Herodotus on Xerxes in Abydus

Xerxes in Abydus

[7.44] When Xerxes had come to Abydus, he had a desire to see all the army;^note[This is impossible. The Persian army was too large to be fed at Abydus.] and there had been made purposely for him beforehand upon a hill in this place a raised seat of white stone, which the people of Abydus had built at the command of the king given beforehand. There he took his seat, and looking down upon the shore he gazed both upon the land-army and the ships; and gazing upon them he had a longing to see a contest take place between the ships; and when it had taken place and the Phoenicians of Sidon were victorious, he was delighted bot