the history-第139章

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Echeidorus；　which　rising　in　the　country　of　the　Crestonians；　flows　through　Mygdonia；　and　reaches　the　sea　near　the　marsh　upon　the　Axius。　　　　　Upon　this　march　the　camels　that　carried　the　provisions　of　the　army　were　set　upon　by　lions；　which　left　their　lairs　and　came　down　by　night；　but　spared　the　men　and　the　sumpter…beasts；　while　they　made　the　camels　their　prey。　I　marvel　what　may　have　been　the　cause　which　compelled　the　lions　to　leave　the　other　animals　untouched　and　attack　the　camels；　when　they　had　never　seen　that　beast　before；　nor　had　any　experience　of　it。　　　　　That　whole　region　is　full　of　lions　and　wild　bulls；　with　gigantic　horns；　which　are　brought　into　Greece。　The　lions　are　confined　within　the　tract　lying　between　the　river　Nestus　（which　flows　through　Abdera）　on　the　one　side；　and　the　Achelous　（which　waters　Acarnania）　on　the　other。　No　one　ever　sees　a　lion　in　the　fore　part　of　Europe　east　of　the　Nestus；　nor　through　the　entire　continent　west　of　the　Achelous；　but　in　the　space　between　these　bounds　lions　are　found。　　　　　On　reaching　Therma　Xerxes　halted　his　army；　which　encamped　along　the　coast；　beginning　at　the　city　of　Therma　in　Mygdonia；　and　stretching　out　as　far　as　the　rivers　Lydias　and　Haliacmon；　two　streams　which；　mingling　their　waters　in　one；　form　the　boundary　between　Bottiaea　and　Macedonia。　Such　was　the　extent　of　country　through　which　the　barbarians　encamped。　The　rivers　here　mentioned　were　all　of　them　sufficient　to　supply　the　troops；　except　the　Echeidorus；　which　was　drunk　dry。　　　　　From　Therma　Xerxes　beheld　the　Thessalian　mountains；　Olympus　and　Ossa；　which　are　of　a　wonderful　height。　Here；　learning　that　there　lay　between　these　mountains　a　narrow　gorge　through　which　the　river　Peneus　ran；　and　where　there　was　a　road　that　gave　an　entrance　into　Thessaly；　he　formed　the　wish　to　go　by　sea　himself；　and　examine　the　mouth　of　the　river。　His　design　was　to　lead　his　army　by　the　upper　road　through　the　country　of　the　inland　Macedonians；　and　so　to　enter　Perrhaebia；　and　come　down　by　the　city　of　Gonnus；　for　he　was　told　that　that　way　was　the　most　secure。　No　sooner　therefore　had　he　formed　this　wish　than　he　acted　accordingly。　Embarking；　as　was　his　wont　on　all　such　occasions；　aboard　a　Sidonian　vessel；　he　gave　the　signal　to　the　rest　of　the　fleet　to　get　under　weigh；　and　quitting　his　land　army；　set　sail　and　proceeded　to　the　Peneus。　Here　the　view　of　the　mouth　caused　him　to　wonder　greatly；　and　sending　for　his　guides；　he　asked　them　whether　it　were　possible　to　turn　the　course　of　the　stream；　and　make　it　reach　the　sea　at　any　other　point。　　　　　Now　there　is　a　tradition　that　Thessaly　was　in　ancient　times　a　lake；　shut　in　on　every　side　by　huge　hills。　Ossa　and　Pelion…　ranges　which　join　at　the　foot…　do　in　fact　inclose　it　upon　the　east；　while　Olympus　forms　a　barrier　upon　the　north；　Pindus　upon　the　west；　and　Othrys　towards　the　south。　The　tract　contained　within　these　mountains；　which　is　a　deep　basin；　is　called　Thessaly。　Many　rivers　pour　their　waters　into　it；　but　five　of　them　are　of　more　note　than　the　rest；　namely；　the　Peneus；　the　Apidanus；　the　Onochonus；　the　Enipeus；　and　the　Pamisus。　These　streams　flow　down　from　the　mountains　which　surround　Thessaly；　and；　meeting　in　the　plain；　mingle　their　waters　together；　and　discharge　themselves　into　the　sea　by　a　single　outlet；　which　is　a　gorge　of　extreme　narrowness。　After　the　junction　all　the　other　names　disappear；　and　the　river　is　known　as　the　Peneus。　It　is　said　that　of　old　the　gorge　which　allows　the　waters　an　outlet　did　not　exist；　accordingly　the　rivers；　which　were　then　as　well　as　the　Lake　Boebeis；　without　names　but　flowed　with　as　much　water　as　at　present；　made　Thessaly　a　sea。　The　Thessalians　tell　us　that　the　gorge　through　which　the　water　escapes　was　caused　by　Neptune；　and　this：　is　likely　enough；　at　least　any　man　who　believes　that　Neptune　causes　earthquakes；　and　that　chasms　so　produced　are　his　handiwork；　would　say；　upon　seeing　this　rent；　that　Neptune　did　it。　For　it　plainly　appeared　to　me　that　the　hills　had　been　torn　asunder　by　an　earthquake。　　　　　When　Xerxes　therefore　asked　the　guides　if　there　were　any　other　outlet　by　which　the　waters　could　reach　the　sea；　they；　being　men　well　acquainted　with　the　nature　of　their　country；　made　answer：…　　　　　〃O　king！　there　is　no　other　passage　by　which　this　stream　can　empty　itself　into　the　sea　save　that　which　thine　eye　beholds。　For　Thessaly　is　girt　about　with　a　circlet　of　hills。〃　　　　　Xerxes　is　said　to　have　observed　upon　this…　　　　　〃Wise　men　truly　are　they　of　Thessaly；　and　good　reason　had　they　to　change　their　minds　in　time　and　consult　for　their　own　safety。　For；　to　pass　by　others　matters；　they　must　have　felt　that　they　lived　in　a　country　which　may　easily　be　brought　under　and　subdued。　Nothing　more　is　needed　than　to　turn　the　river　upon　their　lands　by　an　embankment。which　should　fill　up　the　gorge　and　force　the　stream　from　its　present　channel；　and　lo！　all　Thessaly；　except　the　mountains；　would　at　once　be　laid　under　water。〃　　　　　The　king　aimed　in　this　speech　at　the　sons　of　Aleuas；　who　were　Thessalians；　and　had　been　the　first　of　all　the　Greeks　to　make　submission　to　him。　He　thought　that　they　had　made　their　friendly　offers　in　the　name　of　the　whole　people。　So　Xerxes；　when　he　had　viewed　the　place；　and　made　the　above　speech；　went　back　to　Therma。　　　　　The　stay　of　Xerxes　in　Pieria　lasted　for　several　days；　during　which　a　third　part　of　his　army　was　employed　in　cutting　down　the　woods　on　the　Macedonian　mountain…range　to　give　his　forces　free　passage　into　Perrhaebia。　At　this　time　the　heralds　who　had　been　sent　into　Greece　to　require　earth　for　the　king　returned　to　the　camp；　some　of　them　empty…handed；　others　with　earth　and　water。　　　　　Among　the　number　of　those　from　whom　earth　and　water　were　brought　were　the　Thessalians；　Dolopians；　Enianians；　Perrhaebians；　Locrians；　Magnetians；　Malians；　Achaeans　of　Phthiotis；　Thebans；　and　Boeotians　generally；　except　those　of　Plataea　and　Thespiae。　These　are　the　nations　against　whom　the　Greeks　that　had　taken　up　arms　to　resist　the　barbarians　swore　the　oath；　which　ran　thus…　〃From　all　those　of　Greek　blood　who　delivered　themselves　up　to　the　Persians　without　necessity；　when　their　affairs　were　in　good　condition；　we　will　take　a　tithe　of　their　goods；　and　give　it　to　the　god　at　Delphi。〃　So　ran　the　words　of　the　Greek　oath。　　　　　King　Xerxes　had　sent　no　heralds　either　to　Athens　or　Sparta　to　ask　earth　and　water；　for　a　reason　which　I　will　now　relate。　When　Darius　some　time　before　sent　messengers　for　the　same　purpose；　they　were　thrown；　at　Athens；　into　the　pit　of　punishment；　at　Sparta　into　a　well；　and　bidden　to　take　therefrom　earth　and　water　for　themselves；　and　carry　it　to　their　king。　On　this　account　Xerxes　did　not　send　to　ask　them。　What　calamity　came　upon　the　Athenians　to　punish　them　for　their　treatment　of　the　heralds　I　cannot　say；　unless　it　were　the　laying　waste　of　their　city　and　territory；　but　that　I　believe　was　not　on　account　of　this　crime。　　　　　On　the　Lacedaemonians；　however；　the　wrath　of　Talthybius；　Agamemnon's　herald；　fell　with　violence。　Talthybius　has　a　temple　at　Sparta；　and　his　descendants；　who　are　called　Talthybiadae；　still　live　there；　and　have　the　privilege　of　being　the　only　persons　who　discharge　the　office　of　herald。　When　therefore　the　Spartans　had　done　the　deed　of　which　we　speak；　the　victims　at　their　sacrifices　failed　to　give　good　tokens；　and　this　failure　lasted　for　a　very　long　time。　Then　the　Spartans　were　troubled；　and；　regarding　what　had　befallen　them　as　a　grievous　calamity；　they　held　frequent　assemblies　of　the　people；　and　made　proclamation　through　the　town；　〃Was　any　Lacedaemonian　willing　to　give　his　life　for　Sparta？〃　Upon　this　two　Spartans；　Sperthias；　the　son　Aneristus；　and　Bulis；　the　son　of　Nicolaus；　both　men　of　noble　birth；　and　among　the　wealthiest　in　the　place；　came　forward　and　freely　offered　themselves　as　an　atonement　to　Xerxes　for　the　heralds　of　Darius　slain　at　Sparta。　So　the　Spartans　sent　them　away　to　the　Medes　to　undergo　death。　　　　　Nor　is　the　courage　which　these　men　hereby　displayed　alone　worthy　of　wonder；　but　so　likewise　are　the　following　speeches　which　were　made　by　them。　On　their　road　to　Susa　they　presented　themselves　before　Hydarnes。　This　Hydarnes　was　a　Persian　by　birth；　and　had　the　command　of　all　the　nations　that　dwelt　along　the　sea…coast　of　Asia。　He　accordingly　showed　them　hospitality；　and　invited　them　to　a　banquet