Histories

This is the other tale of Xerxes' return; but I for my part believe neither the story of the Persians' fate nor any other part of it. For if indeed the pilot had spoken to Xerxes in this way, I think that there is not one in ten thousand who would not say that the king would have bidden the men on deck (who were Persians and of the best blood of Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia) descend into the ship's hold, and would have taken from the Phoenician rowers a number equal to the number of the Persians and cast them into the sea. No, the truth is that Xerxes did as I have already said, and returned to Asia (continent)Asia with his army by road.

There is further proof of this, for it is known that when Xerxes came to +Abdera [24.9667,40.9833] (Perseus) Abdera in his return, he made a compact of friendship with its people and gave them a golden sword and a gilt tiara. As the people of +Abdera [24.9667,40.9833] (Perseus) Abdera say (but for my part I wholly disbelieve them), it was here that Xerxes in his flight back from Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus)Athens first loosed his girdle, as being here in safety. Now +Abdera [24.9667,40.9833] (Perseus) Abdera lies nearer to the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont than the Strymon and +Eion [23.8833,40.7333] (Perseus) Eion, where they say that he took ship.

As for the Greeks, not being able to take +Andros [24.9,37.816] (inhabited place), Nisos Andros, Cyclades, Aegean Islands, Greece, Europe Andros, they went to Carystus. When they had laid it waste, they returned to Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis. First of all they set apart for the gods, among other first-fruits, three Phoenician triremes, one to be dedicated at the Isthmus, where it was till my lifetime, the second at Sunium, and the third for Ajax at Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis where they were.

After that, they divided the spoils and sent the first-fruits of it to Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi; of this was made a man's image twelve cubits high, holding in his hand the figurehead of a ship. This stood in the same place as the golden statue of Alexander the Macedonian.