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There came now a few deserters from Arcadia to join the Persians -
poor men who had nothing to live on, and were in want of employment.
The Persians brought them into the king's presence, and there
inquired of them, by a man who acted as their spokesman, "what the
Greeks were doing?" The Arcadians answered - "They are holding
the Olympic Games, seeing the athletic sports and the
chariot-races." "And what," said the man, "is the prize for
which they contend?" "An olive-wreath," returned the others,
"which is given to the man who wins." On hearing this,
Tritantaechmes, the son of Artabanus, uttered a speech which was in
truth most noble, but which caused him to be taxed with cowardice by
King Xerxes. Hearing the men say that the prize was not money but a
wreath of olive, he could not forbear from exclaiming before them all:
"Good heavens! Mardonius, what manner of men are these against whom
thou hast brought us to fight? - men who contend with one another,
not for money, but for honour!"
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