HOW PREPARATION WAS MADE FOR THE SECOND WAR AGAINST THE GREEKS.
When King Darius heard tidings of the battle at Marathon, his wrath,
which was already hot against the Athenians by reason of their doings
at Sardis, waxed yet more fierce, so that he was more earnest than ever
to make war against Greece. And straightway he sent messengers to all
the cities in his dominions, bidding them gather together soldiers--and
of these many more than he had commanded before--and with these, ships
and horsemen and food and vessels of transport. And for the space of
three years after these commands had been given, all Asia was in an
uproar, seeing that the bravest of her children were being chosen to
march against the Greeks, and were making ready to go. But in the
fourth year the Egyptians, who had been enslaved by Cambyses, revolted.
Then was Darius more zealous than before to march both against the
Athenians and the Egyptians. But while he was making ready so to do,
there came a great disputing among his sons who should be King after
him; for the law of the Persians is that the King declares who shall
reign after him before he goes to the war. Now Darius had had three
sons born to him by his wife the daughter of Gobryas; and these were
born before that he was made King: and after that he was made King he
had four others born to him of Atossa that was the daughter of Cyrus.
Of the first three Artabazanes was the eldest, and of the four Xerxes.
These disputed among themselves, and Artabazanes claimed the kingdom
because he was the eldest of all, and because it was the custom over
all the world that the eldest should have the pre-eminence; but Xerxes
claimed it because his mother was daughter to Cyrus, and it was Cyrus
that had established the kingdom of the Persians. Now while Darius
doubted about the matter, there came up to Susa Demaratus the son of
Ariston. The same had been deprived of his kingdom in Sparta and had
fled from the city. When this man knew what it was that the sons of
Darius disputed about, he came forward, according to report, and gave
counsel to Xerxes that over and above the words that he had said he
should say also this, that he had been born when Darius was already
King and had dominion over all the Persians, but that Darius was a
subject only when Artabazanes was born. “And indeed at Sparta,” said
Demaratus, “the law is this, that if a king have children that are born
before he be made King, and also a child that is born after, then he
that is born after is preferred.” Of these words of Demaratus Xerxes
made such use that King Darius declared that he should be King in his
room. But in the year after it so befell that while he was preparing to
make war both against the Greeks and against the Egyptians, King Darius
died, having reigned over the Persians thirty and six years in all;
and Xerxes his son reigned in his stead. Now at the first Xerxes by no
means desired to make war against the Greeks, but against the Egyptians
he made great preparations. Then said Mardonius the son of Gobryas, who
was cousin to the King, being sister’s son to King Darius, “My lord, it
is by no means fitting that the Athenians, seeing that they have done
grievous wrong to the Persians, should thus go unpunished. Do therefore
first the thing that thou hast now in hand, and when thou hast humbled
the Egyptians go forth against the Greeks. So shalt thou have great
renown throughout the world, and men shall fear hereafter to trouble
thy land.” And besides thus speaking of vengeance, Mardonius would
also add that Europe was a very beautiful land, bearing all manner of
fruitful trees, and of an excellent fertility, and altogether such that
no man but the King was worthy to possess it. All this he said because
he was a lover of change and adventure; also he hoped to be made ruler
over the land of Greece. And at last he had his way, persuading Xerxes
to take the matter in hand. There were other things that helped him
persuading Xerxes to this act. First there came envoys from the house
of Aleuas, that was King in Thessaly, who would fain have the King come
against the land of Greece, and showed all zeal in his cause. Also
certain of the house of Pisistratus that had come up to Susa held the
same language. These had with them one Onomacritus, a man of Athens,
that was a soothsayer, and one that had set in order the prophecies
of Musæus. Once, indeed, there had been enmity between the son of
Pisistratus and this Onomacritus; for Hipparchus had banished him from
Athens, having found that he had added to the prophecies of Musæus a
certain prophecy how that an island which lies near unto Lemnos should
one day be swallowed up in the sea. A certain Leros had found him out
in this, and Hipparchus banished him, having been wont to consult him
continually. But now the sons of Pisistratus were reconciled to him,
and took him in their company to Susa, and talked much of him and of
his wisdom. And so soon as he was brought before the King, he repeated
to him certain of the prophecies. If there were any prophecy that spake
of disaster to the Persians, of this he would make no mention, but such
as seemed to promise them success he would set forth, how that it was
in the fates that a Persian should bridge over the Hellespont. Thus did
Onomacritus make much of his prophecies, and the sons of Pisistratus
and the sons of Aleuas set forth their opinions to the same purpose.
So King Xerxes was persuaded to make war upon the Greeks. And first,
in the second year after the death of Darius, he marched into the
land of Egypt, and having enslaved it more than it had been enslaved
before, he gave it over to Achæmenes his brother, and son to Darius.
(This Achæmenes was afterward slain by Inaros, the son of Psammeticus,
a Nubian.) And after this, being now about to lead his army against
Athens, he called an assembly of the noblest of the Persians, that he
might hear what they thought, and might himself say what he would
have them hear. And when they were gathered together he spake, saying,
“There is a custom, which, indeed, I did not first establish, but
received it from the kings before me, that we Persians have never
rested since the day when we took this kingdom from the Medes. So the
Gods will have it, and in so doing have we greatly prospered. What
nations Cyrus and Cambyses and Darius my father subdued ye know well.
And since I came to this kingdom I have studied how I might show myself
to be not behind them, and might not the less increase our Empire.
And now I will set before you what I purpose. I will bridge over the
Hellespont and cross into Europe that I may avenge my father and this
nation upon the Athenians for all the wrong that they have done,
burning their city with fire. Nor shall we get vengeance only, but
this good also, that conquering the Athenians and their neighbors that
dwell in the island of Pelops, we shall have the whole earth subject
to us, for I take it that when these Greeks have been subdued there is
no city or nation that shall be able to stand against us. This then
is my judgment, but I would have you say what is your minds. Speak,
therefore.”
Then spake Mardonius: “O my lord, thou showest thyself to be the
noblest of the Persians, not of those only that have been in former
times, but also of all that shall be hereafter, when thou settest forth
such good counsels in such excellent words. Surely it is not well that
these men of Ionia should laugh at us and go unpunished, and that
when we have subdued Indians and Assyrians and Ethiopians, not because
they had done us wrong, but because we would enlarge our borders, we
should leave these Greeks unharmed after that they have done us wrongs
grievous and many. And that we may easily vanquish them, I doubt not at
all. For I myself, at the bidding of my father Darius, marched against
them, and went so far as the land of Macedonia, and indeed had come to
the city of Athens itself, nor did I find any that dared meet me in
battle. And yet, as I hear, these Greeks are wont to fight in a most
foolish and ignorant fashion. For when they have declared war against
one another, then they choose out the fairest and smoothest plot that
they can find, and come down to this, and so fight that they who have
the better in the battle yet depart not without great loss; as for them
that are worsted there is nothing to be said, for they are utterly
destroyed. For why, seeing that they are all of them one language, do
they not send heralds and messengers and so compose their differences
peaceably, rather than settle them by fighting? And, if they must needs
fight, why do they not make the best each of them of that which they
have, and so join in battle? And yet, notwithstanding this their folly,
when I marched so far as Macedonia, not one of them dared to meet me.
And now, O King, who will stand up against thee when thou bringest with
thee all the warriors out of the land of Asia and the ships also? And
if they be so mad as to stand, then shall they learn that we Persians
are the greatest warriors on the face of the earth.”
When Mardonius had thus spoken all the other Persians kept silence;
but at the last Artabanus, the son of Hystaspes, being uncle to King
Xerxes, and so taking courage to speak, put forth a contrary opinion
in these words: “O King, if there be not set forth opinions that are
contrary the one to the other, thou canst not choose the better, but
must follow the one which thou hearest. For it is with opinions as it
is with gold. Pure gold we know not so long as it is left by itself,
but when we rub it against that which is not pure, then we know it.
I counseled thy father Darius that he should not make war on the
Scythians, men that have no city to dwell in; but he, thinking to
subdue them, would not hearken to me, but marched against them, and
lost many and brave soldiers. And now thou hast it in thy heart to
make war against men that are far better than the Scythians, being
mighty both by sea and land. Hear, therefore, into what danger thou art
moving. Thou wilt bridge over the Hellespont, and march into the land
of Greece. Suppose that thou suffer defeat whether it be by sea or by
land, or, haply, by both, for the men are valiant (and, indeed, what
they can do we know full well, for Datis and Artaphernes, when they led
a mighty host into Attica, the Athenians alone defeated). But suppose
they get the mastery by sea only, and so, sailing to the Hellespont,
break down the bridge. This surely, O King, would be a terrible thing.
Nor is this thing that I say of my own devising. For thy father Darius
bridged over the Thracian Bosphorus and the Danube, and so marched
against the Scythians. And when the Scythians used all manner of
entreaties to the Ionians, to whom indeed the King had entrusted the
charge of the bridge, if Histiæus of Miletus had followed the judgment
of the other lords of the Ionians in this and had set himself against
us, then had the power of the Persians been utterly destroyed. Surely
it is a dreadful thing even to speak of, that the fortunes of the King
should have rested upon the will of one man. Put away, therefore, O
King, I beseech thee, this thy purpose to run without any need into
this great danger, and hearken unto me. Break up this council and think
over this matter in thine heart, and afterward declare unto us thy
purpose, and remember this also, that God smites with his thunder such
creatures as are tall and strong, passing by them that are smaller and
weaker, and that it is on the tallest houses and trees that his bolts
for the most part fall. For he is wont to bring down all high things.
So otherwise a very great host is often put to flight by a few men, God
sending upon it some storm or panic, for he will not suffer any but
himself to have high thoughts. And as to thee, Mardonius, thou doest
ill, speaking lightly against the Greeks, and persuading the King to
head his army against them; for this thou manifestly wishest. God grant
that thou succeed not in thy purpose. But if it must needs be that we
march against the Greeks, then at the least let the King remain here
safe at home. And let us make this wager between ourselves. Choose out
for thyself such men as thou wilt have, and take with thee an army so
great as thou desirest, and if things go as thou sayest that they will,
according to the pleasure of the King, then let my children be slain,
and I also with them. But if things go not so, then shall thy children
be slain, and thou also with them, if indeed thou shalt ever come back.
But if thou shalt not take this wager, and wilt still march against
the Greeks, then am I sure that they who are left in this land will
hear that Mardonius has perished, having first worked great harm to the
Persians, and lies torn by dogs and birds in the land of the Athenians,
or, it may be, of the Lacedæmonians, having so learned what manner of
men they are against whom thou persuadest the King to make war.”
When Artabanus had thus spoken, Xerxes was very wroth, and cried,
“Artabanus, thou art brother to my father, and this kinship shall save
thee, so that thou shalt not receive the due reward of thy folly.
Nevertheless, this disgrace I ordain for thee, for thy evil-mindedness
and cowardice; thou shalt not march with me against this land of
Greece, but shalt remain here with the women, and I without thee
will accomplish that I have said. For let me not be said to be the
son of Darius, the son of Hystaspes, the son of Arsemes, the son of
Ariaramness, the son of Teispes, the son of Cyrus, the son of Cambyses,
the son of Teispes, the son of Achæmenes, if I avenge not myself on
these Athenians. Verily I believe that if I do not so they will come
against this land, so bold have they shown themselves in time past, so
that if we subdue them not, then will they subdue us, for indeed there
is nothing between these two things. Rightly then shall I make war
against these men, and so learn what is this great danger that lies in
dealing with them, for are they not the same whom Pelops the Phrygian,
that was servant to the kings my fathers, subdued so utterly, that
their land is called the Island of Pelops to this day?”
But when it was night the King was much troubled by the words of
Artabanus; and taking counsel with himself, he judged that it would
not be well to make war against the Greeks, and so fell asleep. But in
the night, so say the Persians, he saw a vision. There stood over him
a man tall and fair, who spake to him, saying, “Man of Persia, dost
thou then change thy purpose so that after bidding the Persians gather
together a great army, now thou wilt not lead it against the Greeks?
Thou dost not well so to change. Go rather on the way whereon thou hast
set out.” When the man had said so much he vanished out of the King’s
sight. But when the day dawned Xerxes made no account of the vision
that he had seen, but called together the Persians, as he had done the
day before, and spake to them, saying, “Forgive me, men of Persia, if
I change the purpose that I had yesterday; for I am not yet grown to
the full height of my understanding, and they that give me this counsel
cease not urging me. When therefore I heard the words of Artabanus the
spirit of youth grew hot within me, and I spake to him such words as I
should not have spoken, seeing that he is an old man. But now I confess
my fault and yield myself to his judgment. Rest therefore in peace,
knowing that I have changed my purpose, and will not make war against
the Greeks.”
When the Persians heard these words they rejoiced greatly and worshiped
the King. But when it was night there came again the same vision to
Xerxes, and stood over him, and spake, saying, “Son of Darius, thou
hast declared thyself openly before all the Persians, changing thy
purpose about this expedition, and taking no account of my words. Know
this, therefore, that if thou do not go straightway on this journey,
there shall rise out of the matter this ending. As thou didst become in
a short space great and the lord of many men, so shalt thou in a short
space be brought low.”
When Xerxes heard these words he was much dismayed, and leaped up from
his bed and sent a messenger to call Artabanus. And when he was come,
Xerxes said to him, “Artabanus, I was not well advised, speaking to
thee unseemly words when thou hadst given me good counsel. But in a
short time I repented me purposing to do the things which thou didst
counsel me. But though this is my purpose, I am not able to follow it;
for now that I am changed and have repented of my folly, there appears
to me a vision haunting me, and in nowise consenting to my resolve. And
even now it has threatened me and departed. If therefore it be God that
sends this vision to me, and if it be altogether according to his will
that I should make this expedition against Greece, then the same vision
will come to thee, and command thee the same things that it commanded
me. And this, I think, will most surely happen if thou wilt take all my
royal apparel and put it on thee, and so sit on my seat, and afterward
sleep in my bed.”
This at the first Artabanus was loth to do, but at the last moment
consented to it. But first he spake to the King, saying, “When thou
didst reproach me, O King, this troubled me not, but rather to see that
when there were set before the Persians two counsels, whereof the one
tended to increase their pride, and the other to prudence, thou didst
choose the worse. And now that thou hast turned to wiser counsels thou
sayest that there came a vision that will not suffer thee to cease from
this purpose of war, and that it comes by the sending of a god. Now
as to dreams and visions, know that there is nothing divine in them,
but that they wander about at random. For I am much older than thou,
and know more of such things. Now men are wont to dream of such things
as they have been concerned with in the day; and we have been much
concerned with this matter of the war. But if this vision be not such
as I think, but rather as thou sayest, of the sending of a god, then
will it appear and lay its commands upon me even as it did upon thee;
nor should it appear to me at all the more because I wear thy clothing
or sit upon thy seat. For this thing, whatever it be, that thou seest
in thy dreams can not be so foolish as to think that I am thou,
because I wear thy clothing. Now if it takes no heed of me, and still
appear to thee saying the same things, then shall I myself judge it to
be of God. For the rest, if it be thy purpose that I wear thy apparel,
and sleep in thy bed, be it so; let the vision appear to me. But for
the present I hold to my own opinion.”
So much said Artabanus, hoping to persuade Xerxes that the thing was
naught. He put on the King’s apparel, and sat on his throne, and
afterward lay down to sleep in his bed. And when he was asleep there
came to him the same vision that had come to Xerxes, and stood over him
and spake, saying, “Thou art he that persuadeth Xerxes not to make war
against the Greeks, having, thou sayest, a care for him. Verily thou
shalt not go unpunished, either now or hereafter, seeking to hinder
that which it is the purpose of God to bring to pass. And as for what
Xerxes shall suffer if he be disobedient in this matter, it has been
declared to him already.”
When the vision had thus spoken it seemed to Artabanus to make as if it
were about to burn out his eyes with hot irons. Then he cried aloud,
and leaped up from the bed, and sat him down by Xerxes and told him all
that he had seen. And afterward he said to the King, “I am one, O King,
that has seen strong things overthrown by the weak, and so I would not
have thee yield to thy desires, knowing that it was an evil thing to
covet great possessions, and remembering how ill Cyrus fared when he
made war against the Massagetæ, and Cambyses against the Ethiopians,
and having myself gone with Darius against the Scythians. But now since
this inspiration comes from God, who is preparing, it seems, utter
destruction against the Greeks, I change my counsel. Do thou therefore
declare to the Persians the purpose of God, and take good care that if
God give thee this opportunity, thou shalt not fail any thing on thy
part.”
So soon therefore as it was day Xerxes told the whole matter to the
Persians, and Artabanus, who had been the only one to speak against the
war, was now the foremost in urging it.