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Now these were the nations that took part in this expedition. The
Persians, who wore on their heads the soft hat called the tiara, and
about their bodies, tunics with sleeves of divers colours, having iron
scales upon them like the scales of a fish. Their legs were protected
by trousers; and they bore wicker shields for bucklers; their quivers
hanging at their backs, and their arms being a short spear, a bow of
uncommon size, and arrows of reed. They had likewise daggers
suspended from their girdles along their right thighs. Otanes, the
father of Xerxes' wife, Amestris, was their leader. This people
was known to the Greeks in ancient times by the name of Cephenians;
but they called themselves and were called by their neighbours,
Artaeans. It was not till Perseus, the son of Jove and Danae,
visited Cepheus the son of Belus, and, marrying his daughter
Andromeda, had by her a son called Perses (whom he left behind him
in the country because Cepheus had no male offspring), that the
nation took from this Perses the name of Persians.
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