Histories

After Darius' death, the royal power descended to his son Xerxes. Now Xerxes was at first by no means eager to march against Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas; it was against Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt that he mustered his army. But Mardonius son of Gobryas, Xerxes cousin and the son of Darius' sister, was with the king and had more influence with him than any Persian. He argued as follows: “Master, it is not fitting that the Athenians should go unpunished for their deeds, after all the evil they have done to the Persians.