Khushmasta
the Mede, of the Arizanti tribe, from the city of Kangavar.
We arrived at Sestos on the Thracian shores of the Hellespont and
our last hopes faded as we found the bridge of boats destroyed,
some said by the wind and storms, others said by the fleet of the
Hellenes.
Only 8 moons ago I had been ferried across from the city of Abydus
on the opposite shore, in one of the ships and boats innumerable
whilst other ships tied together formed two great bridges across
which yet more of our troops and supplies had crossed.
Where there had once been so many great ships, only a few small
boats remained, and the great bridges had wholly disappeared, leaving
no trace of their existence, except the wrecks which lay here and
there half buried in the sand along the shore.
For 45 days we had marched here following the return from the destruction
of our fleet at Salamis, a march so different from when we had first
entered the land of the Hellenes. Then there had been joyous welcome,
food and wine in plenty. Now, with each day of that long march,
our sufferings had increased. Where before there was welcome, now
there was constant attacks. Where before there had been food and
wine in plenty, now there was hunger and disease. Along all the
roads leading to Sestos for days before, and now filling the city
and the banks of the Hellespont we passed broken chariots, dead
and dying horses of great value, slaughtered beasts of burden, and
the bodies of soldiers from all the nations that once marched so
grandly into Thrace watched by the Great King himself, may Ahuramazda
preserve him.
Where before our camps were filled with song, laughter and good
cheer, now men fought for scraps, or laid stricken with disease.
As for myself, I am lucky for I, with those others of Mede and Persian
blood, am fed better than most for we are fearful least the other
nations in our once proud army, should turn their anger on the Great
King.
But I forget myself and my manners.
I am Khushmasta, of the Arizanti tribe, Satapatis to my Lord Mahrkusha
of Kangavar.
Now my Lord is dead and of the 100 spearman in my satabam, only
30 remain.
Of those that have fallen, more than half were slain by the devils
of Lacedamonia on the first day of battle at the place, called by
the Hellenes, the Gates of Fire, where I myself took a wound to
the shoulder as I tried to recover the spear-ravaged body of my
Lord. For the loss of my Lord, my men, and many others who fought
beside us, I saw not one of those devils in bronze either killed
or take a serious wound, even though our numbers were twentyfold
theirs. At first we thought them foolhardy for they chose to fight
in front of a wall that they had constructed for their defence,
but their long spears, held above their shields & striking down
at our unprotected heads and shoulders whilst our shorter spears,
locked between our shields, struck only against the wall of bronze.
All morning the men of my nation, skilled warriors all, tried to
break through that wall of bronze and long spears but it was like
we faced gods not men.
After midday the warriors of Cissaria replaced us and although they
faced Hellenes other than those devils we fought, still they faired
no better for now those Hellenes fought from behind the wall.
Towards the end of the day I saw the chosen warriors of the Great
King, those called the Immortals, replace the Cissarians and we
felt that by nightfall the pass would be clear. But once again the
warriors of Lacedamonia took the front of the Hellenes line and
the myth of the Immortals was broken, although none would dare say
so.
It was two days later that the pass was finally cleared and even
then our warriors feared to face the last of the Hellenes, being
unable to tell who among them were gods or men. It was with arrows
that we killed those warriors of Lacedamonia and Thespia who remained,
the Sacrae using poison on theirs. Amongst the Hellenes only the
warriors of Thebes were spared for they stood apart from the others
and offered earth & water to the Great King.
I still shudder at the memory of how many of our slain we buried
there, disguising the graves so that our sailors and marines thought
the more of our victory.
I thank Ahuramazda that the Great King chose us to escort him back
here and did not command us to stay in Hellas with the army of Mardonius,
who it was said would face battle with more of those devils in numbers
100 times more than we faced in that narrow place.
Since then we had marched to Athens and our mood improved as we
sacked the city and killed all who remained behind their wall defending
their temples which we tore down.
Although plunder was scarce, still I had a moderate sum and more
was promised when we marched beyond the land of the Hellenes.
But such thoughts had been destroyed with our fleet at Salamis and
our army had divided. I had marched, with great haste, back to Sestos
with the Great King and the larger force. At first it was only the
pace of the march that wearied us, then came the lack of food, disease
and then the attacks by the cavalry and hill warriors of Thrace.
Our baggage and plunder we abandoned and we feared to march in small
groups for all such were swiftly attacked.
Now, having reached Sestos, I wonder if I will have to fight to
protect our Great King or to secure a boat for ourselves from the
hungry, diseased and desperate soldiers of the 49 nations of the
empire gathered here.
I wonder also if I shall return to Kangavar with those of my satabam
who survive, and look again on the faces of my two sons, my wife
and my young daughter, or will I be part of the garrison that will
be left here in Sestos
There is talk that the Great King will raise another army and return
to Hellas and the promised conquer of all the lands beyond until
the land meets the sky; but I pray to Ahuramazda only that I am
allowed to see my home again and see my sons grow to manhood.
But for now my wound aches and my body is tired so I will sleep
the few hours until morning.
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