BOOK SIXTH CONTINUED. THE HISTORY OF THE PERSIANS AND GRECIANS. CHAPTER II. THE HISTORY OF XERXES, INTERMIXED WITH THAT OF THE GREEKS. XERXES' ERXES' reign lasted but 12 years, but abounds with great events. SECTION I. XERXES REDUCES EGYPT, &c. &c. XERXES* having ascended the throne, employed the first year of his reign in carrying on the preparations begun by his father for the reduction of Egypt. He also confirmed to the Jews at Jerusalem all the privileges granted them by his father, and particularly that which assigned them the tribute of Samaria, for the supplying of them with victims for the temple of God. In the second year of his reign he marched against the Egyptians, and having reduced and subdued those rebels, he made the yoke of their subjection more heavy; then giving the government of that province to his brother Achemenes, he returned about the latter end of the year to Susa. Herodotus, the famous historian, was born this same year at Halicarnassus in Caria; for he was 53 years old when the Peloponnesian war first began. Xerxes, puffed up with his success against the Egyptians, determined to make war against the Grecians. He did not intend, be said, to buy the figs of Attica which were very excellent, any longer, because he would eat no more of them till he was master of the country. But before he engaged in an enterprise of that importance, he thought proper to assemble his council, and take the advice of all the greatest and most illustrious persons of his court. He laid before them the design he had of making war against Greece, and acquainted them with his motives, which were, the de * A. M. 3519. Ant. J. C. 485. Plut. in Apopth. p. 173. 2 Her. 1. vii. c. 5. Jos. Antiq. I. xi. c. 5, Her. I vii. c: 8-18 |