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But Xerxes was greatly angered, and replied to him: "Thou wretch!
darest thou speak to me of thy son, when I am myself on the march
against Greece, with sons, and brothers, and kinsfolk, and
friends? Thou, who art my bond-slave, and art in duty bound to
follow me with all thy household, not excepting thy wife! Know that
man's spirit dwelleth in his ears, and when it hears good things,
straightway it fills all his body with delight; but no sooner does it
hear the contrary than it heaves and swells with passion. As when thou
didst good deeds and madest good offers to me, thou wert not able to
boast of having outdone the king in bountifulness, so now when thou art
changed and grown impudent, thou shalt not receive all thy deserts,
but less. For thyself and four of thy five sons, the entertainment
which I had of thee shall gain protection; but as for him to whom thou
clingest above the rest, the forfeit of his life shall be thy
punishment." Having thus spoken, forthwith he commanded those to
whom such tasks were assigned to seek out the eldest of the sons of
Pythius, and having cut his body asunder, to place the two halves.
one on the right, the other on the left, of the great road, so that
the army might march out between them.
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