But　to　show　that　I　am　not　self…willed　in　this　matter；　I　lay　the　business　before　you；　and　give　you　full　leave　to　speak　your　minds　upon　it　openly。〃　　　　　Xerxes；　having　so　spoken；　held　his　peace。　　　　　（SS　1。）　Whereupon　Mardonius　took　the　word；　and　said：　〃Of　a　truth；　my　lord；　thou　dost　surpass；　not　only　all　living　Persians；　but　likewise　those　yet　unborn。　Most　true　and　right　is　each　word　that　thou　hast　now　uttered；　but　best　of　all　thy　resolve　not　to　let　the　Ionians　who　live　in　Europe…　a　worthless　crew…　mock　us　any　more。　It　were　indeed　a　monstrous　thing　if；　after　conquering　and　enslaving　the　Sacae；　the　Indians；　the　Ethiopians；　the　Assyrians；　and　many　other　mighty　nations；　not　for　any　wrong　that　they　had　done　us；　but　only　to　increase　our　empire；　we　should　then　allow　the　Greeks；　who　have　done　us　such　wanton　injury；　to　escape　our　vengeance。　What　is　it　that　we　fear　in　them？…　not　surely　their　numbers？…　not　the　greatness　of　their　wealth？　We　know　the　manner　of　their　battle…　we　know　how　weak　their　power　is；　already　have　we　subdued　their　children　who　dwell　in　our　country；　the　Ionians；　Aeolians；　and　Dorians。　I　myself　have　had　experience　of　these　men　when　I　marched　against　them　by　the　orders　of　thy　father；　and　though　I　went　as　far　as　Macedonia；　and　came　but　a　little　short　of　reaching　Athens　itself；　yet　not　a　soul　ventured　to　come　out　against　me　to　battle。　（SS　2。）　And　yet；　I　am　told；　these　very　Greeks　are　wont　to　wage　wars　against　one　another　in　the　most　foolish　way；　through　sheer　perversity　and　doltishness。　For　no　sooner　is　war　proclaimed　than　they　search　out　the　smoothest　and　fairest　plain　that　is　to　be　found　in　all　the　land；　and　there　they　assemble　and　fight；　whence　it　comes　to　pass　that　even　the　conquerors　depart　with　great　loss：　I　say　nothing　of　the　conquered；　for　they　are　destroyed　altogether。　Now　surely；　as　they　are　all　of　one　speech；　they　ought　to　interchange　heralds　and　messengers；　and　make　up　their　differences　by　any　means　rather　than　battle；　or；　at　the　worst；　if　they　must　needs　fight　one　against　another；　they　ought　to　post　themselves　as　strongly　as　possible；　and　so　try　their　quarrels。　But；　notwithstanding　that　they　have　so　foolish　a　manner　of　warfare；　yet　these　Greeks；　when　I　led　my　army　against　them　to　the　very　borders　of　Macedonia；　did　not　so　much　as　think　of　offering　me　battle。　（SS　3。）　Who　then　will　dare；　O　king！　to　meet　thee　in　arms；　when　thou　comest　with　all　Asia's　warriors　at　thy　back；　and　with　all　her　ships？　For　my　part　I　do　not　believe　the　Greek　people　will　be　so　foolhardy。　Grant；　however；　that　I　am　mistaken　herein；　and　that　they　are　foolish　enough　to　meet　us　in　open　fight；　in　that　case　they　will　learn　that　there　are　no　such　soldiers　in　the　whole　world　as　we。　Nevertheless　let　us　spare　no　pains；　for　nothing　comes　without　trouble；　but　all　that　men　acquire　is　got　by　painstaking。〃　　　　　When　Mardonius　had　in　this　way　softened　the　harsh　speech　of　Xerxes；　he　too　held　his　peace。　　　　　（SS　1。）　The　other　Persians　were　silent；　all　feared　to　raise　their　voice　against　the　plan　proposed　to　them。　But　Artabanus；　the　son　of　Hystaspes；　and　uncle　of　Xerxes；　trusting　to　his　relationship；　was　bold　to　speak：…　〃O　king！〃　he　said；　〃it　is　impossible；　if　no　more　than　one　opinion　is　uttered；　to　make　choice　of　the　best：　a　man　is　forced　then　to　follow　whatever　advice　may　have　been　given　him；　but　if　opposite　speeches　are　delivered；　then　choice　can　be　exercised。　In　like　manner　pure　gold　is　not　recognised　by　itself；　but　when　we　test　it　along　with　baser　ore；　we　perceive　which　is　the　better。　I　counselled　thy　father；　Darius；　who　was　my　own　brother；　not　to　attack　the　Scyths；　a　race　of　people　who　had　no　town　in　their　whole　land。　He　thought　however　to　subdue　those　wandering　tribes；　and　would　not　listen　to　me；　but　marched　an　army　against　them；　and　ere　he　returned　home　lost　many　of　his　bravest　warriors。　Thou　art　about；　O　king！　to　attack　a　people　far　superior　to　the　Scyths；　a　people　distinguished　above　others　both　by　land　and　sea。　'Tis　fit　therefore　that　I　should　tell　thee　what　danger　thou　incurrest　hereby。　（SS　2。）　Thou　sayest　that　thou　wilt　bridge　the　Hellespont；　and　lead　thy　troops　through　Europe　against　Greece。　Now　suppose　some　disaster　befall　thee　by　land　or　sea；　or　by　both。　It　may　be　even　so；　for　the　men　are　reputed　valiant。　Indeed　one　may　measure　their　prowess　from　what　they　have　already　done；　for　when　Datis　and　Artaphernes　led　their　huge　army　against　Attica；　the　Athenians　singly　defeated　them。　But　grant　they　are　not　successful　on　both　elements。　Still；　if　they　man　their　ships；　and；　defeating　us　by　sea；　sail　to　the　Hellespont；　and　there　destroy　our　bridge…　that；　sire；　were　a　fearful　hazard。　（SS　3。）　And　here　'tis　not　by　my　own　mother　wit　alone　that　I　conjecture　what　will　happen；　but　I　remember　how　narrowly　we　escaped　disaster　once；　when　thy　father；　after　throwing　bridges　over　the　Thracian　Bosphorus　and　the　Ister；　marched　against　the　Scythians；　and　they　tried　every　sort　of　prayer　to　induce　the　Ionians；　who　had　charge　of　the　bridge　over　the　Ister；　to　break　the　passage。　On　that　day；　if　Histiaeus；　the　king　of　Miletus；　had　sided　with　the　other　princes；　and　not　set　himself　to　oppose　their　views；　the　empire　of　the　Persians　would　have　come　to　nought。　Surely　a　dreadful　thing　is　this　even　to　hear　said；　that　the　king's　fortunes　depended　wholly　on　one　man。　　　　　（SS　4。）　〃Think　then　no　more　of　incurring　so　great　a　danger　when　no　need　presses；　but　follow　the　advice　I　tender。　Break　up　this　meeting；　and　when　thou　hast　well　considered　the　matter　with　thyself；　and　settled　what　thou　wilt　do；　declare　to　us　thy　resolve。　I　know　not　of　aught　in　the　world　that　so　profits　a　man　as　taking　good　counsel　with　himself；　for　even　if　things　fall　out　against　one's　hopes；　still　one　has　counselled　well；　though　fortune　has　made　the　counsel　of　none　effect：　whereas　if　a　man　counsels　ill　and　luck　follows；　he　has　gotten　a　windfall；　but　his　counsel　is　none　the　less　silly。　（SS　5。）　Seest　thou　how　God　with　his　lightning　smites　always　the　bigger　animals；　and　will　not　suffer　them　to　wax　insolent；　while　those　of　a　lesser　bulk　chafe　him　not？　How　likewise　his　bolts　fall　ever　on　the　highest　houses　and　the　tallest　trees？　So　plainly　does　He　love　to　bring　down　everything　that　exalts　itself。　Thus　ofttimes　a　mighty　host　is　discomfited　by　a　few　men；　when　God　in　his　jealousy　sends　fear　or　storm　from　heaven；　and　they　perish　in　a　way　unworthy　of　them。　For　God　allows　no　one　to　have　high　thoughts　but　Himself。　（SS　6。）　Again；　hurry　always　brings　about　disasters；　from　which　huge　sufferings　are　wont　to　arise；　but　in　delay　lie　many　advantages；　not　apparent　（it　may　be）　at　first　sight；　but　such　as　in　course　of　time　are　seen　of　all。　Such　then　is　my　counsel　to　thee；　O　king！　　　　　（SS　7。）　〃And　thou；　Mardonius；　son　of　Gobryas；　forbear　to　speak　foolishly　concerning　the　Greeks；　who　are　men　that　ought　not　to　be　lightly　esteemed　by　us。　For　while　thou　revilest　the　Greeks；　thou　dost　encourage　the　king　to　lead　his　own　troops　against　them；　and　this；　as　it　seems　to　me；　is　what　thou　art　specially　striving　to　accomplish。　Heaven　send　thou　succeed　not　to　thy　wish！　For　slander　is　of　all　evils　the　most　terrible。　In　it　two　men　do　wrong；　and　one　man　has　wrong　done　to　him。　The　slanderer　does　wrong；　forasmuch　as　he　abuses　a　man　behind　his　back；　and　the　hearer；　forasmuch　as　he　believes　what　he　has　not　searched　into　thoroughly。　The　man　slandered　in　his　absence　suffers　wrong　at　the　hands　of　both：　for　one　brings　against　him　a　false　charge；　and　the　other　thinks　him　an　evildoer。　（SS　8。）　If；　however；　it　must　needs　be　that　we　go　to　war　with　this　people；　at　least　allow　the　king　to　abide　at　home　in　Persia。　Then　let　thee　and　me　both　stake　our　children　on　the　issue；　and　do　thou　choose　out　thy　men；　and；　taking　with　thee　whatever　number　of　troops　thou　likest；　lead　forth　our　armies　to　battle。　If　things　go　well　for　the　king；　as　thou　sayest　they　will；　let　me　and　my　children　be　put　to　death；　but　if　they　fall　out　as　I　prophesy；　let　thy　children　suffer；　and　thyself　too；　if　thou　shalt　come　back　alive。　But　shouldest　thou　refuse　this　wager；　and　still　resolve　to　march　an　army　against　Greece；　sure　I　am　that　some　of　those　whom　thou　leavest　behind　thee　here　will　one　day　receive　the　sad　tidings　that　Mardonius　has　brought　a　great　disaster　upon　the　Persian　people；　and　lies　a　prey　to　dogs　and　birds　somewhere　in　the　land　of　the　Athenians；　or　else　in　that　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　unless　indeed　thou　shalt　have　perished　sooner　by　the　way；　experiencing　in　thy　own　person　the　might　of　those　men　on　whom　thou　wouldest　fain　induce　the　king　to　make　war。〃　　　　　Thus　spake　Artabanus。　But　Xerxes；　full　of　wrath；　replied　to　him：…　　　　　〃Artabanus；　thou　art　my　father's　brother…　that　shall　save　thee　from　receiving　the　due　meed　of　thy　silly　words。　One　shame　however　I　will　lay　upon　thee；　coward　and　faint…hearted　as　thou　art…　thou　shalt　not　come　with　me　to　fight　these　Greeks；　but　shalt　tarry　here　with　the　women。　Without　thy　aid　I　will　accomplish　all　of　which　I　spake。　For　let　me　not　be　thought　the　child　of　Darius；　the　son　of　Hystaspes；　the　son　of　Arsames；　the　son　of　Ariaramnes；　the　son　of　Teispes；　the　son　of　Cyrus；　the　son　of　Cambyses；　the　son　of　Teispes；　the　son　of　Achaemenes；　if　I　take　not　vengeance　on　the　Athenians。　Full　well　I　know　that；　were　we　to　remain　at　rest；　yet　would　not　they；　but　would　most　certainly　invade　our　country