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Darius, having passed through Thrace, reached Sestos in the
Chersonese, whence he crossed by the help of his fleet into Asia,
leaving a Persian, named Megabazus, commander on the European
side. This was the man on whom Darius once conferred special honour
by a compliment which he paid him before all the Persians. was about
to eat some pomegranates, and had opened the first, when his brother
Artabanus asked him "what he would like to have in as great plenty as
the seeds of the pomegranate?" Darius answered - "Had I as many
men like Megabazus as there are seeds here, it would please me better
than to be lord of Greece." Such was the compliment wherewith
Darius honoured the general to whom at this time he gave the command of
the troops left in Europe, amounting in all to some eighty thousand men.
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