Famous Characters of History Author:Jacob Abbott, John Stevens Cabot Abbott Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. Debate On The Proposed Invasion Of Greece. Counselors of Xerxes.— Age ami character of Mardonius.— The avenues of renown.— Blood inherited and b... more »lood shed.—Character of Artabanus.— His advice to Xerxes.—The Ionian rebellion.—First invasion of Greece.— Xerxes convenes a public council.— His speech.— Xerxes recounts the aggressions of the Athenians.— Xerxes proposes to build a bridge over the Hellespont.— Excitement of Mardonius.—His speech.—Mardonius expresses his contempt of the Greeks.— Predictions of Mardonius.— Pause in the assembly.— Speech of Artabanus.— His apologies.— Artabanus opposes the war.— Repulse of Datis.—Artabanus warns Xerxes of the danger of the expedition.— Artabanus vindicates the character of the Greeks.—Xerxes's displeasure.—His angry reply to Artabanus.— Xerxes's anxiety.— He determines to abandon his project.—Xerxes sees a vision in the night.— The spirit appears a second time to Xerxes.— Xerxes relates his dreams to Artabanus.—Opinion of the latter.— Artabanus takes Xerxes's place.—The spirit appears a third time.— Artabanus is convinced.— The invasion decided upon.— Mardonius probably the ghost. The two great counselors on whose judgment Xerxes mainly relied, so far as he looked to any other judgment than his own in the formation of his plans, were Artabanus, the uncle by whose decision the throne had been awarded to him, and Mardonius, the commander-in-chief of his armies. Xerxes himself was quite a young man, of a proud and lofty, yet generous character, and full of self-confidence and hope. Mardonius was much older, but he was a soldier by profession, and was eager to dis- tinguish himself in some great military campaign. It has always been unfortunate for the peace and happiness of mankind, under all monarchical and despotic gove...« less