Book 7
Then said Artabanus: “O king, I see that you will not allow us to fear any danger. But take from me this advice, as there is need for much speaking when our affairs are so great.
Cyrus son of Cambyses subdued and made tributary to Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia all Ionians except only the Athenians. I advise you by no means to lead these Ionians against the land of their fathers, since even without their aid we are well able to overcome our enemies. If they come with our army, they must either behave very unjustly by enslaving their mother city, or very justly by aiding it to be free.
If they deal very unjustly they bring us no great advantage, but by dealing very justly they may well do great harm to your army. Take to heart the truth of that ancient saying, that the end of every matter is not revealed at its beginning.”
Xerxes answered, “Artabanus, in all your pronouncements you are most mistaken when you fear that the Ionians might change sides; we have the surest guarantee for them, and you and all who marched with Darius against the Scythians can bear witness. They had the power to destroy or to save the whole Persian army, and they gave proof of their justice and faithfulness, with no evil intent.
Moreover, since they have left their children and wives and possessions in our country, we need not consider it even possible that they will make any violent change. So be rid of that fear; keep a stout heart and guard my household and tyranny; to you alone I entrust the symbols of my kingship.”
Xerxes spoke thus and sent Artabanus away to Shush [48.333,32.2] (inhabited place), Khuzestan, Iran, AsiaSusa. He next sent for the most notable among the Persians, and when they were present he said, “Persians, I have assembled you to make this demand, that you bear yourselves bravely and never sully the great and glorious former achievements of the Persians. Let us each and all be zealous, for the good that we seek is common to all.
For these reasons I bid you set your hands to the war strenuously; I know that we march against valiant men, and if we overcome them it is certain that no other human army will ever withstand us. Let us now cross over, after praying to the gods who hold Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia for their allotted realm.”
All that day they made preparations for the crossing. On the next they waited until they could see the sun rise, burning all kinds of incense on the bridges and strewing the road with myrtle boughs.
At sunrise Xerxes poured a libation from a golden phial into the sea, praying to the sun that no accident might befall him which would keep him from subduing Europe (continent)Europe before he reached its farthest borders. After the prayer, he cast the phial into the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont, and along with it a golden bowl, and a Persian sword which they call “acinaces.”Sometimes translated “scimitar”; but that is, I believe, a curved weapon, whereas the ἀκινάκης appears to have been a short, straight dagger.
As for these, I cannot rightly determine whether he cast them into the sea for offerings to the sun, or repented having whipped the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont and gave gifts to the sea as atonement.
When they had done this they crossed over, the foot and horse all by the bridge nearest to the Black Sea [38,42] (sea) Pontus, the beasts of burden and the service train by the bridge towards the Aegean Sea [25,38.5] (sea) Aegean.
The ten thousand Persians, all wearing garlands, led the way, and after them came the mixed army of diverse nations. All that day these crossed; on the next, first crossed the horsemen and the ones who carried their spears reversed; these also wore garlands.
After them came the sacred horses and the sacred chariot, then Xerxes himself and the spearmen and the thousand horse, and after them the rest of the army. Meanwhile the ships put out and crossed to the opposite shore. But I have also heard that the king crossed last of all.
When Xerxes had passed over to Europe (continent)Europe, he viewed his army crossing under the lash. Seven days and seven nights it was in crossing, with no pause.
It is said that when Xerxes had now crossed the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont, a man of the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont cried, “O Zeus, why have you taken the likeness of a Persian man and changed your name to Xerxes, leading the whole world with you to remove Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas from its place? You could have done that without these means.”
When all had passed over and were ready for the road, a great portent appeared among them. Xerxes took no account of it, although it was easy to interpret: a mare gave birth to a hare. The meaning of it was easy to guess: Xerxes was to march his army to Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas with great pomp and pride, but to come back to the same place fleeing for his life.
There was another portent that was shown to him at Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis: a mule gave birth to a mule that had double genitals, both male and female, the male above the other. But he took no account of either sign and journeyed onward; the land army was with him.
His navy sailed out of the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont and travelled along the land, going across from the land army.
The ships sailed westwards, laying their course for the headland of Sarpedon, where Xerxes had ordered them to go and wait for him; the army of the mainland travelled towards the eastNorth-east, strictly speaking: they marched through the promontory of Gallipoli [26.6833,40.4167] (Perseus)Gallipoli. and the sunrise through the Gelibolu Yarimadasi (peninsula), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, AsiaChersonese, with the tomb of Athamas' daughter Helle on its right and the town of Cardia on its left, marching through the middle of a city called Agora.
From there they rounded the head of the Black Bay (as it is called) and crossed the Black River, which could not hold its own then against the army, but gave out—crossing this river, which gives its name to the bay, they went westwards, past the Aeolian city of Enez [26.83,40.733] (inhabited place), Edirne, Marmara, Turkey, AsiaAenus and the marsh of Stentor, until they came to Doriscus.
The territory of Doriscus is in Thrace (region (general)), EuropeThrace, a wide plain by the sea, and through it flows a great river, the +Maritsa [26.2,40.866] (river), Europe Hebrus; here had been built that royal fortress which is called Doriscus, and a Persian guard had been posted there by Darius ever since the time of his march against Scythia (region (general)), AsiaScythia.
It seemed to Xerxes to be a fit place for him to arrange and number his army, and he did so. All the ships had now arrived at Doriscus, and the captains at Xerxes' command brought them to the beach near Doriscus, where stands the Samothracian city of Sane, and Zone; at the end is Serreum, a well-known headland. This country was in former days possessed by the Cicones.
To this beach they brought in their ships and hauled them up for rest. Meanwhile Xerxes made a reckoning of his forces at Doriscus.
I cannot give the exact number that each part contributed to the total, for there is no one who tells us that; but the total of the whole land army was shown to be one million and seven hundred thousand.
They were counted in this way: ten thousand men were collected in one place, and when they were packed together as closely as could be a line was drawn around them; when this was drawn, the ten thousand were sent away and a wall of stones was built on the line reaching up to a man's navel;
when this was done, others were brought into the walled space, until in this way all were numbered. When they had been numbered, they were marshalled by nations.
The men who served in the army were the following: the Persians were equipped in this way: they wore on their heads loose caps called tiaras, and on their bodies embroidered sleeved tunics, with scales of iron like the scales of fish in appearance, and trousers on their legs; for shields they had wicker bucklers, with quivers hanging beneath them; they carried short spears, long bows, and reed arrows, and daggers that hung from the girdle by the right thigh.
Their commander was Otanes, son of Amestris and father of Xerxes' wife. They were formerly called by the Greeks Cephenes, but by themselves and their neighbors Artaei.
When Perseus son of Danae and Zeus had come to Cepheus son of Belus and married his daughter Andromeda, a son was born to him whom he called Perses, and he left him there; for Cepheus had no male offspring; it was from this Perses that the Persians took their name. Herodotus is always prone to base ethnological conclusions on Greek legends and the similarity of names; so in the next chapter Medea supplies the name of the Medes. But it is strange that Perseus, being commonly held great-grandfather of Heracles, is here made to marry the granddaughter of Belus, who in Hdt. 1.7, is Heracles' grandson.
The Medes in the army were equipped like the Persians; indeed, that fashion of armor is Median, not Persian. Their commander was Tigranes, an Achaemenid. The Medes were formerly called by everyone Arians,Modern philology gives the name “Aryan” of course a very much wider extension; which indeed was beginning even in the time of Strabo. but when the Colchian woman Medea came from Athens [23.733,38] (inhabited place), Perifereia Protevousis, Greece, EuropeAthens to the Arians they changed their name, like the Persians. This is the Medes' own account of themselves.
The Cissians in the army were equipped like the Persians, but they wore turbans instead of caps. Their commander was Anaphes son of Otanes. The Hyrcanians Not mentioned in the list of Darius subjects in Hdt. 3; they lived on the S.E. coast of the Caspian. were armed like the Persians; their leader was Megapanus, who was afterwards the governor of Babylon [44.4,32.55] (deserted settlement), Babil, Iraq, AsiaBabylon.
The Assyrians in the army wore on their heads helmets of twisted bronze made in an outlandish fashion not easy to describe. They carried shields and spears and daggers of Egyptian fashion, and also wooden clubs studded with iron, and they wore linen breastplates. They are called by the Greeks Syrians, but the foreigners called them Assyrians. With them were the Chaldeans. Their commander was Otaspes son of Artachaees.
The Bactrians in the army wore a headgear very similar to the Median, carrying their native reed bows and short spears.
The Sacae, who are Scythians, had on their heads tall caps, erect and stiff and tapering to a point; they wore trousers, and carried their native bows, and daggers, and also axes which they call “sagaris.” These were Amyrgian Scythians, but were called Sacae; that is the Persian name for all Scythians. The commander of the Bactrians and Sacae was Hystaspes, son of Darius and Cyrus' daughter Atossa.
The Indians wore garments of tree-wool,Cotton. and carried reed bows and iron-tipped reed arrows. Such was their equipment; they were appointed to march under the command of Pharnazathres son of Artabates.
The Arians were equipped with Median bows, but in all else like the Bactrians; their commander was Sisamnes son of Hydarnes. The Parthians, Chorasmians, Sogdians, Gandarians, and Dadicae in the army had the same equipment as the Bactrians.
The Parthians and Chorasmians had for their commander Artabazus son of Pharnaces, the Sogdians Azanes son of Artaeus, the Gandarians and Dadicae Artyphius son of Artabanus.
The Caspians in the army wore cloaks and carried their native reed bows and short swords. Such was their equipment; their leader was Ariomardus, brother of Artyphius. The Sarangae were conspicuous in their dyed garments and knee-high boots, carrying bows and Median spears. Their commander was Pherendates son of Megabazus.
The Pactyes wore cloaks and carried their native bows and daggers; their commander was Artayntes son of Ithamitres.
The Utians and Mycians and Paricanians were equipped like the Pactyes; the Utians and Mycians had for their commander Arsamenes son of Darius, the Paricanians Siromitres son of Oeobazus.