Histories

The few barbarians who escaped were driven to the heights of Mykale [26.8667,38.1] (Perseus)Mykale, and made their way from there to Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis. While they were making their way along the road, Masistes son of Darius, who happened to have been present at the Persian disaster, reviled the admiral Artayntes very bitterly, telling him (with much beside) that such generalship as his proved him worse than a woman, and that no punishment was too severe for the harm he had done the king's estate. Now it is the greatest of all taunts in Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia to be called worse than a woman.

These many insults angered Artayntes so much that he drew his sword upon Masistes to kill him, but Xenagoras son of Praxilaus of Bodrum [27.466,37.5] (inhabited place), Mugla Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Halicarnassus, who stood behind Artayntes himself saw him run at Masistes, and caught him round the middle and lifted and hurled him to the ground. In the meantime Masistes' guards had also come between them.

By doing so Xenagoras won the gratitude of Masistes himself and Xerxes, for saving the king's brother. For this deed he was made ruler of all Cilicia [34.333,36.666] (region (general)), Turkey, AsiaCilicia by the king's gift. Then they went on their way without anything further happening and came to Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis.

Now it happened that the king had been at Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis ever since he came there in flight from Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus)Athens after his overthrow in the sea-fight. Being then at Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis he became enamored of Masistes' wife, who was also there. But as all his messages could not bring her to yield to him, and he would not force her to his will, out of regard for his brother Masistes (which indeed counted with the woman also, for she knew well that no force would be used against her), Xerxes found no other way to accomplish his purpose than that he should make a marriage between his own son Darius and the daughter of this woman and Masistes, for he thought that by doing so he would be most likely to win her.