to Susa; and
when he had arrived there and had brought the woman into his own house
for Dareios, then he ceased from attempting the wife of Masistes and
changing his inclination he conceived a desire for the wife of Dareios,
who was daughter of Masistes, and obtained her: now the name of this
woman was Artaynte..

109. However as time went on, this became known in the following
manner:--Amestris the wife of Xerxes had woven a mantle, large and of
various work and a sight worthy to be seen, and this she gave to Xerxes.
He then being greatly pleased put it on and went to Artaynte; and being
greatly pleased with her too, he bade her ask what she would to be given
to her in return for the favours which she had granted to him, for she
should obtain, he said, whatsoever she asked: and she, since it was
destined that she should perish miserably with her whole house, said to
Xerxes upon this: "Wilt thou give me whatsoever I ask thee for?" and he,
supposing that she would ask anything rather than that which she did,
promised this and swore to it. Then when he had sworn, she boldly asked
for the mantle; and Xerxes tried every means of persuasion, not being
willing to give it to her, and that for no other reason but only because
he feared Amestris, lest by her, who even before this had some inkling
of the truth, he should thus be discovered in the act; and he offered
her cities and gold in any quantity, and an army which no one else
should command except herself. Now this of an army is a thoroughly
Persian gift. Since however he did not persuade her, he gave her the
mantle; and she being overjoyed by the gift wore it and prided herself
upon it..

110. And Amestris was informed that she had it; and having learnt that
which was being done, she was not angry with the woman, but supposing
that her mother was the cause and that she was bringing this about, she
planned destruction for the wife of Masistes. She waited then until her
husband Xerxes had a royal feast set before him:--this feast is served up
once in the year on the day on which the king was born, and the name
of this feast is in Persian tycta, which in the tongue of the Hellenes
means "complete"; also on this occasion alone the king washes his head,
114 and he makes gifts then to the Persians:--Amestris, I say, waited
for this day and then asked of Xerxes that the wife of Masistes might
be given to her. And he considered it a strange and untoward thing
to deliver over to