Page:The story of Greece told to boys and girls.djvu/187

 must be that an army go against Hellas, then the same vision will come to thee.'

The foolish king then begged Artabanus to put on his clothes, to sit upon his throne, and afterwards to lie down upon his bed.

At first Artabanus refused to do as the king wished. For he said, 'If the vision must come, it ought to come to me no more if I put on thy dress than if I wear my own, and if I rest on thy couch than if I sleep on my own. For that which comes to thee in thy sleep, whatever it be, is surely not so silly as to think on seeing me that it looks upon thee, judging by thy vesture.'

But at length Artabanus was persuaded to do as the king wished, and lo! when he had lain down on the royal couch, 'the dream of Xerxes came and stood over him, saying, "Neither now nor hereafter shalt thou go unscathed, if thou seekest to turn aside that which must be."' Then the dream appeared as though it were about to sear out his eyes with hot irons.

Artabanus awoke in great fear, and leaping from the couch he told Xerxes what he had seen and heard. From that night Artabanus was as ready as Mardonius to urge the king to invade Greece.