triremes might sail through, propelled side by side. To these
same men to whom the digging had been appointed, it was appointed also
to make a bridge over the river Strymon, yoking together the banks.

25. These things were being done by Xerxes thus; and meanwhile he caused
ropes also to be prepared for the bridges, made of papyrus and of white
flax, 26 appointing this to the Phenicians and Egyptians; and also he
was making preparations to store provisions for his army on the way,
that neither the army itself nor the baggage animals might suffer from
scarcity, as they made their march against Hellas. Accordingly, when he
had learnt by inquiry of the various places, he bade them make stores
where it was most convenient, carrying supplies to different parts by
merchant ships and ferry-boats from all the countries of Asia. So they
conveyed the greater part of the corn 27 to the place which is called
Leuke Acte in Thrace, while others conveyed stores to Tyrodiza of the
Perinthians, others to Doriscos, others to Eion on the Strymon, and
others to Macedonia, the work being distributed between them.

26. During the time that these were working at the task which had been
proposed to them, the whole land-army had been assembled together and
was marching with Xerxes to Sardis, setting forth from Critalla in
Cappadokia; for there it had been ordered that the whole army should
assemble, which was to go with Xerxes himself by the land: but which of
the governors of provinces brought the best equipped force and received
from the king the gifts proposed, I am not able to say, for I do not
know that they even came to a competition in this matter. Then after
they had crossed the river Halys and had entered Phrygia, marching
through this land they came to Kelainai, where the springs of the river
Maiander come up, and also those of another river not less than the
Maiander, whose name is Catarractes; 28 this rises in the market-place
itself of Kelainai and runs into the Maiander: and here also is hanging
up in the city the skin of Marsyas the Silenos, which is said by the
Phrygians to have been flayed off and hung up by Apollo.

27. In this city Pythios the son of Atys, a Lydian, was waiting for the
king and entertained his whole army, as well as Xerxes himself, with
the most magnificent hospitality: moreover he professed himself ready
to supply money for the war. So when Pythios offered money, Xerxes asked
those of the Persians who were