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Whereupon Mardonius took the word, and said: "Of a truth, my
lord, thou dost surpass, not only all living Persians, but likewise
those yet unborn. Most true and right is each word that thou hast now
uttered; but best of all thy resolve not to let the Ionians who live
in Europe - a worthless crew - mock us any more. It were indeed a
monstrous thing if, after conquering and enslaving the Sacae, the
Indians, the Ethiopians, the Assyrians, and many other mighty
nations, not for any wrong that they had done us, but only to increase
our empire, we should then allow the Greeks, who have done us such
wanton injury, to escape our vengeance. What is it that we fear in
them? - not surely their numbers? - not the greatness of their
wealth? We know the manner of their battle - we know how weak their
power is; already have we subdued their children who dwell in our
country, the Ionians, Aeolians, and Dorians. I myself have had
experience of these men when I marched against them by the orders of
thy father; and though I went as far as Macedonia, and came but a
little short of reaching Athens itself, yet not a soul ventured to
come out against me to battle. And yet, I am told, these very
Greeks are wont to wage wars against one another in the most foolish
way, through sheer perversity and doltishness. For no sooner is war
proclaimed than they search out the smoothest and fairest plain that is
to be found in all the land, and there they assemble and fight; whence
it comes to pass that even the conquerors depart with great loss: I
say nothing of the conquered, for they are destroyed altogether. Now
surely, as they are all of one speech, they ought to interchange
heralds and messengers, and make up their differences by any means
rather than battle; or, at the worst, if they must needs fight one
against another, they ought to post themselves as strongly as
possible, and so try their quarrels. But, notwithstanding that they
have so foolish a manner of warfare, yet these Greeks, when I led my
army against them to the very borders of Macedonia, did not so much as
think of offering me battle. Who then will dare, O king! to meet
thee in arms, when thou comest with all Asia's warriors at thy back,
and with all her ships? For my part I do not believe the Greek
people will be so foolhardy. Grant, however, that I am mistaken
herein, and that they are foolish enough to meet us in open fight; in
that case they will learn that there are no such soldiers in the whole
world as we. Nevertheless let us spare no pains; for nothing comes
without trouble; but all that men acquire is got by painstaking."
When Mardonius had in this way softened the harsh speech of Xerxes,
he too held his peace.
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