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In such words, as Artabanus thought, the vision threatened him, and
then endeavoured to burn out his eyes with red-hot irons. At this he
shrieked, and, leaping from his couch, hurried to Xerxes, and,
sitting down at his side, gave him a full account of the vision; after
which he went on to speak in the words which follow:
"I, O King! am a man who have seen many mighty empires overthrown
by weaker ones; and therefore it was that I sought to hinder thee from
being quite carried away by thy youth; since I knew how evil a thing
it is to covet more than one possesses. I could remember the
expedition of Cyrus against the Massagetae, and what was the issue of
it; I could recollect the march of Cambyses against the Ethiops; I
had taken part in the attack of Darius upon the Scyths - bearing
therefore all these things in mind, I thought with myself that if thou
shouldst remain at peace, all men would deem thee fortunate. But as
this impulse has plainly come from above, and a heaven-sent
destruction seems about to overtake the Greeks, behold, I change to
another mind, and alter my thoughts upon the matter. Do thou
therefore make known to the Persians what the god has declared, and
bid them follow the orders which were first given, and prepare their
levies. Be careful to act so that the bounty of the god may not be
hindered by slackness on thy part."
Thus spake these two together; and Xerxes, being in good heart on
account of the vision, when day broke, laid all before the Persians;
while Artabanus, who had formerly been the only person openly to
oppose the expedition, now showed as openly that he favoured it.
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