herodotus

80. He having heard this went his way; and Pausanias made aproclamation that none should lay hands upon the spoil, and he orderedthe Helots to collect the things together. They accordingly dispersedthemselves about the camp and found tents furnished with gold andsilver, and beds overlaid with gold and overlaid with silver, andmixing-bowls of gold, and cups and other drinking vessels. They foundalso sacks laid upon waggons, in which there proved to be caldronsboth of gold and of silver; and from the dead bodies which lay therethey stripped bracelets and collars, and also their swords[89] if theywere of gold, for as to embroidered raiment, there was no account madeof it. Then the Helots stole many of the things and sold them to theEginetans, but many things also they delivered up, as many of them asthey could not conceal; so that the great wealth of the Eginetansfirst came from this, that they bought the gold from the Helots makingpretence that it was brass. 81. Then having brought the thingstogether, and having set apart a tithe for the god of Delphi, withwhich the offering was dedicated of the golden tripod which rests uponthe three-headed serpent of bronze and stands close by the altar, andalso[90] for the god at Olympia, with which they dedicated theoffering of a bronze statue of Zeus ten cubits high, and finally forthe god at the Isthmus, with which was made a bronze statue ofPoseidon seven cubits high,--having set apart these things, theydivided the rest, and each took that which they ought to have,including the concubines of the Persians and the gold and the silverand the other things, and also the beasts of burden. How much was setapart and given to those of them who had proved themselves the bestmen at Plataia is not reported by any, though for my part I supposethat gifts were made to these also; Pausanias however had ten of eachthing set apart and given to him, that is women, horses, talents,camels, and so also of the other things.82. It is said moreover that this was done which here follows, namelythat Xerxes in his flight from Hellas had left to Mardonios thefurniture of his own tent, and Pausanias accordingly seeing thefurniture of Mardonios furnished[91] with gold and silver and hangingsof different colours ordered the bakers and the cooks to prepare ameal as they were used to do for Mardonios. Then when they did this asthey had been commanded, it is said that Pausanias seeing the couchesof gold and of silver with luxurious coverings, and the tables of goldand silver, and the magnificent apparatus of the feast, was astonishedat the good things set before him, and for sport he ordered his ownservants to prepare a Laconian meal; and as, when the banquet wasserved, the difference between the two was great, Pausanias laughedand sent for the commanders of the Hellenes; and when these had cometogether, Pausanias said, pointing to the preparation of the two mealsseverally: "Hellenes, for this reason I assembled you together,