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Mardonius, when he had read the answers given by the oracles, sent
next an envoy to Athens. This was Alexander, the son of Amyntas,
a Macedonian, of whom he made choice for two reasons. Alexander was
connected with the Persians by family ties; for Gygaea, who was the
daughter of Amyntas, and sister to Alexander himself, was married to
Bubares, a Persian, and by him had a son, to wit, Amyntas of
Asia; who was named after his mother's father, and enjoyed the
revenues of Alabanda, a large city of Phrygia, which had been
assigned him by the king. Alexander was likewise (and of this too
Mardonius was well aware), both by services which he had rendered,
and by formal compact of friendship, connected with Athens.
Mardonius therefore thought that, by sending him, he would be most
likely to gain over the Athenians to the Persian side. He had heard
that they were a numerous and a warlike people, and he knew that the
disasters which had befallen the Persians by sea were mainly their
work; he therefore expected that, if he could form alliance with
them, he would easily get the mastery of the sea (as indeed he would
have done, beyond a doubt), while by land he believed that he was
already greatly superior; and so he thought by this alliance to make
sure of overcoming the Greeks. Perhaps, too, the oracles leant this
way, and counselled him to make Athens his friend: so that it may
have been in obedience to them that he sent the embassy.
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