Raymond Carver's poem -- "Spring, 480 B.C." related question?

Question

Enraged by what he called the impertinence of the
Hellespont in blowing up a storm which brought to a halt his army of 2 million,
Herodotus relates that Xerxes ordered 300 lashes be given that unruly body of
water besides throwing in a pair of fetters, followed by a branding with hot
irons. You can imagine how this news was received at Athens; I mean that the
Persians were on the march.
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I am not sure I understand the last 2 sentences. How the news was received at Athens? They think he is crazy thus the Greeks were really afraid of Xerxes? and what about the Persians were on the march? they were marching over the bridge of ships. how this march connect to 'how the news was received at the Athens'? Considering Greeks just won this war and Persians lost, the 'march' they were on was to retreat. How is this to connect with the rest of the text?

I hope somebody out there can help me out here. Thanks.

to hajgora7,
carver is, indeed, the most influential american writer especially when it comes to short stories. the poem i have question about has been quoted above. it was not an epic, it was a short poem with a total of 15 lines. the new criticism doesn't work for me. the meaning of the last sentence is not clear for me, so i can't decide what i think about it either. but thanks all the same.

Answer 1

they sent the army

Answer 2

Perhaps the Athenians, when they heard the news, felt derisive toward the Persians. They might have laughed, gloated a bit.

It would be helpful if you were to provide a link to Raymond Carver's poem, or to the publication in question. How long is the poem? Is it written as an epic?

Now I'm reading that Carver is supposed to be this very influential American writer. Maybe as I majored in Spanish and French literature, I can excuse myself for not having heard or read of him before. In what book or publication is this poem?

In a sense, you could do as in the New Criticism, and just take the poem as you read it, without adding any extraneous background readings or analysis. Use your own wit and knowledge of the English language, and definitions for any of the place names. Imagine that you are an Athenian, and you "hear" this news. What would you think?

Answer 3

Yay Semper Fi that has happened to me to many times to shake a stick at ' and while i;m in a 200 degrees dryer she chatter and gabbing and forgets about me ' till my hair is all frizz.Thank-you Semper That was truthful and to the bone honesty of these could care less beauty shops.I now said forget it and am growing my hair long again ..