Histories

When they had crossed the river Halys River (river), Turkey, Asia Halys and entered Phrygia (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Phrygia, they marched through that country to Celaenae,[*](This implies a considerable divergence to the south from the “Royal road,” for which see Hdt. 5.52. Xerxes here turns south to avoid the difficult route through the Hermes valley, probably; cp. How and Wells, ad loc.) where rises the source of the river +Buyukmenderes Nehri [27.183,37.466] (river), Turkey, Asia Maeander and of another river no smaller, which is called Cataractes; it rises right in the market-place of Celaenae and issues into the +Buyukmenderes Nehri [27.183,37.466] (river), Turkey, Asia Maeander. The skin of Marsyas the Silenus also hangs there; the Phrygian story tells that it was flayed off him and hung up by Apollo.[*](The legend of the contest between Marsyas the flute-player and Apollo the lyre-player seems to indicate a change in the national music, the importance of which was more easily understood by a Greek than it is by us.)

In this city Pythius son of Atys, a Lydian, sat awaiting them; he entertained Xerxes himself and all the king's army with the greatest hospitality, and declared himself willing to provide money for the war.