of Chios bought him, one who had set himself to gain his
livelihood by the most impious practices; for whenever he obtained
boys who possessed some beauty, he would make eunuchs of them, and then
taking them to Sardis or Ephesos sold them for large sums of money,
since with the Barbarians eunuchs are held to be of more value for all
matters of trust than those who are not eunuchs. Panionios then, I say,
made eunuchs of many others, since by this he got his livelihood,
and also of this man about whom I speak: and Hermotimos, being not in
everything unfortunate, was sent from Sardis to the king with other
gifts, and as time went on he came to be honoured more than all the
other eunuchs in the sight of Xerxes.

106. And when the king, being at that time in Sardis, was setting the
Persian army in motion to march against Athens, then Hermotimos, having
gone down for some business to that part of Mysia which the Chians
occupy and which is called Atarneus, found there Panionios: and having
recognised him he spoke to him many friendly words, first recounting
to him all the good things which he had by his means, and next making
promises in return for this, and saying how many good things he would do
for him, if he would bring his household and dwell in that land; so that
Panionios gladly accepting his proposals brought his children and
his wife. Then, when he had caught him together with his whole house,
Hermotimos spoke as follows: "O thou, who of all men that ever lived up
to this time didst gain thy substance by the most impious deeds, what
evil did either I myself or any of my forefathers do either to thee
or to any of thine, that thou didst make me to be that which is nought
instead of a man? Didst thou suppose that thou wouldest escape the
notice of the gods for such things as then thou didst devise? They
however following the rule of justice delivered 71 thee into my hands,
since thou hadst done impious deeds; so that thou shalt not have reason
to find fault with the penalty which shall be inflicted upon thee by
me." When he had thus reproached him, the man's sons were brought into
his presence and Panionios was compelled to make eunuchs of his own
sons, who were four in number, and being compelled he did so; and then
when he had so done, the sons were compelled to do the same thing to
him. Thus vengeance by the hands of Hermotimos 72 overtook Panionios.

107. When Xerxes had entrusted his sons to Artemisia to carry them