7.31 Xerxes entered Lydia w/his army & took a right where the road forks, headed to Sardis, Lydia's chief city. (Left is the way to Caria.) | |
Posted on 12-06-17 | |
7.32 When he got to Sardis he sent messengers to the various Greek cities--all but Sparta and Athens--to demand earth and water. | |
Posted on 12-07-17 | |
7.33 Meanwhile his men were building a bridge over the Hellespont. There's a headland there where the Athenians would later kill Artaÿctes. | |
Posted on 12-08-17 | |
7.34 Xerxes' men built two bridges from Abydus across to this headland, a distance of 1350 yards, but a storm came up & destroyed them both. | |
Posted on 12-09-17 | |
7.35 Xerxes was furious & ordered the Hellespont be whipped and insulted. He also had the supervisors of the construction project beheaded. | |
Posted on 12-10-17 | |
7.36 Other builders then constructed new bridges out of more than 300 ships apiece, across which they stretched cables and built roadways. | |
Posted on 12-11-17 | |
7.37 In the following spring Xerxes left Sardis for Abydus. An eclipse occurred, which was troubling, but the Magi said it was a good omen. | |
Posted on 12-12-17 | |
7.38 Pythius the Lydian now came to Xerxes. He had 5 sons, all going to fight in Greece. He asked that X. allow the oldest to remain behind. | |
Posted on 12-13-17 | |
7.39 Xerxes was furious at Pythius' effrontery. He ordered his men to cut the oldest son in 2 & set the halves on either side of the road. | |
Posted on 12-14-17 | |
7.40 That done, Xerxes’ vast host, and the baggage train and pack animals, marched out of Sardis between the halved remains of Pythius’ boy. | |
Posted on 12-15-17 | |
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