Histories

Xerxes was now intent on the expedition and then saw a third vision in his sleep, which the Magi interpreted to refer to the whole earth and to signify that all men should be his slaves. This was the vision: Xerxes thought that he was crowned with an olive bough, of which the shoots spread over the whole earth, and then the crown vanished from off his head where it was set.

The Magi interpreted it in this way, and immediately every single man of the Persians who had been assembled rode away to his own province and there used all zeal to fulfill the kings command, each desiring to receive the promised gifts. Thus it was that Xerxes mustered his army, searching out every part of the continent.

For full four years[*](484-481.) after the conquest of Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt he was equipping his force and preparing all that was needed for it; before the fifth year was completed, he set forth on his march with the might of a great multitude.

This was by far the greatest of all expeditions that we know of. The one that Darius led against the Scythians is nothing compared to it; neither is the Scythian expedition when they burst into Media[*](Cp. Hdt. 1.103; Hdt. 4.1.) in pursuit of the Cimmerians and subdued and ruled almost all the upper lands of Asia (continent)Asia (it was for this that Darius afterwards attempted to punish them). According to the reports, the expedition led by the sons of Atreus against +Troy [26.2833,39.9167] (Perseus) Troy is also nothing by comparison; neither is the one of the Mysians and Teucrians which before the Trojan war crossed the +Karadeniz Bogazi (strait), Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Bosporus into Europe (continent)Europe,[*](It seems fairly clear that there was some sort of movement from the one continent to the other; Herodotus makes it from Asia (continent)Asia to Europe (continent)Europe; but on the evidence it is just as likely to have been the other way. See How and Wells, ad loc.) subdued all the Thracians, and came down to the +Ionian Sea [19,39] (sea), Europe Ionian sea, marching southward as far as the river Peneus.