Reflections On Missed Opportunities
Master architect of empires, Xerxes, was haunted by a decision made in the heat of his Grecian campaign. Upon his army’s arrival at Athens—a city already largely deserted—Xerxes issued a command that would echo through history: the once-glorious city was to be laid to waste. The majestic structures of Athens crumbled under his directive, an act he would come to lament as a moment of fury-fueled folly. The Persian ruler publicly expressed remorse for the needless devastation that had swept through the birthplace of democracy.
Yet, the wheel of retribution turned. Years later, when Greek forces surged through the gates of Persepolis, history’s harsh gaze fell upon Xerxes once more. In a twist of fate, the Greeks decreed a reprisal as severe as the one that had befallen their own cherished city. The Persian capital faced the same brutal fate, a stark reminder of the cyclical nature of vengeance..