Page:History of Greece Vol V.djvu/25

HISTORY OF GREECE. PART II CONTINUATION OF HISTORICAL GREECE. CHAPTER XXXVIII. FROM THE BATTLE OF MARATHON TO THE MARCH OF XERXES AGAINST GREECE. In the last chapter but one of the preceding volume, I de- scribed the Athenian victory at Marathon, the repulse of the Persian general Datis, and the return of his armament across the ^gean to the Asiatic coast. He had been directed to con- quer both Eretria and Athens : an order which he had indeed executed in part with success, as the string of Eretrian prisoners brought to Susa attested, — but which remained still unfulfilled in regard to the city principally obnoxious to Darius. Far from satiating his revenge upon Athens, the Persian monarch was compelled to listen to the tale of an ignominious defeat. His wrath against the Athenians rose to a higher pitch than ever, and he commenced vigorous preparations for a renewed attack upon them, as well as upon Greece generally. Resolved upon as- sembling the entire force of his empire, he directed the various satraps and sub-governors throughout all Asia to provide troops, horses, and ships, both of war and burden. For no less than three years the empire was agitated by this immense levy, which Da- rius determined to conduct in person against Greece.i Nor was ' Herodot. vii, 3, 4. VOL. T. 1 loC.