It was from Abydos to this promontory, then, that the bridges were built by those assigned to this task, the Phoenicians working on the white flax bridge and the Egyptians on the papyrus bridge. The distance between Abydos and the opposite shore here is about 1,350 yards. But in fact after these bridges had been built, a violent storm descended upon them, broke them up, and tore apart all that work.
Xerxes was infuriated when he learned of this; he ordered that the Hellespont [river] was to receive 300 lashes under the whip, and that a pair of shackles was to be dropped into the sea. And I have also heard that he sent others to brand the Hallespont. In any case, he instructed his men to say barbarian and insolent things as they were striking the Hellespont: "Bitter water, your master is imposing this penalty upon you for wronging him even though you had suffered no injustice from him. And King Xerxes will cross you whether you like it or not. It is for just cause, after all, that no human offers you sacrifice: you are a turbid and briny river!" Thus he ordered that the sea was to be punished, and also that the supervisors of the bridge over the Hellespont were to be beheaded.Xerxes tried to arrest, and then physically and emotionally abused, the river. Xerxes was nuts.
And a fantastic photo, by "Amy":
1 comment:
Was Xerxes mad? Or was he unsuccessfully trying to get the same effect as Moses at the red sea? He may have known the story.
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