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.

When Pythius offered the money, Xerxes asked the Persians present who this Pythius was and how much wealth he possessed in making the offer. They said, “O king, this is the one who gave your father Darius the gift of a golden plane-tree and vine; he is now the richest man we know of after you.”