The Twitter Herodotus

8.31 The Thessalians were angry at this response and led the Persians to Phocis.

8.32 The Persians invaded Phocis & ravaged the country, burning cities & sanctuaries. But they didn’t catch the Phocians, who had retreated.

8.33 They marched down the Cephisus, burning city after city. They caught some of the Phocians and gang raped the women, some of whom died.

8.34 The Persian army then split up. The larger part, with Xerxes, invaded Boeotia on their way to Athens. The Boeotians all medized.

8.35 The other part of the army marched off toward Delphi to plunder the shrine. They marauded and pillaged the cities they passed en route.

8.36 The Delphians, instructed by Apollo to leave the holy stuff where it was (as he'd take care of it), fled Delphi, leaving 61 men behind.

8.37 When the Persians marched on Delphi, lightning struck. 2 boulders broke off from the mountain & fell on the Persians, killing many men.

8.38 The Persians fled, terrified by this & other signs. They were chased & killed by the Delphians &, reportedly, by 2 inhumanly large men.

8.39 The Delphians said these were their heroes Phylacus & Autonous. The 2 boulders are still there now, in the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia.

8.40 After leaving Artemisium the Greek fleet stopped at Salamis, per the Athenians' request: they needed to evacuate Attica.