when　thou　art　changed　and　grown　impudent；　thou　shalt　not　receive　all　thy　deserts；　but　less。　For　thyself　and　four　of　thy　five　sons；　the　entertainment　which　I　had　of　thee　shall　gain　protection；　but　as　for　him　to　whom　thou　clingest　above　the　rest；　the　forfeit　of　his　life　shall　be　thy　punishment。〃　Having　thus　spoken；　forthwith　he　commanded　those　to　whom　such　tasks　were　assigned　to　seek　out　the　eldest　of　the　sons　of　Pythius；　and　having　cut　his　body　asunder；　to　place　the　two　halves。　one　on　the　right；　the　other　on　the　left；　of　the　great　road；　so　that　the　army　might　march　out　between　them。　　　　　Then　the　king's　orders　were　obeyed；　and　the　army　marched　out　between　the　two　halves　of　the　carcase。　First　of　all　went　the　baggage…bearers；　and　the　sumpter…beasts；　and　then　a　vast　crowd　of　many　nations　mingled　together　without　any　intervals；　amounting　to　more　than　one　half　of　the　army。　After　these　troops　an　empty　space　was　left；　to　separate　between　them　and　the　king。　In　front　of　the　king　went　first　a　thousand　horsemen；　picked　men　of　the　Persian　nation…　then　spearmen　a　thousand；　likewise　chosen　troops；　with　their　spearheads　pointing　towards　the　ground…　next　ten　of　the　sacred　horses　called　Nisaean；　all　daintily　caparisoned。　（Now　these　horses　are　called　Nisaean；　because　they　come　from　the　Nisaean　plain；　a　vast　flat　in　Media；　producing　horses　of　unusual　size。）　After　the　ten　sacred　horses　came　the　holy　chariot　of　Jupiter；　drawn　by　eight　milk…white　steeds；　with　the　charioteer　on　foot　behind　them　holding　the　reins；　for　no　mortal　is　ever　allowed　to　mount　into　the　car。　Next　to　this　came　Xerxes　himself；　riding　in　a　chariot　drawn　by　Nisaean　horses；　with　his　charioteer；　Patiramphes；　the　son　of　Otanes；　a　Persian；　standing　by　his　side。　　　　　Thus　rode　forth　Xerxes　from　Sardis…　but　he　was　accustomed　every　now　and　then；　when　the　fancy　took　him；　to　alight　from　his　chariot　and　travel　in　a　litter。　Immediately　behind　the　king　there　followed　a　body　of　a　thousand　spearmen；　the　noblest　and　bravest　of　the　Persians；　holding　their　lances　in　the　usual　manner…　then　came　a　thousand　Persian　horse；　picked　men…　then　ten　thousand；　picked　also　after　the　rest；　and　serving　on　foot。　Of　these　last　one　thousand　carried　spears　with　golden　pomegranates　at　their　lower　end　instead　of　spikes；　and　these　encircled　the　other　nine　thousand；　who　bore　on　their　spears　pomegranates　of　silver。　The　spearmen　too　who　pointed　their　lances　towards　the　ground　had　golden　pomegranates；　and　the　thousand　Persians　who　followed　close　after　Xerxes　had　golden　apples。　Behind　the　ten　thousand　footmen　came　a　body　of　Persian　cavalry；　likewise　ten　thousand；　after　which　there　was　again　a　void　space　for　as　much　as　two　furlongs；　and　then　the　rest　of　the　army　followed　in　a　confused　crowd。　　　　　The　march　of　the　army；　after　leaving　Lydia；　was　directed　upon　the　river　Caicus　and　the　land　of　Mysia。　Beyond　the　Caius　the　road；　leaving　Mount　Cana　upon　the　left；　passed　through　the　Atarnean　plain；　to　the　city　of　Carina。　Quitting　this；　the　troops　advanced　across　the　plain　of　Thebe；　passing　Adramyttium；　and　Antandrus；　the　Pelasgic　city；　then；　holding　Mount　Ida　upon　the　left　hand；　it　entered　the　Trojan　territory。　On　this　march　the　Persians　suffered　some　loss；　for　as　they　bivouacked　during　the　night　at　the　foot　of　Ida；　a　storm　of　thunder　and　lightning　burst　upon　them；　and　killed　no　small　number。　　　　　On　reaching　the　Scamander；　which　was　the　first　stream；　of　all　that　they　had　crossed　since　they　left　Sardis；　whose　water　failed　them　and　did　not　suffice　to　satisfy　the　thirst　of　men　and　cattle；　Xerxes　ascended　into　the　Pergamus　of　Priam；　since　he　had　a　longing　to　behold　the　place。　When　he　had　seen　everything；　and　inquired　into　all　particulars；　he　made　an　offering　of　a　thousand　oxen　to　the　Trojan　Minerva；　while　the　Magians　poured　libations　to　the　heroes　who　were　slain　at　Troy。　The　night　after；　a　panic　fell　upon　the　camp：　but　in　the　morning　they　set　off　with　daylight；　and　skirting　on　the　left　hand　the　towns　Rhoeteum；　Ophryneum；　and　Dardanus　（which　borders　on　Abydos）；　on　the　right　the　Teucrians　of　Gergis；　so　reached　Abydos。　　　　　Arrived　here；　Xerxes　wished　to　look　upon　all　his　host；　so　as　there　was　a　throne　of　white　marble　upon　a　hill　near　the　city；　which　they　of　Abydos　had　prepared　beforehand；　by　the　king's　bidding；　for　his　especial　use；　Xerxes　took　his　seat　on　it；　and；　gazing　thence　upon　the　shore　below；　beheld　at　one　view　all