§8.99.1ἡ μὲν δὴ πρώτη ἐς Σοῦσα ἀγγελίη ἀπικομένη, ὡς ἔχοι Ἀθήνας Ξέρξης, ἔτερψε οὕτω δή τι Περσέων τοὺς ὑπολειφθέντας ὡς τάς τε ὁδοὺς μυρσίνῃ πάσας ἐστόρεσαν καὶ ἐθυμίων θυμιήματα καὶ αὐτοὶ ἦσαν ἐν θυσίῃσί τε καὶ εὐπαθείῃσι.
The first message to arrive in Susa, announcing that Xerxes held Athens, so greatly delighted those Persians who had been left behind that they strewed all the streets with myrtle, burned incense, and were themselves engaged in sacrifices and festivities.
§8.99.2ἡ δὲ δευτέρη σφι ἀγγελίη ἐπεσελθοῦσα συνέχεε οὕτω ὥστε τοὺς κιθῶνας κατερρήξαντο πάντες, βοῇ τε καὶ οἰμωγῇ ἐχρέωντο ἀπλέτῳ, Μαρδόνιον ἐν αἰτίῃ τιθέντες.
But the second message, coming upon them, threw them into such confusion that they all tore their tunics and raised an aggregate of endless shouting and wailing, laying the blame on Mardonius.
οὐκ οὕτω δὲ περὶ τῶν νεῶν ἀχθόμενοι ταῦτα οἱ Πέρσαι ἐποίευν ὡς περὶ αὐτῷ Ξέρξῃ δειμαίνοντες.
Yet the Persians did not do this so much out of grief for the ships, as out of fear for Xerxes himself.