though he had expected
Cronian Zeus himself.

Mardonius, as "bow-bearer to the king," a semi-regal office, rode forth a
stage to meet the sovran. The streets of Sardis were festooned with
flowers. Thousands of spearmen held back the crowds. The Athenian stood
beside Roxana and Artazostra at the upper window of a Lydian merchant
prince, and his eyes missed nothing.

Never had the two women seemed lovelier than when their hearts ran out to
their approaching king. He felt now the power of personal sovranty, how
these children of the East awaited not Xerxes the Master, but Xerxes the
Omnipotent, God-Manifest, whose decrees were as the decrees of Heaven. And
their awe could not fail to awe the Athenian.

At noon the multitude caught the first token of the king. Down the road,
through the gate, walked a man, bare-headed, bare-footed,
alone,--Artaphernes, despot of all Lydia, going to pay his abject homage.
Presently the eunuch priests of Cybele, perched above the gate, clashed
their cymbals and raised their hymn of welcome. To the boom of drums the
thousand chosen cavalry and as many picked footmen of the Life Guard
entered, tall, magnificent soldiers,--caps and spear butts shining with
gold. After these a gilded car drawn by the eight sacred horses, each
milk-white, and on the car an altar bearing the eternal fire of Mazda.
Then, each in his flashing chariot, moved the "Six Princes," the heads of
the great clans of the Achaemenians, then two hundred led desert horses, in
splendid trappings, and then--after a long interval, that the host might
cast no dust upon its lord, rode a single horseman on a jet-black steed,
Artabanus--the king's uncle and vizier. He beckoned to the people.

"Have fear, Lydians, the giver of breath to all the world comes now
beneath your gates!"

The lines of soldiers flung down their spears and dropped upon their
knees. The multitude imitated. A chariot came running behind four of the
sacred steeds of Nisaea,--their coats were like new snow, their manes
braided with gold thread, bridle, bits, pole, baseboard, shone with gems
and the royal metal. The wheel was like the sun. A girl-like youth guided
the crimson reins, a second held the tall green parasol. Its shadow did
not hide the commanding figure upon the car. Glaucon looked hard. No
mistaking--Xerxes was here, the being who could say to millions "Die!" and
they perished like worms; in verity "God-Manifest."

For in looks Xerxes, son of Dariu