HOW XERXES CROSSED OVER INTO EUROPE, AND OF HIS ARMY.
All things being now ready, the host of Xerxes crossed over from Asia
into Europe, the foot soldiers and the horsemen going over the bridge
that was toward the Black Sea, and the servants of the army and the
beasts of burden the bridge that was toward the Ægean. First came the
Ten Thousand, all of them wearing crowns; and after them came a mixed
host of all nations. These passed over on the first day; and on the
next day passed over the horsemen, and they that carried their spears
turned toward the ground. These also had crowns on their heads. After
these came the sacred horses and the sacred chariot; and next to these
Xerxes and the spearmen and the thousand horsemen, and after these the
rest of the army. And all the ships sailed to the shore over against
Abydos.
When Xerxes had crossed over, he watched his army crossing over under
the lash, and this they did without pause or rest for seven days and
seven nights. It is reported that when Xerxes had passed over a man
that dwelt in these parts cried out, “O Zeus, why art thou come in the
likeness of a Persian, and calling thyself Xerxes and not Zeus, with
the whole race of men following thee, to destroy the Greeks when thou
couldst have destroyed them without so doing?”
When they had all crossed over there happened a great marvel, of which
Xerxes took no account, though indeed it was easy to understand. The
marvel was this, that a mare brought forth a hare. And what was to be
understood from it was this--that Xerxes was leading against the Greeks
a great host and splendidly equipped, and yet before many days he would
come again to the same place as one that fled for life.
Then Xerxes went on his way, the fleet sailing along by the coast.
And when he came to Doriscus he had a desire to know the number of
his army. What indeed were the numbers of the several nations can not
be said; but the number of the whole host was found to be a thousand
thousand and seven hundred thousands. These were numbered in a way that
shall now be told. They brought ten thousand men into one place; these
they placed together as closely as they could, and having done this,
they drew a circle about them; and when they had done this circle and
let the ten thousand go, they made a heap about the circle, so high as
the middle of a man. When they had so done they brought others into the
place that was thus hedged about till they had filled it. When they had
numbered the host they set it in order nation by nation.
These nations were many in number. First of all were the Persians,
wearing turbans on their heads and about their bodies tunics with
sleeves of divers colors, having iron scales like to the scales of a
fish. On their legs they had trews, and their shields were of wicker.
For arms they had short spears and long bows and arrows of reed; also
they had daggers hanging from their girdles by the right thigh. The
Medes were accoutered in the same way; and indeed this fashion of armor
is Median rather than Persian.
The Assyrians had helmets of brass, wrought in a strange fashion. These
had shields and spears and daggers like to the Egyptians; and besides
they had clubs of wood with knots of iron and linen corslets.
The Scythians had trews. These carried bows and daggers, and
battle-axes also. The Indians were clad in cotton, with bows of cane,
and arrows also of cane pointed with iron. As for the Arabians they
had long cloaks bound about the waist with girdles, and at their right
side they carried bows bending backward. They that came from Ethiopia
were clad in skins of panthers and lions. Their bows were of the stems
of palm leaves, four cubits and more in length; their arrows were
small and of reed, having heads of stone for iron. (This same stone is
used for engraving of seals.) They had spears also, with the horns of
antelopes made sharp for spear-heads, and knotted clubs also. When they
were about to go into battle they would paint the one-half of their
bodies with chalk and the other with vermilion. There were also Eastern
Ethiopians (these had straight hair, while they of the West had hair
more woolly than the hair of other men) equipped like to the others,
but having the scalps of horses on their heads. These they flay off
with the ears and mane. The ears stand upright and the mane is for a
crest. For shields they have bucklers made of the skins of cranes.
Many nations came from the Lower Asia, as Phrygians and Paphlagonians,
and Lydians, these last being clad and armed very much in Greek
fashion. There were also Mysians (who in old time came forth from
Lydia, but then dwelt in the Mysian Olympus). These had helmets and
bucklers and staves of wood with one end hardened in the fire. Also
the Bithynians came from this land, having before dwelt about the
Strymon, in Thrace. These had skins of foxes on their heads, and tunics
with long cloaks of many colors about their bodies, and buskins of
fawn skins about their legs and feet; and for arms javelins and light
shields and short daggers.
From these and many other nations of Asia and Africa came the footmen
of the host. They had captains of tens and of hundreds and of
thousands and of ten thousands; and over all six generals, Mardonius,
Tritantæchmes, son of Artabanus, Megabyzus, son of Zopyrus, the same
that took the city of Babylon for King Darius, and three others.
These six commanded all the footmen save only the Ten Thousand. These
Ten Thousand were Persians all of them, chosen men. These Hydarnes led,
and they were called the Immortals, because if any man among them die
or fall sick, straightway another is chosen into his place, so that
they are ten thousand always, neither more nor less. Of all the host
the Persians were the bravest and most splendidly equipped.
The horsemen came from many nations. Among these were the Sagartians,
a wandering people. These are wont to have no arms either of iron or
bronze, save only a dirk. But they have lassoes of leathern thongs and
trust to these. They fight in this fashion. When they go into battle,
they cast their lassoes having nooses at the end; and that which is
entangled in the noose they draw toward them, be it man or horse, and
slay it.
Of the Indians some rode in chariots drawn by wild asses. The Arabians
rode on camels that were not less swift than horses. These were set
last in order because the horses could not endure the sight of the
camels. Of horsemen there were in all eighty thousand.
The number of the ships of war was one thousand and two hundred
and seven. Of these the Phœnicians furnished three hundred and the
Egyptians two hundred, and the men of Cyprus one hundred and fifty, and
the men of Cilicia one hundred. The Ionians and the Æolians and the
Greeks that dwelt about the Hellespont and the Black Sea furnished two
hundred and sixty and seven. And on all the ships there were fighting
men, Persians and Medes and Sacæ. The best of all the ships were the
Phœnician, and of the Phœnician ships the best they that came from
Sidon.
As to the names of them that commanded the ships, there is no need to
tell them. For indeed they were not commanders, but slaves, even as the
others. But the Persians that commanded were Ariabignes son of Darius,
and Megabazus, with two others. Of smaller ships and transports and the
like there were three thousand in all.
One of the generals must needs be mentioned, namely Artemisia, the
daughter of Lygdamis. She, her husband being dead and her son but a
lad, had the lordship of her city, even Halicarnassus; and she went
with Xerxes against Greece, not of necessity, but of her own free will,
so valiant was she and of so manlike a spirit. She furnished five
ships to the King, and in all the fleet there were none better, save
only those of the Sidonians; nor was there one of the allies that gave
better counsel to the King than did this Artemisia.
When Xerxes had numbered the host and the fleet, and had set them
in order, it seemed good to him to go through them and see them for
himself. This therefore he did. First he rode on a chariot, driving
from nation to nation, and inquiring about each many things; and there
followed scribes, who wrote down that which was answered. This he did
till he came to the very end of the footmen and of the horsemen. After
this he left his chariot and embarked on a ship of Sidon, and sitting
under a tent of gold sailed along by the prows of the ships, these
all having been launched and being drawn up about four hundred feet
from the shore, and the fighting men upon them, some ready armed as
for battle. The King sailed between the ships and the shore; and the
scribes followed him and wrote as before.
When he had ended these things he sent for Demaratus, the son of
Ariston, that had been King in Sparta, and had been banished thence,
and asked him, saying, “Demaratus, it is my pleasure to ask thee a
certain question. Thou art a Greek; and as I hear from thee and from
other of thy people, thou comest of a city that is by no means the
least or weakest in the land of Greece. Tell me, then, will the Greeks
abide our coming, and lift a hand against us? For, as it seems to me,
not all the Greeks, nor all the barbarians of the west, if they were
gathered together, could stand up against me when I come against them,
if they were not of one mind. But tell me, what thinkest thou?”
Then said Demaratus, “Shall I answer thee that which is true or that
which is pleasant?”
The King said, “Speak that which is true. It shall not be the worse for
thee.”
When Demaratus heard this, he said, “O King, thou biddest me speak
the truth, so that I may not be found hereafter to have lied unto
thee. With us Greeks poverty is born and bred; and we have gotten
for ourselves valor by help of wisdom and law, and by valor we keep
ourselves both from poverty and from servitude. Now that which I am
about to say regards the Spartans only, though indeed I honor all the
Greeks that dwell in the Dorian country. Know then, in the first place,
that the Spartans will receive no conditions from thee that shall bring
slavery upon Greece; and in the second, that they will surely come
forth to meet thee in battle, yea, though all the Greeks besides be on
thy side. But as to their number there is no need to inquire; for if
there be a thousand that shall march out to battle, or if there be more
or less these will surely fight.”
When Xerxes heard this he laughed, and said, “What is this that thou
hast said, Demaratus? Shall a thousand men fight with a whole army?
Tell me now. Thou hast been, thou sayest, King of these Spartans. Wilt
thou then forthwith fight singly with ten men? Yet if all thy nation
be such as thou sayest, thou being their King shouldst, according to
your custom, contend against as many again; so that if a common man be
a match for ten men of my army thou shouldst be a match for twenty. But
if they that so boast themselves are no bigger or stronger than the
Greeks that I have seen, thyself, to wit, and others, then is this talk
but empty words. Consider now the likelihood of the thing. How could
a thousand, or ten thousand, or even fifty thousand, stand up against
such an army, the more so if they be free and not under the rule of one
man? For say that there be five thousand of them, yet shall we have
more than a thousand to one. If, indeed, they were under the rule of
one man after our fashion, then might they for fear of him be valiant
even beyond their nature, and fight few against many, being driven
thereto by the lash. But being free, and left to choose, they will do
neither the one nor the other. I verily believe that Greeks could
scarce stand up in battle against Persians, the number being equal.
But as to this, that one man can fight against many, we have indeed a
few such in our army, but a few only, for some of my spearmen would
not refuse to fight one man against three Greeks. But about this thou
knowest nothing, and so talkest idly.”
To this Demaratus made answer, “O King, I knew at the beginning that if
I should speak the truth I should not please thee. But the truth thou
wouldst have me speak; therefore I told thee the things that concerned
the Spartans. And yet I love them not, as thou knowest very well,
seeing that they took from me the place and dignity that came to me
from my father, and drave me out into banishment, whereas thy father
Darius received me and gave me sustenance and a home to dwell in; and
it is not to be believed that a wise man would scorn such kindness, but
rather that he would cherish it in his heart. For myself I engage not
to fight with ten men, nor yet with two, nor indeed would I willingly
fight with one; yet if there should be any necessity or great cause,
I would gladly fight with any of the men who say they are a match for
three Greeks. And as for the Spartans, when they fight singly they are
as good as any men in the world; and when they fight together they are
better than any. For though they be free, yet are they not wholly free.
For they have a master over them, even Law, whom they fear more than
thy people fear thee. Whatsoever this master commands, that they do.
And he commands them that they turn not their backs in battle, how
many soever be their enemies, but abide in their place, and conquer or
die. If thou thinkest that these things that I say are naught, then
will I hold my peace hereafter. Howbeit, I pray that all things may be
as thou wouldst have them, O King.”
This was the answer of Demaratus. And the King laughed, and sent him
away in peace.