The field of hostilities having shifted, and Greece having now set herself to attempt the dismemberment of the Persian empire, we may well ask what has become of Xerxes.  The little energy and intelligence he had possessed at the outset were absorbed by a life of luxury and debauchery.  Weary of his hopeless pursuit of the wife of Masistes, he transferred his attentions to the Artayntas whom he had given in marriage to his son Darius, and succeeded in seducing her.  The vanity of this unfortunate woman at length excited the jealously of the queen.  Amestris believed herself threatened by the ascendency of this mistress; she therefore sent for the girl’s mother, whom she believed guilty of instigating the intrigue, and, having cut off her breasts, ears, nose, lips, and torn out her tongue, she sent her back, thus mutilated, to her family.  Masistes, wishing to avenge her, set out for Bactriana, of which district he was satrap:  he could easily have incited the province to rebel, for its losses in troops during the wars in Europe had been severe, and a secret discontent was widespread; but Xerxes, warned in time, despatched horsemen in pursuit, who overtook and killed him.  The incapacity of the king, and the slackness with which he held the reins of government’, were soon so apparent as to produce intrigues at court:  Artabanus, the chief captain of the guards, was emboldened by the state of affairs to attempt to substitute his own rule for that of the Achaemenids, and one night he assassinated Xerxes.  His method of procedure was never exactly known, and several accounts of it were soon afterwards current.  One of them related that he had as his accomplice the eunuch Aspamithres.  Having committed the crime, both of them rushed to the chamber of Artaxerxes,* one of the sons of the sovereign, but still a child; they accused Darius, the heir to the throne, of the murder, and having obtained an order to seize him, they dragged him before his brother and stabbed him, while he loudly protested his innocence.

* Artaxerxes is the form commonly adopted by the Greek historians and by the moderns who follow them, but Ctcsias and others after him prefer Artoxerxes.  The original form of the Persian name was Artakhshathra.

[Illustration:  247.jpg Artaxerxes]

     Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a daric in the Cabinet des
     Medailles.

Other tales related that Artabanus had taken advantage of the free access to the palace which his position allowed him, to conceal himself one night within it, in company with his seven sons.  Having murdered Xerxes, he convinced Artaxerxes of the guilt of his brother, and conducting him to the latter’s chamber, where he was found asleep, Artabanus stabbed him on the spot, on the pretence that he was only feigning slumber.*