table of contents chapter 1 : persia crosses the hellespont chapter 2 : night horseman at eleusis chapter 3 : the burning of brauron chapter 4 : flight in darkness chapter 5 : the war council chapter 6 : return to eleusis chapter 7 : the oracle from delphi chapter 8 : entering the underworld chapter 9 : a cloud of spirits chapter 10 : evacuation to salamis chapter 11 : the battle of salamis chapter 12 : epilepsy chapter 13 : xerxes ' lament chapter 14 : the funeral pyre chapter 15 : the isthmus of corinth chapter 16 : halcyon days at eleusis chapter 17 : the seizure chapter 18 : the physician chapter 19 : prophecy on the road chapter 20 : the seer of epidaurus chapter 21 : encounter with asklepios chapter 22 : the war machine chapter 23 : the burning of eleusis chapter 24 : in the persian camp chapter 25 : contention among the ashes chapter 26 : the battle of plataea chapter 27 : exile chapter 28 : a mistress for the dadouchos chapter 29 : the vision chapter 30 : the council of generals chapter 31 : a view of the fates chapter 32 : the broach of arrogance chapter 33 : reading entrails chapter 34 : a call to courage chapter 35 : voyage to a distant shore chapter 36 : reviewing the troops chapter 37 : the battle of mykale chapter 38 : a final word to the generals chapter 39 : the newborn chapter 40 : journey to the elysian fields chapter 41 : the funeral chapter 42 : the cost of salvation chapter 43 : xerxes ' bridge cables chapter 1 : persia crosses the hellespont a great bonfire burned on shore where fast water flowed through the strait separating europe and asia , the hellespont .