XERXES'S BRIDGE BOATS. 583 



with no impediment so great as to hinder him from carrying his con. 

 quering arms to the utmost limits of Europe. This don- he threw 

 the cup into the 1 1 dl -spout, with a golden bowl, and a Persian 

 scymitar ; and the foot and horse began to pass over that bridge, 

 which was next to the Euxine, while the carriages and beatts of 

 burden passed over the other, which was placed nearei' the ./Egean 

 sea. The bridges were boarded, and covered oyer with eartb^ 

 having rails on each side, that the horses and cattle might not be 

 frightened at the sight of the sea. The army spent seven days and 

 nights in passing over, though they marched day and night, without 

 intermission, and were, by frequent blows, obliged to quicken their 

 pace. At the same time, the fleet made to the coasts of Europe. 

 After the whole army was passed, Xerxes advanced with his land 

 forces, through the Thracian Chersonesus to Doriseus, a city at the 

 mouth of the river Hebrus, in Thrace : but the fleet steered a quite 

 different course, standing to the westward for the promontory of 

 Sarpedon, where they were commanded to attend farther orders. 

 Xerxes, having encamped in the large plains of Doriseus. and judg- 

 ing them convenient for reviewing and numbering his troops, dis- 

 patched orders to his admirals to bring the fleet to the adjacent 

 shore, that he might take an account both of bis sea and land forces. 

 His land army, upon the muster, was found to consist of one mil- 

 lion seven hundred thousand foot, and fourscore thousand horse : 

 which, together with twenty thousand men that conducted the 

 camels, and took care of the baggage, amounted to one million eight 

 hundred thousand men. His fleet consisted of twelve hundred and 

 seven large ships, and three thousand gallics and transports : on 

 board all these vessels, there were found to be five hundred and 

 seventeen thousand six hundred and ten men. So that the whole 

 number of sea and land forces, which Xerxes led out of Asia to 

 invade Greece, amounted to two millions three hundred and 

 seventeen thousand six hundred and ten men. We are told, that, 

 on his passing the Hellespont, to enter Europe, an inhabitant of 

 that country cried out : " O Jupiter, why art thou come to destroy 

 Greece, in the shape of a Persian, and under the name ot Xerxes, 

 with all mankind following th< e ; whereas thy own power is turi'u 

 cientto do this, without their assistance?" After he had entered 

 Europe, the nations on this side tin Hellespont that submitted to 

 him, added to his land forces three hundred thousand more, and 

 two hundred and twenty ships to his fleet, on board of which were 



