ed with many dreams and visions of the night since the
day when King Xerxes my son departed hence with his army, purposing to
subdue the men of Greece; but never have I seen vision so clear as that
which I beheld in this night that is last past. I saw two women clothed
with fair garments, the one being clad in Persian apparel, and the other
in that which Grecian women used to wear. Very tall were they, above the
stature of women in these days, and fair, so that no man might blame
their beauty. Sisters also were they of the same race; but the one dwelt
in the land of the Greeks, and the other in the land of Asia. Between
these two there arose a strife; and my son took and soothed them, and
would have yoked them to his chariot. Then she that wore the Persian
garb was quiet and obedient to the bit; but the other fought against
him, and tare with her hands the trappings of the chariot, and brake the
yoke in the midst, so that my son fell upon the ground; and when he was
fallen, lo! his father Darius stood over him, pitying him. This was my
dream; and when I had risen and washed my hands in the running stream, I
went to the altar, that I might offer incense to the Gods that avert
evil from men; and there I saw an eagle fleeing to the altar of
Phoebus, and a kite pursued after him, and flew upon him, and tare his
head with his claws; nor did the eagle aught but yield himself up to his
adversary. Now these are fearful things for me to see and also for you
to hear. But remember that if my son shall prosper, all men will do him
honour; and if he shall fail, yet shall he give account to no man, but
be still ruler of this land."

To this the chief of the old men made answer, "O lady, we would counsel
thee first to ask the Gods that they turn away all evils, and bring to
pass all that is good; and next to make offerings to Earth and to the
dead, and specially to thy husband King Darius, whom thou sawest in
visions of the night, that he may send blessings from below to thy son,
and turn away all trouble into darkness and nothingness."

"This will I do," said the Queen, "so soon as I shall have gone back to
the palace. But first I would hear certain things of you. Tell me, my
friends, in what land is this Athens of which they speak?"

"It is far to the west," the old men made reply, "towards the setting of
the sun."

"And why did my son seek to subdue this city?"

"Because he knew that if he prevailed against it all Greece should