herodotus

emaining nine thousand were within these and had silver pomegranates.And those also had golden pomegranates who had their spear-pointsturned towards the earth, while those who followed next after Xerxeshad golden apples. Then to follow the ten thousand there was appointeda body of ten thousand Persian cavalry; and after the cavalry therewas an interval of as much as two furlongs. Then the rest of the hostcame marching without distinction.42. So the army proceeded on its march from Lydia to the river Caïcosand the land of Mysia; and then setting forth from the Caïcos andkeeping the mountain of Cane on the left hand, it marched through theregion of Atarneus to the city of Carene. From this it went throughthe plain of Thebe, passing by the cities of Adramytteion andAntandros of the Pelasgians; and taking mount Ida on the left hand, itcame on to the land of Ilion. And first, when it had stopped for thenight close under mount Ida, thunder and bolts of lightning fell uponit, and destroyed here in this place a very large number of men.[43]43. Then when the army had come to the river Scamander,--which of allrivers to which they had come, since they set forth from Sardis andundertook their march, was the first of which the stream failed andwas not sufficient for the drinking of the army and of the animalswith it,--when, I say, Xerxes had come to this river, he went up tothe Citadel of Priam,[44] having a desire to see it; and having seenit and learnt by inquiry of all those matters severally, he sacrificeda thousand heifers to Athene of Ilion, and the Magians pouredlibations in honour of the heroes: and after they had done this, afear fell upon the army in the night. Then at break of day he setforth from thence, keeping on his left hand the cities of Rhoition andOphryneion and Dardanos, which last borders upon Abydos, and having onthe right hand the Gergith Teucrians.44. When Xerxes had come into the midst of Abydos,[45] he had a desireto see all the army; and there had been made purposely for himbeforehand upon a hill in this place a raised seat of white stone,[46]which the people of Abydos had built at the command of the king givenbeforehand. There he took his seat, and looking down upon the shore hegazed both upon the land-army and the ships; and gazing upon them hehad a longing to see a contest take place between the ships; and whenit had taken place and the Phenicians of Sidon were victorious, he wasdelighted both with the contest and with the whole armament. 45. Andseeing all the Hellespont covered over with the ships, and all theshores and the plains of Abydos full of men, then Xerxes pronouncedhimself a happy man, and after that he fell to weeping. 46. Artabanoshis uncle therefore perceiving him,--the same who at first boldlydeclared his opinion advising Xerxes not to march against Hellas,--this man, I say, having observed that Xerxes wept, asked as follows: