PAGE IV. The Lacedemonians appoint Lysander admiral. He beats the Athenian fleet near Ephesus. Lysander is succeeded in the command by V. Callicratidas is defeated by the Athenians. Sen- tence of death passed on some Athenian Sect. III. Lysander abuses his power in an extraordinary manner. He is recalled to Sparta, PAGE. Sect. I. Grecian cities of Ionia implore aid of the Lacedemo- THE HISTORY OF THE PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. CHAPTER II. THE HISTORY OF XERXES, INTERMIXED WITH THAT OF THE GREEKS. XERXES's reign lasted but twelve years, but abounds with great events. SECTION I. XERXES REDUCES EGYPT, &c. XERXES having ascended the throne, and employed the first year of his reign in carrying on the preparations begun by his father for the reduction of Egypt. He also confirmed to the Jews at Jerusalem all the privileges granted them by his father, and particularly that which assigned them the tribute of Samaria, for the supplying of them with victims for the temple of God. In the second year of his reign he marched against the Egyptians, and having reduced and subdued those A. M. 3519. Ant. J. C. 485. b Herod. l. vii. c. 7. Her. 1. vii. c. 5. Jos. Antiq. 1. xi. c. 5. A. M. 3520. Ant. J. C. 484. VOL. 3. 2 rebels, he made the yoke of their subjection more heavy; then giving the government of that province to his brother Achemenes, he returned about the latter end of the year to Susa. Herodotus, the famous historian, was born this same year at Halicarnassus in Caria; for he was fifty three years old when the Peloponnesian war first began. a d Xerxes, puffed up with his success against the Egyptians, determined to make war against the Grecians. He did not intend, he said, to buy the figs of Attica, which were very excellent, any longer, because he would eat no more of them till he was master of the country. But before he engaged in an enterprise of that importance, he thought proper to assemble his council, and take the advice of all the greatest and most illustrious persons of his court. He laid before them the design he had of making war against Greece, and acquainted them with his motives; which were, the desire of imitating the example of his predecessors, who had all of them distinguished their names and reigns by noble enterprises; the obligation he was under to revenge the insolence of the Athenians, who had presumed to fall upon Sardis, and reduce it to ashes; the necessity he was under, to avenge the disgrace his country had received at the battle of Marathon; and the prospect of the great advantages that might be reaped from this war, which would be attended with the conquest of Europe, the most rich and fertile country in the universe. He added farther that this war had been resolved on by his father Darius, Aul. Gel. 1. 15, c. 23. d Her. 1. vii. c.8 -18. Plut. in Apoph. p. 173. and he meant only to follow and execute his intentions; he concluded with promising ample rewards to those who should distinguish themselves by their valor in the expedition. Mardonius, the same person that had been so unsuccessful in Darius's reign, grown neither wiser, nor less ambitious by his ill success, and extremely affecting the command of the army, was the first who gave his opinion. He began by extolling Xerxes above all the kings that had gone before or should succeed him. He endeavoured to shew the indispensable necessity of avenging the dishonour done to the Persian name; he disparaged the Grecians, and represented them as a cowardly, timorous people, without courage, without forces, or experience in war. For a proof of what he said, he mentioned his own conquest of Macedonia, which he exaggerated in a very vain and ostentatious manner, as if that people had submitted to him without any resistance. He presumed even to affirm, that not any of the Grecian nations would venture to come out against Xerxes, who would march with all the forces of Asia; and if they had the temerity to present themselves before him, they would learn to their cost, that the Persians were the bravest and most warlike nation in the world. The rest of the council, perceiving that this flattering discourse extremely pleased the king, were afraid to contradict it, and all kept silence. This was almost an unavoidable consequence of Xerxes's manner of proceeding. A wise prince, when he proposes an affair in council, and really desires that every one should speak his true sentiments, is extremely careful |