Histories

Marching past the Paeonians, Doberes, and Paeoplae, who dwell beyond and northward of the Pangaean mountains,[*](In Hdt. 7.112 Xerxes was marching along the coast; here he is far inland. Doubtless the explanation lies in the division of his army into three parallel columns (Hdt. 7.121).) he kept going westwards, until he came to the river Strymon and the city of +Eion [23.8833,40.7333] (Perseus) Eion; its governor was that Boges, then still alive, whom I mentioned just before this.

All this region about the Pangaean range is called Phyllis; it stretches westwards to the river Angites, which issues into the Strymon, and southwards to the Strymon itself; at this river the Magi sought good omens by sacrificing white horses.

After using these enchantments and many others besides on the river, they passed over it at the Nine Ways in Edonian country,[*](About three miles above +Eion [23.8833,40.7333] (Perseus) Eion on the Strymon.) by the bridges which they found thrown across the Strymon. When they learned that Nine Ways was the name of the place, they buried alive that number of boys and maidens, children of the local people.