Histories

Thus Demaratus answered. Xerxes made a joke of the matter and showed no anger, but sent him away kindly. After he had conversed with Demaratus, and appointed Mascames son of Megadostes governor of this Doriscus, deposing the governor Darius had appointed, Xerxes marched his army through Thrace (region (general)), EuropeThrace towards Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas.

Xerxes left behind this Mascames, who so conducted himself that to him alone Xerxes always sent gifts, as being the most valiant of all the governors that he or Darius appointed; he sent these gifts every year, and so did Artaxerxes son of Xerxes to Mascames' descendants. Before this march, governors had been appointed everywhere in Thrace (region (general)), EuropeThrace and on the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont.

All of these in Thrace (region (general)), EuropeThrace and the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont, except the governor of Doriscus, were after this expedition captured by the Greeks; but no one could ever drive out Mascames in Doriscus, though many tried. For this reason gifts are sent by the successive kings of Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia.

The only one of those who were driven out by the Greeks whom king Xerxes considered a valiant man was Boges, from whom they took +Eion [23.8833,40.7333] (Perseus) Eion. He never ceased praising this man, and gave very great honor to his sons who were left alive in Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia; indeed Boges proved himself worthy of all praise. When he was besieged by the Athenians under Cimon son of Miltiades, he could have departed under treaty from +Eion [23.8833,40.7333] (Perseus) Eion and returned to Asia (continent)Asia, but he refused, lest the king think that he had saved his life out of cowardice; instead he resisted to the last.

When there was no food left within his walls, he piled up a great pyre and slew his children and wife and concubines and servants and cast them into the fire; after that, he took all the gold and silver from the city and scattered it from the walls into the Strymon; after he had done this, he cast himself into the fire. Thus he is justly praised by the Persians to this day.