MEANWHILE, his men were bridging the Hellespont from Asia to Europe. But no sooner had the strait been bridged than a great storm swept down, breaking and scattering everything.
When Xerxes heard of this, he was very angry and commanded that the Hellespont be whipped with three hundred lashes, and a pair of fetters be thrown into the sea. I have even heard that he sent branders with them to brand the Hellespont.
He commanded them while they whipped to utter words outlandish and presumptuous, “Bitter water, our master thus punishes you, because you did him wrong though he had done you none. Xerxes the king will pass over you, whether you want it or not; in accordance with justice no one offers you sacrifice, for you are a turbid and briny river.”
He commanded that the sea receive these punishments and that the overseers of the bridge over the Hellespont be beheaded.
A map of the Greco-Persian Wars, with the place where Xerxes crossed the Hellespont (Dardanelles) at Abydos in Mysia shown towards the upper right.
Précis
Early in the fifth century BC, Xerxes, King of Persia, prepared for the invasion of Greece by building bridges across the Hellespont. When a storm destroyed them, he was so beside himself that he had the waters whipped, branded with hot irons, and verbally abused by his men. The architects who designed the bridges were also beheaded. (57 / 60 words)