apples of gold. After the ten thousand that were on foot came ten thousand horsemen of the Persians. Behind the horsemen was a space of two furlongs, after which came the remainder of the host, mingled in one crowd.
As the host passed by Mount Ida there fell upon it a great storm of thunder and lightning, and slew many men. After this it came to the river Scamander; this was the first of the rivers that failed, being drunk up by the army and the horses and the beasts of burden. Here the King went up into the citadel of Priam, desiring to see the place; and when he had seen and heard every thing he sacrificed a thousand heifers to Athene of Troy; and the Magi poured out libations to the heroes. That night a panic fell upon the host; and so soon as it was day they departed and came to Abydos.
When he was come to Abydos Xerxes greatly desired to see his army. Now there had been prepared beforehand for him by the men of Abydos a seat of white marble on a hill that was nigh unto the city, for so he had bidden them. On this therefore he sat, and looking down upon the shore saw his army and his ships. And as he looked upon them he had a desire to see a race of ships; and there was made a race, and the Phœnicians of Sidon prevailed. Xerxes was greatly delighted with the contest and with the sight of his army. For when he saw all the Hellespont covered with ships, and all the shores and all the plains of Abydos filled with men, he counted himself a happy man. But afterward he wept.
And Artabanus, his uncle, the same that at the first spake boldly to the King that he should not make war against the Greeks, when he knew that Xerxes wept, went to him, and said, “O King, how different is this that thou doest now from that which thou didst but a short time ago? For then thou calledest thyself happy, but now thou weepest.” Then said the King, “There come upon me of a sudden a thought of pity how short is the whole life of man, seeing that of all this great army not one shall be