on their
heads. The king, with the sacred chariot and horses passed over on the
second day. For seven days and seven nights the human stream flowed
on without intermission across one bridge, while the attendants and the
baggage-train made use of the other. The lash was employed to quicken
the movements of laggards. At last the whole army was in Europe, and the
march resumed its regularity.

It is unnecessary to follow in detail the advance of the host along the
coast of Thrace, across Chalcidice, and round the Thermaic Gulf into
Pieria. If we except the counting of the fleet and army at Doriscus no
circumstances of much interest diversified this portion of the march,
which lay entirely through territories that had previously submitted
to the Great King. The army spread itself over a wide tract of country,
marching generally in three divisions, which proceeded by three parallel
lines--one along the coast, another at some considerable distance
inland, and a third, with which was Xerxes himself, midway between them.
At every place where Xerxes stopped along his line of route the natives
had, besides furnishing corn for his army, to entertain him and his
suite at a great banquet, the cost of which was felt as a heavy burthen.
Contributions of troops or ships were also required from all the cities
and tribes; and thus both fleet and army continually swelled as they
advanced onward. In crossing the track between the Strymon and the Axius
some damage was suffered by the baggage-train from lions, which came
down from the mountains during the night and devoured many of the
camels; but otherwise the march was effected without loss, and the fleet
and army reached the borders of Thessaly intact, and in good condition.
Here it was found that there was work for the pioneers, and a
reconnaissance of the enemy's country before entering it was probably
also thought desirable. The army accordingly halted some days in Pieria,
while preparations were being made for crossing the Olympic range into
the Thessalian lowland.

During the halt intelligence arrived which seemed to promise the invader
an easy conquest. Xerxes, while he was staying at Sardis, had sent
heralds to all the Grecian states, excepting Athens and Sparta, with a
demand for earth and water, the recognized symbols of submission. His
envoys now returned, and brought him favorable replies from at least
one-third of the continental Greeks--from the Perrhaebians, Thessalians,
D