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This was their answer to Hydarnes. From there they came to Shush [48.333,32.2] (inhabited place), Khuzestan, Iran, AsiaSusa, into the king's presence, and when the guards commanded and would have compelled them to fall down and bow to the king, they said they would never do that. This they would refuse even if they were thrust down headlong, for it was not their custom, said they, to bow to mortal men, nor was that the purpose of their coming. Having averted that, they next said,
This was their answer to Hydarnes. From there they came to Shush [48.333,32.2] (inhabited place), Khuzestan, Iran, AsiaSusa, into the king's presence, and when the guards commanded and would have compelled them to fall down and bow to the king, they said they would never do that. This they would refuse even if they were thrust down headlong, for it was not their custom, said they, to bow to mortal men, nor was that the purpose of their coming. Having averted that, they next said,
[2] “The
Lacedaemonians have sent us, O king of the
Medes, in requital for the slaying of your heralds at
Sparta [22.4417,37.0667] (Perseus) Sparta, to make atonement for their death,” and more to that effect. To this
Xerxes, with great magnanimity, replied that he would not imitate the
Lacedaemonians. “You,” said he, “made havoc of all human law by slaying heralds, but I will not do that for which I censure you, nor by putting you in turn to death will I set the
Lacedaemonians free from this guilt.”
Histories. Herodotus. ed. A.D. Godley. Cambridge. 1920-1925.
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