esein}: some MSS. have {apanastesein}, "he would not take
away his army thence."]

117 [ {upozakoron}.]

118 [ {ton khthonion theon}, i.e. Demeter and Persephone: cp. vii. 153.]

119 [ {thesmophorou}.]

120 [ {to megaron}.]

121 [ {sphi autoi}: a conjectural rendering of {sphisi autoisi}, which
can only be taken with {eousan}, meaning "belonging to them" i.e. the
Athenians, and involves the insertion of {Pelasgoisi} or something
equivalent with {edosan}.]

122 [ {ktesamenoi}: some MSS. and editions have {stesamenoi}, "set
fifty-oared galleys in place."]

BOOK VII. THE SEVENTH BOOK OF THE HISTORIES, CALLED POLYMNIA

1. Now when the report came to Dareios the son of Hystaspes of the
battle which was fought at Marathon, the king, who even before this had
been greatly exasperated with the Athenians on account of the attack
made upon Sardis, then far more than before displayed indignation, and
was far more desirous of making a march against Hellas. Accordingly
at once he sent messengers to the various cities and ordered that they
should get ready a force, appointing to each people to supply much more
than at the former time, and not only ships of war, but also horses and
provisions and transport vessels; 1 and when these commands were carried
round, all Asia was moved for three years, for all the best men were
being enlisted for the expedition against Hellas, and were making
preparations. In the fourth year however the Egyptians, who had been
reduced to subjection by Cambyses, revolted from the Persians; and then
he was even more desirous of marching against both these nations.

2. While Dareios was thus preparing to set out against Egypt and against
Athens, there arose a great strife among his sons about the supreme
power; and they said that he must not make his expeditions until he
had designated one of them to be king, according to the custom of the
Persians. For to Dareios already before he became king three sons had
been born of his former wife the daughter of Gobryas, and after he
became king four other sons of Atossa the daughter of Cyrus: of the
first the eldest was Artobazanes, and of those who had been born later,
Xerxes. These being not of the same mother were at strife with one
another, Artobazanes contending that he was the eldest of all the sons,
and that it was a custom maintained by all men that the eldest should
have the rule, and Xerxes arguing that he was the son of Atossa the
daughter o