Histories

The first rider delivers his charge to the second, the second to the third, and thence it passes on from hand to hand, even as in the Greek torch-bearers' race in honor of Hephaestus. This riding-post is called in Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia, angareion.

When the first message came to Shush [48.333,32.2] (inhabited place), Khuzestan, Iran, AsiaSusa, saying that Xerxes had taken Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus)Athens, it gave such delight to the Persians who were left at home that they strewed all the roads with myrtle boughs and burnt incense and gave themselves up to sacrificial feasts and jollity.

The second, however, coming on the heels of the first, so confounded them that they all tore their tunics, and cried and lamented without ceasing, holding Mardonius to blame; it was not so much in grief for their ships that they did this as because they feared for Xerxes himself.

Such was the plight of the Persians for all the time until the coming of Xerxes himself ended it. Mardonius, however, seeing that Xerxes was greatly distressed because of the sea-fight, and suspecting that he planned flight from Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus)Athens, thought that he would be punished for persuading the king to march against Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas and that it was better for him to risk the chance of either subduing Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas or dying honorably while engaged in a noble cause; yet his hope rather inclined to the subduing of Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas. Taking all this into account, he made this proposal: