diff options
Diffstat (limited to '2456-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 2456-0.txt | 14056 |
1 files changed, 14056 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/2456-0.txt b/2456-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cf4dc9f --- /dev/null +++ b/2456-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14056 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2456 *** + + + + +THE HISTORY OF HERODOTUS + +By Herodotus + +Translated into English by G. C. Macaulay + +IN TWO VOLUMES + +VOL. II + + {e Herodotou diathesis en apasin epieikes, kai tois men + agathois sunedomene, tois de kakois sunalgousa}.—Dion. + Halic. + + + + +PREPARER'S NOTE + +This text was prepared from the third edition, printed in 1914, by +MacMillan and Co., Limited, St. Martin's Street, London. + +Greek text has been transliterated and marked with brackets, as in the +opening citation above. + + + + + +THE HISTORY OF HERODOTUS + + + + +BOOK V. THE FIFTH BOOK OF THE HISTORIES, CALLED TERPSICHORE + +1. In the meantime those of the Persians who had been left behind in +Europe by Dareios, of whom Megabazos was the commander, had subdued the +people of Perinthos first of the Hellespontians, since they refused to +be subject to Dareios. These had in former times also been hardly dealt +with by the Paionians: for the Paionians from the Strymon had been +commanded by an oracle of their god to march against the Perinthians; +and if the Perinthians, when encamped opposite to them, should shout +aloud and call to them by their name, they were to attack them; but if +they should not shout to them, they were not to attack them: and thus +the Paionians proceeded to do. Now when the Perinthians were encamped +opposite to them in the suburb of their city, a challenge was made and +a single combat took place in three different forms; for they matched a +man against a man, and a horse against a horse, and a dog against a dog. +Then, as the Perinthians were getting the better in two of the three, +in their exultation they raised a shout of paion, 1 and the Paionians +conjectured that this was the very thing which was spoken of in the +oracle, and said doubtless to one another, "Now surely the oracle +is being accomplished for us, now it is time for us to act." So the +Paionians attacked the Perinthians when they had raised the shout of +paion, and they had much the better in the fight, and left but few of +them alive. + +2. Thus it happened with respect to those things which had been done to +them in former times by the Paionians; and at this time, although the +Perinthians proved themselves brave men in defence of their freedom, +the Persians and Megabazos got the better of them by numbers. Then after +Perinthos had been conquered, Megabazos marched his army through the +length of Thracia, forcing every city and every race of those who +dwell there to submit to the king, for so it had been commanded him by +Dareios, to subdue Thracia. + +3. Now the Thracian race is the most numerous, except the Indians, in +all the world: and if it should come to be ruled over by one man, or +to agree together in one, it would be irresistible in fight and the +strongest by far of all nations, in my opinion. Since however this is +impossible for them and cannot ever come to pass among them, 2 they are +in fact weak for that reason. They have many names, belonging to their +various tribes in different places; but they all follow customs which +are nearly the same in all respects, except the Getai and Trausians and +those who dwell above the Crestonians. + +4. Of these the practices of the Getai, who believe themselves to be +immortal, have been spoken of by me already: 3 and the Trausians perform +everything else in the same manner as the other Thracians, but in regard +to those who are born and die among them they do as follows:--when +a child has been born, the nearest of kin sit round it and make +lamentation for all the evils of which he must fulfil the measure, now +that he is born, 301 enumerating the whole number of human ills; but +when a man is dead, they cover him up in the earth with sport and +rejoicing, saying at the same time from what great evils he has escaped +and is now in perfect bliss. + +5. Those who dwell above the Crestonians do as follows:--each man has +many wives, and when any man of them is dead, a great competition takes +place among his wives, with much exertion on the part of their friends, +about the question of which of them was most loved by their husband; and +she who is preferred by the decision and so honoured, is first praised +by both men and women, then her throat is cut over the tomb by her +nearest of kin, and afterwards she is buried together with her husband; +and the others are exceedingly grieved at it, for this is counted as the +greatest reproach to them. + +6. Of the other Thracians the custom is to sell their children to be +carried away out of the country; and over their maidens they do not keep +watch, but allow them to have commerce with whatever men they please, +but over their wives they keep very great watch; and they buy their +wives for great sums of money from their parents. To be pricked with +figures is accounted a mark of noble rank, and not to be so marked is a +sign of low birth. 4 Not to work is counted most honourable, and to be a +worker of the soil is above all things dishonourable: to live on war and +plunder is the most honourable thing. + +7. These are their most remarkable customs; and of the gods they worship +only Ares and Dionysos and Artemis. Their kings, however, apart from the +rest of the people, worship Hermes more than all gods, and swear by him +alone; and they say that they are descended from Hermes. + +8. The manner of burial for the rich among them is this:--for three days +they expose the corpse to view, and they slay all kinds of victims +and feast, having first made lamentation. Then they perform the burial +rites, either consuming the body with fire or covering it up in the +earth without burning; and afterwards when they have heaped up a mound +they celebrate games with every kind of contest, in which reasonably the +greatest prizes are assigned for single combat. 5 This is the manner of +burial among the Thracians. + +9. Of the region lying further on towards the North of this country +no one can declare accurately who the men are who dwell in it; but the +parts which lie immediately beyond the Ister are known to be uninhabited +and vast in extent. The only men of whom I can hear who dwell beyond +the Ister are those who are said to be called Sigynnai, and who use the +Median fashion of dress. Their horses, it is said, have shaggy hair all +over their bodies, as much as five fingers long; and these are small and +flat-nosed and too weak to carry men, but when yoked in chariots they +are very high-spirited; therefore the natives of the country drive +chariots. The boundaries of this people extend, it is said, to the parts +near the Enetoi, who live on the Adriatic; and people say that they +are colonists from the Medes. In what way however these have come to +be colonists from the Medes I am not able for my part to conceive, but +everything is possible in the long course of ages. However that may be, +the Ligurians who dwell in the region inland above Massalia call traders +sigynnai, and the men of Cyprus give the same name to spears. + +10. Now the Thracians say that the other side of the Ister is occupied +by bees, and that by reason of them it is not possible to pass through +and proceed further: but to me it seems that when they so speak, they +say that which is not probable; for these creatures are known to be +intolerant of cold, and to me it seems that the regions which go up +towards the pole are uninhabitable by reason of the cold climate. These +then are the tales reported about this country; and however that may +be, Megabazos was then making the coast-regions of it subject to the +Persians. + +11. Meanwhile Dareios, so soon as he had crossed over the Hellespont and +come to Sardis, called to mind the service rendered to him by Histiaios +the Milesian and also the advice of the Mytilenian Coës, and having +sent for them to come to Sardis he offered them a choice of rewards. +Histiaios then, being despot of Miletos, did not make request for +any government in addition to that, but he asked for the district of +Myrkinos which belonged to the Edonians, desiring there to found a city. +Histiaios chose this for himself; but Coës, not being a despot but a man +of the people, asked to be made despot of Mitylene. + +12. After the desires of both had been fulfilled, they betook themselves +to that which they had chosen: and at this same time it chanced that +Dareios saw a certain thing which made him desire to command Megabazos +to conquer the Paionians and remove them forcibly from Europe into Asia: +and the thing was this:--There were certain Paionians named Pigres and +Mantyas, who when Dareios had crossed over into Asia, came to Sardis, +because they desired themselves to have rule over the Paionians, and +with them they brought their sister, who was tall and comely. Then +having watched for a time when Dareios took his seat publicly in the +suburb of the Lydian city, they dressed up their sister in the best way +they could, and sent her to fetch water, having a water-jar upon her +head and leading a horse after her by a bridle round her arm, and at the +same time spinning flax. Now when the woman passed out of the city by +him, Dareios paid attention to the matter, for that which was done by +the woman was not of Persian nor yet of Lydian fashion, nor indeed +after the manner of any people of Asia. He sent therefore some of his +spearmen, bidding them watch what the woman would do with the horse. +They accordingly followed after her; and she having arrived at the river +watered the horse, and having watered him and filled her jar with the +water, she passed along by the same way, bearing the water upon her +head, leading the horse after her by a bridle round her arm, and at the +same time turning the spindle. + +13. Then Dareios, marvelling both at that which he heard from those who +went to observe and also at that which he saw himself, bade them bring +her into his presence: and when she was brought, her brothers also came, +who had been watching these things at no great distance off. So then +when Dareios asked of what country she was, the young men said that they +were Paionians and that she was their sister; and he replied: "Who then +are these Paionians, and where upon the earth do they dwell?" and he +asked them also what they desired, that they had come to Sardis. They +declared to him that they had come to give themselves up to him, and +that Paionia was a country situated upon the river Strymon, and that +the Strymon was not far from the Hellespont, and finally that they were +colonists from the Teucrians of Troy. All these things severally they +told him; and he asked whether all the women of that land were as +industrious as their sister; and they very readily replied to this also, +saying that it was so, for it was with a view to that very thing that +they had been doing this. + +14. Then Dareios wrote a letter to Megabazos, whom he had left to +command his army in Thrace, bidding him remove the Paionians from their +place of habitation and bring them to the king, both themselves and +their children and their wives. Then forthwith a horseman set forth to +ride in haste bearing the message to the Hellespont, and having passed +over to the other side he gave the paper to Megabazos. So he having +read it and having obtained guides from Thrace, set forth to march upon +Paionia: + +15. and the Paionians, being informed that the Persians were coming +against them, gathered all their powers together and marched out in the +direction of the sea, supposing that the Persians when they invaded them +would make their attack on that side. The Paionians then were prepared, +as I say, to drive off the army of Megabazos when it came against them; +but the Persians hearing that the Paionians had gathered their powers +and were guarding the entrance which lay towards the sea, directed their +course with guides along the upper road; and passing unperceived by the +Paionians they fell upon their cities, which were left without men, and +finding them without defenders they easily took possession of them. The +Paionians when they heard that their cities were in the hands of the +enemy, at once dispersed, each tribe to its own place of abode, and +proceeded to deliver themselves up to the Persians. Thus then it +happened that these tribes of the Paionians, namely the Siropaionians, +6 the Paioplians and all up to the lake Prasias, were removed from their +place of habitation and brought to Asia; + +16. but those who dwell about mount Pangaion, and about the Doberians +and Agrianians and Odomantians, 7 and about the lake Prasias itself, +were not conquered at all by Megabazos. He tried however to remove even +those who lived in the lake and who had their dwellings in the following +manner:--a platform fastened together and resting upon lofty piles stood +in the middle of the water of the lake, with a narrow approach to it +from the mainland by a single bridge. The piles which supported the +platform were no doubt originally set there by all the members of the +community working together, but since that time they continue to set +them by observance of this rule, that is to say, every man who marries +brings from the mountain called Orbelos three piles for each wife and +sets them as supports; and each man takes to himself many wives. And +they have their dwelling thus, that is each man has possession of a hut +upon the platform in which he lives and of a trap-door 8 leading through +the platform down to the lake: and their infant children they tie with +a rope by the foot, for fear that they should roll into the water. To +their horses and beasts of burden they give fish for fodder; and of fish +there is so great quantity that if a man open the trap-door and let down +an empty basket by a cord into the lake, after waiting quite a short +time he draws it up again full of fish. Of the fish there are two kinds, +and they call them paprax and tilon. + +17. So then those of the Paionians who had been conquered were being +brought to Asia: and Megabazos meanwhile, after he had conquered the +Paionians, sent as envoys to Macedonia seven Persians, who after himself +were the men of most repute in the army. These were being sent to +Amyntas to demand of him earth and water for Dareios the king. Now from +lake Prasias there is a very short way into Macedonia; for first, quite +close to the lake, there is the mine from which after this time there +came in regularly a talent of silver every day to Alexander; and after +the mine, when you have passed over the mountain called Dysoron, you are +in Macedonia. + +18. These Persians then, who had been sent to Amyntas, having arrived +came into the presence of Amyntas and proceeded to demand earth and +water for king Dareios. This he was willing to give, and also he invited +them to be his guests; and he prepared a magnificent dinner and received +the Persians with friendly hospitality. Then when dinner was over, the +Persians while drinking pledges to one another 9 said thus: "Macedonian +guest-friend, it is the custom among us Persians, when we set forth a +great dinner, then to bring in also our concubines and lawful wives to +sit beside us. Do thou then, since thou didst readily receive us and +dost now entertain us magnificently as thy guests, and since thou art +willing to give to king Dareios earth and water, consent to follow our +custom." To this Amyntas replied: "Persians, among us the custom is not +so, but that men should be separate from women. Since however ye being +our masters make this request in addition, this also shall be given +you." Having so said Amyntas proceeded to send for the women; and +when they came being summoned, they sat down in order opposite to the +Persians. Then the Persians, seeing women of comely form, spoke to +Amyntas and said that this which had been done was by no means well +devised; for it was better that the women should not come at all, than +that they should come and should not seat themselves by their side, but +sit opposite and be a pain to their eyes. So Amyntas being compelled +bade them sit by the side of the Persians; and when the women obeyed, +forthwith the Persians, being much intoxicated, began to touch their +breasts, and some no doubt also tried to kiss them. + +19. Amyntas seeing this kept quiet, notwithstanding that he felt anger, +because he excessively feared the Persians; but Alexander the son +of Amyntas, who was present and saw this, being young and without +experience of calamity was not able to endure any longer; but being +impatient of it he said to Amyntas: "My father, do thou grant that +which thy age demands, and go away to rest, nor persevere longer in +the drinking; but I will remain here and give to our guests all that is +convenient." On this Amyntas, understanding that Alexander was intending +to do some violence, said: "My son, I think that I understand thy words, +as the heat of anger moves thee, namely that thou desirest to send me +away and then do some deed of violence: therefore I ask of thee not to +do violence to these men, that it may not be our ruin, but endure to see +that which is being done: as to my departure, however, in that I will do +as thou sayest." + +20. When Amyntas after having made of him this request had departed, +Alexander said to the Persians: "With these women ye have perfect +freedom, guests, to have commerce with all, if ye so desire, or with as +many of them as ye will. About this matter ye shall be they who give the +word; but now, since already the hour is approaching for you to go to +bed and I see that ye have well drunk, let these women go away, if so it +is pleasing to you, to bathe themselves; and when they have bathed, then +receive them back into your company." Having so said, since the Persians +readily agreed, he dismissed the women, when they had gone out, to the +women's chambers; and Alexander himself equipped men equal in number to +the women and smooth-faced, in the dress of the women, and giving them +daggers he led them into the banqueting-room; and as he led them in, he +said thus to the Persians: "Persians, it seems to me that ye have been +entertained with a feast to which nothing was wanting; for other things, +as many as we had, and moreover such as we were able to find out and +furnish, are all supplied to you, and there is this especially besides, +which is the chief thing of all, that is, we give you freely in addition +our mothers and our sisters, in order that ye may perceive fully that +ye are honoured by us with that treatment which ye deserve, and also in +order that ye may report to the king who sent you that a man of Hellas, +ruler under him of the Macedonians, entertained you well at board and +bed." Having thus said Alexander caused a Macedonian man in the guise of +a woman to sit by each Persian, and they, when the Persians attempted to +lay hands on them, slew them. + +21. So these perished by this fate, both they themselves and their +company of servants; for there came with them carriages and servants and +all the usual pomp of equipage, and this was all made away with at the +same time as they. Afterwards in no long time a great search was made by +the Persians for these men, and Alexander stopped them with cunning +by giving large sums of money and his own sister, whose name was +Gygaia;--by giving, I say, these things to Bubares a Persian, commander +of those who were searching for the men who had been killed, Alexander +stopped their search. + +22. Thus the death of these Persians was kept concealed. And that these +descendants of Perdiccas are Hellenes, as they themselves say, I happen +to know myself, and not only so, but I will prove in the succeeding +history that they are Hellenes. 10 Moreover the Hellanodicai, who manage +the games at Olympia, decided that they were so: for when Alexander +wished to contend in the games and had descended for this purpose into +the arena, the Hellenes who were to run against him tried to exclude +him, saying that the contest was not for Barbarians to contend in but +for Hellenes: since however Alexander proved that he was of Argos, +he was judged to be a Hellene, and when he entered the contest of the +foot-race his lot came out with that of the first. 11 + +23. Thus then it happened with regard to these things: and at the same +time Megabazos had arrived at the Hellespont bringing with him the +Paionians; and thence after passing over the straits he came to Sardis. +Then, since Histiaios the Milesian was already engaged in fortifying +with a wall the place which he had asked and obtained from Dareios as a +reward for keeping safe the bridge of boats (this place being that +which is called Myrkinos, lying along the bank of the river Strymon), +Megabazos, having perceived that which was being done by Histiaios, as +soon as he came to Sardis bringing the Paionians, said thus to Dareios: +"O king, what a thing is this that thou hast done, granting permission +to a Hellene who is skilful and cunning to found a city in Thracia in +a place where there is forest for shipbuilding in abundance and great +quantity of wood for oars and mines of silver and great numbers both +of Hellenes and Barbarians living round, who when they have obtained +a leader will do that which he shall command them both by day and by +night. Therefore stop this man from doing so, that thou be not involved +in a domestic war: and stop him by sending for him in a courteous +manner; but when thou hast got him in thy hands, then cause that he +shall never again return to the land of the Hellenes." + +24. Thus saying Megabazos easily persuaded Dareios, who thought that he +was a true prophet of that which was likely to come to pass: and +upon that Dareios sent a messenger to Myrkinos and said as follows: +"Histiaios, king Dareios saith these things:--By taking thought I find +that there is no one more sincerely well disposed than thou art to me +and to my power; and this I know having learnt by deeds not words. Now +therefore, since I have it in my mind to accomplish great matters, +come hither to me by all means, that I may communicate them to thee." +Histiaios therefore, trusting to these sayings and at the same time +accounting it a great thing to become a counsellor of the king, came +to Sardis; and when he had come Dareios spoke to him as follows: +"Histiaios, I sent for thee for this reason, namely because when I had +returned from the Scythians and thou wert gone away out of the sight of +my eyes, never did I desire to see anything again within so short a time +as I desired then both to see thee and that thou shouldst come to speech +with me; since I perceived that the most valuable of all possessions is +a friend who is a man of understanding and also sincerely well-disposed, +both which qualities I know exist in thee, and I am able to bear witness +of them in regard to my affairs. Now therefore (for thou didst well in +that thou camest hither) this is that which I propose to thee:--leave +Miletos alone and also thy newly-founded city in Thracia, and coming +with me to Susa, have whatsoever things I have, eating at my table and +being my counseller." + +25. Thus said Dareios, and having appointed Artaphrenes 12 his own +brother and the son of his father to be governor of Sardis, he marched +away to Susa taking with him Histiaios, after he had first named Otanes +to be commander of those who dwelt along the sea coasts. This man's +father Sisamnes, who had been made one of the Royal Judges, king +Cambyses slew, because he had judged a cause unjustly for money, and +flayed off all his skin: then after he had torn away the skin he cut +leathern thongs out of it and stretched them across the seat where +Sisamnes had been wont to sit to give judgment; and having stretched +them in the seat, Cambyses appointed the son of that Sisamnes whom he +had slain and flayed, to be judge instead of his father, enjoining him +to remember in what seat he was sitting to give judgment. + +26. This Otanes then, who was made to sit in that seat, had now +become the successor of Megabazos in the command: and he conquered the +Byzantians and Calchedonians, and he conquered Antandros in the land +of Troas, and Lamponion; and having received ships from the Lesbians +he conquered Lemnos and Imbros, which were both at that time still +inhabited by Pelasgians. + +27. Of these the Lemnians fought well, and defending themselves for a +long time were at length brought to ruin; 13 and over those of them +who survived the Persians set as governor Lycaretos the brother of that +Maiandrios who had been king of Samos. This Lycaretos ruled in Lemnos +till his death. And the cause of it 14 was this:--he continued to +reduce all to slavery and subdue them, accusing some of desertion to the +Scythians and others of doing damage to the army of Dareios as it was +coming back from Scythia. + +28. Otanes then effected so much when he was made commander: and after +this for a short time there was an abatement 15 of evils; and then again +evils began a second time to fall upon the Ionians, arising from Naxos +and Miletos. For Naxos was superior to all the other islands in wealth, +and Miletos at the same time had just then come to the very height of +its prosperity and was the ornament 16 of Ionia; but before these events +for two generations of men it had been afflicted most violently by +faction until the Parians reformed it; for these the Milesians chose of +all the Hellenes to be reformers of their State. + +29. Now the Parians thus reconciled their factions:--the best men of +them came to Miletos, and seeing that the Milesians were in a grievously +ruined state, they said that they desired to go over their land: and +while doing this and passing through the whole territory of Miletos, +whenever they saw in the desolation of the land any field that was well +cultivated, they wrote down the name of the owner of that field. Then +when they had passed through the whole land and had found but few of +such men, as soon as they returned to the city they called a general +gathering and appointed these men to manage the State, whose fields they +had found well cultivated; for they said that they thought these men +would take care of the public affairs as they had taken care of their +own: and the rest of the Milesians, who before had been divided by +factions, they commanded to be obedient to these men. + +30. The Parians then had thus reformed the Milesians; but at the time of +which I speak evils began to come to Ionia from these States 17 in the +following manner:--From Naxos certain men of the wealthier class 18 were +driven into exile by the people, and having gone into exile they +arrived at Miletos. Now of Miletos it happened that Aristagoras son +of Molpagoras was ruler in charge, being both a son-in-law and also a +cousin of Histiaios the son of Lysagoras, whom Dareios was keeping at +Susa: for Histiaios was despot of Miletos, and it happened that he was +at Susa at this time when the Naxians came, who had been in former +times guest-friends of Histiaios. So when the Naxians arrived, they made +request of Aristagoras, to see if perchance he would supply them with +a force, and so they might return from exile to their own land: and he, +thinking that if by his means they should return to their own State, he +would be ruler of Naxos, but at the same time making a pretext of the +guest-friendship of Histiaios, made proposal to them thus: "I am not +able to engage that I can supply you with sufficient force to bring you +back from exile against the will of those Naxians who have control +of the State; for I hear that the Naxians have an army which is eight +thousand shields strong and many ships of war: but I will use every +endeavour to devise a means; and my plan is this:--it chances that +Artaphrenes is my friend: now Artaphrenes, ye must know, 1801 is a son +of Hystaspes and brother of Dareios the king; and he is ruler of all the +people of the sea-coasts in Asia, with a great army and many ships. This +man then I think will do whatsoever we shall request of him." Hearing +this the Naxians gave over the matter to Aristagoras to manage as +best he could, and they bade him promise gifts and the expenses of +the expedition, saying that they would pay them; for they had full +expectation that when they should appear at Naxos, the Naxians would do +all their bidding, and likewise also the other islanders. For of these +islands, that is the Cyclades, not one was as yet subject to Dareios. + +31. Aristagoras accordingly having arrived at Sardis, said to +Artaphrenes that Naxos was an island not indeed large in size, but fair +nevertheless and of fertile soil, as well as near to Ionia, and that +there was in it much wealth and many slaves: "Do thou therefore send an +expedition against this land, and restore it to those who are now exiles +from it: and if thou shalt do this, first I have ready for thee large +sums of money apart from the expenses incurred for the expedition (which +it is fair that we who conduct it should supply), and next thou wilt +gain for the king not only Naxos itself but also the islands which are +dependent upon it, Paros and Andros and the others which are called +Cyclades; and setting out from these thou wilt easily attack Euboea, an +island which is large and wealthy, as large indeed as Cyprus, and very +easy to conquer. To subdue all these a hundred ships are sufficient." +He made answer in these words: "Thou makest thyself a reporter of good +things to the house of the king; and in all these things thou advisest +well, except as to the number of the ships: for instead of one hundred +there shall be prepared for thee two hundred by the beginning of the +spring. And it is right that the king himself also should join in +approving this matter." + +32. So Aristagoras hearing this went back to Miletos greatly rejoiced; +and Artaphrenes meanwhile, when he had sent to Susa and communicated +that which was said by Aristagoras, and Dareios himself also had joined +in approving it, made ready two hundred triremes and a very great +multitude both of Persians and their allies, and appointed to be +commander of these Megabates a Persian, one of the Achaimenidai and a +cousin to himself and to Dareios, to whose daughter afterwards Pausanias +the son of Cleombrotus the Lacedaemonian (at least if the story be true) +betrothed himself, having formed a desire to become a despot of Hellas. +Having appointed Megabates, I say, to be commander, Artaphrenes sent +away the armament to Aristagoras. + +33. So when Megabates had taken force together with the Naxians, he +sailed with the pretence of going to the Hellespont; but when he came +to Chios, he directed his ships to Caucasa, in order that he might from +thence pass them over to Naxos with a North Wind. Then, since it was +not fated that the Naxians should be destroyed by this expedition, there +happened an event which I shall narrate. As Megabates was going round to +visit the guards set in the several ships, it chanced that in a ship +of Myndos there was no one on guard; and he being very angry bade his +spearmen find out the commander of the ship, whose name was Skylax, and +bind him in an oar-hole of his ship in such a manner 19 that his head +should be outside and his body within. When Skylax was thus bound, some +one reported to Aristagoras that Megabates had bound his guest-friend +of Myndos and was doing to him shameful outrage. He accordingly came and +asked the Persian for his release, and as he did not obtain anything +of that which he requested, he went himself and let him loose. Being +informed of this Megabates was exceedingly angry and broke out in rage +against Aristagoras; and he replied: "What hast thou to do with +these matters? Did not Artaphrenes send thee to obey me, and to sail +whithersoever I should order? Why dost thou meddle with things which +concern thee not?" Thus said Aristagoras; and the other being enraged at +this, when night came on sent men in a ship to Naxos to declare to the +Naxians all the danger that threatened them. + +34. For the Naxians were not at all expecting that this expedition +would be against them: but when they were informed of it, forthwith +they brought within the wall the property which was in the fields, and +provided for themselves food and drink as for a siege, and strengthened +their wall. 20 These then were making preparations as for war to come +upon them; and the others meanwhile having passed their ships over from +Chios to Naxos, found them well defended when they made their attack, +and besieged them for four months. Then when the money which the +Persians had brought with them had all been consumed by them, and not +only that, but Aristagoras himself had spent much in addition, and +the siege demanded ever more and more, they built walls for the Naxian +exiles and departed to the mainland again with ill success. + +35. And so Aristagoras was not able to fulfil his promise to +Artaphrenes; and at the same time he was hard pressed by the demand made +to him for the expenses of the expedition, and had fears because of +the ill success of the armament and because he had become an enemy of +Megabates; and he supposed that he would be deprived of his rule over +Miletos. Having all these various fears he began to make plans of +revolt: for it happened also that just at this time the man who had been +marked upon the head had come from Histiaios who was at Susa, signifying +that Aristagoras should revolt from the king. For Histiaios, desiring +to signify to Aristagoras that he should revolt, was not able to do it +safely in any other way, because the roads were guarded, but shaved off +the hair of the most faithful of his slaves, and having marked his head +by pricking it, waited till the hair had grown again; and as soon as it +was grown, he sent him away to Miletos, giving him no other charge but +this, namely that when he should have arrived at Miletos he should bid +Aristagoras shave his hair and look at his head: and the marks, as I +have said before, signified revolt. This thing Histiaios was doing, +because he was greatly vexed by being detained at Susa. He had +great hopes then that if a revolt occurred he would be let go to +the sea-coast; but if no change was made at Miletos 2001 he had no +expectation of ever returning thither again. + +36. Accordingly Histiaios with this intention was sending the messenger; +and it chanced that all these things happened to Aristagoras together at +the same time. He took counsel therefore with his partisans, declaring +to them both his own opinion and the message from Histiaios; and while +all the rest expressed an opinion to the same effect, urging him namely +to make revolt, Hecataios the historian urged first that they should not +undertake war with the king of the Persians, enumerating all the nations +over whom Dareios was ruler, and his power: and when he did not succeed +in persuading him, he counselled next that they should manage to make +themselves masters of the sea. Now this, he continued, could not come +to pass in any other way, so far as he could see, for he knew that the +force of the Milesians was weak, but if the treasures should be taken +21 which were in the temple at Branchidai, which Croesus the Lydian +dedicated as offerings, he had great hopes that they might become +masters of the sea; and by this means they would not only themselves +have wealth at their disposal, but the enemy would not be able to carry +the things off as plunder. Now these treasures were of great value, as +I have shown in the first part of the history. 22 This opinion did not +prevail; but nevertheless it was resolved to make revolt, and that one +of them should sail to Myus, to make the force which had returned from +Naxos and was then there, and endeavour to seize the commanders who +sailed in the ships. + +37. So Iatragoras was sent for this purpose and seized by craft Oliatos +the son of Ibanollis of Mylasa, and Histiaios the son of Tymnes of +Termera, and Coës the son of Erxander, to whom Dareios had given +Mytilene as a gift, and Aristagoras the son of Heracleides of Kyme, and +many others; and then Aristagoras openly made revolt and devised all +that he could to the hurt of Dareios. And first he pretended to resign +the despotic power and give to Miletos equality, 23 in order that +the Milesians might be willing to revolt with him: then afterwards he +proceeded to do this same thing in the rest of Ionia also; and some of +the despots he drove out, but those whom he had taken from the ships +which had sailed with him to Naxis, these he surrendered, because he +desired to do a pleasure to their cities, delivering them over severally +to that city from which each one came. + +38. Now the men of Mitylene, so soon as they received Coës into their +hands, brought him out and stoned him to death; but the men of Kyme let +their despot go, and so also most of the others let them go. Thus then +the despots were deposed in the various cities; and Aristagoras the +Milesian, after having deposed the despots, bade each people appoint +commanders in their several cities, and then himself set forth as an +envoy to Lacedemon; for in truth it was necessary that he should find +out some powerful alliance. + +39. Now at Sparta Anaxandrides the son of Leon was no longer surviving +as king, but had brought his life to an end; and Cleomenes the son of +Anaxandrides was holding the royal power, not having obtained it by +merit but by right of birth. For Anaxandrides had to wife his own +sister's daughter and she was by him much beloved, but no children were +born to him by her. This being so, the Ephors summoned him before them +and said: "If thou dost not for thyself take thought in time, yet we +cannot suffer this to happen, that the race of Eurysthenes should become +extinct. Do thou therefore put away from thee the wife whom thou now +hast, since, as thou knowest, she bears thee no children, and marry +another: and in doing so thou wilt please the Spartans." He made answer +saying that he would do neither of these two things, and that they did +not give him honourable counsel, in that they advised him to send away +the wife whom he had, though she had done him no wrong, and to take to +his house another; and in short he would not follow their advice. + +40. Upon this the Ephors and the Senators deliberated together and +proposed to Anaxandrides as follows: "Since then we perceive that thou +art firmly attached to the wife whom thou now hast, consent to do this, +and set not thyself against it, lest the Spartans take some counsel +about thee other than might be wished. We do not ask of thee the putting +away of the wife whom thou hast; but do thou give to her all that +thou givest now and at the same time take to thy house another wife in +addition to this one, to bear thee children." When they spoke to him +after this manner, Anaxandrides consented, having two wives, a thing +which was not by any means after the Spartan fashion. + +41. Then when no long time had elapsed, the wife who had come in +afterwards bore this Cleomenes of whom we spoke; and just when she was +bringing to the light an heir to the kingdom of the Spartans, the former +wife, who had during the time before been childless, then by some means +conceived, chancing to do so just at that time: and though she was in +truth with child, the kinsfolk of the wife who had come in afterwards, +when they heard of it cried out against her and said that she was making +a vain boast, and that she meant to pass off another child as her own. +Since then they made a great show of indignation, as the time was fast +drawing near, the Ephors being incredulous sat round and watched the +woman during the birth of her child: and she bore Dorieos and then +straightway conceived Leonidas and after him at once Cleombrotos,--nay, +some even say that Cleombrotos and Leonidas were twins. The wife however +who had born Cleomenes and had come in after the first wife, being +the daughter of Primetades the son of Demarmenos, did not bear a child +again. + +42. Now Cleomenes, it is said, was not quite in his right senses but on +the verge of madness, 24 while Dorieos was of all his equals in age +the first, and felt assured that he would obtain the kingdom by merit. +Seeing then that he had this opinion, when Anaxandrides died and the +Lacedemonians followed the usual custom established the eldest, namely +Cleomenes, upon the throne, Dorieos being indignant and not thinking it +fit that he should be a subject of Cleomenes, asked the Spartans to give +him a company of followers and led them out to found a colony, without +either inquiring of the Oracle at Delphi to what land he should go to +make a settlement, or doing any of the things which are usually +done; but being vexed he sailed away with his ships to Libya, and the +Theraians were his guides thither. Then having come to Kinyps 25 he made +a settlement in the fairest spot of all Libya, along the banks of the +river; but afterwards in the third year he was driven out from thence +by the Macai and the Libyans 26 and the Carthaginians, and returned to +Peloponnesus. + +43. Then Antichares a man of Eleon gave him counsel out of the oracles +of Laïos to make a settlement at Heracleia 27 in Sicily, saying that the +whole land of Eryx belonged to the Heracleidai, since Heracles himself +had won it: and hearing this he went forthwith to Delphi to inquire of +the Oracle whether he would be able to conquer the land to which he was +setting forth; and the Pythian prophetess replied to him that he would +conquer it. Dorieos therefore took with him the armament which he +conducted before to Libya, and voyaged along the coast of Italy. 28 + +44. Now at this time, the men of Sybaris say that they and their king +Telys were about to make an expedition against Croton, and the men of +Croton being exceedingly alarmed asked Dorieos to help them and obtained +their request. So Dorieos joined them in an expedition against Sybaris +and helped them to conquer Sybaris. This is what the men of Sybaris say +of the doings of Dorieos and his followers; but those of Croton say that +no stranger helped them in the war against the Sybarites except Callias +alone, a diviner of Elis and one of the descendants of Iamos, and he in +the following manner:--he ran away, they say, from Telys the despot of +the Sybarites, when the sacrifices did not prove favourable, as he was +sacrificing for the expedition against Croton, and so he came to them. + +45. Such, I say, are the tales which these tell, and they severally +produce as evidence of them the following facts:--the Sybarites point +to a sacred enclosure and temple by the side of the dried-up bed of +the Crathis, 29 which they say that Dorieos, after he had joined in the +capture of the city, set up to Athene surnamed "of the Crathis"; and +besides they consider the death of Dorieos himself to be a very strong +evidence, thinking that he perished because he acted contrary to the +oracle which was given to him; for if he had not done anything by the +way but had continued to do that for which he was sent, he would have +conquered the land of Eryx and having conquered it would have become +possessor of it, and he and his army would not have perished. On the +other hand the men of Croton declare that many things were granted in +the territory of Croton as special gifts to Callias the Eleisan, of +which the descendants of Callias were still in possession down to my +time, and that nothing was granted to Dorieos or the descendants of +Dorieos: but if Dorieos had in fact helped them in the way with Sybaris, +many times as much, they say, would have been given to him as to +Callias. These then are the evidences which the two sides produce, and +we may assent to whichever of them we think credible. + +46. Now there sailed with Dorieos others also of the Spartans, to be +joint-founders with him of the colony, namely Thessalos and Paraibates +and Keleas and Euryleon; and these when they had reached Sicily with all +their armament, were slain, being defeated in battle by the Phenicians +and the men of Egesta; and Euryleon only of the joint-founders survived +this disaster. This man then having collected the survivors of the +expedition, took possession of Minoa the colony of Selinus, and he +helped to free the men of Selinus from their despot Peithagoras. +Afterwards, when he had deposed him, he laid hands himself upon the +despotism in Selinus and became sole ruler there, though but for a short +time; for the men of Selinus rose in revolt against him and slew +him, notwithstanding that he had fled for refuge to the altar of Zeus +Agoraios. 30 + +47. There had accompanied Dorieos also and died with him Philip the +son of Butakides, a man of Croton, who having betrothed himself to the +daughter of Telys the Sybarite, became an exile from Croton; and then +being disappointed of this marriage he sailed away to Kyrene, whence +he set forth and accompanied Dorieos with a trireme of his own, himself +supplying the expenses of the crew. Now this man had been a victor at +the Olympic games, and he was the most beautiful of the Hellenes who +lived in his time; and on account of his beauty he obtained from the +men of Egesta that which none else ever obtained from them, for they +established a hero-temple over his tomb, and they propitiate him still +with sacrifices. + +48. In this manner Dorieos ended his life: but if he had endured to be a +subject of Cleomenes and had remained in Sparta, he would have been king +of Lacedemon; for Cleomenes reigned no very long time, and died leaving +no son to succeed him but a daughter only, whose name was Gorgo. + +49. However, Aristagoras the despot of Miletos arrived at Sparta while +Cleomenes was reigning: and accordingly with him he came to speech, +having, as the Lacedemonians say, a tablet of bronze, on which was +engraved a map 31 of the whole Earth, with all the sea and all the +rivers. And when he came to speech with Cleomenes he said to him as +follows: "Marvel not, Cleomenes, at my earnestness in coming hither, for +the case is this.--That the sons of the Ionians should be slaves instead +of free is a reproach and a grief most of all indeed to ourselves, but +of all others most to you, inasmuch as ye are the leaders of Hellas. Now +therefore I entreat you by the gods of Hellas to rescue from slavery the +Ionians, who are your own kinsmen: and ye may easily achieve this, for +the Barbarians are not valiant in fight, whereas ye have attained to the +highest point of valour in that which relates to war: and their fighting +is of this fashion, namely with bows and arrows and a short spear, and +they go into battle wearing trousers and with caps 32 on their heads. +Thus they are easily conquered. Then again they who occupy that +continent have good things in such quantity as not all the other nations +of the world together possess; first gold, then silver and bronze and +embroidered garments and beasts of burden and slaves; all which ye might +have for yourselves, if ye so desired. And the nations moreover dwell +in such order one after the other as I shall declare:--the Ionians here; +and next to them the Lydians, who not only dwell in a fertile land, but +are also exceedingly rich in gold and silver," 33--and as he said this +he pointed to the map of the Earth, which he carried with him engraved +upon the tablet,--"and here next to the Lydians," continued Aristagoras, +"are the Eastern Phrygians, who have both the greatest number of sheep +and cattle 34 of any people that I know, and also the most abundant +crops. Next to the Phrygians are the Cappadokians, whom we call Syrians; +and bordering upon them are the Kilikians, coming down to this 35 sea, +in which lies the island of Cyprus here; and these pay five hundred +talents to the king for their yearly tribute. Next to these Kilikians +are the Armenians, whom thou mayest see here, and these also have great +numbers of sheep and cattle. Next to the Armenians are the Matienians +occupying this country here; and next to them is the land of Kissia +here, in which land by the banks of this river Choaspes is situated that +city of Susa where the great king has his residence, and where the money +is laid up in treasuries. After ye have taken this city ye may then with +good courage enter into a contest with Zeus in the matter of wealth. +Nay, but can it be that ye feel yourselves bound to take upon you the +risk of 36 battles against Messenians and Arcadians and Argives, who are +equally matched against you, for the sake of land which is not much in +extent nor very fertile, and for confines which are but small, though +these peoples have neither gold nor silver at all, for the sake of which +desire incites one to fight and to die,--can this be, I say, and will +ye choose some other way now, when it is possible for you easily to have +the rule over all Asia?" Aristagoras spoke thus, and Cleomenes answered +him saying: "Guest-friend from Miletos, I defer my answer to thee until +the day after to-morrow." 37 + +50. Thus far then they advanced at that time; and when the appointed +day arrived for the answer, and they had come to the place agreed upon, +Cleomenes asked Aristagoras how many days' journey it was from the sea +of the Ionians to the residence of the king. Now Aristagoras, who in +other respects acted cleverly and imposed upon him well, in this point +made a mistake: for whereas he ought not to have told him the truth, at +least if he desired to bring the Spartans out to Asia, he said in fact +that it was a journey up from the sea of three months: and the other +cutting short the rest of the account which Aristagoras had begun to +give of the way, said: "Guest-friend from Miletos, get thee away from +Sparta before the sun has set; for thou speakest a word which sounds not +well in the ears of the Lacedemonians, desiring to take them a journey +of three months from the sea." + +51. Cleomenes accordingly having so said went away to his house: +but Aristagoras took the suppliant's branch and went to the house of +Cleomenes; and having entered in as a suppliant, he bade Cleomenes send +away the child and listen to him; for the daughter of Cleomenes was +standing by him, whose name was Gorgo, and this as it chanced was his +only child, being of the age now of eight or nine years. Cleomenes +however bade him say that which he desired to say, and not to stop on +account of the child. Then Aristagoras proceeded to promise him money, +beginning with ten talents, if he would accomplish for him that for +which he was asking; and when Cleomenes refused, Aristagoras went on +increasing the sums of money offered, until at last he had promised +fifty talents, and at that moment the child cried out: "Father, the +stranger will do thee hurt, 38 if thou do not leave him and go." +Cleomenes, then, pleased by the counsel of the child, departed into +another room, and Aristagoras went away from Sparta altogether, and had +no opportunity of explaining any further about the way up from the sea +to the residence of the king. + +52. As regards this road the truth is as follows.--Everywhere there are +royal stages 39 and excellent resting-places, and the whole road runs +through country which is inhabited and safe. Through Lydia and Phrygia +there extend twenty stages, amounting to ninety-four and a half leagues; +40 and after Phrygia succeeds the river Halys, at which there is a gate +4001 which one must needs pass through in order to cross the river, and +a strong guard-post is established there. Then after crossing over into +Cappadokia it is twenty-eight stages, being a hundred and four leagues, +by this way to the borders of Kilikia; and on the borders of the +Kilikians you will pass through two several gates and go by two several +guard-posts: then after passing through these it is three stages, +amounting to fifteen and a half leagues, to journey through Kilikia; +and the boundary of Kilikia and Armenia is a navigable river called +Euphrates. In Armenia the number of stages with resting-places is +fifteen, and of leagues fifty-six and a half, and there is a guard-post +on the way: then from Armenia, when one enters the land of Matiene, 41 +there are thirty-four stages, amounting to a hundred and thirty-seven +leagues; and through this land flow four navigable rivers, which cannot +be crossed but by ferries, first the Tigris, then a second and third +called both by the same name, 42 though they are not the same river nor +do they flow from the same region (for the first-mentioned of them flows +from the Armenian land and the other 43 from that of the Matienians), +and the fourth of the rivers is called Gyndes, the same which once Cyrus +divided into three hundred and sixty channels. 44 Passing thence into +the Kissian land, there are eleven stages, forty-two and a half leagues, +to the river Choaspes, which is also a navigable stream; and upon this +is built the city of Susa. The number of these stages amounts in all to +one hundred and eleven. + +53. This is the number of stages with resting-places, as one goes up +from Sardis to Susa: and if the royal road has been rightly measured as +regards leagues, and if the league 45 is equal to thirty furlongs, 46 +(as undoubtedly it is), the number of furlongs from Sardis to that which +is called the palace of Memnon is thirteen thousand five hundred, the +number of leagues being four hundred and fifty. So if one travels a +hundred and fifty furlongs each day, just ninety days are spent on the +journey. 47 + +54. Thus the Milesian Aristagoras, when he told Cleomenes the +Lacedemonian that the journey up from the sea to the residence of the +king was one of three months, spoke correctly: but if any one demands +a more exact statement yet than this, I will give him that also: for we +ought to reckon in addition to this the length of the road from Ephesos +to Sardis; and I say accordingly that the whole number of furlongs from +the sea of Hellas to Susa (for by that name the city of Memnon is known) +is fourteen thousand and forty; for the number of furlongs from Ephesos +to Sardis is five hundred and forty: thus the three months' journey is +lengthened by three days added. + +55. Aristagoras then being driven out of Sparta proceeded to Athens; +which had been set free from the rule of despots in the way which I +shall tell.--When Hipparchos the son of Peisistratos and brother of the +despot Hippias, after seeing a vision of a dream which signified it to +him plainly, 48 had been slain by Aristogeiton and Harmodios, who were +originally by descent Gephyraians, the Athenians continued for +four years after this to be despotically governed no less than +formerly,--nay, even more. + +56. Now the vision of a dream which Hipparchos had was this:--in the +night before the Panathenaia it seemed to Hipparchos that a man came +and stood by him, tall and of fair form, and riddling spoke to him these +verses: + + + "With enduring soul as a lion endure unendurable evil: + No one of men who doth wrong shall escape from the judgment appointed." + +These verses, as soon as it was day, he publicly communicated to the +interpreters of dreams; but afterwards he put away thought of the vision +49 and began to take part in that procession during which he lost his +life. + +57. Now the Gephyraians, of whom were those who murdered Hipparchos, +according to their own account were originally descended from Eretria; +but as I find by carrying inquiries back, they were Phenicians of those +who came with Cadmos to the land which is now called Boeotia, and they +dwelt in the district of Tanagra, which they had had allotted to them +in that land. Then after the Cadmeians had first been driven out by the +Argives, these Gephyraians next were driven out by the Boeotians and +turned then towards Athens: and the Athenians received them on certain +fixed conditions to be citizens of their State, laying down rules that +they should be excluded from a number of things not worth mentioning +here. + +58. Now these Phenicians who came with Cadmos, of whom were the +Gephyraians, brought in among the Hellenes many arts when they settled +in this land of Boeotia, and especially letters, which did not exist, as +it appears to me, among the Hellenes before this time; and at first they +brought in those which are used by the Phenician race generally, but +afterwards, as time went on, they changed with their speech the form of +the letters also. During this time the Ionians were the race of Hellenes +who dwelt near them in most of the places where they were; and these, +having received letters by instruction of the Phenicians, changed their +form slightly and so made use of them, and in doing so they declared +them to be called "phenicians," as was just, seeing that the Phenicians +had introduced them into Hellas. Also the Ionians from ancient time call +paper "skins," because formerly, paper being scarce, they used skins of +goat and sheep; nay, even in my own time many of the Barbarians write on +such skins. + +59. I myself too once saw Cadmeian characters in the temple of Ismenian +Apollo at Thebes of the Boeotians, engraved on certain 4901 tripods, and +in most respects resembling the Ionic letters: one of these tripods has +the inscription, + + + "Me Amphitryon offered from land Teleboian returning:" 50 + this inscription would be of an age contemporary with Laïos + the son of Labdacos, the son of Polydoros, the son of Cadmos. + +60. Another tripod says thus in hexameter rhythm: + + + "Me did Scaios offer to thee, far-darting Apollo, + Victor in contest of boxing, a gift most fair in thine honour:" + +now Scaios would be the son of Hippocoön (at least if it were really he +who offered it, and not another with the same name as the son of +Hippocoön), being of an age contemporary with OEdipus the son of Laïos: + +61. and the third tripod, also in hexameter rhythm, says: + + + "Me Laodamas offered to thee, fair-aiming Apollo, + He, of his wealth, 51 being king, as a gift most fair in thine honor:" + +now it was in the reign of this very Laodamas the son of Eteocles that +the Cadmeians were driven out by the Argives and turned to go to the +Enchelians; and the Gephyraians being then left behind were afterwards +forced by the Boeotians to retire to Athens. Moreover they have temples +established in Athens, in which the other Athenians have no part, and +besides others which are different from the rest, there is especially a +temple of Demeter Achaia and a celebration of her mysteries. + +62. I have told now of the vision of a dream seen by Hipparchos, and +also whence the Gephrynians were descended, of which race were the +murderers of Hipparchos; and in addition to this I must resume and +continue the story which I was about to tell at first, how the Athenians +were freed from despots. When Hippias was despot and was dealing harshly +with the Athenians because of the death of Hipparchos, the Alcmaionidai, +who were of Athenian race and were fugitives from the sons of +Peisistratos, 52 as they did not succeed in their attempt made together +with the other Athenian exiles to return by force, but met with great +disaster when they attempted to return and set Athens free, after they +had fortified Leipsydrion which is above Paionia,--these Alomaionidai +after that, still devising every means against the sons of Peisistratos, +accepted the contract to build and complete the temple at Delphi, that +namely which now exists but then did not as yet: and being wealthy and +men of repute already from ancient time, they completed the temple in +a manner more beautiful than the plan required, and especially in this +respect, that having agreed to make the temple of common limestone, 53 +they built the front parts of it in Parian marble. + +63. So then, as the Athenians say, these men being settled at Delphi +persuaded the Pythian prophetess by gifts of money, that whenever men of +the Spartans should come to inquire of the Oracle, either privately +or publicly sent, she should propose to them to set Athens free. The +Lacedemonians therefore, since the same utterance was delivered to them +on all occasions, sent Anchimolios the son of Aster, who was of repute +among their citizens, with an army to drive out the sons of Peisistratos +from Athens, although these were very closely connected with them by +guest-friendship; for they held that the concerns of the god 5301 should +be preferred to those of men: and this force they sent by sea in ships. +He therefore, having put in to shore at Phaleron, disembarked his army; +but the sons of Peisistratos being informed of this beforehand called +in to their aid an auxiliary force from Thessaly, for they had made an +alliance with the Thessalians; and the Thessalians at their request +sent by public resolution a body of a thousand horse and also their king +Kineas, a man of Conion. 54 So having obtained these as allies, the sons +of Peisistratos contrived as follows:--they cut down the trees in the +plain of Phaleron and made this district fit for horsemen to ride over, +and after that they sent the cavalry to attack the enemy's camp, +who falling upon it slew (besides many others of the Lacedemonians) +Anchimolios himself also: and the survivors of them they shut up in +their ships. Such was the issue of the first expedition from Lacedemon: +and the burial-place of Anchimolios is at Alopecai in Attica, near the +temple of Heracles which is at Kynosarges. + +64. After this the Lacedemonians equipped a larger expedition and sent +it forth against Athens; and they appointed to be commander of the army +their king Cleomenes the son of Anaxandrides, and sent it this time +not by sea but by land. With these, when they had invaded the land of +Attica, first the Thessalian horse engaged battle; and in no long time +they were routed and there fell of them more than forty men; so the +survivors departed without more ado and went straight back to Thessaly. +Then Cleomenes came to the city together with those of the Athenians +who desired to be free, and began to besiege the despots shut up in the +Pelasgian wall. + +65. And the Lacedemonians would never have captured the sons of +Peisistratos at all; for they on their side had no design to make a long +blockade, and the others were well provided with food and drink; so that +they would have gone away back to Sparta after besieging them for a few +days only: but as it was, a thing happened just at this time which was +unfortunate for those, and at the same time of assistance to these; +for the children of the sons of Peisistratos were captured, while being +secretly removed out of the country: and when this happened, all their +matters were thereby cast into confusion, and they surrendered receiving +back their children on the terms which the Athenians desired, namely +that they should depart out of Attica within five days. After this they +departed out of the country and went to Sigeion on the Scamander, after +their family had ruled over the Athenians for six-and-thirty years. +These also were originally Pylians and sons of Neleus, descended from +the same ancestors as the family of Codros and Melanthos, who had +formerly become kings of Athens being settlers from abroad. Hence too +Hippocrates had given to his son the name of Peisistratos as a memorial, +calling him after Peisistratos the son of Nestor. + +Thus the Athenians were freed from despots; and the things worthy to be +narrated which they did or suffered after they were liberated, up to the +time when Ionia revolted from Dareios and Aristagoras the Milesian +came to Athens and asked them to help him, these I will set forth first +before I proceed further. + +66. Athens, which even before that time was great, then, after having +been freed from despots, became gradually yet greater; and in it two men +exercised power, namely Cleisthenes a descendant of Alcmaion, the same +who is reported to have bribed the Pythian prophetess, and Isagoras, +the son of Tisander, of a family which was highly reputed, but of his +original descent I am not able to declare; his kinsmen however offer +sacrifices to the Carian Zeus. These men came to party strife for power; +and then Cleisthenes was being worsted in the struggle, he made common +cause with the people. After this he caused the Athenians to be in ten +tribes, who were formerly in four; and he changed the names by which +they were called after the sons of Ion, namely Geleon, Aigicoreus, +Argades, and Hoples, and invented for them names taken from other +heroes, all native Athenians except Ajax, whom he added as a neighbour +and ally, although he was no Athenian. + +67. Now in these things it seems to me that this Cleisthenes was +imitating his mother's father Cleisthenes the despot of Sikyon: for +Cleisthenes when he went to war with Argos first caused to cease in +Sikyon the contests of rhapsodists, which were concerned with the +poems of Homer, because Argives and Argos are celebrated in them almost +everywhere; then secondly, since there was (as still there is) in the +market-place itself of the Sikyonians a hero-temple of Adrastos the son +of Talaos, Cleisthenes had a desire to cast him forth out of the land, +because he was an Argive. So having come to Delphi he consulted the +Oracle as to whether he should cast out Adrastos; and the Pythian +prophetess answered him saying that Adrastos was king of the Sikyonians, +whereas he was a stoner 55 of them. So since the god did not permit him +to do this, he went away home and considered means by which Adrastos +should be brought to depart of his own accord: and when he thought that +he had discovered them, he sent to Thebes in Boeotia and said that he +desired to introduce into his city Melanippos the son of Astacos, and +the Thebans gave him leave. So Cleisthenes introduced Melanippos into +his city, and appointed for him a sacred enclosure within the precincts +of the City Hall 56 itself, and established him there in the strongest +position. Now Cleisthenes introduced Melanippos (for I must relate this +also) because he was the greatest enemy of Adrastos, seeing that he had +killed both his brother Mekisteus and his son-in-law Tydeus: and when he +had appointed the sacred enclosure for him, he took away the sacrifices +and festivals of Adrastos and gave them to Melanippos. Now the +Sikyonians were accustomed to honour Adrastos with very great honours; +for this land was formerly the land of Polybos, and Adrastos was +daughter's son to Polybos, and Polybos dying without sons gave his +kingdom to Adrastos: the Sikyonians then not only gave other honours +to Adrastos, but also with reference to his sufferings they specially +honoured him with tragic choruses, not paying the honour to Dionysos but +to Adrastos. Cleisthenes however gave back the choruses to Dionysos, and +the other rites besides this he gave to Melannipos. + +68. Thus he had done to Adrastos; and he also changed the names of the +Dorian tribes, in order that the Sikyonians might not have the same +tribes as the Argives; in which matter he showed great contempt of the +Sikyonians, for the names he gave were taken from the names of a pig +and an ass by changing only the endings, except in the case of his own +tribe, to which he gave a name from his own rule. These last then were +called Archelaoi, 57 while of the rest those of one tribe were called +Hyatai, 58 of another Oneatai, 59 and of the remaining tribe Choireatai. +60 These names of tribes were used by the men of Sikyon not only in the +reign of Cleisthenes, but also beyond that for sixty years after his +death; then however they considered the matter and changed them into +Hylleis, Pamphyloi, and Dymanatai, adding to these a fourth, to which +they gave the name Aigialeis after Aigialeus the son of Adrastos. + +69. Thus had the Cleisthenes of Sikyon done: and the Athenian +Cleisthenes, who was his daughter's son and was called after him, +despising, as I suppose, the Ionians, as he the Dorians, imitated his +namesake Cleisthenes in order that the Athenians might not have the same +tribes as the Ionians: for when at the time of which we speak he added +to his own party the whole body of the common people of the Athenians, +which in former time he had despised, 61 he changed the names of the +tribes and made them more in number than they had been; he made in fact +ten rulers of tribes instead of four, and by tens also he distributed +the demes in the tribes; and having added the common people to his party +he was much superior to his opponents. + +70. Then Isagoras, as he was being worsted in his turn, contrived a +plan in opposition to him, that is to say, he called in Cleomenes the +Lacedemonian to help him, who had been a guest-friend to himself since +the siege of the sons of Peisistratos; moreover Cleomenes was accused +of being intimate with the wife of Isagoras. First then Cleomenes sent +a herald to Athens demanding the expulsion of Cleisthenes and with him +many others of the Athenians, calling them the men who were under the +curse: 62 this message he sent by instruction of Isagoras, for the +Alcmaionidai and their party were accused of the murder to which +reference was thus made, while he and his friends had no part in it. + +71. Now the men of the Athenians who were "under the curse" got this +name as follows:--there was one Kylon among the Athenians, a man who +had gained the victory at the Olympic games: this man behaved with +arrogance, wishing to make himself despot; and having formed for himself +an association of men of his own age, he endeavoured to seize the +Acropolis: but not being able to get possession of it, he sat down as a +suppliant before the image of the goddess. 63 These men were taken from +their place as suppliants by the presidents of the naucraries, who then +administered affairs at Athens, on the condition that they should be +liable to any penalty short of death; and the Alcmaionidai are accused +of having put them to death. This had occurred before the time of +Peisistratos. + +72. Now when Cleomenes sent demanding the expulsion of Cleisthenes and +of those under the curse, Cleisthenes himself retired secretly; but +after that nevertheless Cleomenes appeared in Athens with no very +large force, and having arrived he proceeded to expel as accursed seven +hundred Athenian families, of which Isagoras had suggested to him the +names. Having done this he next endeavoured to dissolve the Senate, and +he put the offices of the State into the hands of three hundred, who +were the partisans of Isagoras. The Senate however making opposition, +and not being willing to submit, Cleomenes with Isagoras and his +partisans seized the Acropolis. Then the rest of the Athenians joined +together by common consent and besieged them for two days; and on the +third day so many of them as were Lacedemonians departed out of the +country under a truce. Thus was accomplished for Cleomenes the ominous +saying which was uttered to him: for when he had ascended the Acropolis +with the design of taking possession of it, he was going to the +sanctuary of the goddess, as to address her in prayer; but the priestess +stood up from her seat before he had passed through the door, and said, +"Lacedemonian stranger, go back and enter not into the temple, for it is +not lawful for Dorians to pass in hither." He said: "Woman, I am not +a Dorian, but an Achaian." So then, paying no attention to the ominous +speech, he made his attempt and then was expelled again with the +Lacedemonians; but the rest of the men the Athenians laid in bonds to +be put to death, and among them Timesitheos the Delphian, with regard to +whom I might mention very great deeds of strength and courage which he +performed. + +73. These then having been thus laid in bonds were put to death; and the +Athenians after this sent for Cleisthenes to return, and also for the +seven hundred families which had been driven out by Cleomenes: and +then they sent envoys to Sardis, desiring to make an alliance with +the Persians; for they were well assured that the Lacedemonians and +Cleomenes had been utterly made their foes. So when these envoys had +arrived at Sardis and were saying that which they had been commanded +to say, Artaphrenes the son of Hystaspes, the governor of Sardis, asked +what men these were who requested to be allies of the Persians, and +where upon the earth they dwelt; and having heard this from the envoys, +he summed up his answer to them thus, saying that if the Athenians +were willing to give earth and water to Dareios, he was willing to make +alliance with them, but if not, he bade them begone: and the envoys +taking the matter upon themselves said that they were willing to do so, +because they desired to make the alliance. + +74. These, when they returned to their own land, were highly censured: +and Cleomenes meanwhile, conceiving that he had been outrageously dealt +with by the Athenians both with words and with deeds, was gathering +together an army from the whole of the Peloponnese, not declaring the +purpose for which he was gathering it, but desiring to take vengeance on +the people of the Athenians, and intending to make Isagoras despot; for +he too had come out of the Acropolis together with Cleomenes. Cleomenes +then with a large army entered Eleusis, while at the same time the +Boeotians by agreement with him captured Oinoe and Hysiai, the demes +which lay upon the extreme borders of Attica, and the Chalkidians on the +other side invaded and began to ravage various districts of Attica. The +Athenians then, though attacked on more sides than one, thought that +they would remember the Boeotians and Chalkidians afterwards, and +arrayed themselves against the Peloponnesians who were in Eleusis. + +75. Then as the armies were just about the join battle, the Corinthians +first, considering with themselves that they were not acting rightly, +changed their minds and departed; and after that Demaratos the son of +Ariston did the same, who was king of the Spartans as well as Cleomenes, +though he had joined with him in leading the army out from Lacedemon and +had not been before this at variance with Cleomenes. In consequence +of this dissension a law was laid down at Sparta that it should not be +permitted, when an army went out, that both the kings should go with +it, for up to this time both used to go with it, and that as one of the +kings was set free from service, so one of the sons of Tyndareus 64 +also should be left behind; for before this time both of these two were +called upon by them for help and went with the armies. + +76. At this time then in Eleusis the rest of the allies, seeing that the +kings of the Lacedemonians did not agree and also that the Corinthians +had deserted their place in the ranks, themselves too departed and got +them away quickly. And this was the fourth time that the Dorians had +come to Attica, twice having invaded it to make war against it, and +twice to help the mass of the Athenian people,--first when they at the +same time colonised Megara (this expedition may rightly be designated as +taking place when Codros was king of the Athenians), for the second and +third times when they came making expeditions from Sparta to drive out +the sons of Peisistratos, and fourthly on this occasion, when Cleomenes +at the head of the Peloponnesians invaded Eleusis: thus the Dorians +invaded Athens then for the fourth time. + +77. This army then having been ingloriously broken up, the Athenians +after that, desiring to avenge themselves, made expedition first against +the Chalkidians; and the Boeotians came to the Euripos to help the +Chalkidians. The Athenians, therefore, seeing those who had come +to help, 6401 resolved first to attack the Boeotians before the +Chalkidians. Accordingly they engaged battle with the Boeotians, and +had much the better of them, and after having slain very many they +took seven hundred of them captive. On this very same day the Athenians +passed over into Euboea and engaged battle with the Chalkidians as well; +and having conquered these also, they left four thousand holders of +allotments in the land belonging to the "Breeders of Horses": 65 now the +wealthier of the Chalkidians were called the Breeders of Horses. And +as many of them as they took captive, they kept in confinement together +with the Boeotians who had been captured, bound with fetters; and then +after a time they let them go, having fixed their ransom at two pounds +of silver apiece: 66 but their fetters, in which they had been bound, +they hung up on the Acropolis; and these were still existing even to my +time hanging on walls which had been scorched with fire by the Mede, 67 +and just opposite the sanctuary which lies towards the West. The tenth +part of the ransom also they dedicated for an offering, and made of it a +four-horse chariot of bronze, which stands on the left hand as you enter +the Propylaia in the Acropolis, and on it is the following inscription: + + + "Matched in the deeds of war with the tribes of Boeotia and Chalkis + The sons of Athens prevailed, conquered and tamed them in fight: + In chains of iron and darkness they quenched their insolent spirit; + And to Athene present these, of their ransom a tithe." + +78. The Athenians accordingly increased in power; and it is evident, not +by one instance only but in every way, that Equality 68 is an excellent +thing, since the Athenians while they were ruled by despots were not +better in war that any of those who dwelt about them, whereas after they +had got rid of despots they became far the first. This proves that when +they were kept down they were wilfully slack, because they were working +for a master, whereas when they had been set free each one was eager to +achieve something for himself. + +79. These then were faring thus: and the Thebans after this sent to the +god, desiring to be avenged on the Athenians; the Pythian prophetess +however said that vengeance was not possible for them by their own +strength alone, but bade them report the matter to the "many-voiced" +and ask help of those who were "nearest" to them. So when those who were +sent to consult the Oracle returned, they made a general assembly and +reported the oracle; and then the Thebans heard them say that they were +to ask help of those who were nearest to them, they said: "Surely +those who dwell nearest to us are the men of Tanagra and Coroneia and +Thespiai; and these always fight zealously on our side and endure the +war with us to the end: what need is there that we ask of these? Rather +perhaps that is not the meaning of the oracle." + +80. While they commented upon it thus, at length one perceived "that +which the oracle means to tell us. Asopos is said to have had two +daughters born to him, Thebe and Egina; and as these are sisters, I +think that the god gave us for answer that we should ask the men of +Egina to become our helpers." Then as there seemed to be no opinion +expressed which was better than this, they sent forthwith and asked +the men of Egina to help them, calling upon them in accordance with the +oracle; and they, when these made request, said that they sent with them +the sons of Aiacos to help them. + +81. After that the Thebans, having made an attempt with the alliance +of the sons of Aiacos and having been roughly handled by the Athenians, +sent again and gave them back the sons of Aiacos and asked them for men. +So the Eginetans, exalted by great prosperity and calling to mind an +ancient grudge against the Athenians, then on the request of the Thebans +commenced a war against the Athenians without notice: for while the +Athenians were intent on the Boeotians, they sailed against them to +Attica with ships of war, and they devastated Phaleron and also many +demes in the remainder of the coast region, and so doing they deeply +stirred the resentment of the Athenians. 69 + +82. Now the grudge which was due beforehand from the Eginetans to the +Athenians came about from a beginning which was as follows:--The land +of the Epidaurians yielded to its inhabitants no fruit; and accordingly +with reference to this calamity the Epidaurians went to inquire at +Delphi, and the Pythian prophetess bade them set up images of Damia and +Auxesia, and said that when they had set up these, they would meet with +better fortune. The Epidaurians then asked further whether they should +make images of bronze or of stone; and the prophetess bade them not use +either of these, but make them of the wood of a cultivated olive-tree. +The Epidaurians therefore asked the Athenians to allow them to cut for +themselves an olive-tree, since they thought that their olives were the +most sacred; nay some say that at that time there were no olives in any +part of the earth except at Athens. The Athenians said that they would +allow them on condition that they should every year bring due offerings +to Athene Polias 70 and to Erechtheus. The Epidaurians, then, having +agreed to these terms, obtained that which they asked, and they made +images out of these olive-trees and set them up: and their land bore +fruit and they continued to fulfil towards the Athenians that which they +had agreed to do. + +83. Now during this time and also before this the Eginetans were subject +to the Epidaurians, and besides other things they were wont to pass over +to Epidauros to have their disputes with one another settled by law: 71 +but after this time they built for themselves ships and made revolt +from the Epidaurians, moved thereto by wilfulness. So as they were at +variance with them, they continued to inflict damage on them, since in +fact they had command of the sea, and especially they stole away from +them these images of Damia and Auxesia, and they brought them and set +them up in the inland part of their country at a place called Oia, which +is about twenty furlongs distant from their city. Having set them up +in this spot they worshipped them with sacrifices and choruses of women +accompanied with scurrilous jesting, ten men being appointed for each of +the deities to provide the choruses: and the choruses spoke evil of no +man, but only of the women of the place. Now the Epidaurians also had +the same rites; and they have also rites which may not be divulged. + +84. These images then having been stolen, the Epidaurians no longer +continued to fulfil towards the Athenians that which they had agreed. +The Athenians accordingly sent and expressed displeasure to the +Epidaurians; and they declared saying that they were doing no wrong; for +during the time when they had the images in their country they continued +to fulfil that which they had agreed upon, but since they had been +deprived of them, it was not just that they should make the offerings +any more; and they bade them demand these from the men of Egina, who had +the images. So the Athenians sent to Egina and demanded the images back; +but the Eginetans said that they had nothing to do with the Athenians. + +85. The Athenians then report that in one single trireme were despatched +those of their citizens who were sent by the State after this demand; +who having come to Egina, attempted to tear up from off their pedestals +the images, (alleging that they were made of wood which belonged to the +Athenians), in order to carry them back with them: but not being able +to get hold of them in this manner (say the Athenians) they threw ropes +round them and were pulling them, when suddenly, as they pulled, thunder +came on and an earthquake at the same time with the thunder; and the +crew of the trireme who were pulling were made beside themselves by +these, and being brought to this condition they killed one another as if +they were enemies, until at last but one of the whole number was left; +and he returned alone to Phaleron. + +86. Thus the Athenians report that it came to pass: but the Eginetans +say that it was not with a single ship that the Athenians came; for +a single ship, and even a few more than one, they could have easily +repelled, even if they had not happened to have ships of their own: but +they say that the Athenians sailed upon their country with a large fleet +of ships, and they gave way before them and did not fight a sea-battle. +They cannot however declare with certainty whether they gave way thus +because they admitted that they were not strong enough to fight the +battle by sea, or because they intended to do something of the kind +which they actually did. The Athenians then, they say, as no one met +them in fight, landed from their ships and made for the images; but +not being able to tear them up from their pedestals, at last they threw +ropes round them and began to pull, until the images, as they were being +pulled, did both the same thing (and here they report something which +I cannot believe, but some other man may), for they say that the images +fell upon their knees to them and that they continue to be in that +position ever since this time. The Athenians, they say, were doing thus; +and meanwhile they themselves (say the Eginetans), being informed that +the Athenians were about to make an expedition against them, got the +Argives to help them; and just when the Athenians had disembarked upon +the Eginetan land, the Argives had come to their rescue, and not having +been perceived when they passed over from Epidauros to the island, they +fell upon the Athenians before these had heard anything of the matter, +cutting them off secretly from the way to their ships; and at this +moment it was that the thunder and the earthquake came upon them. + +87. This is the report which is given by the Argives and Eginetans both, +and it is admitted by the Athenians also that but one alone of them +survived and came back to Attica: only the Argives say that this one +remained alive from destruction wrought by them upon the army of +Athens, while the Athenians say that the divine power was the destroyer. +However, even this one man did not remain alive, but perished, they say, +in the following manner:--when he returned to Athens he reported the +calamity which had happened; and the wives of the men who had gone on +the expedition to Egina, hearing it and being very indignant that he +alone of all had survived, came round this man and proceeded to stab him +with the brooches of their mantles, each one of them asking of him where +her husband was. Thus he was slain; and to the Athenians it seemed +that the deed of the women was a much more terrible thing even than +the calamity which had happened; and not knowing, it is said, how they +should punish the women in any other way, they changed their fashion of +dress to that of Ionia,--for before this the women of the Athenians wore +Dorian dress, very like that of Corinth,--they changed it therefore to +the linen tunic, in order that they might not have use for brooches. + +88. In truth however this fashion of dress is not Ionian originally but +Carian, for the old Hellenic fashion of dress for women was universally +the same as that which we now call Dorian. Moreover it is said that with +reference to these events the Argives and Eginetans made it a custom +among themselves in both countries 72 to have the brooches made half +as large again as the size which was then established in use, and that +their women should offer brooches especially in the temple of these +goddesses, 73 and also that they should carry neither pottery of Athens +nor anything else of Athenian make to the temple, but that it should be +the custom for the future to drink there from pitchers made in the lands +themselves. + +89. The women of the Argives and Eginetans from this time onwards +because of the quarrel with the Athenians continued to wear brooches +larger than before, and still do so even to my time; and the origin of +the enmity of the Athenians towards the Eginetans came in the manner +which has been said. So at this time, when the Thebans invaded them, the +Eginetans readily came to the assistance of the Boeotians, calling to +mind what occurred about the images. The Eginetans then were laying +waste, as I have said, the coast regions of Attica; and when the +Athenians were resolved to make an expedition against the Eginetans, +an oracle came to them from Delphi bidding them stay for thirty years +reckoned from the time of the wrong done by the Eginetans, and in the +one-and-thirtieth year to appoint a sacred enclosure for Aiacos and then +to begin the war against the Eginetans, and they would succeed as they +desired; but if they should make an expedition against them at once, +they would suffer in the meantime very much evil and also inflict very +much, but at last they would subdue them. When the Athenians heard the +report of this, they appointed a sacred enclosure for Aiacos, namely +that which is now established close to the market-place, but they could +not endure to hear that they must stay for thirty years, when they had +suffered injuries from the Eginetans. + +90. While however they were preparing to take vengeance, a matter arose +from the Lacedemonians which provided a hindrance to them: for the +Lacedemonians, having learnt that which had been contrived by the +Alcmaionidai with respect to the Pythian prophetess, and that which had +been contrived by the Pythian prophetess against themselves and the sons +of Peisistratos, were doubly grieved, not only because they had driven +out into exile men who were their guest-friends, but also because after +they had done this no gratitude was shown to them by the Athenians. +Moreover in addition to this, they were urged on by the oracles which +said that many injuries would be suffered by them from the Athenians; +of which oracles they had not been aware of before, but they had come to +know them, since Cleomenes had brought them to Sparta. In fact Cleomenes +had obtained from the Acropolis of the Athenians those oracles which the +sons of Peisistratos possessed before and had left in the temple when +they were driven out; and Cleomenes recovered them after they had been +left behind. + +91. At this time, then, when the Lacedemonians had recovered the oracles +and when they saw that the Athenians were increasing in power and were +not at all willing to submit to them, observing that the Athenian race +now that it was free was becoming 74 a match for their own, whereas when +held down by despots it was weak and ready to be ruled,--perceiving, I +say, all these things, they sent for Hippias the son of Peisistratos to +come from Sigeion on the Hellespont, whither the family of Peisistratos +go for refuge; 75 and when Hippias had come upon the summons, the +Spartans sent also for envoys to come from their other allies and spoke +to them as follows: "Allies, we are conscious within ourselves that we +have not acted rightly; for incited by counterfeit oracles we drove out +into exile men who were very closely united with us as guest-friends and +who undertook the task of rendering Athens submissive to us, and then +after having done this we delivered over the State to a thankless +populace, which so soon as it had raised its head, having been freed by +our means drove out us and our king with wanton outrage; and now exalted +with pride 76 it is increasing in power, so that the neighbours of these +men first of all, that is the Boeotians and Chalkidians, have already +learnt, and perhaps some others also will afterwards learn, that they +committed an error. 7601 As however we erred in doing those things of +which we have spoken, we will try now to take vengeance on them, going +thither together with you; 77 since it was for this very purpose that we +sent for Hippias, whom ye see here, and for you also, to come from your +cities, in order that with common counsel and a common force we might +conduct him to Athens and render back to him that which we formerly took +away." + +92. Thus they spoke; but the majority of the allies did not approve of +their words. The rest however kept silence, but the Corinthian Socles 78 +spoke as follows: (a) "Surely now the heaven shall be below the earth, +and the earth raised up on high above the heaven, and men shall have +their dwelling in the sea, and fishes shall have that habitation which +men had before, seeing that ye, Lacedemonians, are doing away with free +governments 79 and are preparing to bring back despotism again into our +cities, than which there is no more unjust or more murderous thing +among men. For if in truth this seems to you to be good, namely that +the cities should be ruled by despots, do ye yourselves first set up a +despot in your own State, and then endeavour to establish them also for +others: but as it is, ye are acting unfairly towards your allies, seeing +that ye have had no experience of despots yourselves and provide with +the greatest care at Sparta that this may never come to pass. If +however ye had had experience of it, as we have had, ye would be able +to contribute juster opinions of it than at present. (b) For the +established order of the Corinthian State was this:--the government was +an oligarchy, and the oligarchs, who were called Bacchiadai, had control +over the State and made marriages among themselves. 80 Now one of these +men, named Amphion, had a daughter born to him who was lame, and her +name was Labda. This daughter, since none of the Bacchiadai wished to +marry her, was taken to wife by Aëtion the son of Echecrates, who was of +the deme of Petra, but by original descent a Lapith and of the race of +Caineus. Neither from this wife nor from another were children born to +him, therefore he set out to Delphi to inquire about offspring; and as +he entered, forthwith the prophetess addressed him in these lines: + + + "'Much to be honoured art thou, yet none doth render thee honour. 81 + Labda conceives, and a rolling rock will she bear, which shall ruin + Down on the heads of the kings, and with chastisement visit Corinthos.' + +This answer given to Aëtion was by some means reported to the +Bacchiadai, to whom the oracle which had come to Corinth before this was +not intelligible, an oracle which had reference to the same thing as +that of Aëtion and said thus: + + + "'An eagle conceives in the rocks 82 and shall bear a ravening lion, + Strong and fierce to devour, who the knees of many shall loosen. + Ponder this well in your minds, I bid you, Corinthians, whose dwelling + Lies about fair Peirene's spring and in craggy Corinthos.' 83 + +(c) This oracle, I say, having come before to the Bacchiadai was +obscure; but afterwards when they heard that which had come to Aëtion, +forthwith they understood the former also, that it was in accord with +that of Aëtion; and understanding this one also they kept quiet, +desiring to destroy the offspring which should be born to Aëtion. Then, +so soon as his wife bore a child, they sent ten of their own number to +the deme in which Aëtion had his dwelling, to slay the child; and when +these had come to Petra and had passed into the court of Aëtion's house, +they asked for the child; and Labda, not knowing anything of the purpose +for which they had come, and supposing them to be asking for the child +on account of friendly feeling towards its father, brought it and placed +it in the hands of one of them. Now they, it seems, had resolved by the +way that the first of them who received the child should dash it upon +the ground. However, when Labda brought and gave it, it happened by +divine providence that the child smiled at the man who had received it; +and when he perceived this, a feeling of compassion prevented him from +killing it, and having this compassion he delivered it to the next man, +and he to the third. Thus it passed through the hands of all the ten, +delivered from one to another, since none of them could bring himself to +destroy its life. So they gave the child back to its mother and went +out; and then standing by the doors they abused and found fault with one +another, laying blame especially on the one who had first received the +child, because he had not done according to that which had been +resolved; until at last after some time they determined again to enter +and all to take a share in the murder. (d) From the offspring of Aëtion +however it was destined that evils should spring up for Corinth: for +Labda was listening to all this as she stood close by the door, and +fearing lest they should change their mind and take the child a second +time and kill it, she carried it and concealed it in the place which +seemed to her the least likely to be discovered, that is to say a +corn-chest, 84 feeling sure that if they should return and come to a +search, they were likely to examine everything: and this in fact +happened. So when they had come, and searching had failed to find it, +they thought it best to return and say to those who had sent them that +they had done all that which they had been charged by them to do. (e) +They then having departed said this; and after this the son of Aëtion +grew, and because he had escaped this danger, the name of Kypselos was +given him as a surname derived from the corn-chest. Then when Kypselos +had grown to manhood and was seeking divination, a two-edged 85 answer +was given him at Delphi, placing trust in which he made an attempt upon +Corinth and obtained possession of it. Now the answer was as follows: + + + "'Happy is this man's lot of a truth, who enters my dwelling, + Offspring of Aëtion, he shall rule in famous Corinthos, + Kypselos, he and his sons, but his children's children no longer.' + +Such was the oracle: and Kypselos when he became despot was a man of +this character,--many of the Corinthians he drove into exile, many he +deprived of their wealth, and very many more of their lives. (f) And +when he had reigned for thirty years and had brought his life to a +prosperous end, his son Periander became his successor in the despotism. +Now Periander at first was milder than his father; but after he had had +dealings through messengers with Thrasybulos the despot of Miletos, he +became far more murderous even than Kypselos. For he sent a messenger to +Thrasybulos and asked what settlement of affairs was the safest for him +to make, in order that he might best govern his State: and Thrasybulos +led forth the messenger who had come from Periander out of the city, and +entered into a field of growing corn; and as he passed through the crop +of corn, while inquiring and asking questions repeatedly 86 of the +messenger about the occasion of his coming from Corinth, he kept cutting +off the heads of those ears of corn which he saw higher than the rest; +and as he cut off their heads he cast them away, until he had destroyed +in this manner the finest and richest part of the crop. So having passed +through the place and having suggested no word of counsel, he dismissed +the messenger. When the messenger returned to Corinth, Periander was +anxious to hear the counsel which had been given; but he said that +Thrasybulos had given him no counsel, and added that he wondered at the +deed of Periander in sending him to such a man, for the man was out of +his senses and a waster of his own goods,--relating at the same time +that which he had seen Thrasybulos do. (g) So Periander, understanding +that which had been done and perceiving that Thrasybulos counselled him +to put to death those who were eminent among his subjects, began then to +display all manner of evil treatment to the citizens of the State; for +whatsoever Kypselos had left undone in killing and driving into exile, +this Periander completed. And in one day he stripped all the wives of +the Corinthians of their clothing on account of his own wife Melissa. +For when he had sent messengers to the Thesprotians on the river Acheron +to ask the Oracle of the dead about a deposit made with him by a +guest-friend, Melissa appeared and said she would not tell in what place +the deposit was laid, for she was cold and had no clothes, since those +which he had buried with her were of no use to her, not having been +burnt; and this, she said, would be an evidence to him that she was +speaking the truth, namely that when the oven was cold, Periander had +put his loaves into it. When the report of this was brought back to +Periander, the token made him believe, because he had had commerce with +Melissa after she was dead; and straightway after receiving the message +he caused proclamation to be made that all the wives of the Corinthians +should come out to the temple of Hera. They accordingly went as to a +festival in their fairest adornment; and he having set the spearmen of +his guard in ambush, stripped them all alike, both the free women and +their attendant; and having gathered together all their clothes in a +place dug out, he set fire to them, praying at the same time to Melissa. +Then after he had done this and had sent a second time, the apparition +of Melissa told him in what spot he had laid the deposit entrusted to +him by his guest-friend. + +"Such a thing, ye must know, Lacedemonians, is despotism, and such are +its deeds: and we Corinthians marvelled much at first when we saw that +ye were sending for Hippias, and now we marvel even more because ye say +these things; and we adjure you, calling upon the gods of Hellas, not +to establish despotisms in the cities. If however ye will not cease from +your design, but endeavour to restore Hippias contrary to that which is +just, know that the Corinthians at least do not give their consent to +that which ye do." + +93. Socles being the envoy of Corinth thus spoke, and Hippias made +answer to him, calling to witness the same gods as he, that assuredly +the Corinthians would more than all others regret the loss of the sons +of Peisistratos, when the appointed days should have come for them to +be troubled by the Athenians. Thus Hippias made answer, being acquainted +with the oracles more exactly than any other man: but the rest of the +allies, who for a time had restrained themselves and kept silence, when +they heard Socles speak freely, gave utterance every one of them to +that which they felt, and adopted the opinion of the Corinthian envoy, +adjuring the Lacedemonians not to do any violence to a city of Hellas. + +94. Thus was this brought to an end: and Hippias being dismissed from +thence had Anthemus offered to him by Amyntas king of the Macedonians +and Iolcos by the Thessalians. He however accepted neither of these, but +retired again to Sigeion; which city Peisistratos had taken by force +of arms from the Mytilenians, and having got possession of it, had +appointed his own natural son Hegesistratos, born of an Argive woman, to +be despot of it: he however did not without a struggle keep possession +of that which he received from Peisistratos; for the Mytilenians and +Athenians carried on war for a long time, having their strongholds +respectively at Achilleion and at Sigeion, the one side demanding that +the place be restored to them, and the Athenians on the other hand not +admitting this demand, but proving by argument that the Aiolians had +no better claim to the territory of Ilion than they and the rest of the +Hellenes, as many as joined with Menelaos in exacting vengeance for the +rape of Helen. + +95. Now while these carried on the war, besides many other things of +various kinds which occurred in the battles, once when a fight took +place and the Athenians were conquering, Alcaios the poet, taking to +flight, escaped indeed himself, but the Athenians retained possession of +his arms and hung them up on the walls of the temple of Athene which +is at Sigeion. About this matter Alcaios composed a song and sent it to +Mytilene, reporting therein his misadventure to one Melanippos, who was +his friend. Finally Periander the son of Kypselos made peace between the +Athenians and the Mytilenians, 87 for to him they referred the matter +as arbitrator; and he made peace between them on the condition that each +should continue to occupy that territory which they then possessed. + +96. Sigeion then in this matter had come under the rule of the +Athenians. And when Hippias had returned to Asia from Lacedemon, he +set everything in motion, stirring up enmity between the Athenians and +Artaphrenes, and using every means to secure that Athens should come +under the rule of himself and of Dareios. Hippias, I say, was thus +engaged; and the Athenians meanwhile hearing of these things sent envoys +to Sardis, and endeavoured to prevent the Persians from following the +suggestions of the exiled Athenians. Artaphrenes however commanded +them, if they desired to be preserved from ruin, to receive Hippias back +again. This proposal the Athenians were not by any means disposed to +accept when it was reported; and as they did not accept this, it became +at once a commonly received opinion among them that they were enemies of +the Persians. + +97. While they had these thoughts and had been set at enmity with the +Persians, at this very time Aristagoras the Milesian, ordered away from +Sparta by Cleomenes the Lacedemonian, arrived at Athens; for this +was the city which had most power of all the rest besides Sparta. And +Aristagoras came forward before the assembly of the people and said the +same things as he had said at Sparta about the wealth which there was in +Asia, and about the Persian manner of making war, how they used neither +shield nor spear and were easy to overcome. Thus I say he said, and +also he added this, namely that the Milesians were colonists from the +Athenians, and that it was reasonable that the Athenians should rescue +them, since they had such great power; and there was nothing which he +did not promise, being very urgent in his request, until at last he +persuaded them: for it would seem that it is easier to deceive many than +one, seeing that, though he did not prove able to deceive Cleomenes the +Lacedemonian by himself, yet he did this to thirty thousand Athenians. +The Athenians then, I say, being persuaded, voted a resolution to +despatch twenty ships to help the Ionians, and appointed to command them +Melanthios one of their citizens, who was in all things highly reputed. +These ships proved to be the beginning of evils for the Hellenes and the +Barbarians. + +98. Aristagoras however sailed on before and came to Miletos; and then +having devised a plan from which no advantage was likely to come for the +Ionians (nor indeed was he doing what he did with a view to that, but +in order to vex king Dareios), he sent a man to Phrygia to the Paionians +who had been taken captive by Megabazos from the river Strymon, and who +were dwelling in a district and village of Phrygia apart by themselves; +and when the messenger came to the Paionians he spoke these words: +"Paionians, Aristagoras the despot of Miletos sent me to offer to you +salvation, if ye shall be willing to do as he says; for now all Ionia +has revolted from the king and ye have an opportunity of coming safe to +your own land: to reach the sea shall be your concern, and after this it +shall be thenceforth ours." The Paionians hearing this received it as +a most welcome proposal, and taking with them their children and their +women they began a flight to the sea; some of them however were struck +with fear and remained in the place where they were. Having come to the +coast the Paionians crossed over thence to Chios, and when they were +already in Chios there arrived in their track a large body of Persian +horsemen pursuing the Paionians. These, as they did not overtake them, +sent over to Chios to bid the Paionians return back: the Paionians +however did not accept their proposal, but the men of Chios conveyed +them from Chios to Lesbos, and the Lesbians brought them to Doriscos, +and thence they proceeded by land and came to Paionia. + +99. Aristagoras meanwhile, when the Athenians had arrived with twenty +ships, bringing with them also five triremes of the Eretrians, joined +the expedition not for the sake of the Athenians but of the Milesians +themselves, to repay them a debt which they owed (for the Milesians in +former times had borne with the Eretrians the burden of all that war +which they had with the Chalkidians at the time when the Chalkidians +on their side were helped by the Samians against the Eretrians and +Milesians),--when these, I say, had arrived and the other allies were +on the spot, Aristagoras proceeded to make a march upon Sardis. On +this march he did not go himself, but remained at Miletos and appointed +others to be in command of the Milesians, namely his brother Charopinos +and of the other citizens one Hermophantos. 8701 + +100. With this force then the Ionians came to Ephesos, and leaving their +ships at Coresos in the land of Ephesos, went up themselves in a large +body, taking Ephesians to guide them in their march. So they marched +along by the river Caÿster, and then when they arrived after crossing +the range of Tmolos, they took Sardis without any resistance, all except +the citadel, but the citadel Artaphrenes himself saved from capture, +having with him a considerable force of men. + +101. From plundering this city after they had taken it they were +prevented by this:--the houses in Sardis were mostly built of reeds, +and even those of them which were of brick had their roofs thatched with +reeds: of these houses one was set on fire by a soldier, and forthwith +the fire going on from house to house began to spread over the whole +town. So then as the town was on fire, the Lydians and all the Persians +who were in the city being cut off from escape, since the fire was +prevailing in the extremities round about them, and not having any way +out of the town, flowed together to the market-place and to the river +Pactolos, which brings down gold-dust for them from Tmolos, flowing +through the middle of their market-place, and then runs out into the +river Hermos, and this into the sea;--to this Pactolos, I say, and to +the market-place the Lydians and Persians gathered themselves together, +and were compelled to defend themselves. The Ionians then, seeing some +of the enemy standing on their defence and others in great numbers +coming on to the attack, were struck with fear and retired to the +mountain called Tmolos, and after that at nightfall departed to go to +their ships. + +102. Sardis was then destroyed by fire, and in it also the temple of the +native goddess Hybebe; which the Persians alleged afterwards as a reason +for setting on fire in return the temples in the land of the Hellenes. +However at the time of which I speak the Persians who occupied districts +within the river Halys, informed beforehand of this movement, were +gathering together and coming to the help of the Lydians; and, as it +chanced, they found when they came that the Ionians no longer were in +Sardis; but they followed closely in their track and came up with them +at Ephesos: and the Ionians stood indeed against them in array, but +when they joined battle they had very much the worse; and besides other +persons of note whom the Persians slaughtered, there fell also Eualkides +commander of the Eretrians, a man who had won wreaths in contests of +the games and who was much celebrated by Simonides of Keos: and those of +them who survived the battle dispersed to their various cities. + +103. Thus then they fought at that time; and after the battle the +Athenians left the Ionians together, and when Aristagoras was urgent +in calling upon them by messengers for assistance, they said that +they would not help them: the Ionians, however, though deprived of the +alliance of the Athenians, none the less continued to prepare for the +war with the king, so great had been the offences already committed by +them against Dareios. They sailed moreover to the Hellespont and brought +under their power Byzantion and all the other cities which are in those +parts; and then having sailed forth out of the Hellespont, they gained +in addition the most part of Caria to be in alliance with them: for even +Caunos, which before was not willing to be their ally, then, after they +had burnt Sardis, was added to them also. + +104. The Cyprians too, excepting those of Amathus, were added +voluntarily to their alliance; for these also had revolted from the +Medes in the following manner:--there was one Onesilos, younger brother +of Gorgos king of Salamis, and son of Chersis, the son of Siromos, the +son of Euelthon. This man in former times too had been wont often to +advise Gorgos to make revolt from the king, and at this time, when +he heard that the Ionians had revolted, he pressed him very hard and +endeavoured to urge him to it. Since however he could not persuade +Gorgos, Onesilos watched for a time when he had gone forth out of the +city of Salamis, and then together with the men of his own faction he +shut him out of the gates. Gorgos accordingly being robbed of the city +went for refuge to the Medes, and Onesilos was ruler of Salamis and +endeavoured to persuade all the men of Cyprus to join him in revolt. The +others then he persuaded; but since those of Amathus were not willing to +do as he desired, he sat down before their city and besieged it. + +105. Onesilos then was besieging Amathus; and meanwhile, when it was +reported to king Dareios that Sardis had been captured and burnt by the +Athenians and the Ionians together, and that the leader of the league +for being about these things 88 was the Milesian Aristagoras, it is said +that at first being informed of this he made no account of the Ionians, +because he knew that they at all events would not escape unpunished for +their revolt, but he inquired into who the Athenians were; and when +he had been informed, he asked for his bow, and having received it +and placed an arrow upon the string, he discharged it upwards towards +heaven, and as he shot into the air he said: "Zeus, that it may be +granted me to take vengeance upon the Athenians!" Having so said he +charged one of his attendants, that when dinner was set before the king +he should say always three times: "Master, remember the Athenians." + +106. When he had given this charge, he called into his presence +Histiaios the Milesian, whom Dareios had now been keeping with him for a +long time, and said: "I am informed, Histiaios, that thy deputy, to whom +thou didst depute the government of Miletos, has made rebellion against +me; for he brought in men against me from the other continent and +persuaded the Ionians also,--who shall pay the penalty to me for that +which they did,--these, I say, he persuaded to go together with them, +and thus he robbed me of Sardis. Now therefore how thinkest thou that +this is well? and how without thy counsels was anything of this kind +done? Take heed lest thou afterwards find reason to blame thyself for +this." Histiaios replied: "O king, what manner of speech is this that +thou hast uttered, saying that I counselled a matter from which it was +likely that any vexation would grow for thee, either great or small? +What have I to seek for in addition to that which I have, that I should +do these things; and of what am I in want? for I have everything that +thou hast, and I am thought worthy by thee to hear all thy counsels. +Nay, but if my deputy is indeed acting in any such manner as thou +hast said, be assured that he has done it merely on his own account. I +however, for my part, do not even admit the report to be true, that the +Milesians and my deputy are acting in any rebellious fashion against thy +power: but if it prove that they are indeed doing anything of that kind, +and if that which thou hast heard, O king, be the truth, learn then what +a thing thou didst in removing me away from the sea-coast; for it seems +that the Ionians, when I had gone out of the sight of their eyes, did +that which they had long had a desire to do; whereas if I had been in +Ionia, not a city would have made the least movement. Now therefore as +quickly as possible let me set forth to go to Ionia, that I may order +all these matters for thee as they were before, and deliver into thy +hands this deputy of Miletos who contrived these things: and when I have +done this after thy mind, I swear by the gods of the royal house that I +will not put off from me the tunic which I wear when I go down to Ionia, +until I have made Sardinia tributary to thee, which is the largest of +all islands." + +107. Thus saying Histiaios endeavoured to deceive the king, and +Dareios was persuaded and let him go, charging him, when he should have +accomplished that which he had promised, to return to him again at Susa. + +108. In the meantime, while the news about Sardis was going up to the +king, and while Dareios, after doing that which he did with the bow, +came to speech with Histiaios, and Histiaios having been let go by +Dareios was making his journey to the sea-coast,--during all that time +the events were happening which here follow.--As Onesilos of Salamis +was besieging those of Amathus, it was reported to him that Artybios +a Persian, bringing with him in ships a large Persian army, was to be +expected shortly to arrive in Cyprus. Being informed of this, Onesilos +sent heralds to different places in Ionia to summon the Ionians to his +assistance; and they took counsel together and came without delay with a +large force. Now the Ionians arrived in Cyprus just at the time when the +Persians having crossed over in ships from Kilikia were proceeding by +land to attack Salamis, while the Phenicians with the ships were sailing +round the headland which is called the "Keys of Cyprus." + +109. This being the case, the despots of Cyprus called together the +commanders of the Ionians and said: "Ionians, we of Cyprus give you +a choice which enemy ye will rather fight with, the Persians or the +Phenicians: for if ye will rather array yourselves on land and make +trial of the Persians in fight, it is time now for you to disembark from +your ships and array yourselves on the land, and for us to embark in +your ships to contend against the Phenicians; but if on the other hand +ye will rather make trial of the Phenicians,--whichever of these two ye +shall choose, ye must endeavour that, so far as it rests with you, both +Ionia and Cyprus shall be free." To this the Ionians replied: "We were +sent out by the common authority of the Ionians to guard the sea, and +not to deliver our ships to the Cyprians and ourselves fight with the +Persians on land. We therefore will endeavour to do good service in that +place to which we were appointed; and ye must call to mind all the evils +which ye suffered from the Medes, when ye were in slavery to them, and +prove yourselves good men." + +110. The Ionians made answer in these words; and afterwards, when the +Persians had come to the plain of Salamis, the kings of the Cyprians set +in order their array, choosing the best part of the troops of Salamis +and of Soloi to be arrayed against the Persians and setting the other +Cyprians against the rest of the enemy's troops; and against Artybios, +the commander of the Persians, Onesilos took up his place in the array +by his own free choice. + +111. Now Artybios was riding a horse which had been trained to rear +up against a hoplite. Onesilos accordingly being informed of this, and +having a shield-bearer, by race of Caria, who was of very good repute +as a soldier and full of courage besides, 89 said to this man: "I am +informed that the horse of Artybios rears upright and works both with +his feet and his mouth against any whom he is brought to attack. Do thou +therefore consider the matter, and tell me forthwith which of the two +thou wilt rather watch for and strike, the horse or Artybios himself." +To this his attendant replied: "O king, I am ready to do both or either +of these two things, and in every case to do that which thou shalt +appoint for me; but I will declare to thee the way in which I think it +will be most suitable 90 for thy condition. I say that it is right for +one who is king and commander to fight with a king and commander; for if +thou shalt slay the commander of the enemy, it turns to great glory for +thee; and again, if he shall slay thee, which heaven forbid, even death +when it is at the hands of a worthy foe is but half to be lamented: but +for us who are under thy command it is suitable to fight with the others +who are under his command and with his horse: and of the tricks of the +horse have thou no fear at all, for I engage to thee that after this +at least he shall never stand against any man more." Thus he spoke; and +shortly afterwards the opposed forces joined battle both on land and +with their ships. + +112. On that day the Ionians for their part greatly distinguished +themselves and overcame the Phenicians, and of them the Samians were +best: and meanwhile on land, when the armies met, they came to close +quarters and fought; and as regards the two commanders, what happened +was this:--when Artybios came to fight with Onesilos sitting upon his +horse, Onesilos, as he had concerted with his shield-bearer, struck at +Artybios himself, when he came to fight with him; and when the horse put +its hoofs against the shield of Onesilos, then the Carian struck with a +falchion 91 and smote off the horse's feet. + +113. So Artybios the commander of the Persians fell there on the spot +together with his horse: and while the others also were fighting, +Stesenor the despot of Curion deserted them, having with him a +large force of men,--now these Curians are said to be settlers +from Argos,--and when the Curians had deserted, forthwith also the +war-chariots of the men of Salamis proceeded to do the same as the +Curians. When these things took place, the Persians had the advantage +over the Cyprians; and after their army had been put to rout, many +others fell and among them Onesilos the son of Chersis, he who brought +about the revolt of the Cyprians, and also the king of the Solians, +Aristokypros the son of Philokypros,--that Philokypros whom Solon the +Athenian, when he came to Cyprus, commended in verse above all other +despots. + +114. So the men of Amathus cut off the head of Onesilos, because he had +besieged them; and having brought it to Amathus they hung it over the +gate of the city: and as the head hung there, when it had now become a +hollow, a swarm of bees entered into it and filled it with honeycomb. +This having so come to pass, the Amathusians consulted an Oracle about +the head, and they received an answer bidding them take it down and bury +it and sacrifice to Onesilos every year as a hero; and if they did this, +it would go better with them. + +115. The Amathusians accordingly continued to do so even to my time. But +the Ionians who had fought the sea-fight in Cyprus, when they perceived +that the fortunes of Onesilos were ruined and that the cities of the +Cyprians were besieged, except Salamis, and that this city had been +delivered over by the Salaminians to Gorgos the former king,--as soon as +they perceived this, the Ionians sailed away back to Ionia. Now of the +cities in Cyprus Soloi held out for the longest time under the siege; +and the Persians took it in the fifth month by undermining the wall +round. + +116. The Cyprians then, after they had made themselves free for one +year, had again been reduced to slavery afresh: and meanwhile Daurises, +who was married to a daughter of Dareios, and Hymaies and Otanes, who +were also Persian commanders and were married also to daughters +of Dareios, after they had pursued those Ionians who had made the +expedition to Sardis and defeating them in battle had driven them +by force to their ships,--after this distributed the cities amongst +themselves and proceeded to sack them. + +117. Daurises directed his march to the cities on the Hellespont, and he +took Dardanos and Abydos and Percote and Lampsacos and Paisos, of these +he took on each day one; and as he was marching from Paisos against the +city of Parion, the report came that the Carians had made common cause +with the Ionians and were in revolt from the Persians. He turned back +therefore from the Hellespont and marched his army upon Caria. 118. +And, as it chanced, a report of this was brought to the Carians before +Daurises arrived; and the Carians being informed of it gathered together +at the place which is called the "White Pillars" and at the river +Marsyas, which flows from the region of Idrias and runs out into the +Maiander. When the Carians had been gathered together there, among many +other counsels which were given, the best, as it seems to me, was that +of Pixodaros the son of Mausolos, a man of Kindye, who was married to +the daughter of the king of the Kilikians, Syennesis. The opinion +of this man was to the effect that the Carians should cross over the +Maiander and engage battle with the Persians having the river at their +backs, in order that the Carians, not being able to fly backwards and +being compelled to remain where they were, might prove themselves even +better men in fight than they naturally would. This opinion did not +prevail; but they resolved that the Persians rather than themselves +should have the Maiander at their backs, evidently 92 in order that if +there should be a flight of the Persians and they should be worsted in +the battle, they might never return home, but might fall into the river. + +119. After this, when the Persians had come and had crossed the +Maiander, the Carians engaged with the Persians on the river Marsyas and +fought a battle which was obstinately contested and lasted long; but at +length they were worsted by superior numbers: and of the Persians there +fell as many as two thousand, but of the Carians ten thousand. Then +those of them who escaped were shut up in Labraunda 93 within +the sanctuary of Zeus Stratios, which is a large sacred grove of +plane-trees; now the Carians are the only men we know who offer +sacrifices to Zeus Stratios. These men then, being shut up there, were +taking counsel together about their safety, whether they would fare +better if they delivered themselves over to the Persians or if they left +Asia altogether. + +120. And while they were thus taking counsel, there came to their aid +the Milesians and their allies. Then the Carians dismissed the plans +which they were before considering and prepared to renew the war again +from the beginning: and when the Persians came to attack them, they +engaged with them and fought a battle, and they were worsted yet more +completely than before; and while many were slain of all parties, 94 the +Milesians suffered most. + +121. Then afterwards the Carians repaired this loss and retrieved their +defeat; for being informed that the Persians had set forth to march upon +their cities, they laid an ambush on the road which is by Pedasos, 95 +and the Persians falling into it by night were destroyed both they and +their commanders, namely Daurises and Amorges and Sisimakes; and with +them died also Myrsos the son of Gyges. Of this ambush the leader was +Heracleides the son of Ibanollis, a man of Mylasa. + +122. These then of the Persians were thus destroyed; and meanwhile +Hymaies, who was another of those who pursued after the Ionians that had +made the expedition to Sardis, directed his march to the Propontis and +took Kios in Mysia; and having conquered this city, when he was informed +that Daurises had left the Hellespont and was marching towards Caria, he +left the Propontis and led his army to the Hellespont: and he conquered +all the Aiolians who occupy the district of Ilion, and also the +Gergithes, who were left behind as a remnant of the ancient Teucrians. +While conquering these tribes Hymaies himself ended his life by sickness +in the land of Troas. + +123. He thus brought his life to an end; and Artaphrenes the governor +of the province of Sardis was appointed with Otanes the third of the +commanders to make the expedition against Ionia and that part of Aiolia +which bordered upon it. Of Ionia these took the city of Clazomenai, and +of the Aiolians Kyme. + +124. While the cities were thus being taken, Aristagoras the Milesian, +being, as he proved in this instance, not of very distinguished courage, +since after having disturbed Ionia and made preparation of great matters +96 he counselled running away when he saw these things, (moreover it +had become clear to him that it was impossible to overcome king +Dareios),--he, I say, having regard to these things, called together +those of his own party and took counsel with them, saying that it was +better that there should be a refuge prepared for them, in case that +they should after all be driven out from Miletos, and proposing the +question whether he should lead them from thence to Sardinia, to form +a colony there, or to Myrkinos in the land of the Edonians, which +Histiaios had been fortifying, having received it as a gift from +Dareios. This was the question proposed by Aristagoras. + +125. Now the opinion of Hecataios the son of Hegesander the historian +97 was that he should not take a colony to either of these places, but +build a wall of defence for himself in the island of Leros and keep +still, if he should be forced to leave Miletos; and afterwards with this +for his starting point he would be able to return to Miletos. + +126. This was the counsel of Hecataios; but Aristagoras was most +inclined to go forth to Myrkinos. He therefore entrusted the government +of Miletos to Pythagoras, a man of repute among the citizens, and he +himself sailed away to Thrace, taking with him every one who desired to +go; and he took possession of the region for which he had set out. +But starting from this to make war, he perished by the hands of the +Thracians, that is both Aristagoras himself and his army, when he was +encamped about a certain city and the Thracians desired to go out from +it under a truce. + +***** + + + +NOTES TO BOOK V + +1 [ {ie paion} (or {paian}), as the burden of a song of triumph.] + +2 [ {eggenetai}: many MSS. and some Editors read {en genetai}, "and the +race can never become united."] + +3 [ iv. 93.] + +301 [ Or "from the time that he was born."] + +4 [ {to astikton} is probably for {to me estikhthai}: but possibly the +meaning may be, "those who are not so marked are of low birth."] + +5 [ "the greatest prizes are assigned for single combat in proportion" +(as it is more difficult).] + +6 [ Or "Siriopaionians."] + +7 [ The words "and about the Doberians and Agrianians and Odomantians" +are marked by Stein as an interpolation, on the ground that the two +tribes first mentioned are themselves Paionian; but Doberians are +distinguished from Paionians in vii. 113.] + +8 [ {theres katarraktes}: the MSS. have {thures katapaktes} (which can +hardly be right, since the Ionic form would be {katapektes}), meaning +"fastened down." Stein suggests {thures katepaktes} (from {katepago}), +which might mean "a door closed downwards," but the word is not found. +(The Medicean MS. has {e} written over the last {a} of {katapaktes}.)] + +9 [ {diapinontes}: or perhaps, "drinking against one another."] + +10 [ See viii. 137.] + +11 [ i.e. "he was drawn to run in the first pair."] + +12 [ The best MSS. give this form throughout, which is also used by +Æschylus: cp. iii. 70, note 60.] + +13 [ {ekakothesan}.] + +14 [ {toutou}: it is doubtful whether this means his power or his death. +Perhaps something has dropped out after {teleuta}.] + +15 [ {anesis}: a conjectural emendation of {aneos}. (Perhaps however, +the word was rather {ananeosis}, "after a short time there was a renewal +of evils"). Grote wishes to translate this clause, "after a short time +there was an abatement of evils," being of opinion that the {anesis +kakon} lasted about eight years. However the expression {ou pollon +khronon} is so loose that it might well cover the required period of +time.] + +16 [ {praskhema}.] + +17 [ i.e. Miletos and Naxos.] + +18 [ {ton pakheon}.] + +1801 [ {umin}: omitted in some MSS. and editions.] + +19 [ Lit. "dividing him in such a manner."] + +20 [ {kai to teikhos esaxanto}: {esaxanto} from {satto}, which generally +means "load." Various conjectures have been made, e.g. {kai to teikhos +ephraxanto}, or {kata takhos esaxanto}, the comma after {pota} being +removed.] + +2001 [ {me de neoteron ti poieuses tes Miletou}, "if Miletos made no +change (i.e. rebellion)."] + +21 [ {katairetheie}, "taken down" from their place (cp. {anetheke} +below).] + +22 [ {en to peoto ton logon}. The reference is to i. 92.] + +23 [ {isonomien}: cp. iii. 80.] + +24 [ {akromantes}: cp. {akrakholos}. It may mean "somewhat mad," so +{akrozumos}, "slightly leavened," and other words.] + +25 [ {Kinupa}: for this Stein reads by conjecture {Aibuen} and +afterwards {para Kinupa potamon} for {para potamon}: but Kinyps was +the name of the district about the river (iv. 198), and the name of the +river is easily supplied from this.] + +26 [ {Makeon te kai Libuon}. The Macai were of course Libyans, therefore +perhaps we should read (with Niebuhr) {Makeon te Libuon}: or {Makeon te +kai allon Libuon}.] + +27 [ Stein thinks that Heracleia Minoa on the S. coast of Sicily cannot +be meant, because too distant to be considered part of the "land of +Eryx." Evidently however this expression is very vague, and there seems +no need to correct the text as he proposes.] + +28 [ {para ten Italion}: the name applied anciently only to the +South-West of the peninsula.] + +29 [ {Krathin}, the MSS. give {krastin} here, and {krastie} below for +{Krathie}. Sybaris was situated between the rivers Crathis and Sybaris.] + +30 [ i.e. "of the Market-place."] + +31 [ {periodos}.] + +32 [ {kurbasias}: see vii. 64.] + +33 [ {poluargurotatoi}: this seems to include gold also, for which Lydia +was famous.] + +34 [ {poluprobatotatoi}.] + +35 [ {tende}, pointing to it in the map.] + +36 [ If {anaballesthai} is the true reading here, it cannot mean, +"put off to another time," as Stein translates it; for the form of the +sentence proves that it is to be taken as a question, co-ordinate with +that which follows: {peri men khores ara ou polles khreon esti umeas +makhas anaballesthai, parekhon de tes Asies arkhein allo ti airesesthe}; +the first clause being in sense subordinate to the second.] + +37 [ {es triten emeren}.] + +38 [ {diaphthereei se}. It is impossible to reproduce the double meaning +of {diaphtheirein}, "to destroy," and "to corrupt with bribes." The +child was apparently alarmed by the vehement gestures of Aristagoras +and supposed that he was going to kill her father. Cleomenes accepts the +omen.] + +39 [ {stathmoi}: "stations," the distance between them averaging here +about 120 stades.] + +40 [ {parasaggai}: the "parasang," as estimated at 30 stades, would be +nearly 3½ English miles.] + +4001 [ i.e. a narrow pass; so also below in speaking of the passes into +Kilikia.] + +41 [ In the MSS. this clause follows the account of the four rivers, and +the distance through Matiene is given as "four stages" with no number of +leagues added. By transposing the clause we avoid placing the rivers +in Armenia instead of Matiene; and by making the number of stages +thirty-four, with a corresponding number of leagues, we make the total +right at the end and give the proper extension to Matiene.] + +42 [ i.e. Zabatos: the name has perhaps fallen out of the text.] + +43 [ {o d' usteron}: "the one mentioned afterwards." Stein reads {o d' +usteros}.] + +44 [ See i. 189.] + +45 [ {parasagges}.] + +46 [ {stadia}: the stade being equal to 606¾ English feet.] + +47 [ Reckoned for the march of an army.] + +48 [ Omitting {to eoutou pathei} which stands in the MSS. before +{enargestaten}. If the words are retained, we must translate "which +clearly pointed to his fate."] + +49 [ {apeipamenos ten opsin}, which some translate "he made offerings to +avert the dream."] + +4901 [ {tisi}: many Editors adopt the conjecture {trisi}, three.] + +50 [ {anetheken eon}: various conjectures have been made here, e.g. +{anetheken elon}, {anetheken ion}, {anetheke theo}, {anetheken eont}, +{anetheke neon}: the last, which is Bentley's, is perhaps the best; but +it is doubtful whether the active form of the verb is admissible.] + +51 [ {autos}: the MSS. have {auton}. If {autos} is right, the meaning is +"from his own property."] + +52 [ The expression {Peisistratidai} is used loosely for the family in +general.] + +53 [ {porinou lithou}, "tufa."] + +5301 [ Or "of God."] + +54 [ {Koniaion}. There is no such place as Conion known in Thessaly, but +we cannot correct the text with any certainty.] + +55 [ There is perhaps a play of words in {basileus} and {leuster}.] + +56 [ {prutaneio}.] + +57 [ "Rulers of the people."] + +58 [ "Swine-ites."] + +59 [ "Ass-ites."] + +60 [ "Pig-ites."] + +61 [ {proteron aposmenon, tote panta}: most of the MSS. read {panton} +for {panta}. The Editors propose various corrections, e.g. {proteron +apospenon panton, tote k.t.l.}, "which before were excluded from +everything," or {proteron apospenon, tote panton metadidous}, "giving +the people, which before he had despised, a share of all rights": or +{panton} is corrected to {epanion}, "on his from exile," temporary exile +being supposed as the result of the defeat mentioned in ch. 66.] + +62 [ {tous enageas}.] + +63 [ i.e. of Athene Polias in the Erechtheion.] + +64 [ Cp. iv. 145.] + +6401 [ {tous boethous}: most of the MSS. have {tous Boiotous}.] + +65 [ {ippobotai}.] + +66 [ {dimneos apotimesamenoi}.] + +67 [ See viii. 53.] + +68 [ {isegorin}: probably not "equal freedom of speech," but practically +the same as {isonomie}, ch. 37.] + +69 [ Lit. "penetrated the Athenian greatly": most MSS. and Editors read +{esineonto} (or {esinonto}) for {esikneonto}, which is given by the +first hand in at least two good MSS.] + +70 [ i.e. "Athene (protectress) of the city," who shared with Erechtheus +the temple on the Acropolis called the "Erechtheion"; see viii. 55.] + +71 [ More lit. "to give and receive from one another satisfaction."] + +72 [ {eti tode poiesai nomon einai, para sphisi ekateroisi k.t.l.} The +Editors punctuate variously, and alterations have been proposed in the +text.] + +73 [ i.e. Damia and Auxesia.] + +74 [ {ginoito}: some MSS. read {an ginoito}, "would become": so Stein +and many other Editors.] + +75 [ Some Editors omit this clause, "whither--refuge."] + +76 [ "having grown a good opinion of itself."] + +7601 [ Or, altering {oste} to {os ge} or {osper}, "as the neighbours +of these men first of all, that is the Boeotians and Chalkidians, have +already learnt, and perhaps some others will afterwards learn that they +have committed an error." The word {amarton} would thus be added as an +afterthought, with reference primarily to the Corinthians, see ch. 75.] + +77 [ {peiresometha spheas ama umin apikomenoi tisasthai}: some MSS. read +{akeomenoi} and omit {tisasthai}. Hence it has been proposed to read +{peisesometha sphea ama umin akeomenoi}, "we will endeavour to remedy +this with your help," which may be right.] + +78 [ So the name is given by the better class of MSS. Others, followed +by most Editors, make it "Sosicles."] + +79 [ {isokratias}.] + +80 [ Lit. "gave and took (in marriage) from one another."] + +81 [ {Eetion, outis se tiei polutiton eonta}: the play upon {Eetion} and +{tio} can hardly be rendered. The "rolling rock" in the next line is an +allusion to Petra, the name of the deme.] + +82 [ {aietos en petresi kuei}, with a play upon the names {Eetion} +({Aeton}) and {Petre} again.] + +83 [ {ophruoenta}, "situated on a brow or edge," the regular descriptive +epithet of Corinth.] + +84 [ {kupselen}: cp. Aristoph. Pax, 631.] + +85 [ {amphidexion}: commonly translated "ambiguous," but in fact the +oracle is of the clearest, so much so that Abicht cuts the knot +by inserting {ouk}. Stein explains it to mean "doubly favourable," +{amphoterothen dexion}. I understand it to mean "two-edged" (cp. +{amphekes}), in the sense that while promising success to Kypselos +and his sons, it prophesies also the deposition of the family in the +generation after, and so acts (or cuts) both ways.] + +86 [ {anapodizon}, "calling him back over the same ground again."] + +87 [ Evidently the war must be dated earlier than the time of +Peisistratos.] + +8701 [ Or (according to some MSS.), "another of the citizens, named +Hermophantos."] + +88 [ {tes sulloges oste tauta sunuphanthenai}, "the assembling together +so that these things were woven."] + +89 [ {kai allos lematos pleos}.] + +90 [ {plospheresteron}, or perhaps {plopheresteron}, "to be preferred"; +so one MS.: {plospheres} ordinarily means "like."] + +91 [ {drepano}, cp. vii. 93.] + +92 [ {delade}, ironical.] + +93 [ Or, "Labranda."] + +94 [ i.e. Carians, Persians, and Ionians.] + +95 [ {en Pedaso}: the MSS. vary between {en Pidaso, epi daso}, and {epi +lasoisi}, and Valla's translation has "in viam quae in Mylassa fert." +Some Editors read {epi Mulasoisi}, others {epi Pedaso}.] + +96 [ {egkerasamenos pregmata megala}.] + +97 [ {andros logopoiou} + + + + + +BOOK VI. THE SIXTH BOOK OF THE HISTORIES, CALLED ERATO + +1. Aristagoras accordingly, after having caused Ionia to revolt, thus +brought his life to an end; and meanwhile Histiaios the despot of +Miletos, having been let go by Dareios had arrived at Sardis: and when +he came from Susa, Artaphrenes the governor of Sardis asked him for what +reason he supposed the Ionians had revolted; and he said that he could +not tell, and moreover he expressed wonder at that which had happened, +pretending that he knew nothing of the state of affairs. Then +Artaphrenes seeing that he was using dissimulation said, having +knowledge of the truth about the revolt: "Thus it is with thee, +Histiaios, about these matters,--this shoe was stitched by thee, and put +on by Aristagoras.". + +2. Thus said Artaphrenes with reference to the revolt; and Histiaios +fearing Artaphrenes because he understood the matter, ran away the +next night at nightfall and went to the sea-coast, having deceived king +Dareios, seeing that he had engaged to subdue Sardinia the largest of +islands, and instead of that he was endeavouring to take upon himself +leadership of the Ionians in the war against Dareios. Then having +crossed over to Chios he was put in bonds by the Chians, being accused +by them of working for a change of their State by suggestion of Dareios. +When however the Chians learnt the whole story and heard that he was an +enemy to the king, they released him.. + +3. Then Histiaios, being asked by the Ionians for what reason he had so +urgently charged Aristagoras to revolt from the king and had wrought so +great an evil for the Ionians, did not by any means declare to them +that which had been in truth the cause, but reported to them that king +Dareios had resolved to remove the Phenicians from their land and to +settle them in Ionia, and the Ionians in Phenicia; and for this reason, +he said, he had given the charge. Thus he attempted to alarm the +Ionians, although the king had never resolved to do so at all. + +4. After this Histiaios acting through a messenger, namely Hermippos +a man of Atarneus, sent papers to the Persians who were at Sardis, +implying that he had already talked matters over with them about a +revolt: and Hermippos did not deliver them to those to whom he was sent, +but bore the papers and put them into the hands of Artaphrenes. He then, +perceiving all that was being done, bade Hermippos bear the papers sent +by Histiaios and deliver them to those to whom he was sent to bear +them, and to deliver to him the replies sent back by the Persians to +Histiaios. These things having been discovered, Artaphrenes upon that +put to death many of the Persians. + +5. As regards Sardis therefore there was confusion of the design; and +when Histiaios had been disappointed of this hope, the Chians attempted +to restore him to Miletos at the request of Histiaios himself. +The Milesians, however, who had been rejoiced before to be rid of +Aristagoras, were by no means eager to receive another despot into their +land, seeing that they had tasted of liberty: and in fact Histiaios, +attempting to return to Miletos by force and under cover of night, was +wounded in the thigh by one of the Milesians. He then, being repulsed +from his own city, returned to Chios; and thence, as he could not +persuade the Chians to give him ships, he crossed over to Mytilene and +endeavoured to persuade the Lesbians to give him ships. So they manned +eight triremes and sailed with Histiaios to Byzantion, and stationing +themselves there they captured the ships which sailed out of the Pontus, +excepting where the crews of them said that they were ready to do the +bidding of Histiaios. + +6. While Histiaios and the men of Mytilene were acting thus, a large +army both of sea and land forces was threatening to attack Miletos +itself; for the commanders of the Persians had joined together to form +one single army and were marching upon Miletos, considering the other +towns of less account. Of their naval force the most zealous were the +Phenicians, and with them also served the Cyprians, who had just been +subdued, and the Kilikians and Egyptians.. + +7. These, I say, were advancing upon Miletos and the rest of Ionia; and +meanwhile the Ionians being informed of this were sending deputies 1 +chosen from themselves to the Panionion. 2 When these had arrived at +that place and took counsel together, they resolved not to gather a +land-army to oppose the Persians, but that the Milesians should defend +their walls by themselves, and that the Ionians should man their fleet, +leaving out not one of their ships, and having done so should assemble +as soon as possible at Lade, to fight a sea-battle in defence of +Miletos. Now Lade is a small island lying opposite the city of the +Milesians.. + +8. Then the Ionians manned their ships and came thither, and with them +also those Aiolians who inhabit Lesbos; and they were drawn up in +order thus:--the extremity of the line towards the East was held by the +Milesians themselves, who furnished eighty ships; next to them were +the Prienians with twelve ships and the men of Myus with three; next to +those of Myus were the Teians with seventeen ships, and after the +Teians the Chians with a hundred; after these were stationed the men +of Erythrai and of Phocaia, the former furnishing eight ships and the +latter three; next to the Phocaians were the Lesbians with seventy +ships, and last, holding the extremity of the line towards the West, +were stationed the Samians with sixty ships. Of all these the total +number proved to be three hundred and fifty-three triremes.. + +9. These were the ships of the Ionians; and of the Barbarians the number +of ships was six hundred. When these too were come to the Milesian coast +and their whole land-army was also there, then the commanders of the +Persians, being informed of the number of the Ionian ships, were struck +with fear lest they should be unable to overcome them, and thus on the +one hand should not be able to conquer Miletos from not having command +of the sea, and at the same time should run a risk of being punished by +Dareios. Reflecting upon these things they gathered together the despots +of the Ionians who were exiles with the Medes, having been deposed from +their governments by Aristagoras the Milesian, and who chanced to be +then joining in the expedition against Miletos,--of these men they +called together those who were present and spoke to them as follows: +"Ionians, now let each one of you show himself a benefactor of the +king's house, that is to say, let each one of you endeavour to detach +his own countrymen from the body of the alliance: and make your +proposals promising at the same time that they shall suffer nothing +unpleasant on account of the revolt, and neither their temples nor their +private houses shall be burnt, nor shall they have any worse treatment +than they had before this; but if they will not do so, but will by all +means enter into a contest with us, threaten them and tell them this, +which in truth shall happen to them, namely that if they are worsted in +the fight they shall be reduced to slavery, and we shall make their sons +eunuchs, and their maidens we shall remove to Bactria, and deliver their +land to others.". + +10. They thus spoke; and the despots of Ionia sent each one by night +to his own people announcing to them this. The Ionians however, that +is those to whom these messages came, continued obstinate and would not +accept the thought of treason to their cause; and each people thought +that to them alone the Persians were sending this message. + +11. This happened as soon as the Persians came to Miletos; and after +this the Ionians being gathered together at Lade held meetings; and +others no doubt also made speeches to them, but especially the Phocaian +commander Dionysios, who said as follows: "Seeing that our affairs are +set upon the razor's edge, Ionians, whether we shall be free or slaves, +and slaves too to be dealt with as runaways, now therefore if ye shall +be willing to take upon yourselves hardships, ye will have labour for +the time being, but ye will be able to overcome the enemy and be free; +whereas if ye continue to be self-indulgent and without discipline, I +have no hope for you that ye will not pay the penalty to the king for +your revolt. Nay, but do as I say, and deliver yourselves over to me; +and I engage, if the gods grant equal conditions, that either the +enemy will not fight with us, or that fighting he shall be greatly +discomfited.". + +12. Hearing this the Ionians delivered themselves to Dionysios; and he +used to bring the ships out every day in single file, 3 that he might +practise the rowers by making the ships break through one another's +line, 4 and that he might get the fighting-men in the ships under arms; +an then for the rest of the day he would keep the ships at anchor; and +thus he gave the Ionians work to do during the whole day. For seven +days then they submitted and did that which he commanded; but on the +day after these the Ionians, being unaccustomed to such toils and +being exhausted with hard work and hot sun, spoke to one another thus: +"Against which of the deities have we offended, that we thus fill up the +measure of evil? for surely we have delivered ourselves to a Phocaian, +an impostor, who furnishes but three ships: and he has taken us into +his hands and maltreats us with evil dealing from which we can never +recover; and many of us in fact have fallen into sicknesses, and many +others, it may be expected, will suffer the same thing shortly; and for +us it is better to endure anything else in the world rather than these +ills, and to undergo the slavery which will come upon us, whatever that +shall be, rather than to be oppressed by that which we have now. Come, +let us not obey him after this any more." So they said, and forthwith +after this every one refused to obey him, and they pitched their tents +in the island like an army, and kept in the shade, and would not go on +board their ships or practise any exercises. + +13. Perceiving this which was being done by the Ionians, the commanders +of the Samians then at length accepted from Aiakes the son of Syloson +those proposals which Aiakes sent before at the bidding of the Persians, +asking them to leave the alliance of the Ionians; the Samians, I say, +accepted these proposals, perceiving that there was great want of +discipline on the part of the Ionians, while at the same time it was +clear to them that it was impossible to overcome the power of the king; +and they well knew also that even if they should overcome the present +naval force of Dareios, 5 another would be upon them five times as +large. Having found an occasion 6 then, so soon as they saw that the +Ionians refused to be serviceable, they counted it gain for themselves +to save their temples and their private property. Now Aiakes, from whom +the Samians accepted the proposals, was the son of Syloson, the son of +Aiakes, and being despot of Samos he had been deprived of his rule by +Aristagoras the Milesian, like the other despots of Ionia.. + +14. So when the Phenicians sailed to the attack, the Ionians also put +out their ships from shore against them, sailing in single file: and +when they came near and engaged battle with one another, as regards what +followed I am not able exactly to record which of the Ionians showed +themselves cowards or good men in this sea-fight, for they throw blame +upon one another. The Samians however, it is said, according to their +agreement with Aiakes put up their sails then and set forth from their +place in the line to sail back to Samos, excepting only eleven ships: +of these the captains stayed in their places and took part in the +sea-fight, refusing to obey the commanders of their division; and the +public authority of the Samians granted them on account of this to have +their names written up on a pillar with their fathers' names also, 601 +as having proved themselves good men; and this pillar exists still in +the market-place. Then the Lesbians also, when they saw that those next +them in order were taking to flight, did the same things as the Samians +had done, and so also most of the Ionians did the very same thing.. + +15. Of those which remained in their places in the sea-fight the Chians +suffered very severely, 7 since they displayed brilliant deeds of valour +and refused to play the coward. These furnished, as was before said, +a hundred ships and in each of them forty picked men of their citizens +served as fighting-men; 8 and when they saw the greater number of their +allies deserting them, they did not think fit to behave like the +cowards among them, but left along with a few only of their allies they +continued to fight and kept breaking through the enemy's line; until at +last, after they had conquered many ships of the enemy, they lost the +greater number of their own.. + +16. The Chians then with the remainder of their ships fled away to +their own land; but those of the Chians whose ships were disabled by the +damage which they had received, being pursued fled for refuge to Mycale; +and their ships they ran ashore there and left them behind, while the +men proceeded over the mainland on foot: and when the Chians had entered +the Ephesian territory on their way, then since 801 they came into it by +night and at a time when a festival of Thesmophoria was being celebrated +by the women of the place, the Ephesians, not having heard beforehand +how it was with the Chians and seeing that an armed body had entered +their land, supposed certainly that they were robbers and had a design +upon the women; so they came out to the rescue in a body and slew the +Chians. + +17. Such was the fortune which befell these men: but Dionysios the +Phocaian, when he perceived that the cause of the Ionians was ruined, +after having taken three ships of the enemy sailed away, not to Phocaia +any more, for he knew well that it would be reduced to slavery together +with the rest of Ionia, and he sailed forthwith straight to Phenicia; +and having there sunk merchant ships and taken a great quantity of +goods, he sailed thence to Sicily. Then with that for his starting-point +he became a freebooter, not plundering any Hellenes, but Carthaginians +and Tyrsenians only. + +18. The Persians, then, being conquerors of the Ionians in the +sea-fight, besieged Miletos by land and sea, undermining the walls and +bringing against it all manner of engines; and they took it completely 9 +in the sixth year from the revolt of Aristagoras, and reduced the people +to slavery; so that the disaster agreed with the oracle which had been +uttered with reference to Miletos.. + +19. For when the Argives were inquiring at Delphi about the safety of +their city, there was given to them an oracle which applied to both, +that is to say, part of it had reference to the Argives themselves, +while that which was added afterwards referred to the Milesians. The +part of it which had reference to the Argives I will record when I reach +that place in the history, 10 but that which the Oracle uttered with +reference to the Milesians, who were not there present, is as follows: + + + "And at that time, O Miletos, of evil deeds the contriver, + Thou shalt be made for many a glorious gift and a banquet: + Then shall thy wives be compelled to wash the feet of the long-haired, + And in Didyma then my shrine shall be tended by others." + +At the time of which I speak these things came upon the Milesians, since +most of the men were killed by the Persians, who are long-haired, and +the women and children were dealt with as slaves; and the temple at +Didyma, with the sacred building and the sanctuary of the Oracle, was +first plundered and then burnt. Of the things in this temple I have made +mention frequently in other parts of the history. 11. + +20. After this the Milesians who had been taken prisoner were conducted +to Susa; and king Dareios did to them no other evil, but settled them +upon the Sea called Erythraian, in the city of Ampe, by which the Tigris +flows when it runs out into the sea. Of the Milesian land the Persians +themselves kept the surroundings of the city and the plain, but the +heights they gave to the Carians of Pedasa for a possession. + +21. When the Milesians suffered this treatment from the Persians, the +men of Sybaris, who were dwelling in Laos and Skidros, being deprived of +their own city, did not repay like with like: for when Sybaris was taken +by the men of Croton, the Milesians all from youth upwards shaved their +heads and put on great mourning: for these cities were more than all +others of which we know bound together by ties of friendship. Not like +the Sybarites were the Athenians; for these made it clear that they were +grieved at the capture of Miletos, both in many other ways and also by +this, that when Phrynichos had composed a drama called the "Capture of +Miletos" and had put it on the stage, the body of spectators fell to +weeping, and the Athenians moreover fined the poet a thousand drachmas +on the ground that he had reminded them of their own calamities; and +they ordered also that no one in future should represent this drama. + +22. Miletos then had been stripped bare of its former inhabitants: but +of the Samians they who had substance were by no means satisfied with +that which had been concerted by the commanders of their fleet with the +Medes; and taking counsel forthwith after the sea-fight it seemed good +to them, before their despot Aiakes arrived in the country, to sail away +and make a colony, and not to stay behind and be slaves of the Medes +and of Aiakes: for just at this time the people of Zancle in Sicily +were sending messengers to Ionia and inviting the Ionians to come to the +"Fair Strand," 1101 desiring there to found a city of Ionians. Now this +which is called the Fair Strand is in the land of the Sikelians and on +that side of Sicily which lies towards Tyrsenia. So when these gave the +invitation, the Samians alone of all the Ionians set forth, having with +them those of the Milesians who had escaped: and in the course of this +matter it happened as follows:-- + +23. The Samians as they made their way towards Sicily reached Locroi +Epizephyroi, and at the same time the people of Zancle, both themselves +and their king, whose name was Skythes, were encamped about a city +of the Sikelians, desiring to conquer it. Perceiving these things, +Anaxilaos the despot of Rhegion, being then at variance with those of +Zancle, communicated with the Samians and persuaded them that they ought +to leave the Fair Strand alone, to which they were sailing, and take +possession of Zancle instead, since it was left now without men to +defend it. The Samians accordingly did as he said and took possession of +Zancle; and upon this the men of Zancle, being informed that their city +was possessed by an enemy, set out to rescue it, and invited Hippocrates +the despot of Gela to help them, for he was their ally. When however +Hippocrates also with his army had come up to their rescue, first he put +Skythes the ruler of the Zanclaians in fetters, on the ground that he +had been the cause of the city being lost, and together with him his +brother Pythogenes, and sent them away to the town of Incyos; 12 then he +betrayed the cause of the remaining Zanclaians by coming to terms with +the Samians and exchanging oaths with them; and in return for this it +had been promised by the Samians that Hippocrates should receive as his +share the half of all the movable goods in the city and of the slaves, +and the whole of the property in the fields round. So the greater number +of the Zanclaians he put in bonds and kept himself as slaves, but the +chief men of them, three hundred in number, he gave to the Samians to +put to death; which however the Samians did not do. + +24. Now Skythes the ruler of the Zanclaians escaped from Incyos to +Himera, and thence he came to Asia and went up to the court of Dareios: +and Dareios accounted him the most righteous of all the men who had come +up to him from Hellas; for he obtained leave of the king and went away +to Sicily, and again came back from Sicily to the king; and at last he +brought his life to an end among the Persians in old age and possessing +great wealth. The Samians then, having got rid of the rule of the Medes, +had gained for themselves without labour the fair city of Zancle. + +25. After the sea-battle which was fought for Miletos, the Phenicians by +the command of the Persians restored to Samos Aiakes the son of Syloson, +since he had been to them of much service and had done for them great +things; and the Samians alone of all who revolted from Dareios, because +of the desertion of their ships which were in the sea-fight, 13 had +neither their city nor their temples burnt. Then after the capture of +Miletos the Persians forthwith got possession of Caria, some of the +cities having submitted to their power voluntarily, while others of them +they brought over by force. + +26. Thus it came to pass as regards these matters: and meanwhile +Histiaios the Milesian, who was at Byzantion and was seizing the +merchant vessels of the Ionians as they sailed forth out of the Pontus, +received the report of that which had happened about Miletos. Upon that +he entrusted the matters which had to do with the Hellespont to Bisaltes +the son of Apollophanes, a man of Abydos, while he himself with the +Lesbians sailed to Chios; and when a body of the Chians who were on +guard did not allow him to approach, he fought with them at that spot in +the Chian land which is called the "Hollows." 14 Histiaios then not only +slew many of these, but also, taking Polichne of the Chians as his base, +he conquered with the help of the Lesbians the remainder of the Chians +as well, since they had suffered great loss by the sea-fight.. + +27. And heaven is wont perhaps to give signs beforehand whenever great +evils are about to happen to a city or a race of men; for to the Chians +also before these events remarkable signs had come. In the first place +when they had sent to Delphi a chorus of a hundred youths, two only +returned home, the remaining ninety-eight of them having been seized by +a plague and carried off; and then secondly in their city about the same +time, that is shortly before the sea-fight, as some children were being +taught 15 in school the roof fell in upon them, so that of a hundred +and twenty children only one escaped. These signs God showed to them +beforehand; and after this the sea-fight came upon them and brought +their State down upon its knees; and as the Chians had suffered great +loss, he without difficulty effected the conquest of them. + +28. Thence Histiaios made an expedition against Thasos, taking with him +a large force of Ionians and Aiolians; and while he was encamped about +the town of Thasos, a report came to him that the Phenicians were +sailing up from Miletos to conquer the rest of Ionia. Being informed of +this he left Thasos unconquered and himself hastened to Lesbos, taking +with him his whole army. Then, as his army was in want of food, 16 he +crossed over from Lesbos to reap the corn in Atarneus and also that in +the plain of the Caïcos, which belonged to the Mysians. In these parts +there chanced to be a Persian named Harpagos commanding a considerable +force; and this man fought a battle with him after he had landed, and +he took Histiaios himself prisoner and destroyed the greater part of his +army.. + +29. And Histiaios was taken prisoner in the following manner:--As the +Hellenes were fighting with the Persians at Malene in the district of +Atarneus, after they had been engaged in close combat for a long time, +the cavalry at length charged and fell upon the Hellenes; and the +cavalry in fact decided the battle. 17 So when the Hellenes had been +turned to flight, Histiaios trusting that he would not be put to death +by the king on account of his present fault, conceived a love of life, +so that when he was being caught in his flight by a Persian and was +about to be run through by him in the moment of his capture, he spoke +in Persian and made himself known, saying that he was Histiaios the +Milesian.. + +30. If then upon being taken prisoner he had been brought to king +Dareios, he would not, as I think, have suffered any harm, but Dareios +would have forgiven the crime with which he was charged; as it was, +however, for this very reason and in order that he might not escape +from punishment and again become powerful with the king, Artaphrenes +the governor of Sardis and Harpagos who had captured him, when he had +reached Sardis on his way to the king, put him to death there and then, +and his body they impaled, but embalmed his head and brought it up to +Dareios at Susa. Dareios having been informed of this, found fault +with those who had done so, because they had not brought him up to his +presence alive; and he bade wash the head of Histiaios and bestow upon +it proper care, and then bury it, as that of one who had been greatly a +benefactor both of the king himself and of the Persians. + +31. Thus it happened about Histiaios; and meanwhile the Persian fleet, +after wintering near Miletos, when it put to sea again in the following +year conquered without difficulty the islands lying near the mainland, +Chios, Lesbos, and Tenedos; and whenever they took one of the islands, +the Barbarians, as each was conquered, swept the inhabitants off it; 18 +and this they do in the following manner:--they extend themselves from +the sea on the North to the sea on the South, each man having hold +of the hand of the next, and then they pass through the whole island +hunting the people out of it. They took also the Ionian cities on the +mainland in the same manner, except that they did not sweep off the +inhabitants thus, for it was not possible.. + +32. Then the commanders of the Persians proved not false to the threats +with which they had threatened the Ionians when these were encamped +opposite to them: for in fact when they conquered the cities, they chose +out the most comely of the boys and castrated them, making eunuchs of +them, and the fairest of the maidens they carried off by force to the +king; and not only this, but they also burnt the cities together with +the temples. Thus for the third time had the Ionians been reduced +to slavery, first by the Lydians and then twice in succession by the +Persians. + +33. Departing from Ionia the fleet proceeded to conquer all the places +of the Hellespont on the left as one sails in, for those on the right +had been subdued already by the Persians themselves, approaching them by +land. Now the cities of the Hellespont in Europe are these:--first comes +the Chersonese, in which there are many cities, then Perinthos, the +strongholds of the Thracian border, Selymbria, and Byzantion. The people +of Byzantion and those of Calchedon opposite did not even wait for +the coming of the Persian ships, but had left their own land first and +departed, going within the Euxine; and there they settled in the city +of Mesambria. 19 So the Phenicians, having burnt these places which have +been mentioned, directed their course next to Proconnesos and Artake; +and when they had delivered these also to the flames, they sailed back +to the Chersonese to destroy the remaining cities which they had not +sacked when they touched there before: but against Kyzicos they did +not sail at all; for the men of Kyzicos even before the time when the +Phenicians sailed in had submitted to the king of their own accord, and +had made terms with Oibares the son of Megabazos, the Persian governor +at Daskyleion. 20. + +34. In the Chersonese then the Phenicians made themselves masters of all +the other cities except the city of Cardia. Of these cities up to that +time Miltiades the son of Kimon, the son of Stesagoras, had been despot, +Miltiades the son of Kypselos having obtained this government in the +manner which here follows:--The inhabitants of this Chersonese were +Dolonkian Thracians; and these Dolonkians, being hard pressed in war by +the Apsinthians, sent their kings to Delphi to consult the Oracle about +the war. And the Pythian prophetess answered them that they must bring +into their land as founder of a settlement the man who should first +offer them hospitality as they returned from the temple. The Dolonkians +then passed along the Sacred Road through the land of the Phokians and +of the Boeotians, and as no man invited them, they turned aside and came +to Athens.. + +35. Now at that time in Athens the government was held by Peisistratos, +but Miltiades also the son of Kypselos had some power, who belonged to +a family which kept four-horse chariot teams, and who was descended +originally from Aiacos and Egina, though in more recent times his family +was Athenian, Philaios the son of Ajax having been the first of his +house who became an Athenian. This Miltiades was sitting in the entrance +of his own dwelling, and seeing the Dolonkians going by with dress that +was not of the native Athenian fashion and with spears, he shouted to +them; and when they approached, he offered them lodging and hospitality. +They then having accepted and having been entertained by him, proceeded +to declare all the utterances of the Oracle; and having declared it they +asked him to do as the god had said: and Miltiades when he heard it +was at once disposed to agree, because he was vexed by the rule of +Peisistratos and desired to be removed out of the way. He set out +therefore forthwith to Delphi to inquire of the Oracle whether he should +do that which the Dolonkians asked of him:. + +36, and as the Pythian prophetess also bade him do so, Miltiades the +son of Kypselos, who had before this been victor at Olympia with a +four-horse chariot, now taking with him of the Athenians everyone who +desired to share in the expedition, sailed with the Dolonkians and took +possession of the land: and they who had invited him to come to them +made him despot over them. First then he made a wall across the isthmus +of the Chersonese from the city of Cardia to Pactye, in order that the +Apsinthians might not be able to invade the land and do them damage. +Now the number of furlongs 21 across the isthmus at this place +is six-and-thirty, and from this isthmus the Chersonese within is +altogether four hundred and twenty furlongs in length.. + +37. Having made a wall then across the neck of the Chersonese and having +in this manner repelled the Apsinthians, Miltiades made war upon the +people of Lampsacos first of all others; and the people of Lampsacos +laid an ambush and took him prisoner. Now Miltiades had come to be a +friend 22 of Croesus the Lydian; and Croesus accordingly, being informed +of this event, sent and commanded the people of Lampsacos to let +Miltiades go; otherwise he threatened to destroy them utterly like a +pine-tree. 23 Then when the people of Lampsacos were perplexed in their +counsels as to what that saying should mean with which Croesus had +threatened them, namely that he would destroy them utterly like a +pine-tree, at length one of the elder men with difficulty perceived the +truth, and said that a pine alone of all trees when it has been cut +down does not put forth any further growth but perishes, being utterly +destroyed. The people of Lampsacos therefore fearing Croesus loosed +Miltiades and let him go.. + +38. He then escaped by means of Croesus, but afterwards he brought his +life to an end leaving no son to succeed him, but passing over his rule +and his possessions to Stesagoras, who was the son of Kimon, his brother +on the mother's side: 24 and the people of the Chersonese still offer +sacrifices to him after his death as it is usual to do to a founder, and +hold in his honour a contest of horse-races and athletic exercises, in +which none of the men of Lampsacos are allowed to contend. After this +there was war with those of Lampsacos; and it happened to Stesagoras +also that he died without leaving a son, having been struck on the head +with an axe in the City Hall by a man who pretended to be a deserter, +but who proved himself to be in fact an enemy and a rather hot one +moreover.. + +39. Then after Stesagoras also had ended his life in this manner, +Miltiades son of Kimon and brother of that Stesagoras who was dead, was +sent in a trireme to the Chersonese to take possession of the government +by the sons of Peisistratos, who had dealt well with him at Athens also, +pretending that they had had no share in the death of his father Kimon, +of which in another part of the history I will set forth how it came +to pass. 25 Now Miltiades, when he came to the Chersonese, kept himself +within his house, paying honours in all appearance 26 to the memory +of his brother Stesagoras; and the chief men of the inhabitants of the +Chersonese in every place, being informed of this, gathered themselves +together from all the cities and came in a body to condole with him, and +when they had come they were laid in bonds by him. Miltiades then was +in possession of the Chersonese, supporting a body of five hundred +mercenary troops; and he married the daughter of Oloros the king of the +Thracians, who was named Hegesipyle. + +40. Now this Miltiades son of Kimon had at the time of which we speak +but lately returned 27 to the Chersonese; and after he had returned, +there befell him other misfortunes worse than those which had befallen +him already; for two years before this he had been a fugitive out of +the land from the Scythians, since the nomad Scythians provoked by king +Dareios had joined all in a body and marched as far as this Chersonese, +and Miltiades had not awaited their attack but had become a fugitive +from the Chersonese, until at last the Scythians departed and the +Dolonkians brought him back again. These things happened two years +before the calamities which now oppressed him:. + +41, and now, being informed that the Phenicians were at Tenedos, he +filled five triremes with the property which he had at hand and sailed +away for Athens. And having set out from the city of Cardia he was +sailing through the gulf of Melas; and as he passed along by the shore +of the Chersonese, the Phenicians fell in with his ships, and while +Miltiades himself with four of his ships escaped to Imbros, the fifth of +his ships was captured in the pursuit by the Phenicians. Of this ship +it chanced that Metiochos the eldest of the sons of Miltiades was in +command, not born of the daughter of Oloros the Thracian, but of another +woman. Him the Phenicians captured together with his ship; and being +informed about him, that he was the son of Miltiades, they brought him +up to the king, supposing that they would lay up for themselves a great +obligation; because it was Miltiades who had declared as his opinion to +the Ionians that they should do as the Scythians said, at that time when +the Scythians requested them to break up the bridge of boats and sail +away to their own land. Dareios however, when the Phenicians brought up +to him Metiochos the son of Miltiades, did Metiochos no harm but on the +contrary very much good; for he gave him a house and possessions and +a Persian wife, by whom he had children born who have been ranked as +Persians. Miltiades meanwhile came from Imbros to Athens. + +42. In the course of this year there was done by the Persians nothing +more which tended to strife with the Ionians, but these things which +follow were done in this year very much to their advantage.--Artaphrenes +the governor of Sardis sent for envoys from all the cities and compelled +the Ionians to make agreements among themselves, so that they might +give satisfaction for wrongs and not plunder one another's land. This +he compelled them to do, and also he measured their territories by +parasangs,--that is the name which the Persians give to the length +of thirty furlongs, 28--he measured, I say, by these, and appointed +a certain amount of tribute for each people, which continues still +unaltered from that time even to my own days, as it was appointed by +Artaphrenes; and the tribute was appointed to be nearly of the same +amount for each as it had been before.. + +43. These were things which tended to peace for the Ionians; but at the +beginning of the spring, the other commanders having all been removed +by the king, Mardonios the son of Gobryas came down to the sea, bringing +with him a very large land-army and a very large naval force, being a +young man and lately married to Artozostra daughter of king Dareios. +When Mardonios leading this army came to Kilikia, he embarked on board +a ship himself and proceeded together with the other ships, while other +leaders led the land-army to the Hellespont. Mardonios however sailing +along the coast of Asia came to Ionia: and here I shall relate a thing +which will be a great marvel to those of the Hellenes who do not believe +that to the seven men of the Persians Otanes declared as his opinion +that the Persians ought to have popular rule; 29 for Mardonios deposed +all the despots of the Ionians and established popular governments in +the cities. Having so done he hastened on to the Hellespont; and when +there was collected a vast number of ships and a large land-army, they +crossed over the Hellespont in the ships and began to make their way +through Europe, and their way was directed against Eretria and Athens.. + +44. These, I say, furnished them the pretence for the expedition, +but they had it in their minds to subdue as many as they could of the +Hellenic cities; and in the first place they subdued with their ships +the Thasians, who did not even raise a hand to defend themselves: then +with the land-army they gained the Macedonians to be their servants in +addition to those whom they had already; for all the nations on the East +of the Macedonians 30 had become subject to them already before this. +Crossing over then from Thasos to the opposite coast, they proceeded +on their way near the land as far as Acanthos, and then starting from +Acanthos they attempted to get round Mount Athos; but as they sailed +round, there fell upon them a violent North Wind, against which they +could do nothing, and handled them very roughly, casting away very many +of their ships on Mount Athos. It is said indeed that the number of the +ships destroyed was three hundred, 3001, and more than twenty thousand +men; for as this sea which is about Athos is very full of sea monsters, +some were seized by these and so perished, while others were dashed +against the rocks; and some of them did not know how to swim and +perished for that cause, others again by reason of cold.. + +45. Thus fared the fleet; and meanwhile Mardonios and the land-army +while encamping in Macedonia were attacked in the night by the Brygian +Thracians, and many of them were slain by the Brygians and Mardonios +himself was wounded. However not even these escaped being enslaved by +the Persians, for Mardonios did not depart from that region until he had +made them subject. But when he had subdued these, he proceeded to lead +his army back, since he had suffered great loss with his land-army in +fighting against the Brygians and with his fleet in going round Athos. +So this expedition departed back to Asia having gained no honour by its +contests. + +46. In the next year after this Dareios first sent a messenger to the +men of Thasos, who had been accused by their neighbours of planning +revolt, and bade them take away the wall around their town and bring +their ships to Abdera. The Thasians in fact, as they had been besieged +by Histiaios the Milesian and at the same time had large revenues coming +in, were using their money in building ships of war and in surrounding +their city with a stronger wall. Now the revenues came to them from the +mainland and from the mines: from the gold-mines in Scapte Hyle 31 there +came in generally eighty talents a year, and from those in Thasos itself +a smaller amount than this but so much that in general the Thasians, +without taxes upon the produce of their soil, had a revenue from the +mainland and from the mines amounting yearly to two hundred talents, and +when the amount was highest, to three hundred.. + +47. I myself saw these mines, and by much the most marvellous of +them were those which the Phenicians discovered, who made the first +settlement in this island in company with Thasos; and the island had the +name which it now has from this Thasos the Phenician. These Phenician +mines are in that part of Thasos which is between the places called +Ainyra and Koinyra and opposite Samothrake, where there is a great +mountain which has been all turned up in the search for metal. Thus it +is with this matter: and the Thasians on the command of the king both +razed their walls and brought all their ships to Abdera. + +48. After this Dareios began to make trial of the Hellenes, what they +meant to do, whether to make war with him or to deliver themselves up. +He sent abroad heralds therefore, and appointed them to go some to one +place and others to another throughout Hellas, bidding them demand earth +and water for the king. These, I say, he sent to Hellas; and meanwhile +he was sending abroad other heralds to his own tributary cities which +lay upon the sea-coast, and he bade them have ships of war built and +also vessels to carry horses.. + +49. They then were engaged in preparing these things; and meanwhile +when the heralds had come to Hellas, many of those who dwelt upon the +mainland gave that for which the Persian made demand, 32 and all those +who dwelt in the islands did so, to whomsoever they came to make their +demand. The islanders, I say, gave earth and water to Dareios, and among +them also those of Egina, and when these had done so, the Athenians went +forthwith urgent against them, supposing that the Eginetans had given +with hostile purpose against themselves, in order to make an expedition +against them in combination with the Persians; and also they were glad +to get hold of an occasion against them. Accordingly they went backward +and forwards to Sparta and accused the Eginetans of that which they had +done, as having proved themselves traitors to Hellas.. + +50. In consequence of this accusation Cleomenes the son of Anaxandrides, +king of the Spartans, crossed over to Egina meaning to seize those of +the Eginetans who were the most guilty; but as he was attempting +to seize them, certain of the Eginetans opposed him, and among them +especially Crios the son of Polycritos, who said that he should not with +impunity carry off a single Eginetan, for he was doing this (said he) +without authority from the Spartan State, having been persuaded to it by +the Athenians with money; otherwise he would have come and seized them +in company with the other king: and this he said by reason of a message +received from Demaratos. Cleomenes then as he departed from Egina, asked +Crios 33 what was his name, and he told him the truth; and Cleomenes +said to him: "Surely now, O Ram, thou must cover over thy horns with +bronze for thou wilt shortly have a great trouble to contend with." + +51. Meanwhile Demaratos the son of Ariston was staying behind in Sparta +and bringing charges against Cleomenes, he also being king of the +Spartans but of the inferior house; which however is inferior in no +other way (for it is descended from the same ancestor), but the house of +Eurysthenes has always been honoured more, apparently because he was the +elder brother.. + +52. For the Lacedemonians, who herein agree with none of the poets, say +that Aristodemos the son of Aristomachos, the son of Cleodaios, the +son of Hyllos, being their king, led them himself (and not the sons of +Aristodemos) to this land which they now possess. Then after no long +time the wife of Aristodemos, whose name was Argeia,--she was the +daughter, they say, of Autesion, the son of Tisamenes, the son of +Thersander, the son of Polyneikes,--she, it is said, brought forth +twins; and Aristodemos lived but to see his children and then ended his +life by sickness. So the Lacedemonians of that time resolved according +to established custom to make the elder of the children their king; but +they did not know which of them they should take, because they were like +one another and of equal size; and when they were not able to make out, +or even before this, they inquired of their mother; and she said +that even she herself did not know one from the other. She said this, +although she knew in truth very well, because she desired that by some +means both might be made kings. The Lacedemonians then were in a strait; +and being in a strait they sent to Delphi to inquire what they should do +in the matter. And the Pythian prophetess bade them regard both children +as their kings, but honour most the first in age. 34 The prophetess, +they say, thus gave answer to them; and when the Lacedemonians were at a +loss none the less how to find out the elder of them, a Messenian +whose name was Panites made a suggestion to them: this Panites, I say, +suggested to the Lacedemonians that they should watch the mother and see +which of the children she washed and fed before the other; and if she +was seen to do this always in the same order, then they would have all +that they were seeking and desiring to find out, but if she too was +uncertain and did it in a different order at different times, it would +be plain to them that even she had no more knowledge than any other, +and they must turn to some other way. Then the Spartans following +the suggestion of the Messenian watched the mother of the sons of +Aristodemos and found that she gave honour thus to the first-born both +in feeding and in washing; for she did not know with that design she was +being watched. They took therefore the child which was honoured by its +mother and brought it up as the first-born in the public hall, 35 and +to it was given the name of Eurysthenes, while the other was called +Procles. These, when they had grown up, both themselves were at +variance, they say, with one another, though they were brothers, +throughout the whole time of their lives, and their descendants also +continued after the same manner. + +53. This is the report given by the Lacedemonians alone of all the +Hellenes; but this which follows I write in accordance with that which +is reported by the Hellenes generally,--I mean that the names of these +kings of the Dorians are rightly enumerated by the Hellenes up to +Perseus the son of Danae (leaving the god out of account), 36 and proved +to be of Hellenic race; for even from that time they were reckoned as +Hellenes. I said "up to Perseus" and did not take the descent from a yet +higher point, because there is no name mentioned of a mortal father for +Perseus, as Amphitryon is for Heracles. Therefore with reason, as is +evident, I have said "rightly up to Perseus"; but if one enumerates +their ancestors in succession going back from Danae the daughter of +Acrisios, the rulers of the Dorians will prove to be Egyptians by direct +descent.. + +54. Thus I have traced the descent according to the account given by the +Hellenes; but as the story is reported which the Persians tell, Perseus +himself was an Assyrian and became a Hellene, whereas the ancestors of +Perseus were not Hellenes; and as for the ancestors of Acrisios, who +(according to this account) belonged not to Perseus in any way by +kinship, they say that these were, as the Hellenes report, Egyptians.. + +55. Let it suffice to have said so much about these matters; and as to +the question how and by what exploits being Egyptians they received the +sceptres of royalty over the Dorians, we will omit these things, since +others have told about them; but the things with which other narrators +have not dealt, of these I will make mention. + +56. These are the royal rights which have been given by the Spartans +to their kings, namely, two priesthoods, of Zeus Lakedaimon and Zeus +Uranios; 37 and the right of making war against whatsoever land they +please, and that no man of the Spartans shall hinder this right, or +if he do, he shall be subject to the curse; and that when they go on +expeditions the kings shall go out first and return last; that a hundred +picked men shall be their guard upon expeditions; and that they shall +use in their goings forth to war as many cattle as they desire, and take +both the hides and the backs of all that are sacrificed.. + +57. These are their privileges in war; and in peace moreover things have +been assigned to them as follows:--if any sacrifice is performed at the +public charge, it is the privilege of the kings to sit down at the feast +before all others, and that the attendants shall begin with them first, +and serve to each of them a portion of everything double of that which +is given to the other guests, and that they shall have the first pouring +of libations and the hides of the animals slain in sacrifice; that on +every new moon and seventh day of the month there shall be delivered at +the public charge to each one of these a full-grown victim in the temple +of Apollo, and a measure 38 of barley-groats and a Laconian "quarter" +39 of wine; and that at all the games they shall have seats of honour +specially set apart for them: moreover it is their privilege to appoint +as protectors of strangers 40 whomsoever they will of the citizens, and +to choose each two "Pythians:" now the Pythians are men sent to consult +the god at Delphi, and they eat with the kings at the public charge. And +if the kings do not come to the dinner, it is the rule that there shall +be sent out for them to their houses two quarts 41 of barley-groats for +each one and half a pint 42 of wine; but if they are present, double +shares of everything shall be given them, and moreover they shall be +honoured in this same manner when they have been invited to dinner by +private persons. The kings also, it is ordained, shall have charge of +the oracles which are given, but the Pythians also shall have knowledge +of them. It is the rule moreover that the kings alone give decision on +the following cases only, that is to say, about the maiden who inherits +her father's property, namely who ought to have her, if her father have +not betrothed her to any one, and about public ways; also if any man +desires to adopt a son, he must do it in presence of the kings: and it +is ordained that they shall sit in council with the Senators, who are in +number eight-and-twenty, and if they do not come, those of the Senators +who are most closely related to them shall have the privileges of the +kings and give two votes besides their own, making three in all. 4201. + +58. These rights have been assigned to the kings for their lifetime by +the Spartan State; and after they are dead these which follow:--horsemen +go round and announce that which has happened throughout the whole of +the Laconian land, and in the city women go about and strike upon +a copper kettle. Whenever this happens so, two free persons of each +household must go into mourning, a man and a woman, and for those who +fail to do this great penalties are appointed. Now the custom of the +Lacedemonians about the deaths of their kings is the same as that of the +Barbarians who dwell in Asia, for most of the Barbarians practise the +same customs as regards the death of their kings. Whensoever a king of +the Lacedemonians is dead, then from the whole territory of Lacedemon, +not reckoning the Spartans, a certain fixed number of the "dwellers +round" 43 are compelled to go to the funeral ceremony: + +59. and when there have been gathered together of these and of the +Helots and of the Spartans themselves many thousands in the same place, +with their women intermingled, they beat their foreheads with a good +will and make lamentation without stint, saying that this one who has +died last of their kings was the best of all: and whenever any of their +kings has been killed in war, they prepare an image to represent him, +laid upon a couch with fair coverings, and carry it out to be buried. +Then after they have buried him, no assembly is held among them for ten +days, nor is there any meeting for choice of magistrates, but they have +mourning during these days. In another respect too these resemble the +Persians; that is to say, when the king is dead and another is appointed +king, this king who is newly coming in sets free any man of the Spartans +who was a debtor to the king or to the State; while among the Persians +the king who comes to the throne remits to all the cities the arrears of +tribute which are due. + +60. In the following point also the Lacedemonians resemble the +Egyptians; that is to say, their heralds and fluteplayers and cooks +inherit the crafts of their fathers, and a fluteplayer is the son of a +fluteplayer, a cook of a cook, and a herald of a herald; other men do +not lay hands upon the office because they have loud and clear voices, +and so shut them out of it, but they practise their craft by inheritance +from their fathers. + +61. Thus are these things done: and at this time of which we speak, 44 +while Cleomenes was in Egina doing deeds 45 which were for the common +service of Hellas, Demaratos brought charges against him, not so much +because he cared for the Eginetans as because he felt envy and jealousy +of him. Then Cleomenes, after he returned from Egina, planned to depose +Demaratos from being king, making an attempt upon him on account of this +matter which follows:--Ariston being king in Sparta and having married +two wives, yet had no children born to him; and since he did not +acknowledge that he himself was the cause of this, he married a third +wife; and he married her thus:--he had a friend, a man of the Spartans, +to whom of all the citizens Ariston was most inclined; and it chanced +that this man had a wife who was of all the women in Sparta the fairest +by far, and one too who had become the fairest from having been the +foulest. For as she was mean in her aspect, her nurse, considering that +she was the daughter of wealthy persons and was of uncomely aspect, and +seeing moreover that her parents were troubled by it,--perceiving I say +these things, her nurse devised as follows:--every day she bore her to +the temple of Helen, which is in the place called Therapne, lying above +the temple of Phoebus; and whenever the nurse bore her thither, she +placed her before the image and prayed the goddess to deliver the child +from her unshapeliness. And once as the nurse was going away out of the +temple, it is said that a woman appeared to her, and having appeared +asked her what she was bearing in her arms; and she told her that she +was bearing a child; upon which the other bade her show the child to +her, but she refused, for it had been forbidden to her by the parents to +show it to any one: but the woman continued to urge her by all means to +show it to her. So then perceiving that the woman earnestly desired to +see it, the nurse showed her the child. Then the woman stroking the head +of the child said that she should be the fairest of all the women in +Sparta; and from that day her aspect was changed. Afterwards when she +came to the age for marriage, she was married to Agetos the son of +Alkeides, this friend of Ariston of whom we spoke.. + +62. Now Ariston it seems was ever stung by the desire of this woman, and +accordingly he contrived as follows:--he made an engagement himself with +his comrade, whose wife this woman was, that he would give him as a gift +one thing of his own possessions, whatsoever he should choose, and he +bade his comrade make return to him in similar fashion. He therefore, +fearing nothing for his wife, because he saw that Ariston also had +a wife, agreed to this; and on these terms they imposed oaths on one +another. After this Ariston on his part gave that which Agetos had +chosen from the treasures of Ariston, whatever the thing was; and he +himself, seeking to obtain from him the like return, endeavoured then +to take away the wife of his comrade from him: and he said that he +consented to give anything else except this one thing only, but at +length being compelled by the oath and by the treacherous deception, 46 +he allowed her to be taken away from him.. + +63. Thus had Ariston brought into his house the third wife, having +dismissed the second: and this wife, not having fulfilled the ten months +47 but in a shorter period of time, bore him that Demaratos of whom we +were speaking; and one of his servants reported to him as he was sitting +in council 48 with the Ephors, that a son had been born to him. He then, +knowing the time when he took to him his wife, and reckoning the months +upon his fingers, said, denying with an oath, "The child would not +be mine." This the Ephors heard, but they thought it a matter of no +importance at the moment; and the child grew up and Ariston repented of +that which he had said, for he thought Demaratos was certainly his +own son; and he gave him the name "Demaratos" for this reason, namely +because before these things took place the Spartan people all in a body +49 had made a vow 50 praying that a son might be born to Ariston, as one +who was pre-eminent in renown over all the kings who had ever arisen in +Sparta. + +64. For this reason the name Demaratos 51 was given to him. And as time +went on Ariston died, and Demaratos obtained the kingdom: but it was +fated apparently that these things should become known and should cause +Demaratos to be deposed from the kingdom; and therefore 52 Demaratos +came to be at variance greatly with Cleomenes both at the former time +when he withdrew his army from Eleusis, and also now especially, when +Cleomenes had crossed over to take those of the Eginetans who had gone +over to the Medes.. + +65. Cleomenes then, being anxious to take vengeance on him, concerted +matters with Leotychides the son of Menares, the son of Agis, who was of +the same house as Demaratos, under condition that if he should set +him up as king instead of Demaratos, he would go with him against the +Eginetans. Now Leotychides had become a bitter foe of Demaratos on +account of this matter which follows:--Leotychides had betrothed himself +to Percalos the daughter of Chilon son of Demarmenos; and Demaratos +plotted against him and deprived Leotychides of his marriage, carrying +off Percalos himself beforehand, and getting her for his wife. Thus +had arisen the enmity of Leotychides against Demaratos; and now by the +instigation of Cleomenes Leotychides deposed against Demaratos, saying +that he was not rightfully reigning over the Spartans, not being a son +of Ariston: and after this deposition he prosecuted a suit against him, +recalling the old saying which Ariston uttered at the time when his +servant reported to him that a son was born to him, and he reckoning up +the months denied with an oath, saying that it was not his. Taking his +stand upon this utterance, Leotychides proceeded to prove that Demaratos +was not born of Ariston nor was rightfully reigning over Sparta; and he +produced as witnesses those Ephors who chanced then to have been sitting +with Ariston in council and to have heard him say this.. + +66. At last, as there was contention about those matters, the Spartans +resolved to ask the Oracle at Delphi whether Demaratos was the son of +Ariston. The question then having been referred by the arrangement of +Cleomenes to the Pythian prophetess, thereupon Cleomenes gained over to +his side Cobon the son of Aristophantos, who had most power among the +Delphians, and Cobin persuaded Perialla the prophetess of the Oracle +53 to say that which Cleomenes desired to have said. Thus the Pythian +prophetess, when those who were sent to consult the god asked her their +question, gave decision that Demaratos was not the son of Ariston. +Afterwards however these things became known, and both Cobon went into +exile from Delphi and Perialla the prophetess of the Oracle was removed +from her office. + +67. With regard to the deposing of Demaratos from the kingdom it +happened thus: but Demaratos became an exile from Sparta to the Medes +on account of a reproach which here follows:--After he had been deposed +from the kingdom Demaratos was holding a public office to which he had +been elected. Now it was the time of the Gymnopaidiai; and as Demaratos +was a spectator of them, Leotychides, who had now become king himself +instead of Demaratos, sent his attendant and asked Demaratos in mockery +and insult what kind of a thing it was to be a magistrate after having +been king; and he vexed at the question made answer and said that he +himself had now had experience of both, but Leotychides had not; this +question however, he said, would be the beginning either of countless +evil or countless good fortune for the Lacedemonians. Having thus said, +he veiled his head and went forth out of the theatre to his own house; +and forthwith he made preparations and sacrificed an ox to Zeus, and +after having sacrificed he called his mother.. + +68. Then when his mother had come, he put into her hands some of the +inner parts 54 of the victim, and besought her, saying as follows: +"Mother, I beseech thee, appealing to the other gods and above all to +this Zeus the guardian of the household, 55 to tell me the truth, who is +really and truly my father. For Leotychides spoke in his contention +with me, saying that thou didst come to Ariston with child by thy former +husband; and others besides, reporting that which is doubtless an idle +tale, 56 say that thou didst go in to one of the servants, namely the +keeper of the asses, and that I am his son. I therefore entreat thee by +the gods to tell me the truth; for if thou hast done any of these things +which are reported, thou hast not done them alone, but with many other +women; and the report is commonly believed in Sparta that there was not +in Ariston seed which should beget children; for if so, then his former +wives also would have borne children.". + +69. Thus he spoke, and she made answer as follows: "My son, since thou +dost beseech me with entreaties to speak the truth, the whole truth +shall be told to thee. When Ariston had brought me into his house, on +the third night 57 there came to me an apparition in the likeness of +Ariston, and having lain with me it put upon me the garlands which it +had on; and the apparition straitway departed, and after this Ariston +came; and when he saw me with garlands, he asked who it was who had +given me them; and I said that he had given them, but he did not admit +it; and I began to take oath of it, saying that he did not well to deny +it, for he had come (I said) a short time before and had lain with me +and given me the garlands. Then Ariston, seeing that I made oath of it, +perceived that the matter was of the gods; and first the garlands were +found to be from the hero-temple which stands by the outer door of the +house, which they call the temple of Astrabacos, 58 and secondly the +diviners gave answer that it was this same hero. Thus, my son, thou hast +all, as much as thou desirest to learn; for either thou art begotten +of this hero and the hero Astrabacos is thy father, or Ariston is thy +father, for on that night I conceived thee: but as to that wherein thy +foes most take hold of thee, saying that Ariston himself, when thy birth +was announced to him, in the hearing of many declared that thou wert +not his son, because the time, the ten months namely, had not yet been +fulfilled, in ignorance of such matters he cast forth that saying; +for women bring forth children both at the ninth month and also at the +seventh, and not all after they have completed ten months; and I bore +thee, my son, at the seventh month: and Ariston himself also perceived +after no long time that he had uttered this saying in folly. Do not thou +then accept any other reports about thy begetting, for thou hast heard +in all the full truth; but to Leotychides and to those who report these +things may their wives bear children by keepers of asses!" + +70. Thus she spoke; and he, having learnt that which he desired to +learn, took supplies for travelling and set forth to go to Elis, +pretending that he was going to Delphi to consult the Oracle: but the +Lacedemonians, suspecting that he was attempting to escape, pursued +after him; and it chanced that before they came Demaratos had passed +over to Zakynthos from Elis; and the Lacedemonians crossing over after +him laid hands on his person and carried away his attendants from him. +Afterwards however, since those of Zakynthos refused to give him up, he +passed over from thence to Asia, to the presence of king Dareios; and +Dareios both received him with great honour as a guest, and also gave +him land and cities. Thus Demaratos had come to Asia, and such was the +fortune which he had had, having been distinguished in the estimation of +the Lacedemonians 59 in many other ways both by deeds and by counsels, +and especially having gained for them an Olympic victory with the +four-horse chariot, being the only one who achieved this of all the +kings who ever arose in Sparta. + +71. Demaratos being deposed, Leotychides the son of Menares succeeded to +the kingdom; and he had born to him a son Zeuxidemos, whom some of the +Spartans called Kyniscos. This Zeuxidemos did not become king of +Sparta, for he died before Leotychides, leaving a son Archidemos: and +Leotychides having lost Zeuxidemos married a second wife Eurydame, the +sister of Menios and daughter of Diactorides, by whom he had no male +issue, but a daughter Lampito, whom Archidemos the son of Zeuxidemos +took in marriage, she being given to him by Leotychides.. + +72. Leotychides however did not himself 60 live to old age in Sparta, +but paid a retribution for Demaratos as follows:--he went as commander +of the Lacedemonians to invade Thessaly, and when he might have reduced +all to subjection, he accepted gifts of money amounting to a large sum; +and being taken in the act there in the camp, as he was sitting upon a +glove full of money, he was brought to trial and banished from Sparta, +and his house was razed to the ground. So he went into exile to Tegea +and ended his life there.. + +73. These things happened later; but at this time, when Cleomenes had +brought to a successful issue the affair which concerned Demaratos, +forthwith he took with him Leotychides and went against the Eginetans, +being very greatly enraged with them because of their insults towards +him. So the Eginetans on their part, since both the kings had come +against them, thought fit no longer to resist; and the Spartans selected +ten men who were the most considerable among the Eginetans both by +wealth and by birth, and took them away as prisoners, and among +others also Crios 61 the son of Polycritos and Casambos the son of +Aristocrates, who had the greatest power among them; and having taken +these away to the land of Attica, they deposited them as a charge with +the Athenians, who were the bitterest enemies of the Eginetans. + +74. After this Cleomenes, since it had become known that he had devised +evil against Demaratos, was seized by fear of the Spartans and retired +to Thessaly. Thence he came to Arcadia, and began to make mischief 62 +and to combine the Arcadians against Sparta; and besides other oaths +with which he caused them to swear that they would assuredly follow him +whithersoever he should lead them, he was very desirous also to bring +the chiefs of the Arcadians to the city of Nonacris and cause them +to swear by the water of Styx; for near this city it is said by the +Arcadians 63 that there is the water of Styx, and there is in fact +something of this kind: a small stream of water is seen to trickle down +from a rock into a hollow ravine, and round the ravine runs a wall +of rough stones. Now Nonacris, where it happens that this spring is +situated, is a city of Arcadia near Pheneos.. + +75. The Lacedemonians, hearing that Cleomenes was acting thus, were +afraid, and proceeded to bring him back to Sparta to rule on the same +terms as before: but when he had come back, forthwith a disease of +madness seized him (who had been even before this somewhat insane 64), +and whenever he met any of the Spartans, he dashed his staff against the +man's face. And as he continued to do this and had gone quite out of his +senses, his kinsmen bound him in stocks. Then being so bound, and seeing +his warder left alone by the rest, he asked him for a knife; and the +warder not being at first willing to give it, he threatened him with +that which he would do to him afterwards if he did not; until at last +the warder fearing the threats, for he was one of the Helots, gave him a +knife. Then Cleomenes, when he had received the steel, began to +maltreat himself from the legs upwards: for he went on cutting his flesh +lengthways from the legs to the thighs and from the thighs to the loins +and flanks, until at last he came to the belly; and cutting this +into strips he died in that manner. And this happened, as most of the +Hellenes report, because he persuaded the Pythian prophetess to advise +that which was done about Demaratos; but as the Athenians alone +report, it was because when he invaded Eleusis he laid waste the sacred +enclosure of the goddesses; 65 and according to the report of the +Argives, because from their sanctuary dedicated to Argos he caused to +come down those of the Argives who had fled for refuge from the battle +and slew them, and also set fire to the grove itself, holding it in no +regard.. + +76. For when Cleomenes was consulting the Oracle at Delphi, the answer +was given him that he should conquer Argos; so he led the Spartans and +came to the river Erasinos, which is said to flow from the Stymphalian +lake; for this lake, they say, running out into a viewless chasm, +appears again above ground in the land of Argos; and from thence onwards +this water is called by the Argives Erasinos: having come, I say, to +this river, Cleomenes did sacrifice to it; and since the sacrifices were +not at all favourable for him to cross over, he said that he admired +the Erasinos for not betraying the men of its country, but the Argives +should not even so escape. After this he retired back from thence and +led his army down to Thyrea; and having done sacrifice to the Sea by +slaying a bull, he brought them in ships to the land of Tiryns and +Nauplia.. + +77. Being informed of this, the Argives came to the rescue towards the +sea; and when they had got near Tiryns and were at the place which is +called Hesipeia, 66 they encamped opposite to the Lacedemonians leaving +no very wide space between the armies. There the Argives were not afraid +of the open fighting, but only lest they should be conquered by +craft; for to this they thought referred the oracle which the Pythian +prophetess gave in common to these and to the Milesians, 67 saying as +follows: + + + "But when the female at length shall conquer the male in the battle, + Conquer and drive him forth, and glory shall gain among Argives, + Then many wives of the Argives shall tear both cheeks in their mourning; + So that a man shall say some time, of the men that came after, + 'Quelled by the spear it perished, the three-coiled terrible serpent,' + +The conjunction of all these things caused fear to the Argives, and +with a view to this they resolved to make use of the enemy's herald; +and having so resolved they proceeded to do as follows:--whenever the +Spartan herald proclaimed anything to the Lacedemonians, the Argives +also did that same thing.. + +78. So Cleomenes, perceiving that the Argives were doing whatever +the herald of the Lacedemonians proclaimed, passed the word to the +Lacedemonians that when the herald should proclaim that they were to +get breakfast, then they should take up their arms and go to attack the +Argives. This was carried out even so by the Lacedemonians; for as the +Argives were getting breakfast according to the herald's proclamation, +they attacked them; and many of them they slew, but many more yet took +refuge in the sacred grove of Argos, and upon these they kept watch, +sitting round about the place. Then Cleomenes did this which follows:-- + +79. He had with him deserters, and getting information by inquiring of +these, he sent a herald and summoned forth those of the Argives who were +shut up in the sanctuary, mentioning each by name; and he summoned +them forth saying that he had received their ransom. Now among the +Peloponnesians ransom is two pounds weight of silver 68 appointed to be +paid for each prisoner. So Cleomenes summoned forth about fifty of the +Argives one by one and slew them; and it chanced that the rest who were +in the enclosure did not perceive that this was being done; for since +the grove was thick, those within did not see how it fared with those +who were without, at least until one of them climbed up a tree and saw +from above that which was being done. Accordingly they then no longer +came forth when they were called. + +80. So Cleomenes thereupon ordered all the Helots to pile up brushwood +round the sacred grove; and they obeying, he set fire to the grove. And +when it was now burning, he asked one of the deserters to what god the +grove was sacred, and the man replied that it was sacred to Argos. When +he heard that, he groaned aloud and said, "Apollo who utterest oracles, +surely thou hast greatly deceived me, saying that I should conquer +Argos: I conjecture that the oracle has had its fulfilment for me +already.". + +81. After this Cleomenes sent away the greater part of his army to go +back to Sparta, but he himself took a thousand of the best men and went +to the temple of Hera to sacrifice: and when he wished to sacrifice upon +the altar, the priest forbade him, saying that it was not permitted +by religious rule for a stranger to sacrifice in that place. Cleomenes +however bade the Helots take away the priest from the altar and scourge +him, and he himself offered the sacrifice. Having so done he returned +back to Sparta;. + +82, and after his return his opponents brought him up before the Ephors, +saying that he had received gifts and therefore had not conquered Argos, +when he might easily have conquered it. He said to them,--but whether +he was speaking falsely or whether truly I am not able with certainty to +say,--however that may be, he spoke and said that when he had conquered +the sanctuary of Argos, it seemed to him that the oracle of the god had +had its fulfilment for him; therefore he did not think it right to make +an attempt on the city, at least until he should have had recourse to +sacrifice, and should have learnt whether the deity 69 permitted him or +whether she stood opposed to him: and as he was sacrificing for augury +70 in the temple of Hera, a flame of fire blazed forth from the breasts +of the image; and thus he knew the certainty of the matter, namely that +he would not conquer Argos: for if fire had blazed forth from the head +of the image, he would have been conqueror of the city from top to +bottom, 71 but since it blazed from the breasts, everything had been +accomplished for him which the god desired should come to pass. Thus +speaking he seemed to the Spartans to speak credibly and reasonably, and +he easily escaped his pursuers. 72 + +83. Argos however was so bereft of men that their slaves took possession +of all the State, ruling and managing it until the sons of those who had +perished grew to be men. Then these, endeavouring to gain Argos back +to themselves, cast them out; and the slaves being driven forth gained +possession of Tiryns by fighting. Now for a time these two parties had +friendly relations with one another; but afterwards there came to the +slaves a prophet named Cleander, by race a Phigalian from Arcadia: this +man persuaded the slaves to attack their masters, and in consequence +of this there was war between them for a long time, until at last with +difficulty the Argives overcame them. + +84. The Argives then say that this was the reason why Cleomenes went mad +and had an evil end: but the Spartans themselves say that Cleomenes was +not driven mad by any divine power, but that he had become a drinker of +unmixed wine from having associated with Scythians, and that he went mad +in consequence of this: for the nomad Scythians, they say, when Dareios +had made invasion of their land, desired eagerly after this to take +vengeance upon him; and they sent to Sparta and tried to make an +alliance, and to arrange that while the Scythians themselves attempted +an invasion of Media by the way of the river Phasis, the Spartans should +set forth from Ephesos and go up inland, and then that they should meet +in one place: and they say that Cleomenes when the Scythians had +come for this purpose, associated with them largely, and that thus +associating more than was fit, he learnt the practice of drinking wine +unmixed with water; and for this cause (as the Spartans think) he went +mad. Thenceforth, as they say themselves, when they desire to drink +stronger wine, they say "Fill up in Scythian fashion." 73 Thus the +Spartans report about Cleomenes; but to me it seems that this was a +retribution which Cleomenes paid for Demaratos. + +85. Now when the Eginetans heard that Cleomenes had met his end, they +sent messengers to Sparta to denounce Leotychides for the matter of the +hostages which were being kept at Athens: and the Lacedemonians caused +a court to assemble and judged that the Eginetans had been dealt with +outrageously by Leotychides; and they condemned him to be taken to Egina +and delivered up in place of the men who were being kept at Athens. Then +when the Eginetans were about to take Leotychides, Theasides the son +of Leoprepes, a man of repute in Sparta, said to them: "What are ye +proposing 74 to do, men of Egina? Do ye mean to take away the king of +the Spartans, thus delivered up to you by his fellow-citizens? If the +Spartans now being in anger have decided so, beware lest at some future +time, if ye do this, they bring an evil upon your land which may destroy +it." Hearing this the Eginetans abstained from taking him; but they came +to an agreement that Leotychides should accompany them to Athens and +restore the men to the Eginetans. + +86. When however Leotychides came to Athens and asked for the deposit +back, the Athenians, not being willing to give up the hostages, produced +pretexts for refusing, and alleged that two kings had deposited them +and they did not think it right to give them back to the one without the +other: so since the Athenians said that they would not give them back, +Leotychides spoke to them as follows: + +(a) "Athenians, do whichever thing ye yourselves desire; for ye know +that if ye give them up, ye do that which religion commands, and if ye +refuse to give them up, ye do the opposite of this: but I desire to tell +you what kind of a thing came to pass once in Sparta about a deposit. We +Spartans report that there was in Lacedemon about two generations before +my time on Glaucos the son of Epikydes. This man we say attained the +highest merit in all things besides, and especially he was well reported +of by all who at that time dwelt in Lacedemon for his uprightness: and +we relate that in due time 75 it happened to him thus:--a man of Miletos +came to Sparta and desired to have speech with him, alleging the reasons +which follow: 'I am a Milesian,' he said, 'and I am come hither desiring +to have benefit from thy uprightness, Glaucos; for as there was much +report of thy uprightness throughout all the rest of Hellas and also in +Ionia, I considered with myself that Ionia is ever in danger, whereas +Peloponnesus is safely established, and also that we never see wealth +continue in the possession of the same persons long;--reflecting, I say, +on these things and taking counsel with myself, I resolved to turn into +money the half of my possessions, and to place it with thee, being well +assured that if it were placed with thee I should have it safe. Do +thou therefore, I pray thee, receive the money, and take and keep these +tallies; and whosoever shall ask for the money back having the tokens +answering to these, to him do thou restore it.' (b) The stranger who had +come from Miletos said so much; and Glaucos accepted the deposit on the +terms proposed. Then after a long time had gone by, there came to Sparta +the sons of him who had deposited the money with Glaucos; and they came +to speech with Glaucos, and producing the tokens asked for the money to +be given back: but he repulsed them answering them again thus: 'I do not +remember the matter, nor does my mind bring back to me any knowledge of +those things whereof ye speak; but I desire to recollect and do all that +is just; for if I received it, I desire to restore it honestly; and if +on the other hand I did not receive it at all, I will act towards you +in accordance with the customs of the Hellenes: 76 therefore I defer +the settling of the matter with you for three months from now.' (c) The +Milesians accordingly went away grieved, for they supposed that they had +been robbed of the money; but Glaucos set forth to Delphi to consult the +Oracle: and when he inquired of the Oracle whether he should rob them +of the money by an oath, the Pythian prophetess rebuked him with these +lines: + + + "'Glaucos, thou, Epikydes' son, yea, this for the moment, + This, to conquer their word by an oath and to rob, is more gainful. + Swear, since the lot of death waits also for him who swears truly. + But know thou that Oath has a son, one nameless and handless and + footless, Yet without feet he pursues, without hands he seizes, and + wholly He shall destroy the race and the house of the man who offendeth. + But for the man who swears truly his race is the better hereafter.' + +Having heard this Glaucos entreated that the god would pardon him for +that which he had said, but the prophetess said that to make trial of +the god and to do the deed were things equivalent. (d) Glaucos then, +having sent for the Milesians, gave back to them the money: but the +reason for which, O Athenians, I set forth to relate to you this story, +shall now be told. At the present time there is no descendant of Glaucos +existing, nor any hearth which is esteemed to be that of Glaucos, but he +has been utterly destroyed and rooted up out of Sparta. Thus it is +good not even to entertain a thought about a deposit other than that of +restoring it, when they who made it ask for it again." + +87. When Leotychides had thus spoken, since not even so were the +Athenians willing to listen to him, he departed back; and the Eginetans, +before paying the penalty for their former wrongs wherein they +did outrage to the Athenians to please the Thebans, 77 acted as +follows:--complaining of the conduct of the Athenians and thinking that +they were being wronged, they made preparations to avenge themselves +upon the Athenians; and since the Athenians were celebrating a +four-yearly festival 78 at Sunion, they lay in wait for the sacred ship +which was sent to it and took it, the vessel being full of men who were +the first among the Athenians; and having taken it they laid the men in +bonds.. + +88. The Athenians after they had suffered this wrong from the Eginetans +no longer delayed to contrive all things possible to their hurt. +And there was 79 in Egina a man of repute, one Nicodromos the son of +Cnithos: 80 this man had cause of complaint against the Eginetans for +having before this driven him forth out of the island; and hearing now +that the Athenians had resolved to do mischief to the Eginetans, he +agreed with the Athenians to deliver up Egina to them, telling them on +what day he would make his attempt and by what day it would be necessary +for them to come to his assistance.. + +89. After this Nicodromos, according as he had agreed with the +Athenians, seized that which is called the old city, but the Athenians +did not come to his support at the proper time; for, as it chanced, they +had not ships sufficient to fight with the Eginetans; so while they were +asking the Corinthians to lend them ships, during this time their cause +went to ruin. The Corinthians however, being at this time exceedingly +friendly with them, gave the Athenians twenty ships at their request; +and these they gave by selling them at five drachmas apiece, for by the +law it was not permitted to give them as a free gift. Having taken these +ships of which I speak and also their own, the Athenians with seventy +ships manned in all sailed to Egina, and they were later by one day than +the time agreed.. + +90. Nicodromos meanwhile, as the Athenians did not come to his support +at the proper time, embarked in a ship and escaped from Egina, and +with him also went others of the Eginetans; and the Athenians gave them +Sunion to dwell in, starting from whence these men continued to plunder +the Eginetans who were in the island.. + +91. This happened afterwards: but at the time of which we speak the +well-to-do class among the Eginetans prevailed over the men of the +people, who had risen against them in combination with Nicodromos, and +then having got them into their power they were bringing their prisoners +forth to execution. From this there came upon them a curse which they +were not able to expiate by sacrifice, though they devised against it +all they could; but they were driven forth from the island before the +goddess became propitious to them. For they had taken as prisoners +seven hundred of the men of the people and were bringing them forth to +execution, when one of them escaped from his bonds and fled for refuge +to the entrance of the temple of Demeter the Giver of Laws, 81 and he +took hold of the latch of the door and clung to it; and when they found +that they could not drag him from it by pulling him away, they cut off +his hands and so carried him off, and those hands remained clinging to +the latch of the door.. + +92. Thus did the Eginetans to one another: and when the Athenians came, +they fought against them with seventy ships, and being worsted in +the sea-fight they called to their assistance the same whom they had +summoned before, namely the Argives. These would no longer come to their +help, having cause of complaint because the ships of Egina compelled +by Cleomenes had put in to the land of Argos and their crews had landed +with the Lacedemonians; with whom also had landed men from ships of +Sikyon in this same invasion: and as a penalty for this there was laid +upon them by the Argives a fine of a thousand talents, five hundred +for each State. The Sikyonians accordingly, acknowledging that they had +committed a wrong, had made an agreement to pay a hundred talents and be +free from the penalty; the Eginetans however did not acknowledge their +wrong, but were more stubborn. For this reason then, when they made +request, none of the Argives now came to their help at the charge of the +State, but volunteers came to the number of a thousand; and their +leader was a commander named Eurybates, a man who had practised the five +contests. 82 Of these men the greater number never returned back, +but were slain by the Athenians in Egina; and the commander himself, +Eurybates, fighting in single combat 83 killed in this manner three men +and was himself slain by the fourth, Sophanes namely of Dekeleia. + +93. The Eginetans however engaged in contest with the Athenians in +ships, when these were in disorder, and defeated them; and they took of +them four ships together with their crews. + +94. So the Athenians were at war with the Eginetans; and meanwhile the +Persian was carrying forward his design, since he was put in mind ever +by his servant to remember the Athenians, and also because of the +sons of Peisistratos were near at hand and brought charges continually +against the Athenians, while at the same time Dareios himself wished to +take hold of this pretext and subdue those nations of Hellas which +had not given him earth and water. Mardonios then, since he had fared +miserably in his expedition, he removed from his command; and appointing +other generals to command he despatched them against Eretria and +Athens, namely Datis, who was a Mede by race, and Artaphrenes the son +of Artaphrenes, a nephew of the king: and he sent them forth with the +charge to reduce Athens and Eretria to slavery and to bring the slaves +back into his presence.. + +95. When these who had been appointed to command came in their march +from the king to the Aleïan plain in Kilikia, taking with them a large +and well-equipped land-army, then while they were encamping there, +the whole naval armament came up, which had been appointed for several +nations to furnish; and there came to them also the ships for carrying +horses, which in the year before Dareios had ordered his tributaries to +make ready. In these they placed their horses, and having embarked the +land-army in the ships they sailed for Ionia with six hundred triremes. +After this they did not keep their ships coasting along the mainland +towards the Hellespont and Thrace, but they started from Samos and made +their voyage by the Icarian Sea 84 and between the islands; because, as +I think, they feared more than all else the voyage round Athos, seeing +that in the former year 85 while making the passage by this way they had +come to great disaster. Moreover also Naxos compelled them, since it had +not been conquered at the former time. 86. + +96. And when they had arrived at Naxos, coming against it from the +Icarian Sea (for it was against Naxos first that the Persians intended +to make expedition, remembering the former events), the Naxians departed +forthwith fleeing to the mountains, and did not await their attack; but +the Persians made slaves of those of them whom they caught and set fire +to both the temples and the town. Having so done they put out to sea to +attack the other islands. + +97. While these were doing thus, the Delians also had left Delos and +fled away to Tenos; and when the armament was sailing in thither, Datis +sailed on before and did not allow the ships to anchor at the island of +Delos, but at Rhenaia on the other side of the channel; and he himself, +having found out by inquiry where the men of Delos were, sent a herald +and addressed them thus: "Holy men, why are ye fled away and departed, +having judged of me that which is not convenient? for even I of myself +have wisdom at least so far, and moreover it has been thus commanded me +by the king, not to harm at all that land in which the two divinities +were born, neither the land itself nor the inhabitants of it. Now +therefore return to your own possessions and dwell in your island." Thus +he proclaimed by a herald to the Delians; and after this he piled up and +burned upon the altar three hundred talents' weight of frankincense. + +98. Datis having done these things sailed away with his army to fight +against Eretria first, taking with him both Ionians and Aiolians; and +after he had put out to sea from thence, Delos was moved, not having +been shaken (as the Delians reported to me) either before that time +or since that down to my own time; and this no doubt the god 8601 +manifested as a portent to men of the evils that were about to be; +for in the time of Dareios the son of Hystaspes and Xerxes the son of +Dareios and Artoxerxes the son of Xerxes, three generations following +upon one another, there happened more evils to Hellas than during the +twenty other generations which came before Dareios, some of the evils +coming to it from the Persians, and others from the leaders themselves +of Hellas warring together for supremacy. Thus it was not unreasonable +that Delos should be moved, which was before unmoved. [And in an oracle +it was thus written about it: 87 + + + "Delos too will I move, unmoved though it hath been aforetime."] + +Now in the Hellenic tongue the names which have been mentioned have this +meaning--Dareios means "compeller," 88 Xerxes "warrior," 89 Artoxerxes +"great warrior." 90 Thus then might the Hellenes rightly call these +kings in their own tongue. + +99. The Barbarians then, when they had departed from Delos, touched at +the islands as they went, and from them received additional forces and +took sons of the islanders as hostages: and when in sailing round about +the islands they put in also to Carystos, seeing that the Carystians +would neither give them hostages nor consent to join in an expedition +against cities that were their neighbours, meaning Eretria and Athens, +they began to besiege them and to ravage their land; until at last the +Carystians also came over to the will of the Persians.. + +100. The Eretrians meanwhile being informed that the armament of the +Persians was sailing to attack them, requested the Athenians to help +them; and the Athenians did not refuse their support, but gave as +helpers those four thousand to whom had been allotted the land of the +wealthy 91 Chalkidians. The Eretrians however, as it turned out, had no +sound plan of action, for while they sent for the Athenians, they had +in their minds two different designs: some of them, that is, proposed +to leave the city and go to the heights of Euboea; while others of them, +expecting to win gain for themselves from the Persian, were preparing to +surrender the place. Having got knowledge of how things were as regards +both these plans, Aischines the son of Nothon, one of the leaders of +the Eretrians, told the whole condition of their affairs to those of the +Athenians who had come, and entreated them to depart and go to their own +land, that they might not also perish. So the Athenians did according to +this counsel given to them by Aischines.. + +101. And while these passed over to Oropos and saved themselves, the +Persians sailed on and brought their ships to land about Temenos +and Chioreai and Aigilea in the Eretrian territory; and having taken +possession of these places, 9101 forthwith they began to disembark their +horses and prepared to advance against the enemy. The Eretrians however +did not intend to come forth against them and fight; but their endeavour +was if possible to hold out by defending their walls, since the counsel +prevailed not to leave the city. Then a violent assault was made upon +the wall, and for six days there fell many on both sides; but on the +seventh day Euphorbos the son of Alkimachos and Philagros the son +of Kyneos, men of repute among the citizens, gave up the city to the +Persians. These having entered the city plundered and set fire to the +temples in retribution for the temples which were burned at Sardis, and +also reduced the people to slavery according to the commands of Dareios. + +102. Having got Eretria into their power, they stayed a few days and +then sailed for the land of Attica, pressing on 92 hard and supposing +that the Athenians would do the same as the Eretrians had done. And +since Marathon was the most convenient place in Attica for horsemen +to act and was also very near to Eretria, therefore Hippias the son of +Peisistratos was guiding them thither.. + +103. When the Athenians had information of this, they too went to +Marathon to the rescue of their land; and they were led by ten generals, +of whom the tenth was Miltiades, whose father Kimon of Stesagoras had +been compelled to go into exile from Athens because of Peisistratos the +son of Hippocrates: and while he was in exile it was his fortune to win +a victory at the Olympic games with a four-horse chariot, wherein, as +it happened, he did the same thing as his half-brother Miltiades 93 +had done, who had the same mother as he. Then afterwards in the next +succeeding Olympic games he gained a victory with the same mares and +allowed Peisistratos to be proclaimed as victor; and having resigned to +him the victory he returned to his own native land under an agreement +for peace. Then after he had won with the same mares at another Olympic +festival, it was his hap to be slain by the sons of Peisistratos, +Peisistratos himself being no longer alive. These killed him near the +City Hall, having set men to lie in wait for him by night; and the +burial-place of Kimon is in the outskirts of the city, on the other side +of the road which is called the way through Coile, and just opposite him +those mares are buried which won in three Olympic games. This same +thing was done also by the mares belonging to Euagoras the Laconian, +but besides these by none others. Now the elder of the sons of Kimon, +Stesagoras, was at that time being brought up in the house of his +father's brother Miltiades in the Chersonese, while the younger son +was being brought up at Athens with Kimon himself, having been named +Miltiades after Miltiades the settler of the Chersonese.. + +104. This Miltiades then at the time of which we speak had come from the +Chersonese and was a general of the Athenians, after escaping death in +two forms; for not only did the Phenicians, who had pursued after him as +far as Imbros, endeavour earnestly to take him and bring him up to the +presence of the king, but also after this, when he had escaped from +these and had come to his own native land and seemed to be in safety +from that time forth, his opponents, who had laid wait for him there, +brought him up before a court and prosecuted him for his despotism in +the Chersonese. Having escaped these also, he had then been appointed a +general of the Athenians, being elected by the people. + +105. First of all, while they were still in the city, the generals sent +off to Sparta a herald, namely Pheidippides 94 an Athenian and for the +rest a runner of long day-courses and one who practised this as his +profession. With this man, as Pheidippides himself said and as he made +report to the Athenians, Pan chanced to meet by mount Parthenion, which +is above Tegea; and calling aloud the name of Pheidippides, Pan bade him +report to the Athenians and ask for what reason they had no care of him, +though he was well disposed to the Athenians and had been serviceable to +them on many occasions before that time, and would be so also yet again. +Believing that this tale was true, the Athenians, when their affairs had +been now prosperously settled, established under the Acropolis a temple +of Pan; and in consequence of this message they propitiate him with +sacrifice offered every year and with a torch-race.. + +106. However at that time, the time namely when he said that Pan +appeared to him, this Pheidippides having been sent by the generals was +in Sparta on the next day after that on which he left the city of +the Athenians; and when he had come to the magistrates he said: +"Lacedemonians, the Athenians make request of you to come to their help +and not to allow a city most anciently established among the Hellenes to +fall into slavery by the means of Barbarians; for even now Eretria has +been enslaved, and Hellas has become the weaker by a city of renown." +He, as I say, reported to them that with which he had been charged, +and it pleased them well to come to help the Athenians; but it was +impossible for them to do so at once, since they did not desire to break +their law; for it was the ninth day of the month, and on the ninth day +they said they would not go forth, nor until the circle of the moon +should be full. 95 + +107. These men were waiting for the full moon: and meanwhile Hippias +the son of Peisistratos was guiding the Barbarians in to Marathon, after +having seen on the night that was just past a vision in his sleep of +this kind,--it seemed to Hippias that he lay with his own mother. He +conjectured then from the dream that he should return to Athens and +recover his rule, and then bring his life to an end in old age in his +own land. From the dream, I say, he conjectured this; and after this, as +he guided them in, first he disembarked the slaves from Eretria on the +island belonging to the Styrians, called Aigleia; 96 and then, as the +ships came in to shore at Marathon, he moored them there, and after +the Barbarians had come from their ships to land, he was engaged in +disposing them in their places. While he was ordering these things, it +came upon him to sneeze and cough more violently than was his wont. Then +since he was advanced in years, most of his teeth were shaken thereby, +and one of these teeth he cast forth by the violence of the cough: 97 +and the tooth having fallen from him upon the sand, he was very +desirous to find it; since however the tooth was not to be found when he +searched, he groaned aloud and said to those who were by him: "This land +is not ours, nor shall we be able to make it subject to us; but so much +part in it as belonged to me the tooth possesses." + +108. Hippias then conjectured that his vision had been thus fulfilled: +and meanwhile, after the Athenians had been drawn up in the sacred +enclosure of Heracles, there joined them the Plataians coming to their +help in a body: for the Plataians had given themselves to the Athenians, +and the Athenians before this time undertook many toils on behalf of +them; and this was the manner in which they gave themselves:--Being +oppressed by the Thebans, the Plataians at first desired to +give themselves to Cleomenes the son of Anaxandrides and to the +Lacedemonians, who chanced to come thither; but these did not accept +them, and said to them as follows: "We dwell too far off, and such +support as ours would be to you but cold comfort; for ye might many +times be reduced to slavery before any of us had information of it: but +we counsel you rather to give yourselves to the Athenians, who are both +neighbours and also not bad helpers." Thus the Lacedemonians counselled, +not so much on account of their goodwill to the Plataians as because +they desired that the Athenians should have trouble by being involved in +a conflict with the Boetians. The Lacedemonians, I say, thus counselled +the men of Plataia; and they did not fail to follow their counsel, but +when the Athenians were doing sacrifice to the twelve gods, they sat +down as suppliants at the altar and so gave themselves. Then the Thebans +having been informed of these things marched against the Plataians, and +the Athenians came to their assistance: and as they were about to join +battle, the Corinthians did not permit them to do so, but being by +chance there, they reconciled their strife; and both parties having put +the matter into their hands, they laid down boundaries for the land, +with the condition that the Thebans should leave those of the Boeotians +alone who did not desire to be reckoned with the other Boeotians. The +Corinthians having given this decision departed; but as the Athenians +were going back, the Boeotians attacked them, and having attacked them +they were worsted in the fight. Upon that the Athenians passed beyond +the boundaries which the Corinthians had set to be for the Plataians, +and they made the river Asopos itself to be the boundary of the Thebans +towards the land of Plataia and towards the district of Hysiai. The +Plataians then had given themselves to the Athenians in the manner which +has been said, and at this time they came to Marathon to bring them +help. + +109. Now the opinions of the generals of the Athenians were divided, +and the one party urged that they should not fight a battle, seeing that +they were too few to fight with the army of the Medes, while the others, +and among them Miltiades, advised that they should do so: and when they +were divided and the worse opinion was like to prevail, then, since he +who had been chosen by lot 98 to be polemarch of the Athenians had a +vote in addition to the ten (for in old times the Athenians gave +the polemarch an equal vote with the generals) and at that time the +polemarch was Callimachos of the deme of Aphidnai, to him came Miltiades +and said as follows: "With thee now it rests, Callimachos, either to +bring Athens under slavery, or by making her free to leave behind +thee for all the time that men shall live a memorial such as not even +Harmodios and Aristogeiton have left. For now the Athenians have come +to a danger the greatest to which they have ever come since they were +a people; and on the one hand, if they submit to the Medes, it is +determined what they shall suffer, being delivered over to Hippias, +while on the other hand, if this city shall gain the victory, it may +become the first of the cities of Hellas. How this may happen and how it +comes to thee of all men 99 to have the decision of these matters, I +am now about to tell. Of us the generals, who are ten in number, the +opinions are divided, the one party urging that we fight a battle and +the others that we do not fight. Now if we do not, I expect that some +great spirit of discord will fall upon the minds of the Athenians and +so shake them that they shall go over to the Medes; but if we fight a +battle before any unsoundness appear in any part of the Athenian people, +then we are able to gain the victory in the fight, if the gods grant +equal conditions. These things then all belong to thee and depend +on thee; for if thou attach thyself to my opinions, thou hast both a +fatherland which is free and a native city which shall be the first +among the cities of Hellas; but if thou choose the opinion of those who +are earnest against fighting, thou shalt have the opposite of those good +things of which I told thee.". + +110. Thus speaking Miltiades gained Callimachos to his side; and the +opinion of the polemarch being added, it was thus determined to fight +a battle. After this, those generals whose opinion was in favour of +fighting, as the turn of each one of them to command for the day 100 +came round, gave over their command to Miltiades; and he, accepting +it, would not however yet bring about a battle, until his own turn to +command had come.. + +111. And when it came round to him, then the Athenians were drawn up for +battle in the order which here follows:--On the right wing the polemarch +Callimachos was leader (for the custom of the Athenians then was this, +that the polemarch should have the right wing); and he leading, next +after him came the tribes in order as they were numbered one after +another, and last were drawn up the Plataians occupying the left wing: +for 101 ever since this battle, when the Athenians offer sacrifices in +the solemn assemblies 102 which are made at the four-yearly festivals, +103 the herald of the Athenians prays thus, "that blessings 104 may come +to the Athenians and to the Plataians both." On this occasion however, +when the Athenians were being drawn up at Marathon something of this +kind was done:--their army being made equal in length of front to that +of the Medes, came to drawn up in the middle with a depth of but few +ranks, and here their army was weakest, while each wing was strengthened +with numbers.. + +112. And when they had been arranged in their places and the sacrifices +proved favourable, then the Athenians were let go, and they set forth at +a run to attack the Barbarians. Now the space between the armies was not +less than eight furlongs: 105 and the Persians seeing them advancing +to the attack at a run, made preparations to receive them; and in their +minds they charged the Athenians with madness which must be fatal, +seeing that they were few and yet were pressing forwards at a run, +having neither cavalry nor archers. 106 Such was the thought of the +Barbarians; but the Athenians when all in a body they had joined in +combat with the Barbarians, fought in a memorable fashion: for they were +the first of all the Hellenes about whom we know who went to attack the +enemy at a run, and they were the first also who endured to face the +Median garments and the men who wore them, whereas up to this time the +very name of the Medes was to the Hellenes a terror to hear.. + +113. Now while they fought in Marathon, much time passed by; and in the +centre of the army, where the Persians themselves and the Sacans were +drawn up, the Barbarians were winning,--here, I say, the Barbarians had +broken the ranks of their opponents and were pursuing them inland, but +on both wings the Athenians and the Plataians severally were winning +the victory; and being victorious they left that part of the Barbarians +which had been routed to fly without molestation, and bringing together +the two wings they fought with those who had broken their centre, and +the Athenians were victorious. So they followed after the Persians as +they fled, slaughtering them, until they came to the sea; and then they +called for fire and began to take hold of the ships.. + +114. In this part of the work was slain the polemarch Callimachos +after having proved himself a good man, and also one of the generals, +Stesilaos the son of Thrasylaos, was killed; and besides this Kynegeiros +the son of Euphorion while taking hold 107 there of the ornament at +the stern of a ship had his hand cut off with an axe and fell; and many +others also of the Athenians who were men of note were killed.. + +115. Seven of the ships the Athenians got possession of in this manner, +but with the rest the Barbarians pushed off from land, and after taking +the captives from Eretria off the island where they had left them, +they sailed round Sunion, purposing to arrive at the city before the +Athenians. And an accusation became current among the Athenians to the +effect that they formed this design by contrivance of the Alcmaionidai; +for these, it was said, having concerted matters with the Persians, +displayed to them a shield when they had now embarked in their ships.. + +116. These then, I say, were sailing round Sunion; and meanwhile the +Athenians came to the rescue back to the city as speedily as they could, +and they arrived there before the Barbarians came; and having arrived +from the temple of Heracles at Marathon they encamped at another temple +of Heracles, namely that which is in Kynosarges. The Barbarians however +came and lay with their ships in the sea which is off Phaleron, (for +this was then the seaport of the Athenians), they anchored their ships, +I say, off this place, and then proceeded to sail back to Asia. + +117. In this fight at Marathon there were slain of the Barbarians about +six thousand four hundred men, and of the Athenians a hundred and ninety +and two. Such was the number which fell on both sides; and it happened +also that a marvel occurred there of this kind:--an Athenian, Epizelos +the son of Cuphagoras, while fighting in the close combat and proving +himself a good man, was deprived of the sight of his eyes, neither +having received a blow in any part of his body nor having been hit with +a missile, and for the rest of his life from this time he continued to +be blind: and I was informed that he used to tell about that which had +happened to him a tale of this kind, namely that it seemed to him that a +tall man in full armour stood against him, whose beard overshadowed his +whole shield; and this apparition passed him by, but killed his comrade +who stood next to him. Thus, as I was informed, Epizelos told the tale. + +118. Datis, however, as he was going with his army to Asia, when he had +come to Myconos saw a vision in his sleep; and of what nature the vision +was it is not reported, but as soon as day dawned he caused a search to +be made of the ships, and finding in a Phenician ship an image of Apollo +overlaid with gold, he inquired from whence it had been carried off. +Then having been informed from what temple it came, he sailed in his +own ship to Delos: and finding that the Delians had returned then to +the island, he deposited the image in the temple and charged the men of +Delos to convey it back to Delion in the territory of the Thebans, which +is situated by the sea-coast just opposite Chalkis. Datis having given +this charge sailed away: the Delians however did not convey the statue +back, but after an interval of twenty years the Thebans themselves +brought it to Delion by reason of an oracle.. + +119. Now as to those Eretrians who had been reduced to slavery, Datis +and Artaphrenes, when they reached Asia in their voyage, brought them +up to Susa; and king Dareios, though he had great anger against the +Eretrians before they were made captive, because the Eretrians had done +wrong to him unprovoked, yet when he saw that they had been brought up +to him and were in his power, he did them no more evil, but established +them as settlers in the Kissian land upon one of his own domains, of +which the name is Ardericca: and this is distant two hundred and ten +furlongs from Susa and forty from the well which produces things of +three different kinds; for they draw from it asphalt, salt and oil, in +the manner which here follows:--the liquid is drawn with a swipe, to +which there is fastened half a skin instead of a bucket, and a man +strikes this down into it and draws up, and then pours it into a +cistern, from which it runs through into another vessel, taking three +separate ways. The asphalt and the salt become solid at once, and the +oil 108 which is called by the Persians rhadinake, is black and gives +out a disagreeable smell. Here king Dareios established the Eretrians +as settlers; and even to my time they continued to occupy this land, +keeping still their former language. Thus it happened with regard to the +Eretrians. + +120. Of the Lacedemonians there came to Athens two thousand after the +full moon, making great haste to be in time, so that they arrived in +Attica on the third day after leaving Sparta: and though they had come +too late for the battle, yet they desired to behold the Medes; and +accordingly they went out to Marathon and looked at the bodies of the +slain: then afterwards they departed home, commending the Athenians and +the work which they had done. + +121. Now it is a cause of wonder to me, and I do not accept the report, +that the Alcmaionidai could ever have displayed to the Persians a shield +by a previous understanding, with the desire that the Athenians +should be under the Barbarians and under Hippias; seeing that they are +evidently proved to have been haters of despots as much or more than +Callias the son of Phainippos and father of Hipponicos, while Callias +for his part was the only man of all the Athenians who dared, when +Peisistratos was driven out of Athens, to buy his goods offered for sale +by the State, and in other ways also he contrived against him everything +that was most hostile: + +122. Of this Callias it is fitting that every one should have +remembrance for many reasons: first because of that which has been +before said, namely that he was a man of excellence in freeing his +country; and then also for that which he did at the Olympic games, +wherein he gained a victory in the horse-race and was second in the +chariot-race, and he had before this been a victor at the Pythian games, +so that he was distinguished in the sight of all Hellenes by the sums +which he expended; and finally because he showed himself a man of such +liberality towards his daughters, who were three in number; for +when they came to be of ripe age for marriage, he gave them a most +magnificent dowry and also indulged their inclinations; for whomsoever +of all the Athenians each one of them desired to choose as a husband for +herself, to that man he gave her.] 109. + +123, and similarly, 110 the Alcmaionidai were haters of despots equally +or more 111 than he. Therefore this is a cause of wonder to me, and I do +not admit the accusation that these they were who displayed the shield; +seeing that they were in exile from the despots during their whole time, +and that by their contrivance the sons of Peisistratos gave up their +rule. Thus it follows that they were the men who set Athens free much +more than Harmodios and Aristogeiton, as I judge: for these my slaying +Hipparchos exasperated the rest of the family of Peisistratos, and +did not at all cause the others to cease from their despotism; but the +Alcmaionidai did evidently set Athens free, at least if these were in +truth the men who persuaded the Pythian prophetess to signify to the +Lacedemonians that they should set Athens free, as I have set forth +before.. + +124. It may be said however that they had some cause of complaint +against the people of the Athenians, and therefore endeavoured to betray +their native city. But on the contrary there were no men in greater +repute than they, among the Athenians at least, nor who had been more +highly honoured. Thus it is not reasonable to suppose that by them a +shield should have been displayed for any such purpose. A shield was +displayed, however; that cannot be denied, for it was done: but as to +who it was who displayed it, I am not able to say more than this. + +125. Now the family of Alcmaionidai was distinguished in Athens in the +earliest times also, and from the time of Alcmaion and of Megacles after +him they became very greatly distinguished. For first Alcmaion the son +of Megacles showed himself a helper of the Lydians from Sardis who came +from Croesus to the Oracle at Delphi, and assisted them with zeal; and +Croesus having heard from the Lydians who went to the Oracle that +this man did him service, sent for him to Sardis; and when he came, he +offered to give him a gift of as much gold as he could carry away at +once upon his own person. With a view to this gift, its nature being +such, Alcmaion made preparations and used appliances as follows:--he put +on a large tunic leaving a deep fold in the tunic to hang down in front, +and he draw on his feet the widest boots which he could find, and so +went to the treasury to which they conducted him. Then he fell upon a +heap of gold-dust, and first he packed in by the side of his legs so +much of the gold as his boots would contain, and then he filled the +whole fold of the tunic with the gold and sprinkled some of the gold +dust on the hair of his head and took some into his mouth, and having so +done he came forth out of the treasury, with difficulty dragging along +his boots and resembling anything in the world rather than a man; for +his mouth was stuffed full, and every part of him was swelled out: and +upon Croesus came laughter when he saw him, and he not only gave him all +that, but also presented him in addition with more not inferior in +value to that. Thus this house became exceedingly wealthy, and thus the +Alcmaion of whom I speak became a breeder of chariot-horses and won a +victory at Olympia.. + +126. Then in the next generation after this, Cleisthenes the despot of +Sikyon exalted the family, so that it became of much more note among +the Hellenes than it had been formerly. For Cleisthenes the son of +Arisonymos, the son of Myron, the son of Andreas, had a daughter whose +name was Agariste; and as to her he formed a desire to find out the best +man of all the Hellenes and to assign her to him in marriage. So when +the Olympic games were being held and Cleisthenes was victor in them +with a four-horse chariot, he caused a proclamation to be made, that +whosoever of the Hellenes thought himself worthy to be the son-in-law of +Cleisthenes should come on the sixtieth day, or before that if he would, +to Sikyon; for Cleisthenes intended to conclude the marriage within a +year, reckoning from the sixtieth day. Then all those of the Hellenes +who had pride either in themselves or in their high descent, 112 came +as wooers, and for them Cleisthenes had a running-course and a +wrestling-place made and kept them expressly for their use.. + +127. From Italy came Smindyrides the son of Hippocrates of Sybaris, who +of all men on earth reached the highest point of luxury (now Sybaris at +this time was in the height of its prosperity), and Damasos of Siris, +the son of that Amyris who was called the Wise; these came from Italy: +from the Ionian gulf came Amphimnestos the son of Epistrophos of +Epidamnos, this man from the Ionian gulf: from Aitolia came Males, the +brother of that Titormos who surpassed all the Hellenes in strength and +who fled from the presence of men to the furthest extremities of the +Aitolian land: from Peloponnesus, Leokedes the son of Pheidon the despot +of the Argives, that Pheidon who established for the Peloponnesians +the measures which they use, and who went beyond all other Hellenes in +wanton insolence, since he removed from their place the presidents of +the games appointed by the Eleians and himself presided over the +games at Olympia,--his son, I say, and Amiantos the son of Lycurgos an +Arcadian from Trapezus, and Laphanes an Azanian from the city of Paios, +son of that Euphorion who (according to the story told in Arcadia) +received the Dioscuroi as guests in his house and from thenceforth was +wont to entertain all men who came, and Onomastos the son of Agaios +of Elis; these, I say, came from Peloponnesus itself: from Athens came +Megacles the son of that Alcmaion who went to Croesus, and besides him +Hippocleides the son of Tisander, one who surpassed the other Athenians +in wealth and in comeliness of form: from Eretria, which at that time +was flourishing, came Lysanias, he alone from Euboea: from Thessalia +came Diactorides of Crannon, one of the family of the Scopadai: and from +the Molossians, Alcon.. + +128. So many in number did the wooers prove to be: and when these had +come by the appointed day, Cleisthenes first inquired of their native +countries and of the descent of each one, and then keeping them for a +year he made trial continually both of their manly virtue and of +their disposition, training and temper, associating both with each one +separately and with the whole number together: and he made trial of them +both by bringing out to bodily exercises those of them who were younger, +and also especially in the common feast: for during all the time that he +kept them he did everything that could be done, and at the same time he +entertained them magnificently. Now it chanced that those of the wooers +pleased him most who had come from Athens, and of these Hippocleides the +son of Tisander was rather preferred, both by reason of manly virtues +and also because he was connected by descent with the family of Kypselos +at Corinth. + +129. Then when the appointed day came for the marriage banquet and for +Cleisthenes himself to declare whom he selected from the whole number, +Cleisthenes sacrificed a hundred oxen and feasted both the wooers +themselves and all the people of Sikyon; and when the dinner was over, +the wooers began to vie with one another both in music and in speeches +for the entertainment of the company; 113 and as the drinking went +forward and Hippocleides was very much holding the attention of the +others, 114 he bade the flute-player play for him a dance-measure; +and when the flute-player did so, he danced: and it so befell that he +pleased himself in his dancing, but Cleisthenes looked on at the whole +matter with suspicion. Then Hippocleides after a certain time bade one +bring in a table; and when the table came in, first he danced upon it +Laconian figures, and then also Attic, and thirdly he planted his head +upon the table and gesticulated with his legs. Cleisthenes meanwhile, +when he was dancing the first and the second time, though he abhorred +the thought that Hippocleides should now become his son-in-law, because +of his dancing and his shamelessness, yet restrained himself, not +desiring to break out in anger against him; but when he saw that he thus +gesticulated with his legs, he was no longer able to restrain himself, +but said: "Thou hast danced away thy marriage however, 115 son of +Tisander!" and Hippocleides answered and said: "Hippocleides cares not!" + +130. and hence comes this saying. Then Cleisthenes caused silence to +be made, and spoke to the company as follows: "Men who are wooers of my +daughter, I commend you all, and if it were possible I would gratify +you all, neither selecting one of you to be preferred, nor rejecting the +remainder. Since however it is not possible, as I am deliberating about +one maiden only, to act so as to please all, therefore to those of you +who are rejected from this marriage I give as a gift a talent of silver +to each one for the worthy estimation ye had of me, in that ye desired +to marry from my house, and for the time of absence from your homes; +and to the son of Alcmaion, Megacles, I offer my daughter Agariste in +betrothal according to the customs of the Athenians." Thereupon Megacles +said that he accepted the betrothal, and so the marriage was determined +by Cleisthenes. + +131. Thus it happened as regards the judgment of the wooers, and thus +the Alcmaionidai got renown over all Hellas. And these having been +married, there was born to them that Cleisthenes who established the +tribes and the democracy for the Athenians, he being called after the +Sikyonian Cleisthenes, his mother's father; this son, I say, was born to +Megacles, and also Hippocrates: and of Hippocrates came another +Megacles and another Agariste, called after Agariste, the daughter of +Cleisthenes, who having been married to Xanthippos the son of Ariphron +and being with child, saw a vision in her sleep, and it seemed to her +that she had brought forth a lion: then after a few days she bore to +Xanthippos Pericles. + +132. After the defeat at Marathon, Miltiades, who even before was well +reputed with the Athenians, came then to be in much higher estimation: +and when he asked the Athenians for seventy ships and an army with +supplies of money, not declaring to them against what land he was +intending to make an expedition, but saying that he would enrich them +greatly if they would go with him, for he would lead them to a land of +such a kind that they would easily get from it gold in abundance,--thus +saying he asked for the ships; and the Athenians, elated by these words, +delivered them over to him.. + +133. Then Miltiades, when he had received the army, proceeded to sail +to Paris with the pretence that the Parians had first attacked Athens by +making expedition with triremes to Marathon in company with the Persian: +this was the pretext which he put forward, but he had also a grudge +against the Parians on account of Lysagoras the son of Tisias, who was +by race of Paros, for having accused him to Hydarnes the Persian. So +when Miltiades had arrived at the place to which he was sailing, he +began to besiege the Parians with his army, first having shut them +up within their wall; and sending in to them a herald he asked for a +hundred talents, saying that if they refused to give them, his army +should not return back 116 until it had conquered them completely. The +Parians however had no design of giving any money to Miltiades, but +contrived only how they might defend their city, devising various things +besides and also this,--wherever at any time the wall proved to be open +to attack, that point was raised when night came on to double its former +height.. + +134. So much of the story is reported by all the Hellenes, but as to +what followed the Parians alone report, and they say that it happened +thus:--When Miltiades was at a loss, it is said, there came a woman to +speech with him, who had been taken prisoner, a Parian by race whose +name was Timo, an under-priestess 117 of the Earth goddesses; 118 she, +they say, came into the presence of Miltiades and counselled him that if +he considered it a matter of much moment to conquer Paros, he could do +that which she should suggest to him; and upon that she told him her +meaning. He accordingly passed through to the hill which is before the +city and leapt over the fence of the temple of Demeter Giver of Laws, +119 not being able to open the door; and then having leapt over he went +on towards the sanctuary 120 with the design of doing something within, +whether it were that he meant to lay hands on some of the things which +should not be touched, or whatever else he intended to do; and when he +had reached the door, forthwith a shuddering fear came over him and he +set off to go back the same way as he came, and as he leapt down from +the wall of rough stones his thigh was dislocated, or, as others say, he +struck his knee against the wall.. + +135. Miltiades accordingly, being in a wretched case, set forth to sail +homewards, neither bringing wealth to the Athenians nor having added +to them the possession of Paros, but having besieged the city for +six-and-twenty days and laid waste the island: and the Parians being +informed that Timo the under-priestess of the goddesses had acted as +a guide to Miltiades, desired to take vengeance upon her for this, and +they sent messengers to Delphi to consult the god, so soon as they had +leisure from the siege; and these messengers they sent to ask whether +they should put to death the under-priestess of the goddesses, who had +been a guide to their enemies for the capture of her native city and had +revealed to Miltiades the mysteries which might not be uttered to a male +person. The Pythian prophetess however forbade them, saying that Timo +was not the true author of these things, but since it was destined that +Miltiades should end his life not well, she had appeared to guide him to +his evil fate.. + +136. Thus the Pythian prophetess replied to the Parians: and the +Athenians, when Miltiades had returned back from Paros, began to talk of +him, and among the rest especially Xanthippos the son of Ariphron, who +brought Miltiades up before the people claiming the penalty of death and +prosecuted him for his deception of the Athenians: and Miltiades did not +himself make his own defence, although he was present, for he was unable +to do so because his thigh was mortifying; but he lay in public view +upon a bed, while his friends made a defence for him, making mention +much both of the battle which had been fought at Marathon and of +the conquest of Lemnos, namely how he had conquered Lemnos and taken +vengeance on the Pelasgians, and had delivered it over to the Athenians: +and the people came over to his part as regards the acquittal from the +penalty of death, but they imposed a fine of fifty talents for the wrong +committed: and after this Miltiades died, his thigh having gangrened and +mortified, and the fifty talents were paid by his son Kimon. + +137. Now Miltiades son of Kimon had thus taken possession of the +Lemnos:--After the Pelasgians had been cast out of Attica by the +Athenians, whether justly or unjustly,--for about this I cannot tell +except the things reported, which are these:--Hecataois on the one hand, +the son of Hegesander, said in his history that it was done unjustly; +for he said that when the Athenians saw the land which extends below +Hymettos, which they had themselves given them 121 to dwell in, as +payment for the wall built round the Acropolis in former times, when the +Athenians, I say, saw that this land was made good by cultivation, which +before was bad and worthless, they were seized with jealousy and with +longing to possess the land, and so drove them out, not alleging any +other pretext: but according to the report of the Athenians themselves +they drove them out justly; for the Pelasgians being settled under +Hymettos made this a starting-point and committed wrong against them as +follows:--the daughters and sons of the Athenians were wont ever to go +for water to the spring of Enneacrunos; for at that time neither they +nor the other Hellenes as yet had household servants; and when these +girls came, the Pelasgians in wantonness and contempt of the Athenians +would offer them violence; and it was not enough for them even to do +this, but at last they were found in the act of plotting an attack +upon the city: and the narrators say that they herein proved themselves +better men than the Pelasgians, inasmuch as when they might have slain +the Pelasgians, who had been caught plotting against them, they did not +choose to do so, but ordered them merely to depart out of the land: and +thus having departed out of the land, the Pelasgians took possession of +several older places and especially of Lemnos. The former story is that +which was reported by Hecataios, while the latter is that which is told +by the Athenians.. + +138. These Pelasgians then, dwelling after that in Lemnos, desired to +take vengeance on the Athenians; and having full knowledge also of the +festivals of the Athenians, they got 122 fifty-oared galleys and laid +wait for the women of the Athenians when they were keeping festival to +Artemis in Brauron; and having carried off a number of them from thence, +they departed and sailed away home, and taking the women to Lemnos they +kept them as concubines. Now when these women had children gradually +more and more, they made it their practice to teach their sons both +the Attic tongue and the manners of the Athenians. And these were not +willing to associate with the sons of the Pelasgian women, and moreover +if any of them were struck by any one of those, they all in a body came +to the rescue and helped one another. Moreover the boys claimed to +have authority over the other boys and got the better of them easily. +Perceiving these things the Pelasgians considered the matter; and when +they took counsel together, a fear came over them and they thought, if +the boys were indeed resolved now to help one another against the sons +of the legitimate wives, and were endeavouring already from the first to +have authority over them, what would they do when they were grown up to +be men? Then they determined to put to death the sons of the Athenian +women, and this they actually did; and in addition to them they slew +their mothers also. From this deed and from that which was done before +this, which the women did when they killed Thoas and the rest, who were +their own husbands, it has become a custom in Hellas that all deeds of +great cruelty should be called "Lemnian deeds.". + +139. After the Pelasgians had killed their own sons and wives, the earth +did not bear fruit for them, nor did their women or their cattle bring +forth young as they did before; and being hard pressed by famine and by +childlessness, they sent to Delphi to ask for a release from the evils +which were upon them; and the Pythian prophetess bade them pay such +penalty to the Athenians as the Athenians themselves should appoint. +The Pelasgians came accordingly to Athens and professed that they were +willing to pay the penalty for all the wrong which they had done: and +the Athenians laid a couch in the fairest possible manner in the City +Hall, and having set by it a table covered with all good things, they +bade the Pelasgians deliver up to them their land in that condition. +Then the Pelasgians answered and said: "When with a North Wind in one +single day a ship shall accomplish the voyage from your land to ours, +then we will deliver it up," feeling assured that it was impossible for +this to happen, since Attica lies far away to the South of Lemnos.. + +140. Such were the events which happened then: and very many years +later, after the Chersonese which is by the Hellespont had come to be +under the Athenians, Miltiades the son of Kimon, when the Etesian Winds +blew steadily, accomplished the voyage in a ship from Elaius in the +Chersonese to Lemnos, and proclaimed to the Pelasgians that they should +depart out of the island, reminding them of the oracle, which the +Pelasgians had never expected would be accomplished for them. The men of +Hephaistia accordingly obeyed; but those of Myrina, not admitting that +the Chersonese was Attica, suffered a siege, until at last these also +submitted. Thus it was that the Athenians and Miltiades took possession +of Lemnos. + + + + +NOTES TO BOOK VI. + +1 [ {proboulous}.] + +2 [ See i. 148.] + +3 [ {epi keras}.] + +4 [ {diekploon poieumenos tesi neusi di alleleon}.] + +5 [ {tou Dareiou}: a conjecture based upon Valla's translation. The MSS. +have {ton Dareion}.] + +6 [ {prophasios epilabomenoi}.] + +601 [ {en stele anagraphenai patrothen}.] + +7 [ "were very roughly handled."] + +8 [ {epibateuontas}.] + +801 [ {nuktos te gar}: so Stein for {nuktos te}.] + +9 [ {kat akres}, lit. "from the top downwards," i.e. town and citadel +both.] + +10 [ See ch. 77.] + +11 [ See i. 92 and v. 36.] + +1101 [ {Kalen akten}.] + +12 [ Possibly the reading should be {Inuka}, "Inyx."] + +13 [ {ton en te naumakhie}: perhaps we should read {ten en te +naumakhin}, "which took place in the sea-fight."] + +14 [ {en Koiloisi kaleomenoisi}.] + +15 [ {grammata didaskomenoisi}.] + +16 [ {limainouses}: a conjectural reading for {deimainouses}.] + +17 [ Lit. "and it became in fact the work of the cavalry."] + +18 [ {esagenouon}.] + +19 [ Or (according to some good MSS.) "Thelymbri01."] + +20 [ Cp. iii. 120.] + +21 [ {stadioi}: the distances here mentioned are equal to a little more +than four and a little less than fifty miles respectively.] + +22 [ {en gnome gegonos}.] + +23 [ {pituos tropon}: the old name of the town was Pityuss01.] + +24 [ That is to say, Kimon was his half-brother, and Stesagoras and the +younger Miltiades his nephews.] + +25 [ See ch. 103.] + +26 [ {delade}.] + +27 [ {eleluthee}, but the meaning must be this, and it is explained by +the clause, {trito men gar etei k.t.l.}] + +28 [ {stadia}: see v. 52, note 40.] + +29 [ See iii. 80.] + +30 [ {entos Makedonon}, "on their side of the Macedonians."] + +3001 [ Or (according to some MSS.) "about three hundred."] + +31 [ Or "Scaptesyle." (The Medicean MS. however has {skaptes ules}, not +{skaptesules}, as reported by Stein.)] + +32 [ {ta proiskheto aiteon}, "that which he put forward demanding it."] + +33 [ i.e. "ram."] + +34 [ {ton geraiteron}.] + +35 [ {en to demosio}.] + +36 [ This is commonly understood to mean, leaving out of account the god +who was father of Perseus; but the reason for stopping short at Perseus +is given afterwards, and the expression {tou theou apeontos} refers +perhaps rather to the case of Heracles, the legend of whose birth is +rejected by Herodotus (see ii. 43), and rejected also by this genealogy, +which passes through Amphitryon up to Perseus. I take it that {tou theou +apeontos} means "reckoning Heracles" (who is mentioned by name just +below in this connexion) "as the son of Amphitryon and not of Zeus."] + +37 [ i.e. "of heaven."] + +38 [ {medimnon}, the Lacedemonian {medimnos} being equal to rather more +than two bushels.] + +39 [ {tetarten Lakomiken}, quantity uncertain.] + +40 [ {proxeinous}.] + +41 [ {khoinikas}. There were 48 {khoinikes} in the {medimnos}.] + +42 [ {kotulen}.] + +4201 [ The loose manner in which this is expressed, leaving it uncertain +whether each king was supposed by the writer to have two votes given for +him (cp. Thuc. i. 20), or whether the double vote was one for each king, +must of course be reproduced in the translation.] + +43 [ {perioikon}.] + +44 [ See ch. 51.] + +45 [ {proergazomenon}: a conjectural emendation of {prosergazomenon}.] + +46 [ {tes apates te paragoge}, "by the misleading of the deception."] + +47 [ i.e. lunar months.] + +48 [ {en thoko katemeno}.] + +49 [ {pandemei}.] + +50 [ {aren}.] + +51 [ i.e. "prayed for by the people."] + +52 [ {di a}: a conjectural emendation of {dia ta}. Some Editors suppose +that other words have dropped out.] + +53 [ {promantin}: cp. vii. III.] + +54 [ {ton splagkhnon}.] + +55 [ {tou erkeiou}.] + +56 [ {ton mataioteron logon legontes}.] + +57 [ Lit. "on the third night after the first," but the meaning is as +given.] + +58 [ Most of the MSS. have "Astrobacos," which may be right.] + +59 [ Or "to the honour of the Lacedemonians."] + +60 [ i.e. any more than his predecessor.] + +61 [ See ch. 50.] + +62 [ {neotera epresse pregmata}.] + +63 [ {up Arkadon}: several good MSS. have {ton Arkadon}, which is +adopted by some Editors. The meaning would be "near this city it is said +that there is the Styx water of the Arcadians."] + +64 [ {upomargoteron}.] + +65 [ Demeter and Core.] + +66 [ The MSS. give also "Sepeia" and "Sipei01." The place is not +elsewhere mentioned.] + +67 [ See ch. 19.] + +68 [ {duo mneai}: cp. v. 77.] + +69 [ {o theos}, i.e. Hera: cp. i. 105.] + +70 [ {kalliereumeno}.] + +71 [ {kat akres}: cp. ch. 18.] + +72 [ i.e. was acquitted of the charge brought against him.] + +73 [ {episkuthison}.] + +74 [ {bouleuesthe}: some MSS. and editions have {boulesthe}, +"desiring."] + +75 [ {en khrono ikneumeno}.] + +76 [ i.e. take an oath to that effect.] + +77 [ See v. 80.] + +78 [ {penteteris}. The reading {penteres}, which is given by most of the +MSS. and by several Editors, can hardly be defended.] + +79 [ {kai en gar}, "and since there was."] + +80 [ {Knoithou kaleomenos}: cp. vii. 143.] + +81 [ {thesmophorou}.] + +82 [ {pentaethlon epaskesas}.] + +83 [ {mounomakhien epaskeon}, "practising single combat," as if training +for the games.] + +84 [ {para te Ikarion}: the use of {para} and the absence of the article +may justify the conjecture {para te Ikarion} (or {Ikaron}) "by Icaria" +(or "Icaros"), the island from which the Icarian Sea had its name.] + +85 [ This perhaps should be emended, for the event referred to occurred +two years before, cp. ch. 46 and 48: The reading {trito proteron etei} +has been proposed.] + +86 [ See v. 33 ff.] + +8601 [ i.e. Apollo: or perhaps more generally, "God," as in ch. 27.] + +87 [ This in brackets is probably an interpolation. It is omitted by +some of the best MSS. Some Editors suspect the genuineness of the next +four lines also, on internal grounds.] + +88 [ {erxies}, perhaps meaning "worker."] + +89 [ {areios}.] + +90 [ {megas areios}.] + +91 [ {ippoboteon}, lit. "horse-breeding": see v. 77.] + +9101 [ Or (according to some MSS.), "having come to shore at these +places."] + +92 [ {katergontes}: the word is not elsewhere found intransitive, yet it +is rather difficult to supply {tous Athenaious}. Some alterations have +been proposed, but none probable.] + +93 [ Lit. "and it happened that in winning this victory he won the same +victory as his half-brother Miltiades." See ch. 36.] + +94 [ Or, according to some authorities, "Philippides."] + +95 [ Lit. "except the circle were full."] + +96 [ Or "Aigilei01."] + +97 [ Lit. "by violence, having coughed."] + +98 [ "by the bean."] + +99 [ {es se toi}, a conjectural emendation of {es se ti}.] + +100 [ {prutaneie tes emeres}.] + +101 [ Some Editors propose to omit {gar} or alter it. If it be allowed +to stand, the meaning must be that the importance of the place is +testified by the commemoration mentioned.] + +102 [ {es tas panegurias}, some MSS. have {kai panegurias}, "hold +sacrifices and solemn assemblies."] + +103 [ {penteterisi}.] + +104 [ Lit. "the good things."] + +105 [ {stadioi}: the distance would be rather over 1600 yards.] + +106 [ Whether this is thrown in here by the historian as an explanation +of the rapid advance, or as an additional source of wonder on the part +of the Persians at the boldness of the Athenians, is not clear.] + +107 [ Or (according to some MSS.) "having taken hold."] + +108 [ The account of how the oil was dealt with has perhaps dropt out: +one MS. and the Aldine edition have "the oil they collect in vessels, +and this," etc.] + +109 [ This chapter is omitted by several of the best MSS., and is almost +certainly an interpolation. (In the Medicean MS. it has been added in +the margin by a later hand.)] + +110 [ Answering to "Callias for his part" at the end of ch. 121, the +connexion being broken by the interpolated passage.] + +111 [ {ouden esson}.] + +112 [ {patre}, "family," or possibly "country," as in ch. 128.] + +113 [ {to legomeno es to meson}: perhaps only "general conversation."] + +114 [ {katekhon pollon tous allous}.] + +115 [ i.e. "though the dancing may be good."] + +116 [ {aponostesein}: some MSS. have {apanastesein}, "he would not take +away his army thence."] + +117 [ {upozakoron}.] + +118 [ {ton khthonion theon}, i.e. Demeter and Persephone: cp. vii. 153.] + +119 [ {thesmophorou}.] + +120 [ {to megaron}.] + +121 [ {sphi autoi}: a conjectural rendering of {sphisi autoisi}, which +can only be taken with {eousan}, meaning "belonging to them" i.e. the +Athenians, and involves the insertion of {Pelasgoisi} or something +equivalent with {edosan}.] + +122 [ {ktesamenoi}: some MSS. and editions have {stesamenoi}, "set +fifty-oared galleys in place."] + + + + + +BOOK VII. THE SEVENTH BOOK OF THE HISTORIES, CALLED POLYMNIA + +1. Now when the report came to Dareios the son of Hystaspes of the +battle which was fought at Marathon, the king, who even before this had +been greatly exasperated with the Athenians on account of the attack +made upon Sardis, then far more than before displayed indignation, and +was far more desirous of making a march against Hellas. Accordingly +at once he sent messengers to the various cities and ordered that they +should get ready a force, appointing to each people to supply much more +than at the former time, and not only ships of war, but also horses and +provisions and transport vessels; 1 and when these commands were carried +round, all Asia was moved for three years, for all the best men were +being enlisted for the expedition against Hellas, and were making +preparations. In the fourth year however the Egyptians, who had been +reduced to subjection by Cambyses, revolted from the Persians; and then +he was even more desirous of marching against both these nations. + +2. While Dareios was thus preparing to set out against Egypt and against +Athens, there arose a great strife among his sons about the supreme +power; and they said that he must not make his expeditions until he +had designated one of them to be king, according to the custom of the +Persians. For to Dareios already before he became king three sons had +been born of his former wife the daughter of Gobryas, and after he +became king four other sons of Atossa the daughter of Cyrus: of the +first the eldest was Artobazanes, and of those who had been born later, +Xerxes. These being not of the same mother were at strife with one +another, Artobazanes contending that he was the eldest of all the sons, +and that it was a custom maintained by all men that the eldest should +have the rule, and Xerxes arguing that he was the son of Atossa the +daughter of Cyrus, and that Cyrus was he who had won for the Persians +their freedom. + +3. Now while Dareios did not as yet declare his judgment, it chanced +that Demaratos also, the son of Ariston, had come up to Susa at this +very same time, having been deprived of the kingdom in Sparta and having +laid upon himself a sentence of exile from Lacedemon. This man, hearing +of the difference between the sons of Dareios, came (as it is reported +of him) and counselled Xerxes to say in addition to those things which +he was wont to say, that he had been born to Dareios at the time when he +was already reigning as king and was holding the supreme power over the +Persians, while Artobazanes had been born while Dareios was still in +a private station: it was not fitting therefore nor just that another +should have the honour before him; for even in Sparta, suggested +Demaratos, this was the custom, that is to say, if some of the sons had +been born first, before their father began to reign, and another came +after, born later while he was reigning, the succession of the kingdom +belonged to him who had been born later. Xerxes accordingly made use of +the suggestion of Demaratos; and Dareios perceiving that he spoke that +which was just, designated him to be king. It is my opinion however that +even without this suggestion Xerxes would have become king, for Atossa +was all-powerful. + +4. Then having designated Xerxes to the Persians as their king, Dareios +wished to go on his expeditions. However in the next year after this and +after the revolt of Egypt, it came to pass that Dareios himself died, +having been king in all six-and-thirty years; and thus he did not +succeed in taking vengeance either upon the revolted Egyptians or upon +the Athenians. + +5. Dareios being dead the kingdom passed to his son Xerxes. Now Xerxes +at the first was by no means anxious to make a march against Hellas, but +against Egypt he continued to gather a force. Mardonios however, the son +of Gobryas, who was a cousin of Xerxes, being sister's son to Dareios, +was ever at his side, and having power with him more than any other +of the Persians, he kept continually to such discourse as this which +follows, saying: "Master, it is not fitting that the Athenians, after +having done to the Persians very great evil, should not pay the penalty +for that which they have done. What if thou shouldest 2 at this present +time do that which thou hast in thy hands to do; and when thou hast +tamed the land of Egypt, which has broken out insolently against us, +then do thou march an army against Athens, that a good report may be +made of thee by men, and that in future every one may beware of making +expeditions against thy land." Thus far his speech had to do with +vengeance, 3 and to this he would make addition as follows, saying +that Europe was a very fair land and bore all kinds of trees that are +cultivated for fruit, and was of excellent fertility, and such that the +king alone of all mortals was worthy to possess it. + +6. These things he was wont to say, since he was one who had a desire +for perilous enterprise and wished to be himself the governor of Hellas +under the king. So in time he prevailed upon Xerxes and persuaded him to +do this; for other things also assisted him and proved helpful to him +in persuading Xerxes. In the first place there had come from Thessaly +messengers sent by the Aleuadai, who were inviting the king to come +against Hellas and were showing great zeal in his cause, (now these +Aleuadai were kings of Thessaly): and then secondly those of the sons of +Peisistratos who had come up to Susa were inviting him also, holding to +the same arguments as the Aleuadai; and moreover they offered him yet +more inducement in addition to these; for there was one Onomacritos an +Athenian, who both uttered oracles and also had collected and arranged +the oracles of Musaios; 4 and with this man they had come up, after they +had first reconciled the enmity between them. For Onomacritos had been +driven forth from Athens by Hipparchos the son of Peisistratos, having +been caught by Lasos of Hermion interpolating in the works of Musaios +an oracle to the effect that the islands which lie off Lemnos should +disappear 5 under the sea. For this reason Hipparchos drove him forth, +having before this time been very much wont to consult him. Now however +he had gone up with them; and when he had come into the presence of the +king, the sons of Peisistratos spoke of him in magnificent terms, and +he repeated some of the oracles; and if there was in them anything +which imported disaster to the Barbarians, of this he said nothing; +but choosing out of them the most fortunate things he told how it was +destined that the Hellespont should be yoked with a bridge by a Persian, +and he set forth the manner of the march. He then thus urged Xerxes with +oracles, while the sons of Peisistratos and the Aleuadai pressed him +with their advice. + +7. So when Xerxes had been persuaded to make an expedition against +Hellas, then in the next year after the death of Dareios he made a march +first against those who had revolted. Having subdued these and having +reduced all Egypt to slavery much greater than it had suffered in the +reign of Dareios, he entrusted the government of it to Achaimenes his +own brother, a son of Dareios. Now this Achaimenes being a governor of +Egypt was slain afterwards by Inaros the son of Psammetichos, a Libyan. + +8. Xerxes then after the conquest of Egypt, being about to take in hand +the expedition against Athens, summoned a chosen assembly of the best +men among the Persians, that he might both learn their opinions and +himself in the presence of all declare that which he intended to do; +and when they were assembled, Xerxes spoke to them as follows: (a) +"Persians, I shall not be the first to establish this custom in your +nation, but having received it from others I shall follow it: for as I +am informed by those who are older than myself, we never yet have kept +quiet since we received this supremacy in succession to the Medes, when +Cyrus overthrew Astyages; but God thus leads us, and for ourselves tends +to good that we are busied about many things. Now about the nations +which Cyrus and Cambyses and my father Dareios subdued and added to +their possessions there is no need for me to speak, since ye know well: +and as for me, from the day when I received by inheritance this throne +upon which I sit 6 I carefully considered always how in this honourable +place I might not fall short of those who have been before me, nor +add less power to the dominion of the Persians: and thus carefully +considering I find a way by which not only glory may be won by us, +together with a land not less in extent nor worse than that which we now +possess, (and indeed more varied in its productions), but also vengeance +and retribution may be brought about. Wherefore I have assembled you +together now, in order that I may communicate to you that which I have +it in my mind to do. (b) I design to yoke the Hellespont with a bridge, +and to march an army through Europe against Hellas, in order that I may +take vengeance on the Athenians for all the things which they have done +both to the Persians and to my father. Ye saw how my father Dareios also +was purposing to make an expedition against these men; but he has ended +his life and did not succeed in taking vengeance upon them. I however, +on behalf of him and also of the other Persians, will not cease until I +have conquered Athens and burnt it with fire; seeing that they did wrong +unprovoked to me and to my father. First they went to Sardis, having +come with Aristagoras the Milesian our slave, and they set fire to the +sacred groves and the temples; and then secondly, what things they did +to us when we disembarked in their land, at the time when Datis and +Artaphrenes were commanders of our army, ye all know well, as I think. +7 (c) For these reasons 8 I have resolved to make an expedition against +them, and reckoning I find in the matter so many good things as ye shall +hear:--if we shall subdue these and the neighbours of these, who dwell +in the land of Pelops the Phrygian, we shall cause the Persian land to +have the same boundaries as the heaven of Zeus; since in truth upon no +land will the sun look down which borders ours, but I with your help +shall make all the lands into one land, having passed through the whole +extent of Europe. For I am informed that things are so, namely that +there is no city of men nor any race of human beings remaining, which +will be able to come to a contest with us, when those whom I just now +mentioned have been removed out of the way. Thus both those who have +committed wrong against us will have the yoke of slavery, and also those +who have not committed wrong. (d) And ye will please me best if ye do +this:--whensoever I shall signify to you the time at which ye ought to +come, ye must appear every one of you with zeal for the service; and +whosoever shall come with a force best equipped, to him I will give +gifts such as are accounted in our land to be the most honourable. +Thus must these things be done: but that I may not seem to you to be +following my own counsel alone, I propose the matter for discussion, +bidding any one of you who desires it, declare his opinion." + +9. Having thus spoken he ceased; and after him Mardonios said: "Master, +thou dost surpass not only all the Persians who were before thee, but +also those who shall come after, since thou didst not only attain in +thy words to that which is best and truest as regards other matters, but +also thou wilt not permit the Ionians who dwell in Europe to make a mock +of us, having no just right to do so: for a strange thing it would +be if, when we have subdued and kept as our servants Sacans, Indians, +Ethiopians, Assyrians, and other nations many in number and great, who +have done no wrong to the Persians, because we desired to add to our +dominions, we should not take vengeance on the Hellenes who committed +wrong against us unprovoked. (a) Of what should we be afraid?--what +gathering of numbers, or what resources of money? for their manner of +fight we know, and as for their resources, we know that they are feeble; +and we have moreover subdued already their sons, those I mean who are +settled in our land and are called Ionians, Aiolians, and Dorians. +Moreover I myself formerly made trial of marching against these men, +being commanded thereto by thy father; and although I marched as far as +Macedonia, and fell but little short of coming to Athens itself, no man +came to oppose me in fight. (b) And yet it is true that the Hellenes +make wars, but (as I am informed) very much without wise consideration, +by reason of obstinacy and want of skill: for when they have proclaimed +war upon one another, they find out first the fairest and smoothest +place, and to this they come down and fight; so that even the victors +depart from the fight with great loss, and as to the vanquished, of them +I make no mention at all, for they are utterly destroyed. They ought +however, being men who speak the same language, to make use of heralds +and messengers and so to take up their differences and settle them in +any way rather than by battles; but if they must absolutely war with one +another, they ought to find out each of them that place in which they +themselves are hardest to overcome, and here to make their trial. +Therefore the Hellenes, since they use no good way, when I had marched +as far as the land of Macedonia, did not come to the resolution of +fighting with me. (c) Who then is likely to set himself against thee, +O king, offering war, when thou art leading both all the multitudes of +Asia and the whole number of the ships? I for my part am of opinion that +the power of the Hellenes has not attained to such a pitch of boldness: +but if after all I should prove to be deceived in my judgment, and they +stirred up by inconsiderate folly should come to battle with us, they +would learn that we are the best of all men in the matters of war. +However that may be, let not anything be left untried; for nothing comes +of itself, but from trial all things are wont to come to men." + +10. Mardonios having thus smoothed over the resolution expressed by +Xerxes had ceased speaking: and when the other Persians were silent and +did not venture to declare an opinion contrary to that which had been +proposed, then Artabanos the son of Hystaspes, being father's brother to +Xerxes and having reliance upon that, spoke as follows: (a) "O king, +if opinions opposed to one another be not spoken, it is not possible to +select the better in making the choice, but one must accept that which +has been spoken; if however opposite opinions be uttered, this is +possible; just as we do not distinguish the gold which is free from +alloy when it is alone by itself, but when we rub it on the touchstone +in comparison with other gold, then we distinguish that which is +the better. Now I gave advice to thy father Dareios also, who was my +brother, not to march against the Scythians, men who occupied no abiding +city in any part of the earth. He however, expecting that he would +subdue the Scythians who were nomads, did not listen to me; but he made +a march and came back from it with the loss of many good men of his +army. But thou, O king, art intending to march against men who are much +better than the Scythians, men who are reported to be excellent both by +sea and on land: and the thing which is to be feared in this matter it +is right that I should declare to thee. (b) Thou sayest that thou wilt +yoke the Hellespont with a bridge and march an army through Europe to +Hellas. Now supposing it chance that we are 9 worsted either by land or +by sea, or even both, for the men are reported to be valiant in fight, +(and we may judge for ourselves that it is so, since the Athenians +by themselves destroyed that great army which came with Datis and +Artaphrenes to the Attic land),--suppose however that they do not +succeed in both, yet if they shall attack with their ships and conquer +in a sea-fight, and then sail to the Hellespont and break up the bridge, +this of itself, O king, will prove to be a great peril. (c) Not however +by any native wisdom of my own do I conjecture that this might happen: +I am conjecturing only such a misfortune as all but came upon us at the +former time, when thy father, having yoked the Bosphorus of Thracia and +made a bridge over the river Ister, had crossed over to go against the +Scythians. At that time the Scythians used every means of entreaty +to persuade the Ionians to break up the passage, to whom it had been +entrusted to guard the bridges of the Ister. At that time, if Histiaios +the despot of Miletos had followed the opinion of the other despots and +had not made opposition to them, the power of the Persians would have +been brought to an end. Yet it is a fearful thing even to hear it +reported that the whole power of the king had come to depend upon one +human creature. 10 (d) Do not thou therefore propose to go into any +such danger when there is no need, but do as I say:--at the present time +dissolve this assembly; and afterwards at whatever time it shall seem +good to thee, when thou hast considered prudently with thyself, proclaim +that which seems to thee best: for good counsel I hold to be a very +great gain; since even if anything shall prove adverse, the counsel +which has been taken is no less good, though it has been defeated by +fortune; while he who took counsel badly at first, if good fortune +should go with him has lighted on a prize by chance, but none the +less for that his counsel was bad. (e) Thou seest how God strikes with +thunderbolts the creatures which stand above the rest and suffers them +not to make a proud show; while those which are small do not provoke +him to jealousy: thou seest also how he hurls his darts ever at those +buildings which are the highest and those trees likewise; for God is +wont to cut short all those things which stand out above the rest. Thus +also a numerous army is destroyed by one of few men in some such manner +as this, namely when God having become jealous of them casts upon them +panic or thundering from heaven, then they are destroyed utterly and +not as their worth deserves; for God suffers not any other to have high +thoughts save only himself. (f) Moreover the hastening of any matter +breeds disasters, whence great losses are wont to be produced; but in +waiting there are many good things contained, as to which, if they +do not appear to be good at first, yet one will find them to be so in +course of time. (g) To thee, O king, I give this counsel: but thou son +of Gobryas, Mardonios, cease speaking foolish words about the Hellenes, +since they in no way deserve to be spoken of with slight; for by +uttering slander against the Hellenes thou art stirring the king himself +to make an expedition, and it is to this very end that I think thou art +straining all thy endeavour. Let not this be so; for slander is a most +grievous thing: in it the wrongdoers are two, and the person who suffers +wrong is one. The slanderer does a wrong in that he speaks against +one who is not present, the other in that he is persuaded of the thing +before he gets certain knowledge of it, and he who is not present when +the words are spoken suffers wrong in the matter thus,--both because he +has been slandered by the one and because he has been believed to be +bad by the other. (h) However, if it be absolutely needful to make an +expedition against these men, come, let the king himself remain behind +in the abodes of the Persians, and let us both set to the wager our +sons; and then do thou lead an army by thyself, choosing for thyself +the men whom thou desirest, and taking an army as large as thou thinkest +good: and if matters turn out for the king as thou sayest, let my sons +be slain and let me also be slain in addition to them; but if in the way +which I predict, let thy sons suffer this, and with them thyself also, +if thou shalt return back. But if thou art not willing to undergo this +proof, but wilt by all means lead an army against Hellas, then I say +that those who are left behind in this land will hear 11 that Mardonios, +after having done a great mischief to the Persians, is torn by dogs and +birds, either in the land of the Athenians, or else perchance thou wilt +be in the land of the Lacedemonians (unless indeed this should have come +to pass even before that upon the way), and that thou hast at length +been made aware against what kind of men thou art persuading the king to +march." + +11. Artabanos thus spoke; and Xerxes enraged by it made answer as +follows: "Artabanos, thou art my father's brother, and this shall save +thee from receiving any recompense such as thy foolish words deserve. +Yet I attach to thee this dishonour, seeing that thou art a coward and +spiritless, namely that thou do not march with me against Hellas, but +remain here together with the women; and I, even without thy help, +will accomplish all the things which I said: for I would I might not be +descended from Dareios, the son of Hystaspes, the son of Arsames, the +son of Ariaramnes, the son of Teïspes, or from Cyrus, 12 the son of +Cambyses, the son of Teïspes, the son of Achaimenes, if I take not +vengeance on the Athenians; since I know well that if we shall keep +quiet, yet they will not do so, but will again 13 march against our +land, if we may judge by the deeds which have been done by them to begin +with, since they both set fire to Sardis and marched upon Asia. It is +not possible therefore that either side should retire from the quarrel, +but the question before us is whether we shall do or whether we shall +suffer; whether all these regions shall come to be under the Hellenes +or all those under the Persians: for in our hostility there is no middle +course. It follows then now that it is well for us, having suffered +wrong first, to take revenge, that I may find out also what is this +terrible thing which I shall suffer if I lead an army against these +men,--men whom Pelops the Phrygian, who was the slave of my forefathers, +so subdued that even to the present day both the men themselves and +their land are called after the name of him who subdued them." + +12. Thus far was it spoken then; but afterwards when darkness came on, +the opinion of Artabanos tormented Xerxes continually; and making night +his counsellor he found that it was by no means to his advantage to make +the march against Hellas. So when he had thus made a new resolve, he +fell asleep, and in the night he saw, as is reported by the Persians, a +vision as follows:--Xerxes thought that a man tall and comely of shape +came and stood by him and said: "Art thou indeed changing thy counsel, +O Persian, of leading an expedition against Hellas, now that thou hast +made proclamation that the Persians shall collect an army? Thou dost not +well in changing thy counsel, nor will he who is here present with thee +excuse thee from it; 1301 but as thou didst take counsel in the day to +do, by that way go." + +13. After he had said this, Xerxes thought that he who had spoken flew +away; and when day had dawned he made no account of this dream, but +gathered together the Persians whom he had assembled also the former +time and said to them these words: "Persians, pardon me that I make +quick changes in my counsel; for in judgment not yet am I come to my +prime, and they who advise me to do the things which I said, do not +for any long time leave me to myself. However, although at first when +I heard the opinion of Artabanos my youthful impulses burst out, 14 so +that I cast out unseemly words 15 against a man older than myself; yet +now I acknowledge that he is right, and I shall follow his opinion. +Consider then I have changed my resolve to march against Hellas, and do +ye remain still." + +14. The Persians accordingly when they heard this were rejoiced and made +obeisance: but when night had come on, the same dream again came and +stood by Xerxes as he lay asleep and said: "Son of Dareios, it is +manifest then that thou hast resigned this expedition before the +assembly of the Persians, and that thou hast made no account of my +words, as if thou hadst heard them from no one at all. Now therefore be +well assured of this:--if thou do not make thy march forthwith, there +shall thence spring up for thee this result, namely that, as thou didst +in short time become great and mighty, so also thou shalt speedily be +again brought low." + +15. Xerxes then, being very greatly disturbed by fear of the vision, +started up from his bed and sent a messenger to summon Artabanos; to +whom when he came Xerxes spoke thus: "Artabanos, at the first I was +not discreet, when I spoke to thee foolish words on account of thy good +counsel; but after no long time I changed my mind and perceived that I +ought to do these things which thou didst suggest to me. I am not able +however to do them, although I desire it; for indeed, now that I have +turned about and changed my mind, a dream appears haunting me and by no +means approving that I should do so; and just now it has left me even +with a threat. If therefore it is God who sends it to me, and it is his +absolute will and pleasure that an army should go against Hellas, this +same dream will fly to thee also, laying upon thee a charge such as it +has laid upon me; and it occurs to my mind that this might happen thus, +namely if thou shouldst take all my attire and put it on, and then seat +thyself on my throne, and after that lie down to sleep in my bed." + +16. Xerxes spoke to him thus; and Artabanos was not willing to obey the +command at first, since he did not think himself worthy to sit upon +the royal throne; but at last being urged further he did that which was +commanded, first having spoken these words: (a) "It is equally good in +my judgment, O king, whether a man has wisdom himself or is willing to +follow the counsel of him who speaks well: and thou, who hast attained +to both these good things, art caused to err by the communications of +evil men; just as they say that the Sea, which is of all things the +most useful to men, is by blasts of winds falling upon it prevented from +doing according to its own nature. I however, when I was evil spoken of +by thee, was not so much stung with pain for this, as because, when +two opinions were laid before the Persians, the one tending to increase +wanton insolence and the other tending to check it and saying that it +was a bad thing to teach the soul to endeavour always to have something +more than the present possession,--because, I say, when such opinions as +these were laid before us, thou didst choose that one which was the more +dangerous both for thyself and for the Persians. (b) And now that +thou hast turned to the better counsel, thou sayest that when thou art +disposed to let go the expedition against the Hellenes, a dream haunts +thee sent by some god, which forbids thee to abandon thy enterprise. +Nay, but here too thou dost err, my son, since this is not of the Deity; +16 for the dreams of sleep which come roaming about to men, are of such +nature as I shall inform thee, being by many years older than thou. The +visions of dreams are wont to hover above us 17 in such form 18 for the +most part as the things of which we were thinking during the day; and we +in the days preceding were very much occupied with this campaign. (c) If +however after all this is not such a thing as I interpret it to be, but +is something which is concerned with God, thou hast summed the matter up +in that which thou hast said: let it appear, as thou sayest, to me also, +as to thee, and give commands. But supposing that it desires to appear +to me at all, it is not bound to appear to me any the more if I have thy +garments on me than if I have my own, nor any more if I take my rest in +thy bed than if I am in thy own; for assuredly this thing, whatever +it may be, which appears to thee in thy sleep, is not so foolish as +to suppose, when it sees me, that it is thou, judging so because the +garments are thine. That however which we must find out now is this, +namely if it will hold me in no account, and not think fit to appear to +me, whether I have my own garments or whether I have thine, but continue +still to haunt thee; 19 for if it shall indeed haunt thee perpetually, +I shall myself also be disposed to say that it is of the Deity. But if +thou hast resolved that it shall be so, and it is not possible to turn +aside this thy resolution, but I must go to sleep in thy bed, then let +it appear to me also, when I perform these things: but until then I +shall hold to the opinion which I now have." + +17. Having thus said Artabanos, expecting that he would prove that +Xerxes was speaking folly, did that which was commanded him; and having +put on the garments of Xerxes and seated himself in the royal throne, +he afterwards went to bed: and when he had fallen asleep, the same dream +came to him which used to come to Xerxes, and standing over Artabanos +spoke these words: "Art thou indeed he who endeavours to dissuade Xerxes +from making a march against Hellas, pretending to have a care of him? +However, neither in the future nor now at the present shalt thou escape +unpunished for trying to turn away that which is destined to come to +pass: and as for Xerxes, that which he must suffer if he disobeys, hath +been shown already to the man himself." + +18. Thus it seemed to Artabanos that the dream threatened him, and at +the same time was just about to burn out his eyes with hot irons; and +with a loud cry he started up from his bed, and sitting down beside +Xerxes he related to him throughout the vision of the dream, and then +said to him as follows: "I, O king, as one who has seen before now many +great things brought to their fall by things less, urged thee not to +yield in all things to the inclination of thy youth, since I knew that +it was evil to have desire after many things; remembering on the one +hand the march of Cyrus against the Massagetai, what fortune it had, and +also that of Cambyses against the Ethiopians; and being myself one who +took part with Dareios in the campaign against the Scythians. Knowing +these things I had the opinion that thou wert to be envied of all men, +so long as thou shouldest keep still. Since however there comes a divine +impulse, and, as it seems, a destruction sent by heaven is taking hold +of the Hellenes, I for my part am both changed in myself and also I +reverse my opinions; and do thou signify to the Persians the message +which is sent to thee from God, bidding them follow the commands which +were given by thee at first with regard to the preparations to be +made; and endeavour that on thy side nothing may be wanting, since God +delivers the matter into thy hands." These things having been said, both +were excited to confidence by the vision, and so soon as it became +day, Xerxes communicated the matter to the Persians, and Artabanos, +who before was the only man who came forward to dissuade him, now came +forward to urge on the design. + +19. Xerxes being thus desirous to make the expedition, there came to +him after this a third vision in his sleep, which the Magians, when they +heard it, explained to have reference to the dominion of the whole Earth +and to mean that all men should be subject to him; and the vision was +this:--Xerxes thought that he had been crowned with a wreath of an +olive-branch and that the shoots growing from the olive-tree covered +the whole Earth; and after that, the wreath, placed as it was about his +head, disappeared. When the Magians had thus interpreted the vision, +forthwith every man of the Persians who had been assembled together +departed to his own province and was zealous by all means to perform the +commands, desiring each one to receive for himself the gifts which +had been proposed: and thus Xerxes was gathering his army together, +searching every region of the continent. + +20. During four full years from the conquest of Egypt he was preparing +the army and the things that were of service for the army, and in the +course of the fifth year 20 he began his campaign with a host of great +multitude. For of all the armies of which we have knowledge this proved +to be by far the greatest; so that neither that led by Dareios against +the Scythians appears anything as compared with it, nor the Scythian +host, when the Scythians pursuing the Kimmerians made invasion of the +Median land and subdued and occupied nearly all the upper parts of Asia, +for which invasion afterwards Dareios attempted to take vengeance, +nor that led by the sons of Atreus to Ilion, to judge by that which is +reported of their expedition, nor that of the Mysians and Teucrians, +before the Trojan war, who passed over into Europe by the Bosphorus and +not only subdued all the Thracians, but came down also as far as the +Ionian Sea 21 and marched southwards to the river Peneios. + +21. All these expeditions put together, with others, if there be any, +added to them, 22 are not equal to this one alone. For what nation +did Xerxes not lead out of Asia against Hellas? and what water was not +exhausted, being drunk by his host, except only the great rivers? +For some supplied ships, and others were appointed to serve in the +land-army; to some it was appointed to furnish cavalry, and to others +vessels to carry horses, while they served in the expedition themselves +also; 23 others were ordered to furnish ships of war for the bridges, +and others again ships with provisions. + +22. Then in the first place, since the former fleet had suffered +disaster in sailing round Athos, preparations had been going on for +about three years past with regard to Athos: for triremes lay at anchor +at Elaius in the Chersonese, and with this for their starting point men +of all nations belonging to the army worked at digging, compelled by +the lash; and the men went to the work regularly in succession: moreover +those who dwelt round about Athos worked also at the digging: and +Bubares the son of Megabazos and Artachaies the son of Artaios, Persians +both, were set over the work. Now Athos is a mountain great and famous, +running down to the sea and inhabited by men: and where the mountain +ends on the side of the mainland the place is like a peninsula with an +isthmus about twelve furlongs 24 across. Here it is plain land or hills +of no great size, extending from the sea of the Acanthians to that which +lies off Torone; and on this isthmus, where Athos ends, is situated a +Hellenic city called Sane: moreover there are others beyond Sane 25 and +within the peninsula of Athos, all which at this time the Persian had +resolved to make into cities of an island and no longer of the mainland; +these are, Dion, Olophyxos, Acrothoon, Thyssos, Cleonai. + +23. These are the cities which occupy Athos: and they dug as follows, +the country being divided among the Barbarians by nations for the +work:--at the city of Sane they drew a straight line across the isthmus, +and when the channel became deep, those who stood lowest dug, while +others delivered the earth as it was dug out to other men who stood +above, as upon steps, and they again to others when it was received, +until they came to those that were highest; and these bore it away and +cast it forth. Now the others except the Phenicians had double toil by +the breaking down of the steep edges of their excavation; for since they +endeavoured to make the opening at the top and that at the bottom both +of the same measure, some such thing was likely to result, as they +worked: but the Phenicians, who are apt to show ability in their works +generally, did so in this work also; for when they had had assigned +to them by lot so much as fell to their share, they proceeded to dig, +making the opening of the excavation at the top twice as wide as the +channel itself was to be; and as the work went forward, they kept +contracting the width; so that, when they came to the bottom, their work +was made of equal width with that of the others. Now there is a meadow +there, in which there was made for them a market and a place for buying +and selling; and great quantities of corn came for them regularly from +Asia, ready ground. + +24. It seems to me, making conjecture of this work, that Xerxes when +he ordered this to be dug was moved by a love of magnificence and by +a desire to make a display of his power and to leave a memorial behind +him; for though they might have drawn the ships across the isthmus with +no great labour, he bade them dig a channel for the sea of such breadth +that two triremes might sail through, propelled side by side. To these +same men to whom the digging had been appointed, it was appointed also +to make a bridge over the river Strymon, yoking together the banks. + +25. These things were being done by Xerxes thus; and meanwhile he caused +ropes also to be prepared for the bridges, made of papyrus and of white +flax, 26 appointing this to the Phenicians and Egyptians; and also he +was making preparations to store provisions for his army on the way, +that neither the army itself nor the baggage animals might suffer from +scarcity, as they made their march against Hellas. Accordingly, when he +had learnt by inquiry of the various places, he bade them make stores +where it was most convenient, carrying supplies to different parts by +merchant ships and ferry-boats from all the countries of Asia. So they +conveyed the greater part of the corn 27 to the place which is called +Leuke Acte in Thrace, while others conveyed stores to Tyrodiza of the +Perinthians, others to Doriscos, others to Eïon on the Strymon, and +others to Macedonia, the work being distributed between them. + +26. During the time that these were working at the task which had been +proposed to them, the whole land-army had been assembled together and +was marching with Xerxes to Sardis, setting forth from Critalla in +Cappadokia; for there it had been ordered that the whole army should +assemble, which was to go with Xerxes himself by the land: but which of +the governors of provinces brought the best equipped force and received +from the king the gifts proposed, I am not able to say, for I do not +know that they even came to a competition in this matter. Then after +they had crossed the river Halys and had entered Phrygia, marching +through this land they came to Kelainai, where the springs of the river +Maiander come up, and also those of another river not less than the +Maiander, whose name is Catarractes; 28 this rises in the market-place +itself of Kelainai and runs into the Maiander: and here also is hanging +up in the city the skin of Marsyas the Silenos, which is said by the +Phrygians to have been flayed off and hung up by Apollo. + +27. In this city Pythios the son of Atys, a Lydian, was waiting for the +king and entertained his whole army, as well as Xerxes himself, with +the most magnificent hospitality: moreover he professed himself ready +to supply money for the war. So when Pythios offered money, Xerxes asked +those of the Persians who were present, who Pythios was and how much +money he possessed, that he made this offer. They said: "O king, this is +he who presented thy father Dareios with the golden plane-tree and the +golden vine; and even now he is in wealth the first of all men of whom +we know, excepting thee only." + +28. Marvelling at the conclusion of these words Xerxes himself asked of +Pythios then, how much money he had; and he said: "O king, I will not +conceal the truth from thee, nor will I allege as an excuse that I do +not know my own substance, but I will enumerate it to thee exactly, +since I know the truth: for as soon as I heard that thou wert coming +down to the Sea of Hellas, desiring to give thee money for the war I +ascertained the truth, and calculating I found that I had of silver two +thousand talents, and of gold four hundred myriads 29 of daric staters +30 all but seven thousand: and with this money I present thee. For +myself I have sufficient livelihood from my slaves and from my estates +of land." + +29. Thus he said; and Xerxes was pleased by the things which he had +spoken, and replied: "Lydian host, ever since I went forth from the +Persian land I have encountered no man up to this time who was desirous +to entertain my army, or who came into my presence and made offer of his +own free will to contribute money to me for the war, except only thee: +and thou not only didst entertain my army magnificently, but also now +dost make offer of great sums of money. To thee therefore in return I +give these rewards,--I make thee my guest-friend, and I will complete +for thee the four hundred myriads of staters by giving from myself the +seven thousand, in order that thy four hundred myriads may not fall +short by seven thousand, but thou mayest have a full sum in thy +reckoning, completed thus by me. Keep possession of that which thou hast +got for thyself, and be sure to act always thus; for if thou doest so, +thou wilt have no cause to repent either at the time or afterwards." + +30. Having thus said and having accomplished his promise, he continued +his march onwards; and passing by a city of the Phrygians called Anaua +and a lake whence salt is obtained, he came to Colossai, a great city +of Phrygia, where the river Lycos falls into an opening of the earth and +disappears from view, and then after an interval of about five furlongs +it comes up to view again, and this river also flows into the Maiander. +Setting forth from Colossai towards the boundaries of the Phrygians and +Lydians, the army arrived at the city of Kydrara, where a pillar 3001 +is fixed, set up by Croesus, which declares by an inscription that the +boundaries are there. + +31. From Phrygia then he entered Lydia; and here the road parts into +two, and that which goes to the left leads towards Caria, while that +which goes to the right leads to Sardis; and travelling by this latter +road one must needs cross the river Maiander and pass by the city +of Callatebos, where men live whose trade it is to make honey of the +tamarisk-tree and of wheat-flour. By this road went Xerxes and found a +plane-tree, to which for its beauty he gave an adornment of gold, and +appointed that some one should have charge of it always in undying +succession; 31 and on the next day he came to the city of the Lydians. + +32. Having come to Sardis he proceeded first to send heralds to Hellas, +to ask for earth and water, and also to give notice beforehand to +prepare meals for the king; except that he sent neither to Athens nor +Lacedemon to ask for earth, but to all the other States: and the reason +why he sent the second time to ask for earth and water was this,--as +many as had not given at the former time to Dareios when he sent, these +he thought would certainly give now by reason of their fear: this matter +it was about which he desired to have certain knowledge, and he sent +accordingly. + +33. After this he made his preparations intending to march to Abydos: +and meanwhile they were bridging over the Hellespont from Asia to +Europe. Now there is in the Chersonese of the Hellespont between the +city of Sestos and Madytos, a broad foreland 32 running down into +the sea right opposite Abydos; this is the place where no long time +afterwards the Athenians under the command of Xanthippos the son of +Ariphron, having taken Artaÿctes a Persian, who was the governor of +Sestos, nailed him alive to a board with hands and feet extended (he was +the man who was wont to take women with him to the temple of Protesilaos +at Elaius and to do things there which are not lawful). + +34. To this foreland they on whom this work was laid were making their +bridges, starting from Abydos, the Phenicians constructing the one with +ropes of white flax, and the Egyptians the other, which was made with +papyrus rope. Now from Abydos to the opposite shore is a distance of +seven furlongs. But when the strait had been bridged over, a great storm +came on and dashed together all the work that had been made and broke it +up. Then when Xerxes heard it he was exceedingly enraged, and bade them +scourge the Hellespont with three hundred strokes of the lash and let +down into the sea a pair of fetters. Nay, I have heard further that he +sent branders also with them to brand the Hellespont. However this +may be, he enjoined them, as they were beating, to say Barbarian and +presumptuous words as follows: "Thou bitter water, thy master lays upon +thee this penalty, because thou didst wrong him not having suffered any +wrong from him: and Xerxes the king will pass over thee whether thou be +willing or no; but with right, as it seems, no man doeth sacrifice to +thee, seeing that thou art a treacherous 33 and briny stream." The sea +he enjoined them to chastise thus, and also he bade them cut off the +heads of those who were appointed to have charge over the bridging of +the Hellespont. + +36. Thus then the men did, to whom this ungracious office belonged; and +meanwhile other chief-constructors proceeded to make the bridges; +and thus they made them:--They put together fifty-oared galleys and +triremes, three hundred and sixty to be under the bridge towards the +Euxine Sea, and three hundred and fourteen to be under the other, the +vessels lying in the direction of the stream of the Hellespont (though +crosswise in respect to the Pontus), to support the tension of the +ropes. 34 They placed them together thus, and let down very large +anchors, those on the one side 35 towards the Pontus because of the +winds which blow from within outwards, and on the other side, towards +the West and the Egean, because of the South-East 36 and South Winds. +They left also an opening for a passage through, so that any who wished +might be able to sail into the Pontus with small vessels, 37 and also +from the Pontus outwards. Having thus done, they proceeded to stretch +tight the ropes, straining them with wooden windlasses, not now +appointing the two kinds of rope to be used apart from one another, but +assigning to each bridge two ropes of white flax and four of the papyrus +ropes. The thickness and beauty of make was the same for both, but the +flaxen ropes were heavier in proportion, 38 and of this rope a cubit +weighed one talent. When the passage was bridged over, they sawed up +logs of wood, and making them equal in length to the breadth of the +bridge they laid them above the stretched ropes, and having set them +thus in order they again fastened them above. 39 When this was done, +they carried on brushwood, and having set the brushwood also in place, +they carried on to it earth; and when they had stamped down the +earth firmly, they built a barrier along on each side, so that the +baggage-animals and horses might not be frightened by looking out over +the sea. + +37. When the construction of the bridges had been finished, and the +works about Athos, both the embankments about the mouths of the channel, +which were made because of the breaking of the sea upon the beach, that +the mouths of it might not be filled up, and the channel itself, were +reported to be fully completed, then, after they had passed the winter +at Sardis, the army set forth from thence fully equipped, at the +beginning of spring, to march to Abydos; and when it had just set forth, +the Sun left his place in the heaven and was invisible, though there was +no gathering of clouds and the sky was perfectly clear; and instead of +day it became night. When Xerxes saw and perceived this, it became a +matter of concern to him; and he asked the Magians what the appearance +meant to portend. These declared that the god was foreshowing to the +Hellenes a leaving 40 of their cities, saying that the Sun was the +foreshower of events for the Hellenes, but the Moon for the Persians. +Having been thus informed, Xerxes proceeded on the march with very great +joy. + +38. Then as he was leading forth his army on its march, Pythios the +Lydian, being alarmed by the appearance in the heavens and elated by +the gifts which he had received, came to Xerxes, and said as follows: +"Master, I would desire to receive from thee a certain thing at my +request, which, as it chances, is for thee an easy thing to grant, but +a great thing for me, if I obtain it." Then Xerxes, thinking that his +request would be for anything rather than that which he actually asked, +said that he would grant it, and bade him speak and say what he desired. +He then, when he heard this, was encouraged, and spoke these words: +"Master, I have, as it chances, five sons, and it is their fortune to +be all going together with thee on the march against Hellas. Do thou, +therefore, O king, have compassion upon me, who have come to so great +an age, and release from serving in the expedition one of my sons, +the eldest, in order that he may be caretaker both of myself and of +my wealth: but the other four take with thyself, and after thou hast +accomplished that which thou hast in thy mind, mayest thou have a safe +return home." + +38. Then Xerxes was exceedingly angry and made answer with these words: +"Thou wretched man, dost thou dare, when I am going on a march myself +against Hellas, and am taking my sons and my brothers and my relations +and friends, dost thou dare to make any mention of a son of thine, +seeing that thou art my slave, who ought to have been accompanying me +thyself with thy whole household and thy wife as well? Now therefore +be assured of this, that the passionate spirit of man dwells within the +ears; and when it has heard good things, it fills the body with delight, +but when it has heard the opposite things to this, it swells up with +anger. As then thou canst not boast of having surpassed the king in +conferring benefits formerly, when thou didst to us good deeds and +madest offer to do more of the same kind, so now that thou hast turned +to shamelessness, thou shalt receive not thy desert but less than thou +deservest: for thy gifts of hospitality shall rescue from death thyself +and the four others of thy sons, but thou shalt pay the penalty with the +life of the one to whom thou dost cling most." Having answered thus, he +forthwith commanded those to whom it was appointed to do these things, +to find out the eldest of the sons of Pythios and to cut him in two in +the middle; and having cut him in two, to dispose the halves, one on +the right hand of the road and the other on the left, and that the army +should pass between them by this way. + +40. When these had so done, the army proceeded to pass between; and +first the baggage-bearers led the way together with their horses, and +after these the host composed of all kinds of nations mingled together +without distinction: and when more than the half had gone by, an +interval was left and these were separated from the king. For before +him went first a thousand horsemen, chosen out of all the Persians; and +after them a thousand spearmen chosen also from all the Persians, having +the points of their spears turned down to the ground; and then ten +sacred horses, called "Nesaian," 41 with the fairest possible trappings. +Now the horses are called Nesaian for this reason:--there is a wide +plain in the land of Media which is called the Nesaian plain, and this +plain produces the great horses of which I speak. Behind these ten +horses the sacred chariot of Zeus was appointed to go, which was drawn +by eight white horses; and behind the horses again followed on foot a +charioteer holding the reins, for no human creature mounts upon the seat +of that chariot. Then behind this came Xerxes himself in a chariot drawn +by Nesaian horses, and by the side of him rode a charioteer, whose name +was Patiramphes, son of Otanes a Persian. + +41. Thus did Xerxes march forth out of Sardis; and he used to change, +whenever he was so disposed, from the chariot to a carriage. And behind +him went spearmen, the best and most noble of the Persians, a thousand +in number, holding their spear-points in the customary way; 42 and after +them another thousand horsemen chosen out from the Persians; and after +the horsemen ten thousand men chosen out from the remainder of the +Persians. This body went on foot; and of these a thousand had upon their +spears pomegranates of gold instead of the spikes at the butt-end, and +these enclosed the others round, while the remaining nine thousand were +within these and had silver pomegranates. And those also had golden +pomegranates who had their spear-points turned towards the earth, while +those who followed next after Xerxes had golden apples. Then to follow +the ten thousand there was appointed a body of ten thousand Persian +cavalry; and after the cavalry there was an interval of as much as two +furlongs. Then the rest of the host came marching without distinction. + +42. So the army proceeded on its march from Lydia to the river Caïcos +and the land of Mysia; and then setting forth from the Caïcos and +keeping the mountain of Cane on the left hand, it marched through the +region of Atarneus to the city of Carene. From this it went through the +plain of Thebe, passing by the cities of Adramytteion and Antandros of +the Pelasgians; and taking mount Ida on the left hand, it came on to the +land of Ilion. And first, when it had stopped for the night close under +mount Ida, thunder and bolts of lightning fell upon it, and destroyed +here in this place a very large number of men. 43 + +43. Then when the army had come to the river Scamander,--which of all +rivers to which they had come, since they set forth from Sardis and +undertook their march, was the first of which the stream failed and +was not sufficient for the drinking of the army and of the animals +with it,--when, I say, Xerxes had come to this river, he went up to the +Citadel of Priam, 44 having a desire to see it; and having seen it +and learnt by inquiry of all those matters severally, he sacrificed a +thousand heifers to Athene of Ilion, and the Magians poured libations in +honour of the heroes: and after they had done this, a fear fell upon +the army in the night. Then at break of day he set forth from thence, +keeping on his left hand the cities of Rhoition and Ophryneion and +Dardanos, which last borders upon Abydos, and having on the right hand +the Gergith Teucrians. + +44. When Xerxes had come into the midst of Abydos, 45 he had a desire to +see all the army; and there had been made purposely for him beforehand +upon a hill in this place a raised seat of white stone, 46 which the +people of Abydos 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 Phenicians of Sidon were victorious, he was delighted both +with the contest and with the whole armament. + +45. And seeing all the Hellespont covered over with the ships, and all +the shores and the plains of Abydos full of men, then Xerxes pronounced +himself a happy man, and after that he fell to weeping. + +46. Artabanos his uncle therefore perceiving him,--the same who at +first boldly declared his opinion advising Xerxes not to march against +Hellas,--this man, I say, having observed that Xerxes wept, asked as +follows: "O king, how far different from one another are the things +which thou hast done now and a short while before now! for having +pronounced thyself a happy man, thou art now shedding tears." He said: +"Yea, for after I had reckoned up, it came into my mind to feel pity at +the thought how brief was the whole life of man, seeing that of these +multitudes not one will be alive when a hundred years have gone by." He +then made answer and said: "To another evil more pitiful than this we +are made subject in the course of our life; for in the period of life, +short as it is, no man, either of these here or of others, is made by +nature so happy, that there will not come to him many times, and not +once only, the desire to be dead rather than to live; for misfortunes +falling upon us and diseases disturbing our happiness make the time +of life, though short indeed, seem long: thus, since life is full of +trouble, death has become the most acceptable refuge for man; and God, +having given him to taste of the sweetness of life, is discovered in +this matter to be full of jealousy." + +47. Xerxes made answer saying: "Artabanos, of human life, which is such +as thou dost define it to be, let us cease to speak, and do not remember +evils when we have good things in hand: but do thou declare to me +this:--If the vision of the dream had not appeared with so much +evidence, wouldest thou still be holding thy former opinion, +endeavouring to prevent me from marching against Hellas, or wouldest +thou have changed from it? Come, tell me this exactly." He answered +saying: "O king, may the vision of the dream which appeared have such +fulfilment as we both desire! but I am even to this moment full of +apprehension and cannot contain myself, taking into account many things +besides, and also seeing that two things, which are the greatest things +of all, are utterly hostile to thee." + +48. To this Xerxes made answer in these words: "Thou strangest of men, +47 of what nature are these two things which thou sayest are utterly +hostile to me? Is it that the land-army is to be found fault with in +the matter of numbers, and that the army of the Hellenes appears to thee +likely to be many times as large as ours? or dost thou think that our +fleet will fall short of theirs? or even that both of these things +together will prove true? For if thou thinkest that in these respects +our power is deficient, one might make gathering at once of another +force." + +49. Then he made answer and said: "O king, neither with this army would +any one who has understanding find fault, nor with the number of the +ships; and indeed if thou shalt assemble more, the two things of which +I speak will be made thereby yet more hostile: and these two things +are--the land and the sea. For neither in the sea is there, as I +suppose, a harbour anywhere large enough to receive this fleet of thine, +if a storm should arise, and to ensure the safety of the ships till it +be over; and yet not one alone 48 ought this harbour to be, but there +should be such harbours along the whole coast of the continent by which +thou sailest; and if there are not harbours to receive thy ships, know +that accidents will rule men and not men the accidents. Now having told +thee of one of the two things, I am about to tell thee of the other. The +land, I say, becomes hostile to thee in this way:--if nothing shall +come to oppose thee, the land is hostile to thee by so much the more +in proportion as thou shalt advance more, ever stealing on further and +further, 49 for there is no satiety of good fortune felt by men: +and this I say, that with no one to stand against thee the country +traversed, growing more and more as time goes on, will produce for +thee famine. Man, however, will be in the best condition, if when he is +taking counsel he feels fear, reckoning to suffer everything that can +possibly come, but in doing the deed he is bold." + +50. Xerxes made answer in these words: "Artabanos, reasonably dost thou +set forth these matters; but do not thou fear everything nor reckon +equally for everything: for if thou shouldest set thyself with regard to +all matters which come on at any time, to reckon for everything equally, +thou wouldest never perform any deed. It is better to have good courage +about everything and to suffer half the evils which threaten, than to +have fear beforehand about everything and not to suffer any evil at all: +and if, while contending against everything which is said, thou omit to +declare the course which is safe, thou dost incur in these matters the +reproach of failure equally with him who says the opposite to this. This +then, I say, is evenly balanced: but how should one who is but man know +the course which is safe? I think, in no way. To those then who choose +to act, for the most part gain is wont to come; but to those who reckon +for everything and shrink back, it is not much wont to come. Thou seest +the power of the Persians, to what great might it has advanced: if then +those who came to be kings before me had had opinions like to thine, or, +though not having such opinions, had had such counsellors as thou, thou +wouldest never have seen it brought forward to this point. As it is +however, by running risks they conducted it on to this: for great power +is in general gained by running great risks. We therefore, following +their example, are making our march now during the fairest season of the +year; and after we have subdued all Europe we shall return back home, +neither having met with famine anywhere nor having suffered any other +thing which is unpleasant. For first we march bearing with us ourselves +great store of food, and secondly we shall possess the corn-crops of all +the peoples to whose land and nation we come; and we are making a march +now against men who plough the soil, and not against nomad tribes." + +51. After this Artabanos said: "O king, since thou dost urge us not to +have fear of anything, do thou I pray thee accept a counsel from me; +for when speaking of many things it is necessary to extend speech to a +greater length. Cyrus the son of Cambyses subdued all Ionia except the +Athenians, so that it was tributary to the Persians. These men therefore +I counsel thee by no means to lead against their parent stock, seeing +that even without these we are able to get the advantage over our +enemies. For supposing that they go with us, either they must prove +themselves doers of great wrong, if they join in reducing their mother +city to slavery, or doers of great right, if they join in freeing her: +now if they show themselves doers of great wrong, they bring us no +very large gain in addition; but if they show themselves doers of great +right, they are able then to cause much damage to thy army. Therefore +lay to heart also the ancient saying, how well it has been said that at +the first beginning of things the end does not completely appear." + +52. To this Xerxes made answer: "Artabanos, of all the opinions which +thou hast uttered, thou art mistaken most of all in this; seeing that +thou fearest lest the Ionians should change side, about whom we have a +most sure proof, of which thou art a witness thyself and also the +rest are witnesses who went with Dareios on his march against the +Scythians,--namely this, that the whole Persian army then came to be +dependent upon these men, whether they would destroy or whether they +would save it, and they displayed righteous dealing and trustworthiness, +and nought at all that was unfriendly. Besides this, seeing that they +have left children and wives and wealth in our land, we must not even +imagine that they will make any rebellion. 50 Fear not then this thing +either, but have a good heart and keep safe my house and my government; +for to thee of all men I entrust my sceptre of rule." + +53. Having thus spoken and having sent Artabanos back to Susa, next +Xerxes summoned to his presence the men of most repute among the +Persians, and when they were come before him, he spoke to them as +follows: "Persians, I assembled you together desiring this of you, that +ye should show yourselves good men and should not disgrace the deeds +done in former times by the Persians, which are great and glorious; but +let us each one of us by himself, and all together also, be zealous in +our enterprise; for this which we labour for is a common good for all. +And I exhort you that ye preserve in the war without relaxing your +efforts, because, as I am informed, we are marching against good men, +and if we shall overcome them, there will not be any other army of +men which will ever stand against us. Now therefore let us begin the +crossing, after having made prayer to those gods who have the Persians +51 for their allotted charge." + +54. During this day then they were making preparation to cross over; and +on the next day they waited for the Sun, desiring to see him rise, and +in the meantime they offered all kinds of incense upon the bridges and +strewed the way with branches of myrtle. Then, as the Sun was rising, +Xerxes made libation from a golden cup into the sea, and prayed to the +Sun, that no accident might befall him such as should cause him to cease +from subduing Europe, until he had come to its furthest limits. After +having thus prayed he threw the cup into the Hellespont and with it a +golden mixing-bowl and a Persian sword, which they call akinakes: but +whether he cast them into the sea as an offering dedicated to the +Sun, or whether he had repented of his scourging of the Hellespont and +desired to present a gift to the sea as amends for this, I cannot for +certain say. + +55. When Xerxes had done this, they proceeded to cross over, the whole +army both the footmen and the horsemen going by one bridge, namely that +which was on the side of the Pontus, while the baggage-animals and the +attendants went over the other, which was towards the Egean. First the +ten thousand Persians led the way, all with wreaths, and after them came +the mixed body of the army made up of all kinds of nations: these on +that day; and on the next day, first the horsemen and those who had +their spear-points turned downwards, these also wearing wreaths; and +after them the sacred horses and the sacred chariot, and then Xerxes +himself and the spear-bearers and the thousand horsemen; and after them +the rest of the army. In the meantime the ships also put out from shore +and went over to the opposite side. I have heard however another account +which says that the king crossed over the very last of all. + +56. When Xerxes had crossed over into Europe, he gazed upon the army +crossing under the lash; and his army crossed over in seven days and +seven nights, going on continuously without any pause. Then, it is said, +after Xerxes had now crossed over the Hellespont, a man of that coast +exclaimed: "Why, O Zeus, in the likeness of a Persian man and taking for +thyself the name of Xerxes instead of Zeus, art thou proposing to +lay waste Hellas, taking with thee all the nations of men? for it was +possible for thee to do so even without the help of these." + +57. When all had crossed over, after they had set forth on their way +a great portent appeared to them, of which Xerxes made no account, +although it was easy to conjecture its meaning,--a mare gave birth to a +hare. Now the meaning of this was easy to conjecture in this way, namely +that Xerxes was about to march an army against Hellas very proudly and +magnificently, but would come back again to the place whence he came, +running for his life. There happened also a portent of another kind +while he was still at Sardis,--a mule brought forth young and gave birth +to a mule which had organs of generation of two kinds, both those of the +male and those of the female, and those of the male were above. Xerxes +however made no account of either of these portents, but proceeded on +his way, and with him the land-army. + +58. The fleet meanwhile was sailing out of the Hellespont and coasting +along, going in the opposite direction to the land-army; for the fleet +was sailing towards the West, making for the promontory of Sarpedon, to +which it had been ordered beforehand to go, and there wait for the army; +but the land-army meanwhile was making its march towards the East and +the sunrising, through the Chersonese, keeping on its right the tomb of +Helle the daughter of Athamas, and on its left the city of Cardia, and +marching through the midst of a town the name of which is Agora. 52 +Thence bending round the gulf called Melas and having crossed over the +river Melas, the stream of which did not suffice at this time for the +army but failed,--having crossed, I say, this river, from which the gulf +also has its name, it went on Westwards, passing by Ainos a city of the +Aiolians, and by the lake Stentoris, until at last it came to Doriscos. + +59. Now Doriscos is a sea-beach and plain of great extent in Thrace, and +through it flows the great river Hebros: here a royal fortress had been +built, the same which is now called Doriscos, and a garrison of Persians +had been established in it by Dareios, ever since the time when he went +on his march against the Scythians. It seemed then to Xerxes that the +place was convenient to order his army and to number it throughout, and +so he proceeded to do. The commanders of the ships at the bidding of +Xerxes had brought all their ships, when they arrived at Doriscos, up +to the sea-beach which adjoins Doriscos, on which there is situated +both Sale a city of the Samothrakians, and also Zone, and of which the +extreme point is the promontory of Serreion, which is well known; and +the region belonged in ancient time to the Kikonians. To this beach then +they had brought in their ships, and having drawn them up on land they +were letting them get dry: and during this time he proceeded to number +the army at Doriscos. + +60. Now of the number which each separate nation supplied I am not able +to give certain information, for this is not reported by any persons; +but of the whole land-army taken together the number proved to be one +hundred and seventy myriads: 53 and they numbered them throughout in +the following manner:--they gathered together in one place a body of +ten thousand men, and packing them together 54 as closely as they could, +they drew a circle round outside: and thus having drawn a circle round +and having let the ten thousand men go from it, they built a wall of +rough stones round the circumference of the circle, rising to the height +of a man's navel. Having made this, they caused others to go into the +space which had been built round, until they had in this manner numbered +them all throughout: and after they had numbered them, they ordered them +separately by nations. + +61. Now those who served were as follows:--The Persians with this +equipment:--about their heads they had soft 55 felt caps called tiaras, +and about their body tunics of various colours with sleeves, presenting +the appearance of iron scales like those of a fish, 56 and about the +legs trousers; and instead of the ordinary shields they had shields of +wicker-work, 57 under which hung quivers; and they had short spears and +large bows and arrows of reed, and moreover daggers hanging by the right +thigh from the girdle: and they acknowledged as their commander Otanes +the father of Amestris the wife of Xerxes. Now these were called by the +Hellenes in ancient time Kephenes; by themselves however and by their +neighbours they were called Artaians: but when Perseus, the son of +Danae and Zeus, came to Kepheus the son of Belos 58 and took to wife +his daughter Andromeda, there was born to them a son to whom he gave +the name Perses, and this son he left behind there, for it chanced that +Kepheus had no male offspring: after him therefore this race was named. + +62. The Medes served in the expedition equipped in precisely the same +manner; for this equipment is in fact Median and not Persian: and the +Medes acknowledged as their commander Tigranes an Achaimenid. These +in ancient time used to be generally called Arians; but when Medea the +Colchian came from Athens to these Arians, they also changed their name. +Thus the Medes themselves report about themselves. The Kissians served +with equipment in other respects like that of the Persians, but instead +of the felt caps they wore fillets: 59and of the Kissians Anaphes +the son of Otanes was commander. The Hyrcanians were armed like the +Persians, acknowledging as their leader Megapanos, the same who after +these events became governor of Babylon. + +63. The Assyrians served with helmets about their heads made of bronze +or plaited in a Barbarian style which it is not easy to describe; and +they had shields and spears, and daggers like the Egyptian knives, 60 +and moreover they had wooden clubs with knobs of iron, and corslets of +linen. These are by the Hellenes called Syrians, but by the Barbarians +they have been called always 61 Assyrians: [among these were the +Chaldeans]: 62 and the commander of them was Otaspes the son of +Artachaies. + +64. The Bactrians served wearing about their heads nearly the same +covering as the Medes, and having native bows of reed and short spears. +The Scaran Scythians had about their heads caps 63 which were carried +up to a point and set upright and stiff; and they wore trousers, and +carried native bows and daggers, and besides this axes of the kind +called sagaris. These were called Amyrgian Sacans, being in fact +Scythians; for the Persians call all the Scythians Sacans: and of the +Bactrians and Sacans the commander was Hystaspes, the son of Dareios and +of Atossa the daughter of Cyrus. + +65. The Indians wore garments made of tree-wool, and they had bows +of reed and arrows of reed with iron points. Thus were the Indians +equipped; and serving with the rest they had been assigned to +Pharnazathres the son of Artabates. + +66. The Arians 64 were equipped with Median bows, and in other respects +like the Bactrians: and of the Arians Sisamnes the son of Hydarnes was +in command. The Parthians and Chorasmians and Sogdians and Gandarians +and Dadicans served with the same equipment as the Bactrians. Of these +the commanders were, Artabazos the son of Pharnakes of the Parthians and +Chorasmians, Azanes the son of Artaios of the Sogdians, and Artyphios +the son of Artabanos of the Gandarians and Dadicans. The Caspians +served wearing coats of skin 65 and having native bows of reed and short +swords: 66 thus were these equipped; and they acknowledged as their +leader Ariomardos the brother of Artyphios. The Sarangians were +conspicuous among the rest by wearing dyed garments; and they had +boots reaching up to the knee, and Median bows and spears: of these +the commander was Pherendates the son of Megabazos. The Pactyans +were wearers of skin coats 67 and had native bows and daggers: these +acknowledged as their commander Artaÿntes the son of Ithamitres. + +68. The Utians and Mycans and Paricanians were equipped like the +Pactyans: of these the commanders were, Arsamenes the son of Dareios +of the Utians and Mycans, and of the Paricanians Siromitres the son of +Oiobazos. + +69. The Arabians wore loose mantles 68 girt up, and they carried +at their right side bows that bent backward 69 of great length. The +Ethiopians had skins of leopards and lions tied upon them, and bows made +of a slip 70 of palm-wood, which were of great length, not less than +four cubits, and for them small arrows of reed with a sharpened stone at +the head instead of iron, the same stone with which they engrave seals: +in addition to this they had spears, and on them was the sharpened horn +of a gazelle by way of a spear-head, and they had also clubs with knobs +upon them. Of their body they used to smear over half with white, 71 +when they went into battle, and the other half with red. 72 Of the +Arabians and the Ethiopians who dwelt above Egypt the commander was +Arsames, the son of Dareios and of Artystone, the daughter of Cyrus, +whom Dareios loved most of all his wives, and had an image made of her +of beaten gold. + +70. Of the Ethiopians above Egypt and of the Arabians the commander, I +say, was Arsames; but the Ethiopians from the direction of the sunrising +(for the Ethiopians were in two bodies) had been appointed to serve with +the Indians, being in no way different from the other Ethiopians, but in +their language and in the nature of their hair only; for the Ethiopians +from the East are straight-haired, but those of Libya have hair more +thick and woolly than that of any other men. These Ethiopians from Asia +were armed for the most part like the Indians, but they had upon their +heads the skin of a horse's forehead flayed off with the ears and the +mane, and the mane served instead of a crest, while they had the ears of +the horse set up straight and stiff: and instead of shields they used to +make defences to hold before themselves of the skins of cranes. + +71. The Libyans went with equipments of leather, and they used javelins +burnt at the point. These acknowledged as their commander Massages the +son of Oarizos. + +72. The Paphlagonians served with plaited helmets upon their heads, +small shields, and spears of no great size, and also javelins and +daggers; and about their feet native boots reaching up to the middle of +the shin. The Ligyans and Matienians and Mariandynoi and Syrians served +with the same equipment as the Paphlagonians: these Syrians are called +by the Persians Cappadokians. Of the Paphlagonians and Matienians the +commander was Dotos the son of Megasidros, and of the Mariandynoi and +Lygians and Syrians, Gobryas, who was the son of Dareios and Artystone. + +73. The Phrygians had an equipment very like that of the Paphlagonians +with some slight difference. Now the Phrygians, as the Macedonians say, +used to be called Brigians during the time that they were natives of +Europe and dwelt with the Macedonians; but after they had changed into +Asia, with their country they changed also their name and were called +Phrygians. The Armenians were armed just like the Phrygians, being +settlers from the Phrygians. Of these two together the commander was +Artochmes, who was married to a daughter of Dareios. + +74. The Lydians had arms very closely resembling those of the Hellenes. +Now the Lydians were in old time called Medonians, and they were named +again after Lydos the son of Atys, changing their former name. The +Mysians had upon their heads native helmets, and they bore small shields +and used javelins burnt at the point. These are settlers from the +Lydians, and from mount Olympos they are called Olympienoi. Of +the Lydians and Mysians the commander was Artaphrenes the son of +Artaphrenes, he who invaded Marathon together with Datis. + +75. The Thracians served having fox-skins upon their heads and tunics +about their body, with loose mantles of various colours thrown round +over them; and about their feet and lower part of the leg they wore +boots of deer-skin; and besides this they had javelins and round +bucklers and small daggers. These when they had crossed over into Asia +came to be called Bithynians, but formerly they were called, as they +themselves report, Strymonians, since they dwelt upon the river Strymon; +and they say that they were driven out of their abode by the Teucrians +and Mysians. Of the Thracians who lived in Asia the commander was +Bassakes the son of Artabanos. + +76.... 73 and they had small shields of raw ox-hide, and each man +carried two hunting-spears of Lykian workmanship. 74 On their heads they +wore helmets of bronze, and to the helmets the ears and horns of an ox +were attached, in bronze, and upon them also there were crests; and the +lower part of their legs was wrapped round with red-coloured strips of +cloth. Among these men there is an Oracle of Ares. + +77. The Meonian Cabelians, who are called Lasonians, had the same +equipment as the Kilikians, and what this was I shall explain when in +the course of the catalogue I come to the array of the Kilikians. The +Milyans had short spears, and their garments were fastened on with +buckles; some of them had Lykian bows, and about their heads they had +caps made of leather. Of all these Badres the son of Hystanes was in +command. + +78. The Moschoi had wooden caps upon their heads, and shields and small +spears, on which long points were set. The Tibarenians and Macronians +and Mossynoicoi served with equipment like that of the Moschoi, and +these were arrayed together under the following commanders,--the Moschoi +and Tibarenians under Ariomardos, who was the son of Dareios and +of Parmys, the daughter of Smerdis son of Cyrus; the Macronians and +Mossynoicoi under Artaÿctes the son of Cherasmis, who was governor of +Sestos on the Hellespont. + +79. The Mares wore on their heads native helmets of plaited work, and +had small shields of hide and javelins; and the Colchians wore wooden +helmets about their heads, and had small shields of raw ox-hide and +short spears, and also knives. Of the Mares and Colchians the commander +was Pharandates the son of Teaspis. The Alarodians and Saspeirians +served armed like the Colchians; and of these the commander was +Masistios the son of Siromitres. + +80. The island tribes which came with the army from the Erythraian Sea, +belonging to the islands in which the king settles those who are called +the "Removed," 75 had clothing and arms very like those of the Medes. Of +these islanders the commander was Mardontes the son of Bagaios, who in +the year after these events was a commander of the army at Mykale and +lost his life in the battle. + +81. These were the nations which served in the campaign by land and had +been appointed to be among the foot-soldiers. Of this army those who +have been mentioned were commanders; and they were the men who sit it in +order by divisions and numbered it and appointed commanders of thousands +and commanders of tens of thousands, but the commanders of hundreds and +of tens were appointed by the commanders of ten thousands; and there +were others who were leaders of divisions and nations. + +82. These, I say, who have been mentioned were commanders of the army; +and over these and over the whole army together that went on foot there +were in command Mardonios the son of Gobryas, Tritantaichmes the son of +that Artabanos who gave the opinion that they should not make the march +against Hellas, Smerdomenes the son of Otanes (both these being sons of +brothers of Dareios and so cousins of Xerxes), 76 Masistes the son of +Dareios and Atossa, Gergis the son of Ariazos, and Megabyzos the son of +Zopyros. + +83. These were generals of the whole together that went on foot, +excepting the ten thousand; and of these ten thousand chosen Persians +the general was Hydarnes the son of Hydarnes; and these Persians +were called "Immortals," because, if any one of them made the number +incomplete, being overcome either by death or disease, another man was +chosen to his place, and they were never either more or fewer than +ten thousand. Now of all the nations, the Persians showed the greatest +splendour of ornament and were themselves the best men. They had +equipment such as has been mentioned, and besides this they were +conspicuous among the rest for great quantity of gold freely used; and +they took with them carriages, and in them concubines and a multitude +of attendants well furnished; and provisions for them apart from the +soldiers were borne by camels and beasts of burden. + +84. The nations who serve as cavalry are these; not all however supplied +cavalry, but only as many as here follow:--the Persians equipped in the +same manner as their foot-soldiers, except that upon their heads some of +them had beaten-work of metal, either bronze or iron. + +85. There are also certain nomads called Sagartians, Persian in race +and in language and having a dress which is midway between that of the +Persians and that of the Pactyans. These furnished eight thousand horse, +and they are not accustomed to have any arms either of bronze or of iron +excepting daggers, but they use ropes twisted of thongs, and trust to +these when they go into war: and the manner of fighting of these men is +as follows:--when they come to conflict with the enemy, they throw the +ropes with nooses at the end of them, and whatsoever the man catches by +the throw, 77 whether horse or man, he draws to himself, and they being +entangled in toils are thus destroyed. + +86. This is the manner of fighting of these men, and they were arrayed +next to the Persians. The Medes had the same equipment as their men +on foot, and the Kissians likewise. The Indians were armed in the same +manner as those of them who served on foot, and they both rode horses +78 and drove chariots, in which were harnessed horses or wild asses. The +Bactrians were equipped in the same way as those who served on foot, +and the Caspians likewise. The Libyans too were equipped like those who +served on foot, and these also all drove chariots. So too the Caspians +79 and Paricanians were equipped like those who served on foot, and they +all rode on camels, which in swiftness were not inferior to horses. + +87. These nations alone served 80 as cavalry, and the number of the +cavalry proved to be eight myriads, 81 apart from the camels and the +chariots. Now the rest of the cavalry was arrayed in squadrons, but the +Arabians were placed after them and last of all, for the horses could +not endure the camels, and therefore they were placed last, in order +that the horses might not be frightened. + +88. The commanders of the cavalry were Harmamithras and Tithaios sons of +Datis, but the third, Pharnuches, who was in command of the horse with +them, had been left behind at Sardis sick: for as they were setting +forth from Sardis, an accident befell him of an unwished-for kind,--as +he was riding, a dog ran up under his horse's feet, and the horse +not having seen it beforehand was frightened, and rearing up he threw +Pharnuches off his back, who falling vomited blood, and his sickness +turned to a consumption. To the horse however they forthwith at the +first did as he commanded, that is to say, the servants led him away +to the place where he had thrown his master and cut off his legs at the +knees. Thus was Pharnuches removed from his command. + +89. Of the triremes the number proved to be one thousand two hundred and +seven, and these were they who furnished them:--the Phenicians, together +with the Syrians 82 who dwell in Palestine furnished three hundred; +and they were equipped thus, that is to say, they had about their heads +leathern caps made very nearly in the Hellenic fashion, and they wore +corslets of linen, and had shields without rims and javelins. These +Phenicians dwelt in ancient time, as they themselves report, upon the +Erythraian Sea, and thence they passed over and dwell in the country +along the sea coast of Syria; and this part of Syria and all as far as +Egypt is called Palestine. The Egyptians furnished two hundred ships: +these men had about their heads helmets of plaited work, and they had +hollow shields with the rims large, and spears for sea-fighting, and +large axes: 83 the greater number of them wore corslets, and they had +large knives. + +90. These men were thus equipped; and the Cyprians furnished a hundred +and fifty ships, being themselves equipped as follows,--their kings had +their heads wound round with fillets, 84 and the rest had tunics, 85 +but in other respects they were like the Hellenes. Among these there +are various races as follows,--some of them are from Salamis and Athens, +others from Arcadia, others from Kythnos, others again from Phenicia and +others from Ethiopia, as the Cyprians themselves report. + +91. The Kilikians furnished a hundred ships; and these again had about +their heads native helmets, and for shields they carried targets made of +raw ox-hide: they wore tunics 86 of wool and each man had two javelins +and a sword, this last being made very like the Egyptian knives. These +in old time were called Hypachaians, and they got their later name from +Kilix the son of Agenor, a Phenician. The Pamphylians furnished thirty +ships and were equipped in Hellenic arms. These Pamphylians are of those +who were dispersed from Troy together with Amphilochos and Calchas. + +92. The Lykians furnished fifty ships; and they were wearers of corslets +and greaves, and had bows of cornel-wood and arrows of reeds without +feathers and javelins and a goat-skin hanging over their shoulders, and +about their heads felt caps wreathed round with feathers; also they had +daggers and falchions. 87 The Lykians were formerly called Termilai, +being originally of Crete, and they got their later name from Lycos the +son of Pandion, an Athenian. + +93. The Dorians of Asia furnished thirty ships; and these had Hellenic +arms and were originally from the Peloponnese. The Carians supplied +seventy ships; and they were equipped in other respects like Hellenes +but they had also falchions and daggers. What was the former name of +these has been told in the first part of the history. 88 + +94. The Ionians furnished a hundred ships, and were equipped +like Hellenes. Now the Ionians, so long time as they dwelt in the +Peloponnese, in the land which is now called Achaia, and before the +time when Danaos and Xuthos came to the Peloponnese, were called, as the +Hellenes report, Pelasgians of the Coast-land, 89 and then Ionians after +Ion the son of Xuthos. + +95. The islanders furnished seventeen ships, and were armed like +Hellenes, this also being a Pelasgian race, though afterwards it came to +be called Ionian by the same rule as the Ionians of the twelve cities, +who came from Athens. The Aiolians supplied sixty ships; and these were +equipped like Hellenes and used to be called Pelasgians in the old time, +as the Hellenes report. The Hellespontians, excepting those of Abydos +(for the men of Abydos had been appointed by the king to stay in their +place and be guards of the bridges), the rest, I say, of those who +served in the expedition from the Pontus furnished a hundred ships, +and were equipped like Hellenes: these are colonists of the Ionians and +Dorians. + +96. In all the ships there served as fighting-men Persians, Medes, or +Sacans;: and of the ships, those which sailed best were furnished by the +Phenicians, and of the Phenicians the best by the men of Sidon. Over all +these men and also over those of them who were appointed to serve in the +land-army, there were for each tribe native chieftains, of whom, since I +am not compelled by the course of the inquiry, I make no mention by the +way; for in the first place the chieftains of each separate nation were +not persons worthy of mention, and then moreover within each nation +there were as many chieftains as there were cities. These went with the +expedition too not as commanders, but like the others serving as slaves; +for the generals who had the absolute power and commanded the various +nations, that is to say those who were Persians, having already been +mentioned by me. + +97. Of the naval force the following were commanders,--Ariabignes the +son of Dareios, Prexaspes the son of Aspathines, Megabazos the son of +Megabates, and Achaimenes the son of Dareios; that is to say, of the +Ionian and Carian force Ariabignes, who was the son of Dareios and of +the daughter of Gobryas; of the Egyptians Achaimenes was commander, +being brother of Xerxes by both parents; and of the rest of the armament +the other two were in command: and galleys of thirty oars and of fifty +oars, and light vessels, 90 and long 91 ships to carry horses had been +assembled together, as it proved, to the number of three thousand. + +98. Of those who sailed in the ships the men of most note after the +commanders were these,--of Sidon, Tetramnestos son of Anysos; of +Tyre, Matten 92 son of Siromos; or Arados, Merbalos son of Agbalos; of +Kilikia, Syennesis son of Oromedon; of Lykia, Kyberniscos son of Sicas; +of Cyprus, Gorgos son of Chersis and Timonax son of Timagoras; of Caria, +Histiaios son of Tymnes, Pigres son of Hysseldomos, 93 and Damasithymos +son of Candaules. + +99. Of the rest of the officers I make no mention by the way (since I am +not bound to do so), but only of Artemisia, at whom I marvel most that +she joined the expedition against Hellas, being a woman; for after her +husband died, she holding the power herself, although she had a son +who was a young man, went on the expedition impelled by high spirit +and manly courage, no necessity being laid upon her. Now her name, as I +said, was Artemisia and she was the daughter of Lygdamis, and by descent +she was of Halicarnassos on the side of her father, but of Crete by her +mother. She was ruler of the men of Halicarnassos and Cos and Nisyros +and Calydna, furnishing five ships; and she furnished ships which were +of all the fleet reputed the best after those of the Sidonians, and +of all his allies she set forth the best counsels to the king. Of the +States of which I said that she was leader I declare the people to be +all of Dorian race, those of Halicarnassos being Troizenians, and the +rest Epidaurians. So far then I have spoken of the naval force. + +100. Then when Xerxes had numbered the army, and it had been arranged in +divisions, he had a mind to drive through it himself and inspect it: and +afterwards he proceeded so to do; and driving through in a chariot +by each nation, he inquired about them and his scribes wrote down the +names, until he had gone from end to end both of the horse and of the +foot. When he had done this, the ships were drawn down into the sea, +and Xerxes changing from his chariot to a ship of Sidon sat down under a +golden canopy and sailed along by the prows of the ships, asking of all +just as he had done with the land-army, and having the answers written +down. And the captains had taken their ships out to a distance of about +four hundred feet from the beach and were staying them there, all having +turned the prows of the ships towards the shore in an even line 94 and +having armed all the fighting-men as for war; and he inspected them +sailing within, between the prows of the ships and the beach. + +101. Now when he had sailed through these and had disembarked from his +ship, he sent for Demaratos the son of Ariston, who was marching +with him against Hellas; and having called him he asked as follows: +"Demaratos, now it is my pleasure to ask thee somewhat which I desire +to know. Thou art not only a Hellene, but also, as I am informed both +by thee and by the other Hellenes who come to speech with me, of a city +which is neither the least nor the feeblest of Hellas. Now therefore +declare to me this, namely whether the Hellenes will endure to raise +hands against me: for, as I suppose, even if all the Hellenes and +the remaining nations who dwell towards the West should be gathered +together, they are not strong enough in fight to endure my attack, +supposing them to be my enemies. 95 I desire however to be informed also +of thy opinion, what thou sayest about these matters." He inquired thus, +and the other made answer and said: "O king, shall I utter the truth +in speaking to thee, or that which will give pleasure?" and he bade +him utter the truth, saying that he should suffer nothing unpleasant in +consequence of this, any more than he suffered before. + +102. When Demaratos heard this, he spoke as follows: "O king, since thou +biddest me by all means utter the truth, and so speak as one who shall +not be afterwards convicted by thee of having spoken falsely, I say +this:--with Hellas poverty is ever an inbred growth, while valour is one +that has been brought in, being acquired by intelligence and the force +of law; and of it Hellas makes use ever to avert from herself not only +poverty but also servitude to a master. Now I commend all the Hellenes +who are settled in those Dorian lands, but this which I am about to say +has regard not to all, but to the Lacedemonians alone: of these I say, +first that it is not possible that they will ever accept thy terms, +which carry with them servitude for Hellas; and next I say that they +will stand against thee in fight, even if all the other Hellenes shall +be of thy party: and as for numbers, ask now how many they are, that +they are able to do this; for whether it chances that a thousand of them +have come out into the field, these will fight with thee, or if there be +less than this, or again if there be more." + +103. Xerxes hearing this laughed, and said: "Demaratos, what a speech is +this which thou hast uttered, saying that a thousand men will fight with +this vast army! Come tell me this:--thou sayest that thou wert thyself +king of these men; wilt thou therefore consent forthwith to fight with +ten men? and yet if your State is such throughout as thou dost describe +it, thou their king ought by your laws to stand in array against double +as many as another man; that is to say, if each of them is a match for +ten men of my army, I expect of thee that thou shouldest be a match for +twenty. Thus would be confirmed the report which is made by thee: but if +ye, who boast thus greatly are such men and in size so great only as +the Hellenes who come commonly to speech with me, thyself included, then +beware lest this which has been spoken prove but an empty vaunt. For +come, let me examine it by all that is probable: how could a thousand or +ten thousand or even fifty thousand, at least if they were all equally +free and were not ruled by one man, stand against so great an army? +since, as thou knowest, we shall be more than a thousand coming about +each one of them, supposing them to be in number five thousand. If +indeed they were ruled by one man after our fashion, they might perhaps +from fear of him become braver than it was their nature to be, or they +might go compelled by the lash to fight with greater numbers, being +themselves fewer in number; but if left at liberty, they would do +neither of these things: and I for my part suppose that, even if equally +matched in numbers, the Hellenes would hardly dare to fight with the +Persians taken alone. With us however this of which thou speakest is +found in single men, 96 not indeed often, but rarely; for there are +Persians of my spearmen who will consent to fight with three men of the +Hellenes at once: but thou hast had no experience of these things and +therefore thou speakest very much at random." + +104. To this Demaratos replied: "O king, from the first I was sure that +if I uttered the truth I should not speak that which was pleasing to +thee; since however thou didst compel me to speak the very truth, I told +thee of the matters which concern the Spartans. And yet how I am at this +present time attached to them by affection thou knowest better than any; +seeing that first they took away from me the rank and privileges which +came to me from my fathers, and then also they have caused me to be +without native land and an exile; but thy father took me up and gave +me livelihood and a house to dwell in. Surely it is not to be supposed +likely that the prudent man will thrust aside friendliness which is +offered to him, but rather that he will accept it with full contentment. +97 And I do not profess that I am able to fight either with ten men or +with two, nay, if I had my will, I would not even fight with one; but if +there were necessity or if the cause which urged me to the combat were +a great one, I would fight most willingly with one of these men who says +that he is a match for three of the Hellenes. So also the Lacedemonians +are not inferior to any men when fighting one by one, and they are the +best of all men when fighting in a body: for though free, yet they are +not free in all things, for over them is set Law as a master, whom they +fear much more even than thy people fear thee. It is certain at least +that they do whatsoever that master commands; and he commands ever the +same thing, that is to say, he bids them not flee out of battle from +any multitude of men, but stay in their post and win the victory or lose +their life. But if when I say these things I seem to thee to be speaking +at random, of other things for the future I prefer to be silent; and +at this time I spake only because I was compelled. May it come to pass +however according to thy mind, O king." + +105. He thus made answer, and Xerxes turned the matter to laughter +and felt no anger, but dismissed him with kindness. Then after he had +conversed with him, and had appointed Mascames son of Megadostes to +be governor at this place Doriscos, removing the governor who had been +appointed by Dareios, Xerxes marched forth his army through Thrace to +invade Hellas. + +106. And Mascames, whom he left behind here, proved to be a man of such +qualities that to him alone Xerxes used to send gifts, considering him +the best of all the men whom either he himself or Dareios had appointed +to be governors,--he used to send him gifts, I say, every year, and so +also did Artaxerxes the son of Xerxes to the descendants of Mascames. +For even before this march governors had been appointed in Thrace and +everywhere about the Hellespont; and these all, both those in Thrace and +in the Hellespont, were conquered by the Hellenes after this expedition, +except only the one who was at Doriscos; but Mascames at Doriscos none +were ever 98 able to conquer, though many tried. For this reason the +gifts are sent continually for him from the king who reigns over the +Persians. + +107. Of those however who were conquered by the Hellenes Xerxes did not +consider any to be a good man except only Boges, who was at Eïon: him +he never ceased commending, and he honoured very highly his children who +survived him in the land of Persia. For in truth Boges proved himself +worthy of great commendation, seeing that when he was besieged by the +Athenians under Kimon the son of Miltiades, though he might have gone +forth under a truce and so returned home to Asia, he preferred not to +do this, for fear that the king should that it was by cowardice that he +survived; and he continued to hold out till the last. Then when there +was no longer any supply of provisions within the wall, he heaped +together a great pyre, and he cut the throats of his children, his wife, +his concubines and his servants, and threw them into the fire; and after +this he scattered all the gold and silver in the city from the wall into +the river Strymon, and having so done he threw himself into the fire. +Thus he is justly commended even to this present time by the Persians. + +108. Xerxes from Doriscos was proceeding onwards to invade Hellas; and +as he went he compelled those who successively came in his way, to join +his march: for the whole country as far as Thessaly had been reduced to +subjection, as has been set forth by me before, and was tributary under +the king, having been subdued by Megabazos and afterwards by Mardonios. +And he passed in his march from Doriscos first by the Samothrakian +strongholds, of which that which is situated furthest towards the West +is a city called Mesambria. Next to this follows Stryme, a city of the +Thasians, and midway between them flows the river Lisos, which at this +time did not suffice when supplying its water to the army of Xerxes, but +the stream failed. This country was in old time called Gallaïke, but now +Briantike; however by strict justice this also belongs to the Kikonians. + +109. Having crossed over the bed of the river Lisos after it had been +dried up, he passed by these Hellenic cities, namely Maroneia, Dicaia +and Abdera. These I say he passed by, and also the following lakes of +note lying near them,--the Ismarian lake, lying between Maroneia and +Stryme; the Bistonian lake near Dicaia, into which two rivers pour their +waters, the Trauos 99 and the Compsantos; 100 and at Abdera no lake +indeed of any note was passed by Xerxes, but the river Nestos, which +flows there into the sea. Then after passing these places he went by the +cities of the mainland, 101 near one of which there is, as it chances, +a lake of somewhere about thirty furlongs in circumference, abounding in +fish and very brackish; this the baggage-animals alone dried up, being +watered at it: and the name of this city is Pistyros. 102 + +110. These cities, I say, lying by the sea coast and belonging to +Hellenes, he passed by, leaving them on the left hand; and the tribes of +Thracians through whose country he marched were as follows, namely +the Paitians, Kikonians, Bistonians, Sapaians, Dersaians, Edonians, +Satrians. Of these they who were settled along the sea coast accompanied +him with their ships, and those of them who dwelt inland and have been +enumerated by me, were compelled to accompany him on land, except the +Satrians: + +111, the Satrians however never yet became obedient to any man, so far +as we know, but they remain up to my time still free, alone of all the +Thracians; for they dwell in lofty mountains, which are covered with +forest of all kinds and with snow, and also they are very skilful in +war. These are they who possess the Oracle of Dionysos; which Oracle is +on their most lofty mountains. Of the Satrians those who act as prophets +103 of the temple are the Bessians; it is a prophetess 104 who utters +the oracles, as at Delphi; and beyond this there is nothing further of a +remarkable character. 105 + +112. Xerxes having passed over the land which has been spoken of, next +after this passed the strongholds of the Pierians, of which the name +of the one is Phagres and of the other Pergamos. By this way, I say, +he made his march, going close by the walls of these, and keeping Mount +Pangaion on the right hand, which is both great and lofty and in which +are mines both of gold and of silver possessed by the Pierians and +Odomantians, and especially by the Satrians. + +113. Thus passing by the Paionians, Doberians and Paioplians, who dwell +beyond Pangaion towards the North Wind, he went on Westwards, until at +last he came to the river Strymon and the city of Eïon, of which, +so long as he lived, Boges was commander, the same about whom I was +speaking a short time back. This country about Mount Pangaion is called +Phyllis, and it extends Westwards to the river Angites, which flows into +the Strymon, and Southwards it stretches to the Strymon itself; and at +this river the Magians sacrificed for good omens, slaying white horses. + +114. Having done this and many other things in addition to this, as +charms for the river, at the Nine Ways 106 in the land of the Edonians, +they proceeded by the bridges, for they had found the Strymon already +yoked with bridges; and being informed that this place was called the +Nine Ways, they buried alive in it that number of boys and maidens, +children of the natives of the place. Now burying alive is a Persian +custom; for I am informed that Amestris also, the wife of Xerxes, when +she had grown old, made return for her own life to the god who is said +to be beneath the earth by burying twice seven children of Persians who +were men of renown. + +115. As the army proceeded on its march from the Strymon, it found after +this a sea-beach stretching towards the setting of the sun, and passed +by the Hellenic city, Argilos, which was there placed. This region and +that which lies above it is called Bisaltia. Thence, keeping on the left +hand the gulf which lies of Posideion, he went through the plain which +is called the plain of Syleus, passing by Stageiros a Hellenic city, and +so came to Acanthos, taking with him as he went each one of these tribes +and also of those who dwell about Mount Pangaion, just as he did those +whom I enumerated before, having the men who dwelt along the sea coast +to serve in the ships and those who dwelt inland to accompany him on +foot. This road by which Xerxes the king marched his army, the Thracians +do not disturb nor sow crops over, but pay very great reverence to it +down to my own time. + +116. Then when he had come to Acanthos, Xerxes proclaimed a +guest-friendship with the people of Acanthos and also presented them +with the Median dress 107 and commended them, perceiving that they were +zealous to serve him in the war and hearing of that which had been dug. + +117. And while Xerxes was in Acanthos, it happened that he who had +been set over the making of the channel, Artachaies by name, died of +sickness, a man who was highly esteemed by Xerxes and belonged to +the Achaimenid family; also he was in stature the tallest of all the +Persians, falling short by only four fingers of being five royal cubits +108 in height, and he had a voice the loudest of all men; so that Xerxes +was greatly grieved at the loss of him, and carried him forth and buried +him with great honour, and the whole army joined in throwing up a mound +for him. To this Artachaies the Acanthians by the bidding of an oracle +do sacrifice as a hero, calling upon his name in worship. + +118. King Xerxes, I say, was greatly grieved at the loss of Artachaies: +and meanwhile the Hellenes who were entertaining his army and providing +Xerxes with dinners had been brought to utter ruin, so that they were +being driven from house and home; seeing that when the Thasians, for +example, entertained the army of Xerxes and provided him with a dinner +on behalf of their towns upon the mainland, Antipater the son of Orgeus, +who had been appointed for this purpose, a man of repute among the +citizens equal to the best, reported that four hundred talents of silver +had been spent upon the dinner. + +119. Just so or nearly so in the other cities also those who were set +over the business reported the reckoning to be: for the dinner was +given as follows, having been ordered a long time beforehand, and being +counted by them a matter of great importance:--In the first place, +so soon as they heard of it from the heralds who carried round the +proclamation, the citizens in the various cities distributed corn among +their several households, and all continued to make wheat and barley +meal for many months; then they fed cattle, finding out and obtaining +the finest animals for a high price; and they kept birds both of the +land and of the water, in cages or in pools, all for the entertainment +of the army. Then again they had drinking-cups and mixing-bowls made of +gold and of silver, and all the other things which are placed upon the +table: these were made for the king himself and for those who ate at his +table; but for the rest of the army only the things appointed for food +were provided. Then whenever the army came to any place, there was a +tent pitched ready wherein Xerxes himself made his stay, while the rest +of the army remained out in the open air; and when it came to be time +for dinner, then the entertainers had labour; but the others, after they +had been satiated with food and had spent the night there, on the next +day tore up the tent and taking with them all the movable furniture +proceeded on their march, leaving nothing, but carrying all away with +them. + +120. Then was uttered a word well spoken by Megacreon, a man of Abdera, +who advised those of Abdera to go in a body, both themselves and their +wives, to their temples, and to sit down as suppliants of the gods, +entreating them that for the future also they would ward off from them +the half of the evils which threatened; and he bade them feel great +thankfulness to the gods for the past events, because king Xerxes had +not thought good to take food twice in each day; for if it had been +ordered to them beforehand to prepare breakfast also in like manner as +the dinner, it would have remained for the men of Abdera either not +to await the coming of Xerxes, or if they stayed, to be crushed by +misfortune more than any other men upon the Earth. + +121. They then, I say, though hard put to it, yet were performing that +which was appointed to them; and from Acanthos Xerxes, after having +commanded the generals to wait for the fleet at Therma, let the ships +take their course apart from himself, (now this Therma is that which is +situated on the Thermaic gulf, from which also this gulf has its name); +and thus he did because he was informed that this was the shortest way: +for from Doriscos as far as Acanthos the army had been making its march +thus:--Xerxes had divided the whole land-army into three divisions, and +one of them he had set to go along the sea accompanying the fleet, of +which division Mardonios and Masistes were commanders; another third +of the army had been appointed to go by the inland way, and of this the +generals in command were Tritantaichmes and Gergis; and meanwhile the +third of the subdivisions, with which Xerxes himself went, marched in +the middle between them, and acknowledged as its commanders Smerdomenes +and Megabyzos. + +122. The fleet, when it was let go by Xerxes and had sailed right +through the channel made in Athos (which went across to the gulf on +which are situated the cities of Assa, Piloros, Singos and Sarte), +having taken up a contingent from these cities also, sailed thence +with a free course to the Thermaïc gulf, and turning round Ampelos the +headland of Torone, it left on one side the following Hellenic cities, +from which it took up contingents of ships and men, namely Torone, +Galepsos, Sermyle, Mekyberna, Olynthos: this region is called Sithonia. + +123. And the fleet of Xerxes, cutting across from the headland of +Ampelos to that of Canastron, which runs out furthest to sea of all +Pallene, took up there contingents of ships and men from Potidaia, +Aphytis, Neapolis, Aige, Therambo, Skione, Mende and Sane, for these are +the cities which occupy the region which now is called Pallene, but was +formerly called Phlegra. Then sailing along the coast of this country +also the fleet continued its course towards the place which has been +mentioned before, taking up contingents also from the cities which come +next after Pallene and border upon the Thermaïc gulf; and the names +of them are these,--Lipaxos, Combreia, Lisai, Gigonos, Campsa, Smila, +Aineia; and the region in which these cities are is called even to +the present day Crossaia. Then sailing from Aineia, with which name I +brought to an end the list of the cities, at once the fleet came into +the Thermaïc gulf and to the region of Mygdonia, and so it arrived at +the aforesaid Therma and at the cities of Sindos and Chalestra upon the +river Axios. This river is the boundary between the land of Mygdonia +and Bottiaia, of which district the narrow region which lies on the sea +coast is occupied by the cities of Ichnai and Pella. + +124. Now while his naval force was encamped about the river Axios an the +city of Therma and the cities which lie between these two, waiting for +the coming of the king, Xerxes and the land-army were proceeding from +Acanthos, cutting through the middle by the shortest way 109 with a view +to reaching Therma: and he was proceeding through Paionia and Crestonia +to the river Cheidoros, 110 which beginning from the land of the +Crestonians, runs through the region of Mygdonia and comes out alongside +of the marsh which is by the river Axios. + +125. As he was proceeding by this way, lions attacked the camels which +carried his provisions; for the lions used to come down regularly by +night, leaving their own haunts, but they touched nothing else, neither +beast of burden nor man, but killed the camels only: and I marvel what +was the cause, and what was it that impelled the lions to abstain from +all else and to attack the camels only, creatures which they had never +seen before, and of which they had had no experience. + +126. Now there are in these parts both many lions and also wild oxen, +those that have the very large horns which are often brought into +Hellas: and the limit within which these lions are found is on the one +side the river Nestos, which flows through Abdera, and on the other the +Achelos, which flows through Acarnania; for neither do the East of the +Nestos, in any part of Europe before you come to this, would you see a +lion, nor again in the remaining part of the continent to the West of +the Acheloos, but they are produced in the middle space between these +rivers. + +127. When Xerxes had reached Therma he established the army there; and +his army encamping there occupied of the land along by the sea no less +than this,--beginning from the city of Therma and from Mygdonia it +extended as far as the river Lydias and the Haliacmon, which form the +boundary between the lands of Bottiaia and Macedonia, mingling their +waters together in one and the same stream. The Barbarians, I say, were +encamped in these regions; and of the rivers which have been enumerated, +only the river Cheidoros flowing from the Crestonian land was +insufficient for the drinking of the army and failed in its stream. + +128. Then Xerxes seeing from Therma the mountains of Thessaly, Olympos +and Ossa, that they were of very great height, and being informed that +in the midst between them there was a narrow channel, through which +flows the Peneios, and hearing also that by this way there was a good +road leading to Thessaly, formed a desire to sail thither and look at +the outlet of the Peneios, because he was meaning to march by the upper +road, through the land of the Macedonians who dwell inland, until he +came to the Perraibians, passing by the city of Gonnos; for by this way +he was informed that it was safest to go. And having formed this desire, +so also he proceeded to do; that is, he embarked in a Sidonian ship, the +same in which he used always to embark when he wished to do anything of +this kind, and he displayed a signal for the others to put out to sea +also, leaving there the land-army. Then when Xerxes had looked at the +outlet of the Peneios, he was possessed by great wonder, and summoning +his guides he asked them whether it was possible to turn the river aside +and bring it out to the sea by another way. + +129. Now it is said that Thessaly was in old time a lake, being enclosed +on all sides by very lofty mountains: for the parts of it which lie +towards the East are shut in by the ranges of Pelion and Ossa, which +join one another in their lower slopes, the parts towards the North +Wind by Olympos, those towards the West by Pindos and those towards +the mid-day and the South Wind by Othrys; and the region in the midst, +between these mountains which have been named, is Thessaly, forming as +it were a hollow. Whereas then many rivers flow into it and among them +these five of most note, namely Peneios, Apidanos, Onochonos, Enipeus +and Pamisos, these, which collect their waters from the mountains that +enclose Thessaly round, and flow into this plain, with names separate +each one, having their outflow into the sea by one channel and that a +narrow one, first mingling their waters all together in one and the +same stream; and so soon as they are mingled together, from that point +onwards the Peneios prevails with its name over the rest and causes +the others to lose their separate names. And it is said that in +ancient time, there not being yet this channel and outflow between the +mountains, these rivers, and besides these rivers the lake Boibeïs also, +had no names as they have now, but by their waters they made Thessaly +to be all sea. The Thessalians themselves say that Poseidon made the +channel through which the Peneios flows; and reasonably they report +it thus, because whosoever believes that it is Poseidon who shakes the +Earth and that the partings asunder produced by earthquake are the work +of this god, would say, if he saw this, that it was made by Poseidon; +for the parting asunder of the mountains is the work of an earthquake, +as is evident to me. + +130. So the guides, when Xerxes asked whether there was any other +possible outlet to the sea for the Peneios, said with exact knowledge +of the truth: "O king, for this river there is no other outgoing which +extends to the sea, but this alone; for all Thessaly is circled about +with mountains as with a crown." To this Xerxes is said to have replied: +"The Thessalians then are prudent men. This it appears was that which +they desired to guard against in good time 111 when they changed their +counsel, 112 reflecting on this especially besides other things, namely +that they had a country which, it appears, is easy to conquer and may +quickly be taken: for it would have been necessary only to let the +river flow over their land by making an embankment to keep it from going +through the narrow channel and so diverting the course by which now it +flows, in order to put all Thessaly under water except the mountains." +This he said in reference to the sons of Aleuas, because they, being +Thessalians, were the first of the Hellenes who gave themselves over to +the king; for Xerxes thought that they offered him friendship on behalf +of their whole nation. Having said thus and having looked at the place, +he sailed back to Therma. + +131. He then was staying in the region of Pieria many days, for the road +over the mountains of Macedonia was being cut meanwhile by a third part +of his army, that all the host might pass over by this way into the land +of the Perraibians: and now the heralds returned who had been sent to +Hellas to demand the gift of earth, some empty-handed and others bearing +earth and water. + +132. And among those who gave that which was demanded were the +following, namely the Thessalians, Dolopians, Enianians, 113 +Perraibians, Locrians, Megnesians, Malians, Achaians of Phthiotis, and +Thebans, with the rest of the Boeotians also excepting the Thespians and +Plataians. Against these the Hellenes who took up war with the Barbarian +made an oath; and the oath was this,--that whosoever being Hellenes had +given themselves over to the Persian, not being compelled, these, if +their own affairs should come to a good conclusion, they would dedicate +as an offering 114 to the god at Delphi. + +133. Thus ran the oath which was taken by the Hellenes: Xerxes however +had not sent to Athens or to Sparta heralds to demand the gift of earth, +and for this reason, namely because at the former time when Dareios had +sent for this very purpose, the one people threw the men who made the +demand into the pit 115 and the others into a well, and bade them take +from thence earth and water and bear them to the king. For this reason +Xerxes did not send men to make this demand. And what evil thing 116 +came upon the Athenians for having done this to the heralds, I am not +able to say, except indeed that their land and city were laid waste; but +I do not think that this happened for that cause: + +134, on the Lacedemonians however the wrath fell of Talthybios, the +herald of Agamemnon; for in Sparta there is a temple of Talthybios, and +there are also descendants of Talthybios called Talthybiads, to whom +have been given as a right all the missions of heralds which go from +Sparta; and after this event it was not possible for the Spartans when +they sacrificed to obtain favourable omens. This was the case with them +for a long time; and as the Lacedemonians were grieved and regarded it +as a great misfortune, and general assemblies were repeatedly gathered +together and proclamation made, asking if any one of the Lacedemonians +was willing to die for Sparta, at length Sperthias the son of Aneristos +and Bulis the son of Nicolaos, Spartans of noble birth and in wealth +attaining to the first rank, voluntarily submitted to pay the penalty to +Xerxes for the heralds of Dareios which had perished at Sparta. Thus the +Spartans sent these to the Medes to be put to death. + +135. And not only the courage then shown by these men is worthy of +admiration, but also the following sayings in addition: for as they were +on their way to Susa they came to Hydarnes (now Hydarnes was a Persian +by race and commander of those who dwelt on the sea coasts of Asia), and +he offered them hospitality and entertained them; and while they were +his guests he asked them as follows: "Lacedemonians, why is it that ye +flee from becoming friends to the king? for ye may see that the king +knows how to honour good men, when ye look at me and at my fortunes. So +also ye, Lacedemonians, if ye gave yourselves to the king, since ye have +the reputation with him already of being good men, would have rule each +one of you over Hellenic land by the gift of the king." To this they +made answer thus: "Hydarnes, thy counsel with regard to us is not +equally balanced, 117 for thou givest counsel having made trial indeed +of the one thing, but being without experience of the other: thou +knowest well what it is to be a slave, but thou hast never yet made +trial of freedom, whether it is pleasant to the taste or no; for if thou +shouldest make trial of it, thou wouldest then counsel us to fight for +it not with spears only but also with axes." + +136. Thus they answered Hydarnes; and then, after they had gone up to +Susa and had come into the presence of the king, first when the spearmen +of the guard commanded them and endeavoured to compel them by force to +do obeisance to the king by falling down before him, they said that they +would not do any such deed, though they should be pushed down by them +head foremost; for it was not their custom to do obeisance to a man, +and it was not for this that they had come. Then when they had resisted +this, next they spoke these words or words to this effect: "O king of +the Medes, the Lacedemonians sent us in place of the heralds who were +slain in Sparta, to pay the penalty for their lives." When they said +this, Xerxes moved by a spirit of magnanimity replied that he would +not be like the Lacedemonians; for they had violated the rules which +prevailed among all men by slaying heralds, but he would not do that +himself which he blamed them for having done, nor would he free the +Lacedemonians from their guilt by slaying these in return. + +137. Thus the wrath of Talthybios ceased for the time being, even though +the Spartans had done no more than this and although Sperthias and Bulis +returned back to Sparta; but a long time after this it was roused +again during the war between the Peloponnesians and Athenians, as the +Lacedemonians report. This I perceive to have been most evidently +the act of the Deity: for in that the wrath of Talthybios fell upon +messengers and did not cease until it had been fully satisfied, so much +was but in accordance with justice; but that it happened to come upon +the sons of these men who went up to the king on account of the wrath, +namely upon Nicolaos the son of Bulis and Aneristos the son of Sperthias +(the same who conquered the men of Halieis, who came from Tiryns, by +sailing into their harbour with a merchant ship filled with fighting +men),--by this it is evident to me that the matter came to pass by +the act of the Deity caused by this wrath. For these men, sent by the +Lacedemonians as envoys to Asia, having been betrayed by Sitalkes the +son of Teres king of the Thracians and by Nymphodoros the son of Pythes +a man of Abdera, were captured at Bisanthe on the Hellespont; and +then having been carried away to Attica they were put to death by +the Athenians, and with them also Aristeas the son of Adeimantos the +Corinthian. These things happened many years after the expedition of the +king; and I return now to the former narrative. + +138. Now the march of the king's army was in name against Athens, but in +fact it was going against all Hellas: and the Hellenes being informed of +this long before were not all equally affected by it; for some of them +having given earth and water to the Persian had confidence, supposing +that they would suffer no hurt from the Barbarian; while others not +having given were in great terror, seeing that there were not ships +existing in Hellas which were capable as regards number of receiving the +invader in fight, and seeing that the greater part of the States were +not willing to take up the war, but adopted readily the side of the +Medes. + +139. And here I am compelled by necessity to declare an opinion which in +the eyes of most men would seem to be invidious, but nevertheless I will +not abstain from saying that which I see evidently to be the truth. If +the Athenians had been seized with fear of the danger which threatened +them and had left their land, 118 or again, without leaving their land, +had stayed and given themselves up to Xerxes, none would have made any +attempt by sea to oppose the king. If then none had opposed Xerxes by +sea, it would have happened on the land somewhat thus:--even if +many tunics of walls 119 had been thrown across the Isthmus by the +Peloponnesians, the Lacedemonians would have been deserted by their +allies, not voluntarily but of necessity, since these would have been +conquered city after city by the naval force of the Barbarian, and so +they would have been left alone: and having been left alone and having +displayed great deeds of valour, they would have met their death nobly. +Either they would have suffered this fate, or before this, seeing the +other Hellenes also taking the side of the Medes, they would have made +an agreement with Xerxes; and thus in either case Hellas would have come +to be under the rule of the Persians: for as to the good to be got from +the walls thrown across the Isthmus, I am unable to discover what it +would have been, when the king had command of the sea. As it is however, +if a man should say that the Athenians proved to be the saviours of +Hellas, he would not fail to hit the truth; for to whichever side these +turned, to that the balance was likely to incline: and these were they +who, preferring that Hellas should continue to exist in freedom, roused +up all of Hellas which remained, so much, that is, as had not gone over +to the Medes, and (after the gods at least) these were they who repelled +the king. Nor did fearful oracles, which came from Delphi and cast them +into dread, induce them to leave Hellas, but they stayed behind and +endured to receive the invader of their land. + +140. For the Athenians had sent men to Delphi to inquire and were +preparing to consult the Oracle; and after these had performed the usual +rites in the sacred precincts, when they had entered the sanctuary 120 +and were sitting down there, the Pythian prophetess, whose name was +Aristonike, uttered to them this oracle: + + + "Why do ye sit, O ye wretched? Flee thou 121 to the uttermost + limits, Leaving thy home and the heights of the wheel-round city + behind thee! Lo, there remaineth now nor the head nor the body in + safety,--Neither the feet below nor the hands nor the middle are + left thee,--All are destroyed 122 together; for fire and the + passionate War-god, 123 Urging the Syrian 124 car to speed, doth + hurl them 125 to ruin. Not thine alone, he shall cause many more + great strongholds to perish, Yes, many temples of gods to the + ravening fire shall deliver,--Temples which stand now surely with + sweat of their terror down-streaming, Quaking with dread; and lo! + from the topmost roof to the pavement Dark blood trickles, + forecasting the dire unavoidable evil. Forth with you, forth from + the shrine, and steep your soul in the sorrow!" 126 + +141. Hearing this the men who had been sent by the Athenians to consult +the Oracle were very greatly distressed; and as they were despairing by +reason of the evil which had been prophesied to them, Timon the son of +Androbulos, a man of the Delphians in reputation equal to the first, +counselled them to take a suppliant's bough and to approach the second +time and consult the Oracle as suppliants. The Athenians did as he +advised and said: "Lord, 127 we pray thee utter to us some better oracle +about our native land, having respect to these suppliant boughs which we +have come to thee bearing; otherwise surely we will not depart away from +the sanctuary, but will remain here where we are now, even until we +bring our lives to an end." When they spoke these words, the prophetess +gave them a second oracle as follows: + + + "Pallas cannot prevail to appease great Zeus in Olympos, Though she + with words very many and wiles close-woven entreat him. But I will + tell thee this more, and will clench it with steel adamantine: Then + when all else shall be taken, whatever the boundary 128 of Kecrops + Holdeth within, and the dark ravines of divinest Kithairon, A + bulwark of wood at the last Zeus grants to the Trito-born goddess + Sole to remain unwasted, which thee and thy children shall profit. + Stay thou not there for the horsemen to come and the footmen + unnumbered; Stay thou not still for the host from the mainland to + come, but retire thee, Turning thy back to the foe, for yet thou + shalt face him hereafter. Salamis, thou the divine, thou shalt cause + sons of women to perish, Or when the grain 129 is scattered or + when it is gathered together." + +142. This seemed to them to be (as in truth it was) a milder utterance +than the former one; therefore they had it written down and departed +with it to Athens: and when the messengers after their return made +report to the people, many various opinions were expressed by persons +inquiring into the meaning of the oracle, and among them these, standing +most in opposition to one another:--some of the elder men said they +thought that the god had prophesied to them that the Acropolis should +survive; for the Acropolis of the Athenians was in old time fenced with +a thorn hedge; and they conjectured accordingly that this saying about +the "bulwark of wood" referred to the fence: others on the contrary said +that the god meant by this their ships, and they advised to leave all +else and get ready these. Now they who said that the ships were the +bulwark of wood were shaken in their interpretation by the two last +verses which the prophetess uttered: + + + "Salamis, thou the divine, thou shalt cause sons of women to perish, + Or when the grain is scattered or when it is gathered together." + +In reference to these verses the opinions of those who said that the +ships were the bulwark of wood were disturbed; for the interpreters of +oracles took these to mean that it was fated for them, having got ready +for a sea-fight, to suffer defeat round about Salamis. + +143. Now there was one man of the Athenians who had lately been coming +forward to take a place among the first, whose name was Themistocles, +called son of Neocles. This man said that the interpreters of oracles +did not make right conjecture of the whole, and he spoke as follows, +saying that if these words that had been uttered referred really to the +Athenians, he did not think it would have been so mildly expressed in +the oracle, but rather thus, "Salamis, thou the merciless," instead of +"Salamis, thou the divine," at least if its settlers were destined to +perish round about it: but in truth the oracle had been spoken by the +god with reference to the enemy, if one understood it rightly, and not +to the Athenians: therefore he counselled them to get ready to fight a +battle by sea, for in this was their bulwark of wood. When Themistocles +declared his opinion thus, the Athenians judged that this was to be +preferred by them rather than the advice of the interpreters of oracles, +who bade them not make ready for a sea-fight, nor in short raise their +hands at all in opposition, but leave the land of Attica and settle in +some other. + +144. Another opinion too of Themistocles before this one proved the best +at the right moment, when the Athenians, having got large sums of money +in the public treasury, which had come in to them from the mines which +are at Laureion, were intending to share it among themselves, taking +each in turn the sum of ten drachmas. Then Themistocles persuaded the +Athenians to give up this plan of division and to make for themselves +with this money two hundred ships for the war, meaning by that the war +with the Eginetans: for this war having arisen 130 proved in fact the +salvation of Hellas at that time, by compelling the Athenians to become +a naval power. And the ships, not having been used for the purpose for +which they had been made, thus proved of service at need to Hellas. +These ships then, I say, the Athenians had already, having built them +beforehand, and it was necessary in addition to these to construct +others. They resolved then, when they took counsel after the oracle was +given, to receive the Barbarian invading Hellas with their ships in full +force, following the commands of the god, in combination with those of +the Hellenes who were willing to join them. + +145. These oracles had been given before to the Athenians: and when +those Hellenes who had the better mind about Hellas 131 came together to +one place, and considered their affairs and interchanged assurances with +one another, then deliberating together they thought it well first of +all things to reconcile the enmities and bring to an end the wars which +they had with one another. Now there were wars engaged 132 between +others also, and especially between the Athenians and the Eginetans. +After this, being informed that Xerxes was with his army at Sardis, they +determined to send spies to Asia to make observation of the power of +the king; and moreover they resolved to send envoys to Argos to form an +alliance against the Persian, and to send others to Sicily to Gelon +the son of Deinomenes and also to Corcyra, to urge them to come to the +assistance of Hellas, and others again to Crete; for they made it their +aim that if possible the Hellenic race might unite in one, and that they +might join all together and act towards the same end, since dangers were +threatening all the Hellenes equally. Now the power of Gelon was said to +be great, far greater than any other Hellenic power. + +146. When they had thus resolved, they reconciled their enmities and +then sent first three men as spies to Asia. These having come to Sardis +and having got knowledge about the king's army, were discovered, and +after having been examined by the generals of the land-army were being +led off to die. For these men, I say, death had been determined; but +Xerxes, being informed of this, found fault with the decision of the +generals and sent some of the spearmen of his guard, enjoining them, if +they should find the spies yet alive, to bring them to his presence. So +having found them yet surviving they brought them into the presence of +the king; and upon that Xerxes, being informed for what purpose they +had come, commanded the spearmen to lead them round and to show them the +whole army both foot and horse, and when they should have had their fill +of looking at these things, to let them go unhurt to whatsoever land +they desired. + +147. Such was the command which he gave, adding at the same time this +saying, namely that if the spies had been put to death, the Hellenes +would not have been informed beforehand of his power, how far beyond +description it was; while on the other hand by putting to death three +men they would not very greatly have damaged the enemy; but when these +returned back to Hellas, he thought it likely that the Hellenes, hearing +of his power, would deliver up their freedom to him themselves, before +the expedition took place which was being set in motion; and thus there +would be no need for them to have the labour of marching an army against +them. This opinion of his is like his manner of thinking at other times; +133 for when Xerxes was in Abydos, he saw vessels which carried corn +from the Pontus sailing out through the Hellespont on their way to Egina +and the Peloponnese. Those then who sat by his side, being informed that +the ships belonged to the enemy, were prepared to capture them, and were +looking to the king to see when he would give the word; but Xerxes asked +about them whither the men were sailing, and they replied: "Master, to +thy foes, conveying to them corn": he then made answer and said: "Are we +not also sailing to the same place as these men, furnished with corn as +well as with other things necessary? How then do these wrong us, since +they are conveying provisions for our use?" + +148. The spies then, having thus looked at everything and after that +having been dismissed, returned back to Europe: and meanwhile those +of the Hellenes who had sworn alliance against the Persian, after the +sending forth of the spies proceeded to send envoys next to Argos. Now +the Argives report that the matters concerning themselves took place +as follows:--They were informed, they say, at the very first of the +movement which was being set on foot by the Barbarian against Hellas; +and having been informed of this and perceiving that the Hellenes would +endeavour to get their alliance against the Persians, they had sent +messengers to inquire of the god at Delphi, and to ask how they should +act in order that it might be best for themselves: because lately there +had been slain of them six thousand men by the Lacedemonians and by +Cleomenes the son of Anaxandrides, 134 and this in fact was the reason +that they were sending to inquire: and when they inquired, the Pythian +prophetess made answer to them as follows: + + + "Thou to thy neighbours a foe, by the gods immortal beloved, + Keep thou thy spear 135 within bounds, and sit well-guarded behind it: + Guard well the head, and the head shall preserve the limbs and the body." + +Thus, they say, the Pythian prophetess had replied to them before this; +and afterwards when the messengers of the Hellenes came, as I said, to +Argos, they entered the Council-chamber and spoke that which had been +enjoined to them; and to that which was said the Council replied that +the Argives were ready to do as they were requested, on condition that +they got peace made with the Lacedemonians for thirty years and that +they had half the leadership of the whole confederacy: and yet by +strict right (they said) the whole leadership fell to their share, but +nevertheless it was sufficient for them to have half. + +149. Thus they report that the Council made answer, although the oracle +forbade them to make the alliance with the Hellenes; and they were +anxious, they say, that a truce from hostilities for thirty years should +be made, although they feared the oracle, in order, as they allege, that +their sons might grow to manhood in these years; whereas if a truce did +not exist, they had fear that, supposing another disaster should come +upon them in fighting against the Persian in addition to that which had +befallen them already, they might be for all future time subject to +the Lacedemonians. To that which was spoken by the Council those of the +envoys who were of Sparta replied, that as to the truce they would refer +the matter to their public assembly, 136 but as to the leadership they +had themselves been commissioned to make reply, and did in fact say +this, namely that they had two kings, while the Argives had one; and it +was not possible to remove either of the two who were of Sparta from the +leadership, but there was nothing to prevent the Argive king from having +an equal vote with each of their two. Then, say the Argives, they could +not endure the grasping selfishness of the Spartans, but chose to +be ruled by the Barbarians rather than to yield at all to the +Lacedemonians; and they gave notice to the envoys to depart out of the +territory of the Argives before sunset, or, if not, they would be dealt +with as enemies. + +150. The Argives themselves report so much about these matters: but +there is another story reported in Hellas to the effect that Xerxes +sent a herald to Argos before he set forth to make an expedition against +Hellas, and this herald, they say, when he had come, spoke as follows: +"Men of Argos, king Xerxes says to you these things:--We hold that +Perses, from whom we are descended, was the son of Perseus, the son of +Danae, and was born of the daughter of Kepheus, Andromeda; and according +to this it would seem that we are descended from you. It is not fitting +then that we should go forth on an expedition against those from whom we +trace our descent, nor that ye should set yourselves in opposition to us +by rendering assistance to others; but it is fitting that ye keep still +and remain by yourselves: for if things happen according to my mind, +I shall not esteem any people to be of greater consequence than you." +Having heard this the Argives, it is said, considered it a great matter; +and therefore at first they made no offer of help nor did they ask for +any share; but afterwards, when the Hellenes tried to get them on their +side, then, since they knew well that the Lacedemonians would not give +them a share in the command, they asked for this merely in order that +they might have a pretext for remaining still. + +151. Also some of the Hellenes report that the following event, in +agreement with this account, came to pass many years after these +things:--there happened, they say, to be in Susa the city of Memnon 137 +envoys of the Athenians come about some other matter, namely Callias the +son of Hipponicos and the others who went up with him; and the Argives +at that very time had also sent envoys to Susa, and these asked +Artoxerxes the son of Xerxes, whether the friendship which they had +formed with Xerxes still remained unbroken, if they themselves desired +to maintain it, 138 or whether they were esteemed by him to be enemies; +and king Artoxerxes said that it most certainly remained unbroken, and +that there was no city which he considered to be more his friend than +Argos. + +152. Now whether Xerxes did indeed send a herald to Argos saying that +which has been reported, and whether envoys of the Argives who had gone +up to Susa inquired of Artoxerxes concerning friendship, I am not able +to say for certain; nor do I declare any opinion about the matters in +question other than that which the Argives themselves report: but I know +this much, that if all the nations of men should bring together into one +place the evils which they have suffered themselves, desiring to make +exchange with their neighbours, each people of them, when they had +examined closely the evils suffered by their fellows, would gladly carry +away back with them those which they had brought. 139 Thus it is not the +Argives who have acted most basely of all. I however am bound to report +that which is reported, though I am not bound altogether to believe +it; and let this saying be considered to hold good as regards every +narrative in the history: for I must add that this also is reported, +namely that the Argives were actually those who invited the Persian to +invade Hellas, because their war with the Lacedemonians had had an evil +issue, being willing to suffer anything whatever rather than the trouble +which was then upon them. + +153. That which concerns the Argives has now been said: and meanwhile +envoys had come to Sicily from the allies, to confer with Gelon, among +whom was also Syagros from the Lacedemonians. Now the ancestor of this +Gelon, he who was at Gela as a settler, 140 was a native of the island +of Telos, which lies off Triopion; and when Gela was founded by the +Lindians of Rhodes and by Antiphemos, he was not left behind. Then in +course of time his descendants became and continued to be priests of the +mysteries of the Earth goddesses, 141 an office which was acquired by +Telines one of their ancestors in the following manner:--certain of the +men of Gela, being worsted in a party struggle, had fled to Mactorion, +the city which stands above Gela: these men Telines brought back to Gela +from exile with no force of men but only with the sacred rites of these +goddesses; but from whom he received them, or whether he obtained them +for himself, 142 this I am not able to say; trusting in these +however, he brought the men back from exile, on the condition that his +descendants should be priests of the mysteries of the goddesses. To me +it has caused wonder also that Telines should have been able to perform +so great a deed, considering that which I am told; for such deeds, I +think, are not apt to proceed from every man, but from one who has a +brave spirit and manly vigour, whereas Telines is said by the dwellers +in Sicily to have been on the contrary a man of effeminate character and +rather poor spirit. + +154. He then had thus obtained the privilege of which I speak: and when +Cleander the son of Pantares brought his life to an end, having been +despot of Gela for seven years and being killed at last by Sabyllos a +man of Gela, then Hippocrates succeeded to the monarchy, who was +brother of Cleander. And while Hippocrates was despot, Gelon, who was a +descendant of Telines the priest of the mysteries, was spearman of the +guard 143 to Hippocrates with many others and among them Ainesidemos the +son of Pataicos. Then after no long time he was appointed by reason +of valour to be commander of the whole cavalry; for when Hippocrates +besieged successively the cities of Callipolis, Naxos, Zancle, Leontini, +and also Syracuse and many towns of the Barbarians, in these wars Gelon +showed himself a most brilliant warrior; and of the cities which I +just now mentioned, not one except Syracuse escaped being reduced to +subjection by Hippocrates: the Syracusans however, after they had been +defeated in battle at the river Eloros, were rescued by the Corinthians +and Corcyreans; these rescued them and brought the quarrel to a +settlement on this condition, namely that the Syracusans should deliver +up Camarina to Hippocrates. Now Camarina used in ancient time to belong +to the men of Syracuse. + +155. Then when it was the fate of Hippocrates also, after having been +despot for the same number of years as his brother Cleander, to be +killed at the city of Hybla, whither he had gone on an expedition +against the Sikelians, then Gelon made a pretence of helping the sons +of Hippocrates, Eucleides and Cleander, when the citizens were no longer +willing to submit; but actually, when he had been victorious in a battle +over the men of Gela, he robbed the sons of Hippocrates of the power and +was ruler himself. After this stroke of fortune Gelon restored those of +the Syracusans who were called "land-holders," 144 after they had been +driven into exile by the common people and by their own slaves, who +were called Kyllyrians, 145 these, I say, he restored from the city of +Casmene to Syracuse, and so got possession of this last city also, for +the common people of Syracuse, when Gelon came against them, delivered +up to him their city and themselves. + +156. So after he had received Syracuse into his power, he made less +account of Gela, of which he was ruler also in addition, and he gave +it in charge to Hieron his brother, while he proceeded to strengthen +Syracuse. So forthwith that city rose and shot up to prosperity; for in +the first place he brought all those of Camarina to Syracuse and made +them citizens, and razed to the ground the city of Camarina; then +secondly he did the same to more than half of the men of Gela, as he had +done to those of Camarina: and as regards the Megarians of Sicily, when +they were besieged and had surrendered by capitulation, the well-to-do +men 146 of them, though they had stirred up war with him and expected +to be put to death for this reason, he brought to Syracuse and made them +citizens, but the common people of the Megarians, who had no share in +the guilt of this war and did not expect that they would suffer any +evil, these also he brought to Syracuse and sold them as slaves to be +carried away from Sicily: and the same thing he did moreover to the men +of Euboia in Sicily, making a distinction between them: and he dealt +thus with these two cities because he thought that a body of commons was +a most unpleasant element in the State. + +157. In the manner then which has been described Gelon had become a +powerful despot; and at this time when the envoys of the Hellenes had +arrived at Syracuse, they came to speech with him and said as follows: +"The Lacedemonians and their allies sent us to get thee to be on our +side against the Barbarian; for we suppose that thou art certainly +informed of him who is about to invade Hellas, namely that a Persian +is designing to bridge over the Hellespont, and to make an expedition +against Hellas, leading against us out of Asia all the armies of the +East, under colour of marching upon Athens, but in fact meaning to bring +all Hellas to subjection under him. Do thou therefore, seeing that 147 +thou hast attained to a great power and hast no small portion of Hellas +for thy share, being the ruler of Sicily, come to the assistance of +those who are endeavouring to free Hellas, and join in making her free; +for if all Hellas be gathered together in one, it forms a great body, +and we are made a match in fight for those who are coming against us; +but if some of us go over to the enemy and others are not willing to +help, and the sound portion of Hellas is consequently small, there is at +once in this a danger that all Hellas may fall to ruin. For do not thou +hope that if the Persian shall overcome us in battle he will not come +to thee, but guard thyself against this beforehand; for in coming to +our assistance thou art helping thyself; and the matter which is wisely +planned has for the most part a good issue afterwards." + +158. The envoys spoke thus; and Gelon was very vehement with them, +speaking to them as follows: "Hellenes, a selfish speech is this, with +which ye have ventured to come and invite me to be your ally against the +Barbarian; whereas ye yourselves, when I in former time requested of you +to join with me in fighting against an army of Barbarians, contention +having arisen between me and the Carthaginians, and when I charged you +to exact vengeance of the men of Egesta for the death of Dorieos the son +of Anaxandrides, 148 while at the same time I offered to help in setting +free the trading-places, from which great advantages and gains have +been reaped by you,--ye, I say, then neither for my own sake came to my +assistance, nor in order to exact vengeance for the death of Dorieos; +and, so far as ye are concerned, all these parts are even now under the +rule of Barbarians. But since it turned out well for us and came to a +better issue, now that the war has come round and reached you, there has +at last arisen in your minds a recollection of Gelon. However, though I +have met with contempt at your hands, I will not act like you; but I am +prepared to come to your assistance, supplying two hundred triremes +and twenty thousand hoplites, with two thousand horsemen, two thousand +bowmen, two thousand slingers and two thousand light-armed men to run +beside the horsemen; and moreover I will undertake to supply corn for +the whole army of the Hellenes, until we have finished the war. These +things I engage to supply on this condition, namely that I shall be +commander and leader of the Hellenes against the Barbarian; but on any +other condition I will neither come myself nor will I send others." + +159. Hearing this Syagros could not contain himself but spoke these +words: "Deeply, I trow, would Agamemnon son of Pelops lament, 149 if he +heard that the Spartans had had the leadership taken away from them by +Gelon and by the Syracusans. Nay, but make thou no further mention of +this condition, namely that we should deliver the leadership to thee; +but if thou art desirous to come to the assistance of Hellas, know that +thou wilt be under the command of the Lacedemonians; and if thou dost +indeed claim not to be under command, come not thou to our help at all." + +160. To this Gelon, seeing that the speech of Syagros was adverse, set +forth to them his last proposal thus: "Stranger from Sparta, reproaches +sinking into the heart of a man are wont to rouse his spirit in anger +against them; thou however, though thou hast uttered insults against me +in thy speech, wilt not bring me to show myself unseemly in my reply. +But whereas ye so strongly lay claim to the leadership, it were fitting +that I should lay claim to it more than ye, seeing that I am the leader +of an army many times as large and of ships many more. Since however +this condition is so distasteful to you, 150 we will recede somewhat +from our former proposal. Suppose that ye should be leaders of +the land-army and I of the fleet; or if it pleases you to lead the +sea-forces, I am willing to be leader of those on land; and either ye +must be contented with these terms or go away without the alliance which +I have to give." + +161. Gelon, I say, made these offers, and the envoy of the Athenians, +answering before that of the Lacedemonians, replied to him as follows: +"O king of the Syracusans, it was not of a leader that Hellas was in +want when it sent us to thee, but of an army. Thou however dost not set +before us the hope that thou wilt send an army, except thou have the +leadership of Hellas; and thou art striving how thou mayest become +commander of the armies of Hellas. So long then as it was thy demand to +be leader of the whole army of the Hellenes, it was sufficient for us +Athenians to keep silence, knowing that the Lacedemonian would be able +to make defence even for us both; but now, since being repulsed from the +demand for the whole thou art requesting to be commander of the naval +force, we tell that thus it is:--not even if the Lacedemonian shall +permit thee to be commander of it, will we permit thee; for this at +least is our own, if the Lacedemonians do not themselves desire to have +it. With these, if they desire to be the leaders, we do not contend; +but none others beside ourselves shall we permit to be in command of +the ships: for then to no purpose should we be possessors of a +sea-force larger than any other which belongs to the Hellenes, if, being +Athenians, we should yield the leadership to Syracusans, we who boast of +a race which is the most ancient of all and who are of all the Hellenes +the only people who have not changed from one land to another; to whom +also belonged a man whom Homer the Epic poet said was the best of all +who came to Ilion in drawing up an army and setting it in array. 151 +Thus we are not justly to be reproached if we say these things." + +162. To this Gelon made answer thus: "Stranger of Athens, it would seem +that ye have the commanders, but that ye will not have the men to be +commanded. Since then ye will not at all give way, but desire to +have the whole, it were well that ye should depart home as quickly as +possible and report to the Hellenes that the spring has been taken out +of their year." Now this is the meaning of the saying:--evidently the +spring is the noblest part of the year; and so he meant to say that +his army was the noblest part of the army of the Hellenes: for Hellas +therefore, deprived of his alliance, it was, he said, as if the spring +had been taken out of the year. 152 + +163. The envoys of the Hellenes, having thus had conference with Gelon, +sailed away; and Gelon upon this, fearing on the one hand about the +Hellenes, lest they should not be able to overcome the Barbarian, and +on the other hand considering it monstrous and not to be endured that +he should come to Peloponnesus and be under the command of the +Lacedemonians, seeing that he was despot of Sicily, gave up the thought +of this way and followed another: for so soon as he was informed that +the Persian had crossed over the Hellespont, he sent Cadmos the son of +Skythes, a man of Cos, with three fifty-oared galleys to Delphi, bearing +large sums of money and friendly proposals, to wait there and see how +the battle would fall out: and if the Barbarian should be victorious, +he was to give him the money and also to offer him earth and water +from those over whom Gelon had rule; but if the Hellenes should be +victorious, he was bidden to bring it back. + +164. Now this Cadmos before these events, having received from his +father in a prosperous state the government 153 of the people of Cos, +had voluntarily and with no danger threatening, but moved merely by +uprightness of nature, placed the government in the hands of the people +of Cos 154 and had departed to Sicily, where he took from 155 the +Samians and newly colonised the city of Zancle, which had changed its +name to Messene. This same Cadmos, having come thither in such manner +as I have said, Gelon was now sending, having selected him on account of +the integrity which in other matters he had himself found to be in him; +and this man, in addition to the other upright acts which had been done +by him, left also this to be remembered, which was not the least of +them: for having got into his hands that great sum of money which Gelon +entrusted to his charge, though he might have taken possession of it +himself he did not choose to do so; but when the Hellenes had got the +better in the sea-fight and Xerxes had marched away and departed, he +also returned to Sicily bringing back with him the whole sum of money. + +165. The story which here follows is also reported by those who dwell in +Sicily, namely that, even though he was to be under the command of the +Lacedemonians, Gelon would have come to the assistance of the Hellenes, +but that Terillos, the son of Crinippos and despot of Himera, having +been driven out of Himera by Theron the son of Ainesidemos 156 the ruler +of the Agrigentines, was just at this very time bringing in an army +of Phenicians, Libyans, Iberians, Ligurians, Elisycans, Sardinians and +Corsicans, to the number of thirty myriads, 157 with Amilcas the son of +Annon king of the Carthaginians as their commander, whom Terillos had +persuaded partly by reason of his own guest-friendship, and especially +by the zealous assistance of Anaxilaos the son of Cretines, who was +despot of Rhegion, and who to help his father-in-law endeavoured to +bring in Amilcas to Sicily, and had given him his sons as hostages; +for Anaxilaos was married to the daughter of Terillos, whose name was +Kydippe. Thus it was, they say, that Gelon was not able to come to the +assistance of the Hellenes, and sent therefore the money to Delphi. + +166. In addition to this they report also that, as it happened, Gelon +and Theron were victorious over Amilcas the Carthaginian on the very +same day when the Hellenes were victorious at Salamis over the Persian. +And this Amilcas, who was a Carthaginian on the father's side but on +the mother's Syracusan, and who had become king of the Carthaginians by +merit, when the engagement took place and he was being worsted in the +battle, disappeared, as I am informed; for neither alive nor dead did he +appear again anywhere upon the earth, though Gelon used all diligence in +the search for him. + +167. Moreover there is also this story reported by the Carthaginians +themselves, who therein relate that which is probable in itself, namely +that while the Barbarians fought with the Hellenes in Sicily from the +early morning till late in the afternoon (for to such a length the +combat is said to have been protracted), during this time Amilcas was +remaining in the camp and was making sacrifices to get good omens of +success, offering whole bodies of victims upon a great pyre: and when he +saw that there was a rout of his own army, he being then, as it chanced, +in the act of pouring a libation over the victims, threw himself into +the fire, and thus he was burnt up and disappeared. Amilcas then having +disappeared, whether it was in such a manner as this, as it is reported +by the Phenicians, or in some other way, 159 the Carthaginians both +offer sacrifices to him now, and also they made memorials of him then in +all the cities of their colonies, and the greatest in Carthage itself. + +168. So far of the affairs of Sicily: and as for the Corcyreans, they +made answer to the envoys as follows, afterwards acting as I shall tell: +for the same men who had gone to Sicily endeavoured also to obtain the +help of these, saying the same things which they said to Gelon; and +the Corcyreans at the time engaged to send a force and to help in the +defence, declaring that they must not permit Hellas to be ruined without +an effort on their part, for if it should suffer disaster, they would +be reduced to subjection from the very first day; but they must give +assistance so far as lay in their power. Thus speciously they made +reply; but when the time came to send help, they manned sixty ships, +having other intentions in their minds, and after making much difficulty +they put out to sea and reached Peloponnese; and then near Pylos and +Tainaron in the land of the Lacedemonians they kept their ships at +anchor, waiting, as Gelon did, to see how the war would turn out: for +they did not expect that the Hellenes would overcome, but thought that +the Persian would gain the victory over them with ease and be ruler of +all Hellas. Accordingly they were acting of set purpose, in order that +they might be able to say to the Persian some such words as these: "O +king, when the Hellenes endeavoured to obtain our help for this war, +we, who have a power which is not the smallest of all, and could have +supplied a contingent of ships in number not the smallest, but after the +Athenians the largest, did not choose to oppose thee or to do anything +which was not to thy mind." By speaking thus they hoped that they would +obtain some advantage over the rest, and so it would have happened, as +I am of opinion: while they had for the Hellenes an excuse ready made, +that namely of which they actually made use: for when the Hellenes +reproached them because they did not come to help, they said that they +had manned sixty triremes, but had not been able to get past Malea +owing to the Etesian Winds; therefore it was that they had not come to +Salamis, nor was it by any want of courage on their part that they had +been left of the sea-fight. + +169. These then evaded the request of the Hellenes thus: but the +Cretans, when those of the Hellenes who had been appointed to deal with +these endeavoured to obtain their help, did thus, that is to say, they +joined together and sent men to inquire of the god at Delphi whether +it would be better for them if they gave assistance to Hellas: and the +Pythian prophetess answered: "Ye fools, do ye think those woes too +few, 160 which Minos sent upon you in his wrath, 161 because of the +assistance that ye gave to Menelaos? seeing that, whereas they did +not join with you in taking vengeance for his death in Camicos, ye +nevertheless joined with them in taking vengeance for the woman who by +a Barbarian was carried off from Sparta." When the Cretans heard this +answer reported, they abstained from the giving of assistance. + +170. For the story goes that Minos, having come to Sicania, which is now +called Sicily, in search of Daidalos, died there by a violent death; and +after a time the Cretans, urged thereto by a god, all except the men of +Polichne and Praisos, came with a great armament to Sicania and besieged +for seven years the city of Camicos, which in my time was occupied by +the Agrigentines; and at last not being able either to capture it or +to remain before it, because they were hard pressed by famine, they +departed and went away. And when, as they sailed, they came to be off +the coast of Iapygia, a great storm seized them and cast them away upon +the coast; and their vessels being dashed to pieces, they, since they +saw no longer any way of coming to Crete, founded there the city of +Hyria; and there they stayed and were changed so that they became +instead of Cretans, Messapians of Iapygia, and instead of islanders, +dwellers on the mainland: then from the city of Hyria they founded those +other settlements which the Tarentines long afterwards endeavoured to +destroy and suffer great disaster in that enterprise, so that this in +fact proved to be the greatest slaughter of Hellenes that is known to +us, and not only of the Tarentines themselves but of those citizens of +Rhegion who were compelled by Mikythos the son of Choiros to go to +the assistance of the Tarentines, and of whom there were slain in this +manner three thousand men: of the Tarentines themselves however, who +were slain there, there was no numbering made. This Mikythos, who was a +servant of Anaxilaos, had been left by him in charge of Rhegion; and he +it was who after being driven out of Rhegion took up his abode at Tegea +of the Arcadians and dedicated those many statues at Olympia. + +171. This of the men of Rhegion and of the Tarentines has been an +episode 162 in my narrative: in Crete however, as the men of Praisos +report, after it had been thus stripped of inhabitants, settlements were +made by various nations, but especially by Hellenes; and in the next +generation but one after the death of Minos came the Trojan war, in +which the Cretans proved not the most contemptible of those who came to +assist Menelaos. Then after this, when they had returned home from Troy, +famine and pestilence came upon both the men and their cattle, until at +last Crete was stripped of its inhabitants for the second time, and a +third population of Cretans now occupy it together with those which +were left of the former inhabitants. The Pythian prophetess, I say, by +calling these things to their minds stopped them from giving assistance +to the Hellenes, though they desired to do so. + +172. As for the Thessalians, they at first had taken the side of the +Persians against their will, and they gave proof that they were not +pleased by that which the Aleuadai were designing; for so soon as they +heard that the Persian was about to cross over into Europe, they sent +envoys to the Isthmus: now at the Isthmus were assembled representatives +of Hellas chosen by the cities which had the better mind about +Hellas: having come then to these, the envoys of the Thessalians +said: "Hellenes, ye must guard the pass by Olympos, in order that both +Thessaly and the whole of Hellas may be sheltered from the war. We are +prepared to join with you in guarding it, but ye must send a large force +as well as we; for if ye shall not send, be assured that we shall make +agreement with the Persian; since it is not right that we, standing as +outposts so far in advance of the rest of Hellas, should perish alone in +your defence: and not being willing 163 to come to our help, ye cannot +apply to us any force to compel inability; 164 but we shall endeavour to +devise some means of safety for ourselves." + +173. Thus spoke the Thessalians; and the Hellenes upon this resolved to +send to Thessaly by sea an army of men on foot to guard the pass: and +when the army was assembled it set sail through Euripos, and having +come to Alos in the Achaian land, it disembarked there and marched into +Thessaly leaving the ships behind at Alos, and arrived at Tempe, +the pass which leads from lower Macedonia into Thessaly by the river +Peneios, going between the mountains of Olympos and Ossa. There the +Hellenes encamped, being assembled to the number of about ten thousand +hoplites, and to them was added the cavalry of the Thessalians; and the +commander of the Lacedemonians was Euainetos the son of Carenos, who had +been chosen from the polemarchs, 165 not being of the royal house, and +of the Athenians Themistocles the son of Neocles. They remained however +but few days here, for envoys came from Alexander the son of Amyntas the +Macedonian, who advised them to depart thence and not to remain in the +pass and be trodden under foot by the invading host, signifying to them +at the same time both the great numbers of the army and the ships which +they had. When these gave them this counsel, they followed the advice, +for they thought that the counsel was good, and the Macedonian was +evidently well-disposed towards them. Also, as I think, it was fear that +persuaded them to it, when they were informed that there was another +pass besides this to the Thessalian land by upper Macedonia through +the Perraibians and by the city of Gonnos, the way by which the army of +Xerxes did in fact make its entrance. So the Hellenes went down to their +ships again and made their way back to the Isthmus. + +174. Such was the expedition to Thessaly, which took place when the king +was about to cross over from Asia to Europe and was already at Abydos. +So the Thessalians, being stripped of allies, upon this took the side of +the Medes with a good will and no longer half-heartedly, so that in the +course of events they proved very serviceable to the king. + +175. When the Hellenes had returned to the Isthmus, they deliberated, +having regard to that which had been said by Alexander, where and in +what regions they should set the war on foot: and the opinion which +prevailed was to guard the pass at Thermopylai; for it was seen to be +narrower than that leading into Thessaly, and at the same time it was +single, 166 and nearer also to their own land; and as for the path by +means of which were taken those of the Hellenes who were taken by the +enemy at Thermopylai, they did not even know of its existence until +they were informed by the people of Trachis after they had come to +Thermopylai. This pass then they resolved to guard, and not permit the +Barbarian to go by into Hellas; and they resolved that the fleet should +sail to Artemision in the territory of Histiaia: for these points are +near to one another, so that each division of their forces could have +information of what was happening to the other. And the places are so +situated as I shall describe. + +176. As to Artemision first, coming out of the Thracian Sea the space +is contracted from great width to that narrow channel which lies between +the island of Skiathos and the mainland of Magnesia; and after the +strait there follows at once in Euboea the sea-beach called Artemision, +upon which there is a temple of Artemis. Then secondly the passage into +Hellas by Trechis is, where it is narrowest, but fifty feet wide: it is +not here however that the narrowest part of this whole region lies, +but in front of Thermopylai and also behind it, consisting of a single +wheel-track only 167 both by Alpenoi, which lies behind Thermopylai and +again by the river Phoinix near the town of Anthela there is no space +but a single wheel-track only: and on the West of Thermopylai there is +a mountain which is impassable and precipitous, rising up to a great +height and extending towards the range of Oite, while on the East of the +road the sea with swampy pools succeeds at once. In this passage there +are hot springs, which the natives of the place call the "Pots," 168 and +an altar of Heracles is set up near them. Moreover a wall had once been +built at this pass, and in old times there was a gate set in it; which +wall was built by the Phokians, who were struck with fear because the +Thessalians had come from the land of the Thesprotians to settle in +the Aiolian land, the same which they now possess. Since then the +Thessalians, as they supposed, were attempting to subdue them, the +Phokians guarded themselves against this beforehand; and at that time +they let the water of the hot springs run over the passage, that the +place might be converted into a ravine, and devised every means that the +Thessalians might not make invasion of their land. Now the ancient wall +had been built long before, and the greater part of it was by that time +in ruins from lapse of time; the Hellenes however resolved to set it +up again, and at this spot to repel the Barbarian from Hellas: and very +near the road there is a village called Alpenoi, from which the Hellenes +counted on getting supplies. + +177. These places then the Hellenes perceived to be such as their +purpose required; for they considered everything beforehand and +calculated that the Barbarians would not be able to take advantage +either of superior numbers or of cavalry, and therefore they resolved +here to receive the invader of Hellas: and when they were informed that +the Persian was in Pieria, they broke up from the Isthmus and set forth +for the campaign, some going to Thermopylai by land, and others making +for Artemision by sea. + +178. The Hellenes, I say, were coming to the rescue with speed, having +been appointed to their several places: and meanwhile the men of Delphi +consulted the Oracle of the god on behalf of themselves and on behalf +of Hellas, being struck with dread; and a reply was given them that they +should pray to the Winds, for these would be powerful helpers of Hellas +in fight. So the Delphians, having accepted the oracle, first reported +the answer which had been given them to those of the Hellenes who +desired to be free; and having reported this to them at a time when they +were in great dread of the Barbarian, they laid up for themselves +an immortal store of gratitude: then after this the men of Delphi +established an altar for the Winds in Thuia, where is the sacred +enclosure of Thuia the daughter of Kephisos, after whom moreover this +place has its name; and also they approached them with sacrifices. + +179. The Delphians then according to the oracle even to this day make +propitiary offerings to the Winds: and meanwhile the fleet of Xerxes +setting forth from the city of Therma had passed over with ten of its +ships, which were those that sailed best, straight towards Skiathos, +where three Hellenic ships, a Troizenian, an Eginetan and an Athenian, +were keeping watch in advance. When the crews of these caught sight of +the ships of the Barbarians, they set off to make their escape: + +180, and the ship of Troizen, of which Prexinos was in command, was +pursued and captured at once by the Barbarians; who upon that took the +man who was most distinguished by beauty among the fighting-men on board +of her, 169 and cut his throat at the prow of the ship, making a good +omen for themselves of the first of the Hellenes whom they had captured +who was pre-eminent for beauty. The name of this man who was sacrificed +was Leon, and perhaps he had also his name to thank in some degree for +what befell him. + +181. The ship of Egina however, of which Asonides was master, even +gave them some trouble to capture it, seeing that Pytheas the son of +Ischenoös served as a fighting-man on board of her, who proved himself a +most valiant man on this day; for when the ship was being taken, he +held out fighting until he was hacked all to pieces: and as when he had +fallen he did not die, but had still breath in him, the Persians who +served as fighting-men on board the ships, because of his valour used +all diligence to save his life, both applying unguents of myrrh to heal +his wounds and also wrapping him up in bands of the finest linen; and +when they came back to their own main body, they showed him to all the +army, making a marvel of him and giving him good treatment; but the rest +whom they had taken in this ship they treated as slaves. + +182. Two of the three ships, I say, were captured thus; but the third, +of which Phormos an Athenian was master, ran ashore in its flight at +the mouth of the river Peneios; and the Barbarians got possession of +the vessel but not of the crew; for so soon as the Athenians had run the +ship ashore, they leapt out of her, and passing through Thessaly made +their way to Athens. + +183. Of these things the Hellenes who were stationed at Artemision were +informed by fire-signals from Skiathos; and being informed of them +and being struck with fear, they removed their place of anchorage from +Atermision to Chalkis, intending to guard the Euripos, but leaving at +the same time watchers by day 170 on the heights of Euboea. Of the ten +ships of the Barbarians three sailed up to the reef called Myrmex, 171 +which lies between Skiathos and Magnesia; and when the Barbarians had +there erected a stone pillar, which for that purpose they brought to +the reef, they set forth with their main body 172 from Therma, the +difficulties of the passage having now been cleared away, and sailed +thither with all their ships, having let eleven days go by since the +king set forth on his march from Therma. Now of this reef lying exactly +in the middle of the fairway they were informed by Pammon of Skyros. +Sailing then throughout the day the Barbarians accomplished the voyage +to Sepias in Magnesia and to the sea-beach which is between the city of +Casthanaia and the headland of Sepias. + +184. So far as this place and so far as Thermopylai the army was exempt +from calamity; and the number was then still, as I find by computation, +this:--Of the ships which came from Asia, which were one thousand two +hundred and seven, the original number of the crews supplied by the +several nations I find to have been twenty-four myriads and also in +addition to them one thousand four hundred, 173 if one reckons at the +rate of two hundred men to each ship: and on board of each of these +ships there served as fighting-men, 174 besides the fighting-men +belonging to its own nation in each case, thirty men who were Persians, +Medes, or Sacans; and this amounts to three myriads six thousand two +hundred and ten 175 in addition to the others. I will add also to this +and to the former number the crews of the fifty-oared galleys, assuming +that there were eighty men, more or less, 176 in each one. Of these +vessels there were gathered together, as was before said, three +thousand: it would follow therefore that there were in them +four-and-twenty myriads 177 of men. This was the naval force which came +from Asia, amounting in all to fifty-one myriads and also seven thousand +six hundred and ten in addition. 178 Then of the footmen there had been +found to be a hundred and seventy myriads, 179 and of the horsemen eight +myriads: 180 and I will add also to these the Arabian camel-drivers +and the Libyan drivers of chariots, assuming them to amount to twenty +thousand men. The result is then that the number of the ships' +crews combined with that of the land-army amounts to two hundred and +thirty-one myriads and also in addition seven thousand six hundred and +ten. 181 This is the statement of the Army which was brought up out of +Asia itself, without counting the attendants which accompanied it or the +corn-transports and the men who sailed in these. + +185. There is still to be reckoned, in addition to all this which has +been summed up, the force which was being led from Europe; and of this +we must give a probable estimate. 182 The Hellenes of Thrace and of the +islands which lie off the coast of Thrace supplied a hundred and twenty +ships; from which ships there results a sum of twenty-four thousand +men: and as regards the land-force which was supplied by the Thracians, +Paionians, Eordians, Bottiaians, the race which inhabits Chalkidike, the +Brygians, Pierians, Macedonians, Perraibians, Enianians, 183 Dolopians, +Magnesians, Achaians, and all those who dwell in the coast-region of +Thrace, of these various nations I estimate that there were thirty +myriads. 184 These myriads then added to those from Asia make a total +sum of two hundred and sixty-four myriads of fighting men and in +addition to these sixteen hundred and ten. 185 + +186. Such being the number of this body of fighting-men, 186 the +attendants who went with these and the men who were in the small vessels +187 which carried corn, and again in the other vessels which sailed +with the army, these I suppose were not less in number but more than +the fighting men. I assume them to be equal in number with these, and +neither at all more nor less; and so, being supposed equal in number +with the fighting body, they make up the same number of myriads as they. +Thus five hundred and twenty-eight myriads three thousand two hundred +and twenty 188 was the number of men whom Xerxes son of Dareios led as +far as Sepias and Thermopylai. + +187. This is the number of the whole army of Xerxes; but of the women +who made bread for it, and of the concubines and eunuchs no man can +state any exact number, nor again of the draught-animals and other +beasts of burden or of the Indian hounds, which accompanied it, could +any one state the number by reason of their multitude: so that it does +not occur to me to wonder that the streams of some rivers should have +failed them, but I wonder rather how the provisions were sufficient +to feed so many myriads; for I find on computation that if each man +received a quart 189 of wheat every day and nothing more, there would be +expended every day eleven myriads of medimnoi 190 and three hundred and +forty medimnoi besides: and here I am not reckoning anything for the +women, eunuchs, baggage-animals, or dogs. Of all these men, amounting +to so many myriads, not one was for beauty and stature more worthy than +Xerxes himself to possess this power. + +188. The fleet, I say, set forth and sailed: and when it had put in to +land in the region of Magnesia at the beach which is between the city of +Casthanaia and the headland of Sepias, the first of the ships which came +lay moored by the land and the others rode at anchor behind them; for, +as the beach was not large in extent, they lay at anchor with prows +projecting 191 towards the sea in an order which was eight ships deep. +For that night they lay thus; but at early dawn, after clear sky and +windless calm, the sea began to be violently agitated and a great storm +fell upon them with a strong East 192 Wind, that wind which they who +dwell about those parts call Hellespontias. Now as many of them as +perceived that the wind was rising and who were so moored that it was +possible for them to do so, drew up their ships on land before the storm +came, and both they and their ships escaped; but as for those of the +ships which it caught out at sea, some it cast away at the place called +Ipnoi 193 in Pelion and others on the beach, while some were wrecked +on the headland of Sepias itself, others at the city of Meliboia, and +others were thrown up on shore 194 at Casthanaia: and the violence of +the storm could not be resisted. + +189. There is a story reported that the Athenians had called upon Boreas +to aid them, by suggestion of an oracle, because there had come to them +another utterance of the god bidding them call upon their brother by +marriage to be their helper. Now according to the story of the +Hellenes Boreas has a wife who is of Attica, Oreithuia the daughter +of Erechththeus. By reason of this affinity, I say, the Athenians, +according to the tale which has gone abroad, conjectured that their +"brother by marriage" was Boreas, and when they perceived the wind +rising, as they lay with their ships at Chalkis in Euboea, or even +before that, they offered sacrifices and called upon Boreas and +Oreithuia to assist them and to destroy the ships of the Barbarians, as +they had done before round about mount Athos. Whether it was for this +reason that the wind Boreas fell upon the Barbarians while they lay at +anchor, I am not able to say; but however that may be, the Athenians +report that Boreas had come to their help in former times, and that at +this time he accomplished those things for them of which I speak; and +when they had returned home they set up a temple dedicated to Boreas by +the river Ilissos. + +190. In this disaster the number of the ships which were lost was not +less than four hundred, according to the report of those who state the +number which is lowest, with men innumerable and an immense quantity +of valuable things; insomuch that to Ameinocles the son of Cretines, +a Magnesian who held lands about Sepias, this shipwreck proved very +gainful; for he picked up many cups of gold which were thrown +up afterwards on the shore, and many also of silver, and found +treasure-chests 195 which had belonged to the Persians, and made +acquisition of other things of gold 196 more than can be described. This +man however, though he became very wealthy by the things which he found, +yet in other respects was not fortunate; for he too suffered misfortune, +being troubled by the slaying of a child. 197 + +191. Of the corn-transports and other vessels which perished there was +no numbering made; and so great was the loss that the commanders of the +fleet, being struck with fear lest the Thessalians should attack them +now that they had been brought into an evil plight, threw round their +camp a lofty palisade built of the fragments of wreck. For the storm +continued during three days; but at last the Magians, making sacrifice +of victims and singing incantations to appease the Wind by enchantments, +198 and in addition to this, offering to Thetis and the Nereïds, caused +it to cease on the fourth day, or else for some other reason it abated +of its own will. Now they offered sacrifice to Thetis, being informed +by the Ionians of the story that she was carried off from the place by +Peleus, and that the whole headland of Sepias belonged to her and to the +other Nereïds. + +192. The storm then had ceased on the fourth day; and meanwhile the +day-watchers had run down from the heights of Euboea on the day after +the first storm began, and were keeping the Hellenes informed of all +that had happened as regards the shipwreck. They then, being informed of +it, prayed first to Poseidon the Saviour and poured libations, and then +they hastened to go back to Artemision, expecting that there would be +but a very few ships of the enemy left to come against them. + +193. They, I say, came for the second time and lay with their ships +about Artemision: and from that time even to this they preserve the use +of the surname "Saviour" for Poseidon. Meanwhile the Barbarians, when +the wind had ceased and the swell of the sea had calmed down, drew their +ships into the sea and sailed on along the shore of the mainland, and +having rounded the extremity of Magnesia they sailed straight into the +gulf which leads towards Pagasai. In this gulf of Magnesia there is a +place where it is said that Heracles was left behind by Jason and his +comrades, having been sent from the Argo to fetch water, at the time +when they were sailing for the fleece to Aia in the land of Colchis: for +from that place they designed, when they had taken in water, to loose +199 their ship into the open sea; and from this the place has come +to have the name Aphetai. Here then the fleet of Xerxes took up its +moorings. + +194. Now it chanced that fifteen of these ships put out to sea a good +deal later than the rest, and they happened to catch sight of the ships +of the Hellenes at Artemision. These ships the Barbarians supposed to be +their own, and they sailed thither accordingly and fell among the enemy. +Of these the commander was Sandokes the son of Thamasios, the governor +of Kyme in Aiolia, whom before this time king Dareios had taken and +crucified (he being one of the Royal Judges) for this reason, 19901 +namely that Sandokes had pronounced judgment unjustly for money. So then +after he was hung up, Dareios reckoned and found that more good services +had been done by him to the royal house than were equal to his offences; +and having found this, and perceived that he had himself acted with more +haste than wisdom, he let him go. Thus he escaped from king Dareios, and +did not perish but survived; now, however, when he sailed in toward the +Hellenes, he was destined not to escape the second time; for when the +Hellenes saw them sailing up, perceiving the mistake which was being +made they put out against them and captured them without difficulty. + +195. Sailing in one of these ships Aridolis was captured, the despot of +Alabanda in Caria, and in another the Paphian commander Penthylos son of +Demonoös, who brought twelve ships from Paphos, but had lost eleven +of them in the storm which had come on by Sepias, and now was captured +sailing in towards Artemision with the one which had escaped. These men +the Hellenes sent away in bonds to the Isthmus of the Corinthians, after +having inquired of them that which they desired to learn of the army of +Xerxes. + +196. The fleet of the Barbarians then, except the fifteen ships of which +I said that Sandokes was in command, had arrived at Aphetai; and Xerxes +meanwhile with the land-army, having marched through Thessalia and +Achaia, had already entered the land of the Malians two days before, 200 +after having held in Thessaly a contest for his own horses, making trial +also of the Thessalian cavalry, because he was informed that it was the +best of all among the Hellenes; and in this trial the horses of Hellas +were far surpassed by the others. Now of the rivers in Thessalia the +Onochonos alone failed to suffice by its stream for the drinking of +the army; but of the rivers which flow in Achaia even that which is the +largest of them, namely Epidanos, even this, I say, held out but barely. + +197. When Xerxes had reached Alos of Achaia, the guides who gave him +information of the way, wishing to inform him fully of everything, +reported to him a legend of the place, the things, namely, which have to +do with the temple of Zeus Laphystios; 201 how Athamas the son of Aiolos +contrived death for Phrixos, having taken counsel with Ino, and after +this how by command of an oracle the Achaians propose to his descendants +the following tasks to be performed:--whosoever is the eldest of this +race, on him they lay an injunction that he is forbidden to enter the +City Hall, 202 and they themselves keep watch; now the City Hall is +called by the Achaians the "Hall of the People"; 203 and if he enter +it, it may not be that he shall come forth until he is about to be +sacrificed. They related moreover in addition to this, that many of +these who were about to be sacrificed had before now run away and +departed to another land, because they were afraid; and if afterwards +in course of time they returned to their own land and were caught, +they were placed 204 in the City Hall: and they told how the man is +sacrificed all thickly covered with wreaths, and with what form of +procession he is brought forth to the sacrifice. This is done to the +descendants of Kytissoros the son of Phrixos, because, when the Achaians +were making of Athamas the son of Aiolos a victim to purge the sins of +the land according to the command of an oracle, and were just about to +sacrifice him, this Kytissoros coming from Aia of the Colchians rescued +him; and having done so he brought the wrath of the gods upon his own +descendants. Having heard these things, Xerxes, when he came to the +sacred grove, both abstained from entering it himself, and gave the +command to his whole army to so likewise; and he paid reverence both to +the house and to the sacred enclosure of the descendants of Athamas. + +198. These then are the things which happened in Thessalia and in +Achaia; and from these regions he proceeded to the Malian land, going +along by a gulf of the sea, in which there is an ebb and flow of the +tide every day. Round about this gulf there is a level space, which in +parts is broad but in other parts very narrow; and mountains lofty and +inaccessible surrounding this place enclose the whole land of Malis and +are called the rocks of Trachis. The first city upon this gulf as one +goes from Achaia is Antikyra, by which the river Spercheios flowing from +the land of the Enianians 205 runs out into the sea. At a distance of +twenty furlongs 206 or thereabouts from this river there is another, +of which the name is Dyras; this is said to have appeared that it +might bring assistance to Heracles when he was burning: then again at +a distance of twenty furlongs from this there is another river called +Melas. + +199. From this river Melas the city of Trachis is distant five furlongs; +and here, in the parts where Trachis is situated, is even the widest +portion of all this district, as regards the space from the mountains to +the sea; for the plain has an extent of twenty-two thousand plethra. +207 In the mountain-range which encloses the land of Trachis there is a +cleft to the South of Trachis itself; and through this cleft the river +Asopos flows, and runs along by the foot of the mountain. + +200. There is also another river called Phoinix, to the South of the +Asopos, of no great size, which flowing from these mountains runs out +into the Asopos; and at the river Phoinix is the narrowest place, for +here has been constructed a road with a single wheel-track only. +Then from the river Phoinix it is a distance of fifteen furlongs to +Thermopylai; and in the space between the river Phoinix and Thermopylai +there is a village called Anthela, by which the river Asopos flows, and +so runs out into the sea; and about this village there is a wide space +in which is set up a temple dedicated to Demeter of the Amphictyons, and +there are seats for the Amphictyonic councillors and a temple dedicated +to Amphictyon himself. + +201. King Xerxes, I say, was encamped within the region of Trachis in +the land of the Malians, and the Hellenes within the pass. This place is +called by the Hellenes in general Thermopylai, but by the natives of the +place and those who dwell in the country round it is called Pylai. Both +sides then were encamped hereabout, and the one had command of all that +lies beyond Trachis 208 in the direction of the North Wind, and the +others of that which tends towards the South Wind and the mid-day on +this side of the continent. 209 + +202. These were the Hellenes who awaited the attack of the Persian in +this place:--of the Spartans three hundred hoplites; of the men of +Tegea and Mantineia a thousand, half from each place, from Orchomenos +in Arcadia a hundred and twenty, and from the rest of Arcadia a +thousand,--of the Arcadians so many; from Corinth four hundred, from +Phlius two hundred, and of the men of Mykene eighty: these were they who +came from the Peloponnese; and from the Boeotians seven hundred of the +Thespians, and of the Thebans four hundred. + +203. In addition to these the Locrians of Opus had been summoned to come +in their full force, and of the Phokians a thousand: for the Hellenes +had of themselves sent a summons to them, saying by messengers that they +had come as forerunners of the others, that the rest of the allies +were to be expected every day, that their sea was safely guarded, being +watched by the Athenians and the Eginetans and by those who had been +appointed to serve in the fleet, and that they need fear nothing: for +he was not a god, they said, who was coming to attack Hellas, but a man; +and there was no mortal, nor would be any, with those fortunes evil +had not been mingled at his very birth, and the greatest evils for the +greatest men; therefore he also who was marching against them, being +mortal, would be destined to fail of his expectation. They accordingly, +hearing this, came to the assistance of the others at Trachis. + +204. Of these troops, although there were other commanders also +according to the State to which each belonged, yet he who was most held +in regard and who was leader of the whole army was the Lacedemonian +Leonidas son of Anaxandrides, son of Leon, son of Eurycratides, son of +Anaxander, son of Eurycrates, son of Polydoros, son of Alcamenes, son of +Teleclos, son of Archelaos, son of Hegesilaos, son of Doryssos, son of +Leobotes, son of Echestratos, son of Agis, son of Eurysthenes, son of +Aristodemos, son of Aristomachos, son of Cleodaios, son of Hyllos, +son of Heracles; who had obtained the kingdom of Sparta contrary to +expectation. + +205. For as he had two brothers each older than himself, namely +Cleomenes and Dorieos, he had been far removed from the thought of +becoming king. Since however Cleomenes had died without male child, and +Dorieos was then no longer alive, but he also had brought his life to an +end in Sicily, 210 thus the kingdom came to Leonidas, both because was +of elder birth than Cleombrotos (for Cleombrotos was the youngest of the +sons of Anaxandrides) and also because he had in marriage the daughter +of Cleomenes. He then at this time went to Thermopylai, having chosen +the three hundred who were appointed by law 211 and men who chanced +to have sons; and he took with him besides, before he arrived, those +Thebans whom I mentioned when I reckoned them in the number of the +troops, of whom the commander was Leontiades the son of Eurymachos: and +for this reason Leonidas was anxious to take up these with him of all +the Hellenes, namely because accusations had been strongly brought +against them that they were taking the side of the Medes; therefore +he summoned them to the war, desiring to know whether they would send +troops with them or whether they would openly renounce the alliance of +the Hellenes; and they sent men, having other thoughts in their mind the +while. + +206. These with Leonidas the Spartans had sent out first, in order that +seeing them the other allies might join in the campaign, and for fear +that they also might take the side of the Medes, if they heard that the +Spartans were putting off their action. Afterwards, however, when they +had kept the festival, (for the festival of the Carneia stood in their +way), they intended then to leave a garrison in Sparta and to come to +help in full force with speed: and just so also the rest of the allies +had thought of doing themselves; for it chanced that the Olympic +festival fell at the same time as these events. Accordingly, since +they did not suppose that the fighting in Thermopylai would so soon be +decided, they sent only the forerunners of their force. + +207. These, I say, had intended to do thus: and meanwhile the Hellenes +at Thermopylai, when the Persian had come near to the pass, were in +dread, and deliberated about making retreat from their position. To the +rest of the Peloponnesians then it seemed best that they should go to +the Peloponnese and hold the Isthmus in guard; but Leonidas, when the +Phokians and Locrians were indignant at this opinion, gave his vote +for remaining there, and for sending at the same time messengers to the +several States bidding them to come up to help them, since they were but +few to repel the army of the Medes. + +208. As they were thus deliberating, Xerxes sent a scout on horseback +to see how many they were in number and what they were doing; for he had +heard while he was yet in Thessaly that there had been assembled in +this place a small force, and that the leaders of it were Lacedemonians +together with Leonidas, who was of the race of Heracles. And when the +horseman had ridden up towards their camp, he looked upon them and had +a view not indeed of the whole of their army, for of those which were +posted within the wall, which they had repaired and were keeping a +guard, it was not possible to have a view, but he observed those who +were outside, whose station was in front of the wall; and it chanced at +that time that the Lacedemonians were they who were posted outside. +So then he saw some of the men practising athletic exercises and +some combing their long hair: and as he looked upon these things he +marvelled, and at the same time he observed their number: and when he +had observed all exactly, he rode back unmolested, for no one attempted +to pursue him and he found himself treated with much indifference. And +when he returned he reported to Xerxes all that which he had seen. + +209. Hearing this Xerxes was not able to conjecture the truth about the +matter, namely that they were preparing themselves to die and to deal +death to the enemy so far as they might; but it seemed to him that they +were acting in a manner merely ridiculous; and therefore he sent for +Demaratos the son of Ariston, who was in his camp, and when he came, +Xerxes asked him of these things severally, desiring to discover what +this was which the Lacedemonians were doing: and he said: "Thou didst +hear from my mouth at a former time, when we were setting forth to go +against Hellas, the things concerning these men; and having heard them +thou madest me an object of laughter, because I told thee of these +things which I perceived would come to pass; for to me it is the +greatest of all ends to speak the truth continually before thee, O +king. Hear then now also: these men have come to fight with us for the +passage, and this is it that they are preparing to do; for they have a +custom which is as follows;--whenever they are about to put their lives +in peril, then they attend to the arrangement of their hair. Be assured +however, that if thou shalt subdue these and the rest of them which +remain behind in Sparta, there is no other race of men which will await +thy onset, O king, or will raise hands against thee: for now thou art +about to fight against the noblest kingdom and city of those which are +among the Hellenes, and the best men." To Xerxes that which was said +seemed to be utterly incredible, and he asked again a second time in +what manner being so few they would fight with his host. He said; "O +king, deal with me as with a liar, if thou find not that these things +come to pass as I say." + +210. Thus saying he did not convince Xerxes, who let four days go by, +expecting always that they would take to flight; but on the fifth day, +when they did not depart but remained, being obstinate, as he thought, +in impudence and folly, he was enraged and sent against them the Medes +and the Kissians, charging them to take the men alive and bring them +into his presence. Then when the Medes moved forward and attacked +the Hellenes, there fell many of them, and others kept coming up +continually, and they were not driven back, though suffering great loss: +and they made it evident to every man, and to the king himself not least +of all, that human beings are many but men are few. This combat went on +throughout the day: + +211, and when the Medes were being roughly handled, then these retired +from the battle, and the Persians, those namely whom the king called +"Immortals," of whom Hydarnes was commander, took their place and came +to the attack, supposing that they at least would easily overcome the +enemy. When however these also engaged in combat with the Hellenes, +they gained no more success than the Median troops but the same as they, +seeing that they were fighting in a place with a narrow passage, using +shorter spears than the Hellenes, and not being able to take advantage +of their superior numbers. The Lacedemonians meanwhile were fighting +in a memorable fashion, and besides other things of which they made +display, being men perfectly skilled in fighting opposed to men who were +unskilled, they would turn their backs to the enemy and make a pretence +of taking to flight; and the Barbarians, seeing them thus taking a +flight, would follow after them with shouting and clashing of arms: then +the Lacedemonians, when they were being caught up, turned and faced +the Barbarians; and thus turning round they would slay innumerable +multitudes of the Persians; and there fell also at these times a few of +the Spartans themselves. So, as the Persians were not able to obtain any +success by making trial of the entrance and attacking it by divisions +and every way, they retired back. + +212. And during these onsets it is said that the king, looking on, three +times leapt up from his seat, struck with fear for his army. Thus they +contended then: and on the following day the Barbarians strove with no +better success; for because the men opposed to them were few in number, +they engaged in battle with the expectation that they would be found to +be disabled and would not be capable any longer of raising their hands +against them in fight. The Hellenes however were ordered by companies as +well as by nations, and they fought successively each in turn, excepting +the Phokians, for these were posted upon the mountain to guard the path. +So the Persians, finding nothing different from that which they had seen +on the former day, retired back from the fight. + +213. Then when the king was in a strait as to what he should do in the +matter before him, Epialtes the son of Eurydemos, a Malian, came to +speech with him, supposing that he would win a very great reward +from the king; and this man told him of the path which leads over the +mountain to Thermopylai, and brought about the destruction of those +Hellenes who remained in that place. Afterwards from fear of the +Lacedemonians he fled to Thessaly, and when he had fled, a price was +proclaimed for his life by the Deputies, 212 when the Amphictyons +met for their assembly at Pylai. 213 Then some time afterwards having +returned to Antikyra he was slain by Athenades a man of Trachis. Now +this Athenades killed Epialtes for another cause, which I shall set +forth in the following part of the history, 214 but he was honoured for +it none the less by the Lacedemonians. + +214. Thus Epialtes after these events was slain: there is however +another tale told, that Onetes the son of Phanagoras, a man of Carystos, +and Corydallos of Antikyra were those who showed the Persians the way +round the mountain; but this I can by no means accept: for first we must +judge by this fact, namely that the Deputies of the Hellenes did not +proclaim a price for the lives of Onetes and Corydallos, but for that +of Epialtes the Trachinian, having surely obtained the most exact +information of the matter; and secondly we know that Epialtes was an +exile from his country to avoid this charge. True it is indeed that +Onetes might know of this path, even though he were not a Malian, if he +had had much intercourse with the country; but Epialtes it was who led +them round the mountain by the path, and him therefore I write down as +the guilty man. + +215. Xerxes accordingly, being pleased by that which Epialtes engaged +to accomplish, at once with great joy proceeded to send Hydarnes and the +men of whom Hydarnes was commander; 215 and they set forth from the camp +about the time when the lamps are lit. This path of which we speak +had been discovered by the Malians who dwell in that land, and having +discovered it they led the Thessalians by it against the Phokians, at +the time when the Phokians had fenced the pass with a wall and thus were +sheltered from the attacks upon them: so long ago as this had the pass +been proved by the Malians to be of no value. 216 And this path lies +as follows:--it begins from the river Asopos, which flows through the +cleft, and the name of this mountain and of the path is the same, namely +Anopaia; and this Anopaia stretches over the ridge of the mountain and +ends by the town of Alpenos, which is the first town of the Locrians +towards Malis, and by the stone called Black Buttocks 217 and the seats +of the Kercopes, where is the very narrowest part. + +217. By this path thus situated the Persians after crossing over the +Asopos proceeded all through the night, having on their right hand the +mountains of the Oitaians and on the left those of the Trachinians: and +when dawn appeared, they had reached the summit of the mountain. In +this part of the mountain there were, as I have before shown, a thousand +hoplites of the Phokians keeping guard, to protect their own country and +to keep the path: for while the pass below was guarded by those whom I +have mentioned, the path over the mountain was guarded by the Phokians, +who had undertaken the business for Leonidas by their own offer. + +218. While the Persians were ascending they were concealed from these, +since all the mountain was covered with oak-trees; and the Phokians +became aware of them after they had made the ascent as follows:--the day +was calm, and not a little noise was made by the Persians, as was likely +when leaves were lying spread upon the ground under their feet; upon +which the Phokians started up and began to put on their arms, and by +this time the Barbarians were close upon them. These, when they saw men +arming themselves, fell into wonder, for they were expecting that no one +would appear to oppose them, and instead of that they had met with an +armed force. Then Hydarnes, seized with fear lest the Phokians should +be Lacedemonians, asked Epialtes of what people the force was; and +being accurately informed he set the Persians in order for battle. The +Phokians however, when they were hit by the arrows of the enemy, which +flew thickly, fled and got away at once to the topmost peak of the +mountain, fully assured that it was against them that the enemy had +designed to come, 218 and here they were ready to meet death. These, +I say, were in this mind; but the Persians meanwhile with Epialtes and +Hydarnes made no account of the Phokians, but descended the mountain +with all speed. + +219. To the Hellenes who were in Thermopylai first the soothsayer +Megistias, after looking into the victims which were sacrificed, +declared the death which was to come to them at dawn of day; and +afterwards deserters brought the report 219 of the Persians having gone +round. These signified it to them while it was yet night, and thirdly +came the day-watchers, who had run down from the heights when day was +already dawning. Then the Hellenes deliberated, and their opinions were +divided; for some urged that they should not desert their post, while +others opposed this counsel. After this they departed from their +assembly, 220 and some went away and dispersed each to their several +cities, while others of them were ready to remain there together with +Leonidas. + +220. However it is reported also that Leonidas himself sent them away, +having a care that they might not perish, but thinking that it was not +seemly for himself and for the Spartans who were present to leave the +post to which they had come at first to keep guard there. I am inclined +rather to be of this latter opinion, 221 namely that because Leonidas +perceived that the allies were out of heart and did not desire to face +the danger with him to the end, he ordered them to depart, but held that +for himself to go away was not honourable, whereas if he remained, a +great fame of him would be left behind, and the prosperity of Sparta +would not be blotted out: for an oracle had been given by the Pythian +prophetess to the Spartans, when they consulted about this war at the +time when it was being first set on foot, to the effect that either +Lacedemon must be destroyed by the Barbarians, or their king must lose +his life. This reply the prophetess gave them in hexameter verses, and +it ran thus: + + + "But as for you, ye men who in wide-spaced Sparta inhabit, + Either your glorious city is sacked by the children of Perses, + Or, if it be not so, then a king of the stock Heracleian + Dead shall be mourned for by all in the boundaries of broad Lacedemon. + Him 222 nor the might of bulls nor the raging of lions shall hinder; + For he hath might as of Zeus; and I say he shall not be restrained, + Till one of the other of these he have utterly torn and divided." 223 + +I am of opinion that Leonidas considering these things and desiring to +lay up for himself glory above all the other Spartans, 224 dismissed the +allies, rather than that those who departed did so in such disorderly +fashion, because they were divided in opinion. + +221. Of this the following has been to my mind a proof as convincing as +any other, namely that Leonidas is known to have endeavoured to dismiss +the soothsayer also who accompanied this army, Megistias the Acarnanian, +who was said to be descended from Melampus, that he might not perish +with them after he had declared from the victims that which was about +to come to pass for them. He however when he was bidden to go would +not himself depart, but sent away his son who was with him in the army, +besides whom he had no other child. + +222. The allies then who were dismissed departed and went away, obeying +the word of Leonidas, and only the Thespians and the Thebans remained +behind with the Lacedemonians. Of these the Thebans stayed against their +will and not because they desired it, for Leonidas kept them, counting +them as hostages; but the Thespians very willingly, for they said that +they would not depart and leave Leonidas and those with him, but they +stayed behind and died with them. The commander of these was Demophilos +the son of Diadromes. + +223. Xerxes meanwhile, having made libations at sunrise, stayed for +some time, until about the hour when the market fills, and then made +an advance upon them; for thus it had been enjoined by Epialtes, seeing +that the descent of the mountain is shorter and the space to be passed +over much less than the going round and the ascent. The Barbarians +accordingly with Xerxes were advancing to the attack; and the Hellenes +with Leonidas, feeling that they were going forth to death, now advanced +out much further than at first into the broader part of the defile; for +when the fence of the wall was being guarded, 225 they on the former +days fought retiring before the enemy into the narrow part of the pass; +but now they engaged with them outside the narrows, and very many of +the Barbarians fell: for behind them the leaders of the divisions with +scourges in their hands were striking each man, ever urging them on to +the front. Many of them then were driven into the sea and perished, and +many more still were trodden down while yet alive by one another, and +there was no reckoning of the number that perished: for knowing the +death which was about to come upon them by reason of those who were +going round the mountain, they 226 displayed upon the Barbarians all the +strength which they had, to its greatest extent, disregarding danger and +acting as if possessed by a spirit of recklessness. + +224. Now by this time the spears of the greater number of them were +broken, so it chanced, in this combat, and they were slaying the +Persians with their swords; and in this fighting fell Leonidas, having +proved himself a very good man, and others also of the Spartans with +him, men of note, of whose names I was informed as of men who had proved +themselves worthy, and indeed I was told also the names of all the three +hundred. Moreover of the Persians there fell here, besides many others +of note, especially two sons of Dareios, Abrocomes and Hyperanthes, born +to Dareios of Phratagune the daughter of Artanes: now Artanes was the +brother of king Dareios and the son of Hystaspes, the son of Arsames; +and he in giving his daughter in marriage to Dareios gave also with her +all his substance, because she was his only child. + +225. Two brothers of Xerxes, I say, fell here fighting; and meanwhile +over the body of Leonidas there arose a great struggle between the +Persians and the Lacedemonians, until the Hellenes by valour dragged +this away from the enemy and turned their opponents to flight four +times. This conflict continued until those who had gone with Epialtes +came up; and when the Hellenes learnt that these had come, from that +moment the nature of the combat was changed; for they retired backwards +to the narrow part of the way, and having passed by the wall they went +and placed themselves upon the hillock, 227 all in a body together +except only the Thebans: now this hillock is in the entrance, where +now the stone lion is placed for Leonidas. On this spot while defending +themselves with daggers, that is those who still had them left, and also +with hands and with teeth, they were overwhelmed by the missiles of +the Barbarians, some of these having followed directly after them and +destroyed the fence of the wall, while others had come round and stood +about them on all sides. + +226. Such were the proofs of valour given by the Lacedemonians and +Thespians; yet the Spartan Dienekes is said to have proved himself +the best man of all, the same who, as they report, uttered this saying +before they engaged battle with the Medes:--being informed by one of +the men of Trachis that when the Barbarians discharged their arrows they +obscured the light of the sun by the multitude of the arrows, so great +was the number of their host, he was not dismayed by this, but making +small account of the number of the Medes, he said that their guest from +Trachis brought them very good news, for if the Medes obscured the light +of the sun, the battle against them would be in the shade and not in the +sun. + +227. This and other sayings of this kind they report that Dienekes the +Lacedemonian left as memorials of himself; and after him the bravest +they say of the Lacedemonians were two brothers Alpheos and Maron, sons +of Orsiphantos. Of the Thespians the man who gained most honour was +named Dithyrambos son of Harmatides. + +228. The men were buried where they fell; and for these, as well as for +those who were slain before being sent away 228 by Leonidas, there is an +inscription which runs thus: + + + "Here once, facing in fight three hundred myriads of foemen, + Thousands four did contend, men of the Peloponnese." + +This is the inscription for the whole body; and for the Spartans +separately there is this: + + + "Stranger, report this word, we pray, to the Spartans, that lying + Here in this spot we remain, faithfully keeping their laws." 229 + +This, I say, for the Lacedemonians; and for the soothsayer as follows: + + + "This is the tomb of Megistias renowned, whom the Median foemen, + Where Sperchios doth flow, slew when they forded the stream; + Soothsayer he, who then knowing clearly the fates that were coming, + Did not endure in the fray Sparta's good leaders to leave." + +The Amphictyons it was who honoured them with inscriptions and +memorial pillars, excepting only in the case of the inscription to +the soothsayer; but that of the soothsayer Megistias was inscribed by +Simonides the son of Leoprepes on account of guest-friendship. + +229. Two of these three hundred, it is said, namely Eurystos and +Aristodemos, who, if they had made agreement with one another, might +either have come safe home to Sparta together (seeing that they had +been dismissed from the camp by Leonidas and were lying at Alpenoi with +disease of the eyes, suffering extremely), or again, if they had not +wished to return home, they might have been slain together with the +rest,--when they might, I say, have done either one of these two +things, would not agree together; but the two being divided in opinion, +Eurystos, it is said, when he was informed that the Persians had gone +round, asked for his arms and having put them on ordered his Helot to +lead him to those who were fighting; and after he had led him thither, +the man who had led him ran away and departed, but Eurystos plunged into +the thick of the fighting, and so lost his life: but Aristodemos was +left behind fainting. 230 Now if either Aristodemos had been ill 231 +alone, and so had returned home to Sparta, or the men had both of +them come back together, I do not suppose that the Spartans would have +displayed any anger against them; but in this case, as the one of them +had lost his life and the other, clinging to an excuse which the first +also might have used, 232 had not been willing to die, it necessarily +happened that the Spartans had great indignation against Aristodemos. + +230. Some say that Aristodemos came safe to Sparta in this manner, and +on a pretext such as I have said; but others, that he had been sent as a +messenger from the camp, and when he might have come up in time to find +the battle going on, was not willing to do so, but stayed upon the road +and so saved his life, while his fellow-messenger reached the battle and +was slain. + +231. When Aristodemos, I say, had returned home to Lacedemon, he +had reproach and dishonour; 233 and that which he suffered by way of +dishonour was this,--no one of the Spartans would either give him light +for a fire or speak with him, and he had reproach in that he was called +Aristodemos the coward. 234 + +232. He however in the battle at Plataia repaired all the guilt that was +charged against him: but it is reported that another man also survived +of these three hundred, whose name was Pantites, having been sent as a +messenger to Thessaly, and this man, when he returned back to Sparta and +found himself dishonoured, is said to have strangled himself. + +233. The Thebans however, of whom the commander was Leontiades, being +with the Hellenes had continued for some time to fight against the +king's army, constrained by necessity; but when they saw that the +fortunes of the Persians were prevailing, then and not before, while the +Hellenes with Leonidas were making their way with speed to the hillock, +they separated from these and holding out their hands came near to the +Barbarians, saying at the same time that which was most true, namely +that they were on the side of the Medes and that they had been among the +first to give earth and water to the king; and moreover that they had +come to Thermopylai constrained by necessity, and were blameless for the +loss which had been inflicted upon the king: so that thus saying they +preserved their lives, for they had also the Thessalians to bear witness +to these words. However, they did not altogether meet with good fortune, +for some had even been slain as they had been approaching, and when they +had come and the Barbarians had them in their power, the greater +number of them were branded by command of Xerxes with the royal marks, +beginning with their leader Leontiades, the same whose son Eurymachos +was afterwards slain by the Plataians, when he had been made commander +of four hundred Thebans and had seized the city of the Plataians. 235 + +234. Thus did the Hellenes at Thermopylai contend in fight; and +Xerxes summoned Demaratos and inquired of him, having first said this: +"Demaratos, thou art a good man; and this I conclude by the truth of thy +words, for all that thou saidest turned out so as thou didst say. Now, +however, tell me how many in number are the remaining Lacedemonians, and +of them how many are like these in matters of war; or are they so even +all of them?" He said: "O king, the number of all the Lacedemonians is +great and their cities are many, but that which thou desirest to learn, +thou shalt know. There is in Lacedemon the city of Sparta, having about +eight thousand men; and these are all equal to those who fought here: +the other Lacedemonians are not equal to these, but they are good men +too." To this Xerxes said: "Demaratos, in what manner shall we with +least labour get the better of these men? Come set forth to us this; for +thou knowest the courses of their counsels, 236 seeing that thou wert +once their king." + +235. He made answer: "O king, if thou dost in very earnest take counsel +with me, it is right that I declare to thee the best thing. What if thou +shouldest send three hundred ships from thy fleet to attack the Laconian +land? Now there is lying near it an island named Kythera, about which +Chilon, who was a very wise man among us, said that it would be a +greater gain for the Spartans that it should be sunk under the sea than +that it should remain above it; for he always anticipated that something +would happen from it of such a kind as I am now setting forth to thee: +not that he knew of thy armament beforehand, but that he feared equally +every armament of men. Let thy forces then set forth from this island +and keep the Lacedemonians in fear; and while they have a war of their +own close at their doors, there will be no fear for thee from them that +when the remainder of Hellas is being conquered by the land-army, they +will come to the rescue there. Then after the remainder of Hellas has +been reduced to subjection, from that moment the Lacedemonian power will +be left alone and therefore feeble. If however thou shalt not do this, +I will tell thee what thou must look for. There is a narrow isthmus +leading to the Peloponnese, and in this place thou must look that other +battles will be fought more severe than those which have taken place, +seeing that all the Peloponnesians have sworn to a league against thee: +but if thou shalt do the other thing of which I spoke, this isthmus and +the cities within it will come over to thy side without a battle." + +236. After him spoke Achaimenes, brother of Xerxes and also commander +of the fleet, who chanced to have been present at this discourse and was +afraid lest Xerxes should be persuaded to do this: "O king," he said, +"I see that thou art admitting the speech of a man who envies thy good +fortune, or is even a traitor to thy cause: for in truth the Hellenes +delight in such a temper as this; they envy a man for his good luck, and +they hate that which is stronger than themselves. And if, besides other +misfortunes which we have upon us, seeing that four hundred of our ships +237 have suffered wreck, thou shalt send away another three hundred from +the station of the fleet to sail round Peloponnese, then thy antagonists +become a match for thee in fight; whereas while it is all assembled +together our fleet is hard for them to deal with, and they will not be +at all a match for thee: and moreover the whole sea-force will support +the land-force and be supported by it, if they proceed onwards together; +but if thou shalt divide them, neither wilt thou be of service to them +nor they to thee. My determination is rather to set thy affairs in good +order 238 and not to consider the affairs of the enemy, either where +they will set on foot the war or what they will do or how many in number +they are; for it is sufficient that they should themselves take thought +for themselves, and we for ourselves likewise: and if the Lacedemonians +come to stand against the Persians in fight, they will assuredly not +heal the wound from which they are now suffering." 239 + +237. To him Xerxes made answer as follows: "Achaimenes, I think that +thou speakest well, and so will I do; but Demaratos speaks that which he +believes to be best for me, though his opinion is defeated by thine: for +I will not certainly admit that which thou saidest, namely that he is +not well-disposed to my cause, judging both by what was said by him +before this, and also by that which is the truth, namely that though one +citizen envies another for his good fortune and shows enmity to him by +his silence, 240 nor would a citizen when a fellow-citizen consulted him +suggest that which seemed to him the best, unless he had attained to a +great height of virtue, and such men doubtless are few; yet guest-friend +to guest-friend in prosperity is well-disposed as nothing else on +earth, and if his friend should consult him, he would give him the best +counsel. Thus then as regards the evil-speaking against Demaratos, that +is to say about one who is my guest-friend, I bid every one abstain from +it in the future." + +238. Having thus said Xerxes passed in review the bodies of the dead; +and as for Leonidas, hearing that he had been the king and commander of +the Lacedemonians he bade them cut off his head and crucify him. And +it has been made plain to me by many proofs besides, but by none more +strongly than by this, that king Xerxes was enraged with Leonidas while +alive more than with any other man on earth; for otherwise he would +never have done this outrage to his corpse; since of all the men whom I +know, the Persians are accustomed most to honour those who are good men +in war. They then to whom it was appointed to do these things, proceeded +to do so. + +239. I will return now to that point of my narrative where it remained +unfinished. 241 The Lacedemonians had been informed before all others +that the king was preparing an expedition against Hellas; and thus it +happened that they sent to the Oracle at Delphi, where that reply was +given them which I reported shortly before this. And they got this +information in a strange manner; for Demaratos the son of Ariston +after he had fled for refuge to the Medes was not friendly to the +Lacedemonians, as I am of opinion and as likelihood suggests supporting +my opinion; but it is open to any man to make conjecture whether he did +this thing which follows in a friendly spirit or in malicious triumph +over them. When Xerxes had resolved to make a campaign against Hellas, +Demaratos, being in Susa and having been informed of this, had a desire +to report it to the Lacedemonians. Now in no other way was he able to +signify it, for there was danger that he should be discovered, but he +contrived thus, that is to say, he took a folding tablet and scraped off +the wax which was upon it, and then he wrote the design of the king upon +the wood of the tablet, and having done so he melted the wax and poured +it over the writing, so that the tablet (being carried without writing +upon it) might not cause any trouble to be given by the keepers of the +road. Then when it had arrived at Lacedemon, the Lacedemonians were not +able to make conjecture of the matter; until at last, as I am informed, +Gorgo, the daughter of Cleomenes and wife of Leonidas, suggested a plan +of which she had herself thought, bidding them scrape the wax and they +would find writing upon the wood; and doing as she said they found +the writing and read it, and after that they sent notice to the other +Hellenes. These things are said to have come to pass in this manner. 242 + + + + + +NOTES TO BOOK VII + +1 [ {kai ploia}, for transport of horses and also of provisions: however +these words are omitted in some of the best MSS.] + +2 [ {all ei}: this is the reading of the better class of MSS. The +rest have {alla}, which with {pressois} could only express a wish for +success, and not an exhortation to action.] + +3 [ {outos men oi o logos en timoros}: the words may mean "this manner +of discourse was helpful for his purpose."] + +4 [ {khresmologon e kai diatheten khresmon ton Mousaiou}.] + +5 [ {aphanizoiato}, representing the present tense {aphanizontai} in the +oracle.] + +6 [ {ton thronon touton}: most MSS. have {ton thronon, touto}.] + +7 [ {epistasthe kou pantes}: the MSS. have {ta epistasthe kou pantes}, +which is given by most Editors. In that case {oia erxan} would be an +exclamation, "What evils they did to us,... things which ye all know +well, I think."] + +8 [ {touton mentoi eineka}: it is hardly possible here to give {mentoi} +its usual meaning: Stein in his latest edition reads {touton men +toinun}.] + +9 [ {suneneike}: Stein reads {suneneike se}, "supposing that thou art +worsted."] + +10 [ {ep andri ge eni}, as opposed to a god.] + +11 [ {akousesthai tina psemi ton k.t.l.}, "each one of those who are +left behind."] + +12 [ {kai Kurou}, a conjectural emendation of {tou Kurou}. The text of +the MSS. enumerates all these as one continuous line of ascent. It is +clear however that the enumeration is in fact of two separate lines, +which combine in Teïspes, the line of ascent through the father Dareios +being, Dareios, Hystaspes, Arsames, Ariamnes, Teïspes, and through the +mother, Atossa, Cyrus, Cambyses, Teïspes.] + +13 [ {kai mala}: perhaps, "even."] + +1301 [ Lit. "nor is he present who will excuse thee."] + +14 [ Lit. "my youth boiled over."] + +15 [ Lit. "words more unseemly than was right."] + +16 [ {all oude tauta esti o pai theia}.] + +17 [ {peplanesthai}.] + +18 [ {autai}: a correction of {autai}.] + +19 [ {se de epiphoitesei}: the better MSS. have {oude epiphoitesei}, +which is adopted by Stein.] + +20 [ {pempto de etei anomeno}.] + +21 [ {ton Ionion}.] + +22 [ {kai oud ei eperai pros tautesi prosgenomenai}: some MSS. read {oud +eterai pros tautesi genomenai}, which is adopted (with variations) by +some Editors. The meaning would be "not all these, nor others which +happened in addition to these, were equal to this one."] + +23 [ {ama strateuomenoisi}: {ama} is omitted in some MSS.] + +24 [ {stadion}, and so throughout.] + +25 [ {entos Sanes}: some MSS. read {ektos Sanes}, which is adopted by +Stein, who translates "beyond Sane, but on this side of Mount Athos": +this however will not suit the case of all the towns mentioned, +e.g. Acrothoon, and {ton Athen} just below clearly means the whole +peninsula.] + +26 [ {leukolinou}.] + +27 [ {ton de on pleiston}: if this reading is right, {siton} must be +understood, and some MSS. read {allon} for {alla} in the sentence above. +Stein in his latest edition reads {siton} instead of {pleiston}.] + +28 [ Lit. "the name of which happens to be Catarractes."] + +29 [ i.e. 4,000,000.] + +30 [ The {stater dareikos} was of nearly pure gold (cp. iv. 166), +weighing about 124 grains.] + +3001 [ {stele}, i.e. a square block of stone.] + +31 [ {athanato andri}, taken by some to mean one of the body of +"Immortals."] + +32 [ {akte pakhea}: some inferior MSS. read {akte trakhea}, and hence +some Editors have {akte trekhea}, "a rugged foreland."] + +33 [ {dolero}: some Editors read {tholero}, "turbid," by conjecture.] + +34 [ The meaning is much disputed. I understand Herodotus to state that +though the vessels lay of course in the direction of the stream from the +Hellespont, that is presenting their prows (or sterns) to the stream, +yet this did not mean that they pointed straight towards the Propontis +and Euxine; for the stream after passing Sestos runs almost from North +to South with even a slight tendency to the East (hence {eurou} a few +lines further on), so that ships lying in the stream would point in a +line cutting at right angles that of the longer axis (from East to +West) of the Pontus and Propontis. This is the meaning of {epikarsios} +elsewhere in Herodotus (i. 180 and iv. 101), and it would be rash +to assign to it any other meaning here. It is true however that the +expression {pros esperes} is used loosely below for the side toward the +Egean. For {anakokheue} a subject must probably be supplied from the +clause {pentekonterous--sunthentes}, "that it (i.e. the combination of +ships) might support etc.," and {ton tonon ton oplon} may either mean as +below "the stretched ropes," or "the tension of the ropes," which would +be relieved by the support: the latter meaning seems to me preferable.] + +Mr. Whitelaw suggests to me that {epikarsios} ({epi kar}) may mean +rather "head-foremost," which seems to be its meaning in Homer (Odyss. +ix. 70), and from which might be obtained the idea of intersection, +one line running straight up against another, which it has in other +passages. In that case it would here mean "heading towards the Pontus."] + +35 [ {tas men pros tou Pontou tes eteres}. Most commentators would +supply {gephures} with {tes eteres}, but evidently both bridges must +have been anchored on both sides.] + +36 [ {eurou}: Stein adopts the conjecture {zephurou}.] + +37 [ {ton pentekonteron kai triereon trikhou}: the MSS. give {ton +pentekonteron kai trikhou}, "between the fifty-oared galleys in as many +as three places," but it is strange that the fifty-oared galleys should +be mentioned alone, and there seems no need of {kai} with {trikhou}. +Stein reads {ton pentekonteron kai triereon} (omitting {trikhou} +altogether), and this may be right.] + +38 [ i.e. in proportion to the quantity: there was of course a greater +weight altogether of the papyrus rope.] + +39 [ {autis epezeugnuon}.] + +40 [ {ekleipsin}: cp. {eklipon} above.] + +41 [ Or, according to some MSS., "Nisaian."] + +42 [ i.e. not downwards.] + +43 [ {tina autou sukhnon omilon}.] + +44 [ {to Priamou Pergamon}.] + +45 [ {en Abudo mese}: some inferior authorities (followed by most +Editors) omit {mese}: but the district seems to be spoken of, as just +above.] + +46 [ {proexedre lothou leukou}: some kind of portico or loggia seems to +be meant.] + +47 [ {daimonie andoon}.] + +48 [ {ena auton}.] + +49 [ {to proso aiei kleptomenos}: "stealing thy advance continually," +i.e. "advancing insensibly further." Some take {kleptomenos} as passive, +"insensibly lured on further."] + +50 [ {neoteron ti poiesein}.] + +51 [ Or, according to some MSS., "the Persian land."] + +52 [ Lit. "the name of which happens to be Agora."] + +53 [ i.e. 1,700,000.] + +54 [ {sunnaxantes}: a conjectural emendation very generally adopted of +{sunaxantes} or {sunapsantes}.] + +55 [ {apageas}, i.e. not stiffly standing up; the opposite to +{pepeguias} (ch. 64).] + +56 [ {lepidos siderees opsin ikhthueideos}: many Editors suppose that +some words have dropped out. The {kithon} spoken of may have been a +coat of armour, but elsewhere the body armour {thorex} is clearly +distinguished from the {kithon}, see ix. 22.] + +57 [ {gerra}: cp. ix. 61 and 102.] + +58 [ Cp. i. 7.] + +59 [ {mitrephoroi esan}: the {mitre} was perhaps a kind of turban.] + +60 [ {tesi Aiguptiesi}, apparently {makhairesi} is meant to be supplied: +cp. ch. 91.] + +61 [ {eklethesan}, "were called" from the first.] + +62 [ These words are by some Editors thought to be an interpolation. The +Chaldeans in fact had become a caste of priests, cp. i. 181.] + +63 [ {kurbasias}: supposed to be the same as the tiara (cp. v. 49), but +in this case stiff and upright.] + +64 [ i.e. Areians, cp. iii. 93.] + +65 [ {sisurnas}: cp. iv. 109.] + +66 [ {akinakas}.] + +67 [ {sisurnophoroi}.] + +68 [ {zeiras}.] + +69 [ {toxa palintona}.] + +70 [ {spathes}, which perhaps means the stem of the leaf.] + +71 [ {gupso}, "white chalk."] + +72 [ {milto}, "red ochre."] + +73 [ Some words have apparently been lost containing the name of the +nation to which the following description applies. It is suggested that +this might be either the Chalybians or the Pisidians.] + +74 [ {lukioergeas}, an emendation from Athenæus of {lukoergeas} (or +{lukergeas}), which might perhaps mean "for wolf-hunting."] + +75 [ {anastpastous}: cp. iii. 93.] + +76 [ Some Editors place this clause before the words: "and Smerdomenes +the son of Otanes," for we do not hear of Otanes or Smerdomenes +elsewhere as brother and nephew of Dareios. On the other hand Mardonios +was son of the sister of Dareios.] + +77 [ {tukhe}, "hits."] + +78 [ {keletas}, "single horses."] + +79 [ This name is apparently placed here wrongly. It has been proposed +to read {Kaspeiroi} or {Paktues}.] + +80 [ {ippeue}: the greater number of MSS. have {ippeuei} here as at +the beginning of ch. 84, to which this is a reference back, but with +a difference of meaning. There the author seemed to begin with the +intention of giving a full list of the cavalry force of the Persian +Empire, and then confined his account to those actually present on this +occasion, whereas here the word in combination with {mouna} refers only +to those just enumerated.] + +81 [ i.e. 80,000.] + +82 [ {Suroisi}, see note on ii. 104.] + +83 [ {tukous}, which appears to mean ordinarily a tool for +stone-cutting.] + +84 [ {mitresi}, perhaps "turbans."] + +85 [ {kithonas}: there is some probability in the suggestion of +{kitarias} here, for we should expect mention of a head-covering, and +the word {kitaris} (which is explained to mean the same as {tiara}), is +quoted by Pollux as occurring in Herodotus.] + +86 [ {kithonas}.] + +87 [ {drepana}, "reaping-hooks," cp. v. 112.] + +88 [ See i. 171.] + +89 [ {Pelasgoi Aigialees}.] + +90 [ {kerkouroi}.] + +91 [ {makra}: some MSS. and editions have {smikra}, "small."] + +92 [ Or "Mapen."] + +93 [ Or "Seldomos."] + +94 [ {metopedon}.] + +95 [ {me oentes arthmioi}. This is generally taken to mean, "unless they +were of one mind together"; but that would very much weaken the force of +the remark, and {arthmios} elsewhere is the opposite of {polemios}, cp. +vi. 83 and ix. 9, 37: Xerxes professes enmity only against those who had +refused to give the tokens of submission.] + +96 [ {men mounoisi}: these words are omitted in some good MSS., and +{mounoisi} has perhaps been introduced from the preceding sentence. The +thing referred to in {touto} is the power of fighting in single combat +with many at once, which Demaratos is supposed to have claimed for the +whole community of the Spartans.] + +97 [ {stergein malista}.] + +98 [ {oudamoi ko}.] + +99 [ Or, "Strauos."] + +100 [ Or, "Compsatos."] + +101 [ {tas epeirotidas polis}: it is not clear why these are thus +distinguished. Stein suggests {Thasion tas epeirotidas polis}, cp. +ch. [Footnote 118; and if that be the true reading {ion} is probably a +remnant of {Thasion} after {khoras}.] + +102 [ Or, "Pistiros."] + +103 [ {oi propheteountes}, i.e. those who interpret the utterances of +the Oracle, cp. viii. 36.] + +104 [ {promantis}.] + +105 [ {kai ouden poikiloteron}, an expression of which the meaning is +not quite clear; perhaps "and the oracles are not at all more obscure," +cp. Eur. Phoen. 470 and Hel. 711 (quoted by Bähr).] + +106 [ "Ennea Hodoi."] + +107 [ Cp. iii. 84.] + +108 [ The "royal cubit" is about 20 inches; the {daktulos}, "finger's +breadth," is rather less than ¾ inch.] + +109 [ Or, "Cape Canastraion."] + +110 [ Or "Echeidoros": so it is usually called, but not by any MS. here, +and by a few only in ch. 127.] + +111 [ {pro mesogaian tamnon tes odou}: cp. iv. 12 and ix. 89.] + +112 [ Cp. ch. 6 and 174: but it does not appear that the Aleuadai, of +whom Xerxes is here speaking, ever thought of resistance, and perhaps +{gnosimakheontes} means, "when they submitted without resistance."] + +113 [ Some MSS. have {Ainienes} for {Enienes}.] + +114 [ {dekateusai}: there is sufficient authority for this rendering of +{dekateuein}, and it seems better here than to understand the word to +refer only to a "tithing" of goods.] + +115 [ {es to barathron}, the place of execution at Athens.] + +116 [ "undesirable thing."] + +117 [ {ouk ex isou}: i.e. it is one-sided, because the speaker has had +experience of only one of the alternatives.] + +118 [ Cp. ch. 143 (end), and viii. 62.] + +119 [ {teikheon kithones}, a poetical expression, quoted perhaps from +some oracle; and if so, {kithon} may here have the Epic sense of a "coat +of mail," equivalent to {thorex} in i. 181: see ch. 61, note 56.] + +120 [ {to megaron}.] + +121 [ The form of address changes abruptly to the singular number, +referring to the Athenian people.] + +122 [ {azela}, probably for {aionla}, which has been proposed as a +correction: or possibly "wretched."] + +123 [ {oxus Ares}.] + +124 [ i.e. Assyrian, cp. ch. 63.] + +125 [ {min}, i.e. the city, to which belong the head, feet, and body +which have been mentioned.] + +126 [ {kakois d' epikidnate thumon}: this might perhaps mean (as it is +taken by several Editors), "show a courageous soul in your troubles," +but that would hardly suit with the discouraging tone of the context.] + +127 [ {onax}, cp. iv. 15.] + +128 [ {ouros}: the word might of course be for {oros}, "mountain," and +{Kekropos ouros} would then mean the Acropolis (so it is understood by +Stein and others), but the combination with Kithairon makes it probable +that the reference is to the boundaries of Attica, and this seems more +in accordance with the reference to it in viii. 53.] + +129 [ {Demeteros}.] + +130 [ {sustas}, "having been joined" cp. viii. 142.] + +131 [ {ton peri ten Ellada Ellenon ta ameino phroneonton}: the MSS. have +{ton} also after {Ellenon}, which would mean "those of the Hellenes in +Hellas itself, who were of the better mind;" but the expression {ton +ta ameino phroneouseon peri ten Ellada} occurs in ch. 172: Some Editors +omit {Ellenon} as well as {ton}.] + +132 [ {egkekremenoi} (from {egkerannumi}, cp. v. 124), a conjectural +emendation (by Reiske) of {egkekhremenoi}. Others have conjectured +{egkekheiremenoi} or {egegermenoi}.] + +133 [ {te ge alle}: many Editors adopt the conjecture {tede alle} "is +like the following, which he expressed on another occasion."] + +134 [ See vi. 77: This calamity had occurred about fourteen years +before, and it was not in order to recover from this that the Argives +wished now for a thirty years' truce; but warned by this they desired +(they said) to guard against the consequence of a similar disaster +in fighting with the Persians, against whom, according to their own +account, they were going to defend themselves independently. So great +was their fear of this that, "though fearing the oracle," they were +willing to disobey it on certain conditions.] + +135 [ {probalaion}, cp. {probolous}, ch. 76.] + +136 [ {es tous pleunas}.] + +137 [ Cp. v. 53.] + +138 [ {ethelousi}: this is omitted in most of the MSS., but contained in +several of the best. Many Editors have omitted it.] + +139 [ {ta oikeia kaka} seems to mean the grievances which each has +against his neighbours, "if all the nations of men should bring together +into one place their own grievances against their neighbours, desiring +to make a settlement with them, each people, when they had examined +closely the grievances of others against themselves, would gladly carry +away back with them those which they had brought," judging that they had +offended others more than they had suffered themselves.] + +140 [ {oiketor o en Gele}: some Editors read by conjecture {oiketor eon +Geles}, others {oiketor en Gele}.] + +141 [ {iropsantai ton khthonion theon}: cp. vi. 134.] + +142 [ i.e. by direct inspiration.] + +143 [ {en dorupsoros}: the MSS. have {os en dorupsoros}. Some Editors +mark a lacuna.] + +144 [ {gamorous}, the name given to the highest class of citizens.] + +145 [ Or, "Killyrians." They were conquered Sicanians, in the position +of the Spartan Helots.] + +146 [ {pakheas}: cp. v. 30.] + +147 [ {gar}: inserted conjecturally by many Editors.] + +148 [ See v. 46.] + +149 [ {e ke meg oimexeie}, the beginning of a Homeric hexameter, cp. Il. +vii. 125.] + +150 [ Or, "since your speech is so adverse."] + +151 [ See Il. ii. 552.] + +152 [ Some Editors mark this explanation "Now this is the meaning-- +year," as interpolated.] + +153 [ {purannida}.] + +154 [ {es meson Kooisi katatheis ten arkhen}.] + +155 [ {para Samion}: this is the reading of the best MSS.: others have +{meta Samion}, "together with the Samians," which is adopted by many +Editors. There can be little doubt however that the Skythes mentioned in +vi. 23 was the father of this Cadmos, and we know from Thuc. vi. 4 that +the Samians were deprived of the town soon after they had taken it, by +Anaxilaos, who gave it the name of Messene, and no doubt put Cadmos in +possession of it, as the son of the former king.] + +156 [ Cp. ch. 154.] + +157 [ i.e. 300,000.] + +159 [ The MSS. add either {os Karkhedonioi}, or {os Karkhedonioi kai +Surekosioi}, but the testimony of the Carthaginians has just been given, +{os Phoinikes legousi}, and the Syracusans professed to be unable to +discover anything of him at all. Most of the Editors omit or alter the +words.] + +160 [ {epimemphesthe}: some Editors have tried corrections, e.g. {ou ti +memnesthe}, "do ye not remember," or {epimemnesthe}, "remember"; but cp. +viii. 106, {oste se me mempsasthai ten... diken}.] + +161 [ {osa umin... Minos epempse menion dakrumata}. The oracle would +seem to have been in iambic verse.] + +162 [ {parentheke}.] + +163 [ {ou boulomenoi}, apparently equivalent to {me boulemenoi}.] + +164 [ Cp. viii. 111.] + +165 [ i.e. the six commanders of divisions {morai} in the Spartan army.] + +166 [ {mia}: for this most MSS. have {ama}. Perhaps the true reading is +{ama mia}.] + +167 [ {amaxitos moune}, cp. ch. 200.] + +168 [ {Khutrous}.] + +169 [ {ton epibateon autes}.] + +170 [ {emeroskopous}: perhaps simply "scouts," cp. ch. 219, by which it +would seem that they were at their posts by night also, though naturally +they would not see much except by day.] + +171 [ i.e. "Ant."] + +172 [ {autoi}.] + +173 [ i.e. 241,400.] + +174 [ {epebateuon}.] + +175 [ 36,210.] + +176 [ {o ti pleon en auton e elasson}. In ch. 97, which is referred to +just above, these ships are stated to have been of many different kinds, +and not only fifty-oared galleys.] + +177 [ 240,000.] + +178 [ 517,610.] + +179 [ 1,700,000: see ch. 60.] + +180 [ 80,000.] + +181 [ 2,317,610.] + +182 [ {dokesin de dei legein}.] + +183 [ Some MSS. have {Ainienes} for {Enienes}.] + +184 [ 300,000.] + +185 [ 2,641,610.] + +186 [ {tou makhimou toutou}.] + +187 [ {akatoisi}.] + +188 [ 5,283,220.] + +189 [ {khoinika}, the usual daily allowance.] + +190 [ The {medimnos} is about a bushel and a half, and is equal to 48 +{khoinikes}. The reckoning here of 110,340 {medimnoi} is wrong, owing +apparently to the setting down of some numbers in the quotient which +were in fact part of the dividend.] + +191 [ {prokrossai ormeonto es ponton}: the meaning of {prokrossai} +is doubtful, but the introduction of the word is probably due to a +reminiscence of Homer, Il. xiv. 35, where the ships are described as +drawn up in rows one behind the other on shore, and where {prokrossas} +is often explained to mean {klimakedon}, i.e. either in steps one behind +the other owing to the rise of the beach, or in the arrangement of +the quincunx. Probably in this passage the idea is rather of the prows +projecting in rows like battlements {krossai}, and this is the sense +in which the word is used by Herodotus elsewhere (iv. 152). The word +{krossai} however is used for the successively rising stages of the +pyramids (ii. 125), and {prokrossos} may mean simply "in a row," or "one +behind the other," which would suit all passages in which it occurs, and +would explain the expression {prokrossoi pheromenoi epi ton kindunon}, +quoted by Athenæus.] + +192 [ {apeliotes}. Evidently, from its name {Ellespontias} and from its +being afterwards called {Boreas}, it was actually a North-East Wind.] + +193 [ i.e. "Ovens."] + +194 [ {exebrassonto}.] + +195 [ {thesaurous}.] + +196 [ The word {khrusea}, "of gold," is omitted by some Editors.] + +197 [ "in his case also {kai touton} there was an unpleasing misfortune +of the slaying of a child {paidophonos} which troubled him," i.e. he +like others had misfortunes to temper his prosperity.] + +198 [ {goesi}, (from a supposed word {goe}): a correction of {geosi}, +"by enchanters," which is retained by Stein. Some read {khoesi}, "with +libations," others {boesi}, "with cries."] + +199 [ {aphesein}, whence the name {Aphetai} was supposed to be derived.] + +19901 [ Or, "had crucified... having convicted him of the following +charge, namely," etc. Cp. iii. 35 (end).] + +200 [ {tritaios}. According to the usual meaning of the word the sense +should be "on the third day after" entering Thessaly, but the distance +was much greater than a two-days' march.] + +201 [ i.e. "the Devourer."] + +202 [ {Prutaneiou}, "Hall of the Magistrates."] + +203 [ {leiton}.] + +204 [ {estellonto}: many Editors, following inferior MSS., read +{eselthontes} and make changes in the rest of the sentence.] + +205 [ Some MSS. have {Ainienon} for {Enienon}.] + +206 [ {stadion}.] + +207 [ {diskhilia te gar kai dismuria plethra tou pediou esti}. If the +text is right, the {plethron} must here be a measure of area. The amount +will then be about 5000 acres.] + +208 [ {mekhri Trekhinos}, "up to Trachis," which was the Southern +limit.] + +209 [ {to epi tautes tes epeirou}. I take {to epi tautes} to be an +adverbial expression like {tes eteres} in ch. 36, for I cannot think +that the rendering "towards this continent" is satisfactory.] + +210 [ See v. 45.] + +211 [ {tous katesteotas}. There is a reference to the body of 300 so +called {ippeis} (cp. i. 67), who were appointed to accompany the king in +war; but we must suppose that on special occasions the king made up +this appointed number by selection, and that in this case those were +preferred who had sons to keep up the family. Others (including Grote) +understand {tous katesteotas} to mean "men of mature age."] + +212 [ {ton Pulagoron}.] + +213 [ {es ten Pulaien}.] + +214 [ An indication that the historian intended to carry his work +further than the year 479.] + +215 [ See ch. 83.] + +216 [ {ek te tosou de katededekto eousa ouden khreste Melieusi}, i.e. {e +esbole}.] + +217 [ {Melampugon}.] + +218 [ Lit. "had set out to go at first."] + +219 [ Lit. "and afterwards deserters were they who reported."] + +220 [ {diakrithentes}.] + +221 [ {taute kai mallon te gnome pleistos eimi}.] + +222 [ i.e. the Persian.] + +223 [ {prin tond eteron dia panta dasetai}: i.e. either the city or the +king.] + +224 [ {mounon Spartieteon}: some Editors (following Plutarch) read +{mounon Spartieteon}, "lay up for the Spartans glory above all other +nations."] + +225 [ {to men gar eruma tou teikheos ephulasseto, oi de k.t.l.}] + +226 [ i.e. the Lacedemonians.] + +227 [ {izonto epi ton kolonon}.] + +228 [ Some Editors insert {tous} after {e}, "before those who were sent +away by Leonidas had departed."] + +229 [ {remasi}.] + +230 [ {leipopsukheonta}, a word which refers properly to bodily +weakness. It has been proposed to read {philopsukheonta}, "loving his +life," cp. vi. 29.] + +231 [ {algesanta}: some good MSS. have {alogesanta}, which is adopted by +Stein, "had in his ill-reckoning returned alone."] + +232 [ {tes autes ekhomenou prophasios}.] + +233 [ {atimien}.] + +234 [ {o tresas}.] + +235 [ Thuc. ii. 2 ff.] + +236 [ {tas diexodous ton bouleumaton}, cp. iii. 156.] + +237 [ {ton vees k.t.l.}: some Editors insert {ek} before {ton}, "by +which four hundred ships have suffered shipwreck."] + +238 [ {ta seoutou de tithemenos eu gnomen ekho}: for {ekho} some +inferior MSS. have {ekhe}, which is adopted by several Editors, "Rather +set thy affairs in good order and determine not to consider," etc.] + +239 [ {to pareon troma}, i.e. their defeat.] + +240 [ {kai esti dusmenes te sige}. Some commentators understand {te +sige} to mean "secretly," like {sige}, viii. 74.] + +241 [ See ch. 220.] + +242 [ Many Editors pronounce the last chapter to be an interpolation, +but perhaps with hardly sufficient reason.] + + + + + +BOOK VIII. THE EIGHTH BOOK OF THE HISTORIES, CALLED URANIA + +1. Those of the Hellenes who had been appointed to serve in the fleet +were these:—the Athenians furnished a hundred and twenty-seven ships, +and the Plataians moved by valour and zeal for the service, although +they had had no practice in seamanship, yet joined with the Athenians in +manning their ships. The Corinthians furnished forty ships, the +Megarians twenty; the Chalkidians manned twenty ships with which the +Athenians furnished them; 1 the Eginetans furnished eighteen ships, the +Sikyonians twelve, the Lacedemonians ten, the Epidaurians eight, the +Eretrians seven, the Troizenians five, the Styrians two, the Keïans two +ships 2 and two fifty-oared galleys, while the Locrians of Opus came +also to the assistance of the rest with seven fifty-oared galleys. + +2. These were those who joined in the expedition to Artemision, and I +have mentioned them according to the number 3 of the ships which they +severally supplied: so the number of the ships which were assembled +at Artemision was (apart from the fifty-oared galleys) two hundred and +seventy-one: and the commander who had the supreme power was furnished +by the Spartans, namely Eurybiades son of Eurycleides, since the allies +said that they would not follow the lead of the Athenians, but unless a +Lacedemonian were leader they would break up the expedition which was to +be made: + +3, for it had come to be said at first, even before they sent to Sicily +to obtain allies, that the fleet ought to be placed in the charge of the +Athenians. So as the allies opposed this, the Athenians yielded, having +it much at heart that Hellas should be saved, and perceiving that if +they should have disagreement with one another about the leadership, +Hellas would perish: and herein they judged rightly, for disagreement +between those of the same race is worse than war undertaken with one +consent by as much as war is worse than peace. Being assured then of +this truth, they did not contend, but gave way for so long time as they +were urgently in need of the allies; and that this was so their conduct +proved; for when, after repelling the Persian from themselves, they were +now contending for his land and no longer for their own, they alleged +the insolence of Pausanias as a pretext and took away the leadership +from the Lacedemonians. This however took place afterwards. + +4. But at this time these Hellenes also who had come to Artemision, 4 +when they saw that a great number of ships had put in to Aphetai and +that everything was filled with their armament, were struck with fear, +because the fortunes of the Barbarians had different issue from +that which they expected, and they deliberated about retreating from +Artemision to the inner parts of Hellas. And the Euboeans perceiving +that they were so deliberating, asked Eurybiades to stay there by them +for a short time, until they should have removed out of their land their +children, and their households; and as they did not persuade him, they +went elsewhere and persuaded Themistocles the commander of the Athenians +by a payment of thirty talents, the condition being that the fleet +should stay and fight the sea-battle in front of Euboea. + +5. Themistocles then caused the Hellenes to stay in the following +manner:—to Eurybiades he imparted five talents of the sum with the +pretence that he was giving it from himself; and when Eurybiades had +been persuaded by him to change his resolution, Adeimantos son of +Okytos, the Corinthian commander, was the only one of all the others who +still made a struggle, saying that he would sail away from Artemision +and would not stay with the others: to him therefore Themistocles said +with an oath: "Thou at least shalt not leave us, for I will give thee +greater gifts than the king of the Medes would send to thee, if thou +shouldest desert thy allies." Thus he spoke, and at the same time he +sent to the ship of Adeimantos three talents of silver. So these all 5 +had been persuaded by gifts to change their resolution, and at the same +time the request of the Euboeans had been gratified and Themistocles +himself gained money; and it was not known that he had the rest of the +money, but those who received a share of this money were fully persuaded +that it had come from the Athenian State for this purpose. + +6. Thus they remained in Euboea and fought a sea-battle; and it came to +pass as follows:—when the Barbarians had arrived at Aphetai about the +beginning of the afternoon, having been informed even before they came +that a few ships of the Hellenes were stationed about Artemision and now +seeing them for themselves, they were eager to attack them, to see if +they could capture them. Now they did not think it good yet to sail +against them directly for this reason,—for fear namely that the +Hellenes, when they saw them sailing against them, should set forth to +take flight and darkness should come upon them in their flight; and so +they were likely (thought the Persians) 6 to get away; whereas it was +right, according to their calculation, that not even the fire-bearer 7 +should escape and save his life. + +7. With a view to this then they contrived as follows:—of the whole +number of their ships they parted off two hundred and sent them round +to sail by Caphereus and round Geriastos to the Euripos, going outside +Skiathos so that they might not be sighted by the enemy as they sailed +round Euboea: and their purpose was that with these coming up by that +way, and blocking the enemies' retreat, and themselves advancing against +them directly, they might surround them on all sides. Having formed this +plan they proceeded to send off the ships which were appointed for this, +and they themselves had no design of attacking the Hellenes on that day +nor until the signal agreed upon should be displayed to them by those +who were sailing round, to show that they had arrived. These ships, I +say, they were sending round, and meanwhile they were numbering the rest +at Aphetai. + +8. During this time, while these were numbering their ships, it happened +thus:—there was in that camp a man of Skione named Skyllias, as a diver +the best of all the men of that time, who also in the shipwreck which +took place by Pelion had saved for the Persians many of their goods and +many of them also he had acquired for himself: this Skyllias it appears +had had an intention even before this of deserting to the side of the +Hellenes, but it had not been possible for him to do so then. In what +manner after this attempt he did actually come to the Hellenes, I am not +able to say with certainty, but I marvel if the tale is true which is +reported; for it is said that he dived into the sea at Aphetai and did +not come up till he reached Artemision, having traversed here somewhere +about eighty furlongs through the sea. Now there are told about this man +several other tales which seem likely to be false, but some also which +are true: about this matter however let it be stated as my opinion that +he came to Artemision in a boat. Then when he had come, he forthwith +informed the commanders about the shipwreck, how it had come to pass, +and of the ships which had been sent away to go round Euboea. + +9. Hearing this the Hellenes considered the matter with one another; and +after many things had been spoken, the prevailing opinion was that +they should remain there that day and encamp on shore, and then, when +midnight was past, they should set forth and go to meet those ships +which were sailing round. After this however, as no one sailed out +to attack them, they waited for the coming of the late hours of the +afternoon and sailed out themselves to attack the Barbarians, desiring +to make a trial both of their manner of fighting and of the trick of +breaking their line. 8 + +10. And seeing them sailing thus against them with few ships, not only +the others in the army of Xerxes but also their commanders judged them +to be moved by mere madness, and they themselves also put out their +ships to sea, supposing that they would easily capture them: and their +expectation was reasonable enough, since they saw that the ships of the +Hellenes were few, while theirs were many times as numerous and sailed +better. Setting their mind then on this, they came round and enclosed +them in the middle. Then so many of the Ionians as were kindly disposed +to the Hellenes and were serving in the expedition against their will, +counted it a matter of great grief to themselves when they saw them +being surrounded and felt assured that not one of them would return +home, so feeble did they think the power of the Hellenes to be; while +those to whom that which was happening was a source of pleasure, were +vying with one another, each one endeavouring to be the first to take an +Athenian ship and receive gifts from the king: for in their camps there +was more report of the Athenians than of any others. + +11. The Hellenes meanwhile, when the signal was given, first set +themselves with prows facing the Barbarians and drew the sterns of their +ships together in the middle; and when the signal was given a second +time, although shut off in a small space and prow against prow, 9 they +set to work vigorously; and they captured thirty ships of the Barbarians +and also Philaon the son of Chersis, the brother of Gorgos kind of the +Salaminians, who was a man of great repute in the army. Now the first of +the Hellenes who captured a ship of the enemy was an Athenian, Lycomedes +the son of Aischraios, and he received the prize for valour. So these, +as they were contending in this sea-fight with doubtful result, +were parted from one another by the coming on of night. The Hellenes +accordingly sailed away to Artemision and the Barbarians to Aphetai, +the contest having been widely different from their expectation. In this +sea-fight Antidoros of Lemnos alone of the Hellenes who were with the +king deserted to the side of the Hellenes, and the Athenians on account +of this deed gave him a piece of land in Salamis. + +12. When the darkness had come on, although the season was the middle of +summer, yet there came on very abundant rain, which lasted through the +whole of the night, with crashing thunder 10 from Mount Pelion; and +the dead bodies and pieces of wreck were cast up at Aphetai and became +entangled round the prows of the ships and struck against the blades of +the oars: and the men of the army who were there, hearing these things +became afraid, expecting that they would certainly perish, to such +troubles had they come; for before they had had even breathing space +after the shipwreck and the storm which had arisen off Mount Pelion, +there had come upon them a hard sea-fight, and after the sea-fight a +violent storm of rain and strong streams rushing to the sea and crashing +thunder. + +13. These then had such a night as I have said; and meanwhile those of +them who had been appointed to sail round Euboea experienced the very +same night, but against them it raged much more fiercely, inasmuch as it +fell upon them while they were making their course in the open sea. And +the end of it proved distressful 11 to them; for when the storm and +the rain together came upon them as they sailed, being then off the +"Hollows" of Euboea, 12 they were borne by the wind not knowing by what +way they were carried, and were cast away upon the rocks. And all this +was being brought about by God in order that the Persian force might be +made more equal to that of the Hellenes and might not be by very much +the larger. + +14. These then, I say, were perishing about the Hollows of Euboea, and +meanwhile the Barbarians at Aphetai, when day had dawned upon them, of +which they were glad, were keeping their ships quiet, and were satisfied +in their evil plight to remain still for the present time; but to the +Hellenes there came as a reinforcement three-and-fifty Athenian ships. +The coming of these gave them more courage, and at the same time they +were encouraged also by a report that those of the Barbarians who had +been sailing round Euboea had all been destroyed by the storm that had +taken place. They waited then for the same time of day as before, and +then they sailed and fell upon some Kilikian ships; and having destroyed +these, they sailed away when the darkness came on, and returned to +Artemision. + +15. On the third day the commanders of the Barbarians, being exceedingly +indignant that so small a number of ships should thus do them damage, +and fearing what Xerxes might do, did not wait this time for the +Hellenes to begin the fight, but passed the word of command and put out +their ships to sea about the middle of the day. Now it so happened that +these battles at sea and the battles on land at Thermopylai took place +on the same days; and for those who fought by sea the whole aim of the +fighting was concerned with the channel of Euripos, just as the aim of +Leonidas and of his band was to guard the pass: the Hellenes accordingly +exhorted one another not to let the Barbarians go by into Hellas; while +these cheered one another on to destroy the fleet of the Hellenes and to +get possession of the straits. + +16. Now while the forces of Xerxes were sailing in order towards them, +the Hellenes kept quiet at Artemision; and the Barbarians, having made a +crescent of their ships that they might enclose them, were endeavouring +to surround them. Then the Hellenes put out to sea and engaged with +them; and in this battle the two sides were nearly equal to one another; +for the fleet of Xerxes by reason of its great size and numbers suffered +damage from itself, since the ships were thrown into confusion and ran +into one another: nevertheless it stood out and did not give way, +for they disdained to be turned to flight by so few ships. Many ships +therefore of the Hellenes were destroyed and many men perished, but many +more ships and men of the Barbarians. Thus contending they parted and +went each to their own place. + +17. In this sea-fight the Egyptians did best of the men who fought +for Xerxes; and these, besides other great deeds which they displayed, +captured five ships of the Hellenes together with their crews: while of +the Hellenes those who did best on this day were the Athenians, and of +the Athenians Cleinias the son of Alkibiades, who was serving with two +hundred man and a ship of his own, furnishing the expense at his own +proper cost. + +18. Having parted, both sides gladly hastened to their moorings; and +after they had separated and got away out of the sea-fight, although the +Hellenes had possession of the bodies of the dead and of the wrecks +of the ships, yet having suffered severely 13 (and especially +the Athenians, of whose ships half had been disabled), they were +deliberating now about retreating to the inner parts of Hellas. + +19. Themistocles however had conceived that if there should be detached +from the force of the Barbarians the Ionian and Carian nations, they +would be able to overcome the rest; and when the people of Euboea were +driving their flocks down to that sea, 14 he assembled the generals and +said to them that he thought he had a device by which he hoped to cause +the best of the king's allies to leave him. This matter he revealed to +that extent only; and with regard to their present circumstances, he +said that they must do as follows:—every one must slaughter of the +flocks of the Euboeans as many as he wanted, for it was better that +their army should have them than the enemy; moreover he advised that +each one should command his own men to kindle a fire: and as for the +time of their departure he would see to it in such wise that they should +come safe to Hellas. This they were content to do, and forthwith when +they had kindled a fire they turned their attention to the flocks. + +20. For in fact the Euboeans, neglecting the oracle of Bakis as if it +had no meaning at all, had neither carried away anything from their land +nor laid in any store of provisions with a view to war coming upon them, +and by their conduct moreover they had brought trouble upon themselves. +15 For the oracle uttered by Bakis about these matters runs as follows: + + + "Mark, when a man, a Barbarian, shall yoke the Sea with papyrus, + Then do thou plan to remove the loud-bleating goats from Euboea." + +In the evils which at this time were either upon them or soon to be +expected they might feel not a little sorry that they had paid no +attention to these lines. + +21. While these were thus engaged, there came to them the scout from +Trachis: for there was at Artemision a scout named Polyas, by birth +of Antikyra, to whom it had been appointed, if the fleet should be +disabled, 16 to signify this to those at Thermopylai, and he had a +vessel equipped and ready for this purpose; and similarly there was with +Leonidas Abronichos son of Lysicles, an Athenian, ready to carry news to +those at Artemision with a thirty-oared galley, if any disaster should +happen to the land-army. This Abronichos then had arrived, and he +proceeded to signify to them that which had come to pass about Leonidas +and his army; and then when they were informed of it no longer put off +their retreat, but set forth in the order in which they were severally +posted, the Corinthians first and the Athenians last. + +22. Themistocles however selected those ships of the Athenians which +sailed best, and went round to the springs of drinking-water, cutting +inscriptions on the stones there, which the Ionians read when they +came to Artemision on the following day. These inscriptions ran thus: +"Ionians, ye act not rightly in making expedition against the fathers of +your race and endeavouring to enslave Hellas. Best of all were it that +ye should come and be on our side; but if that may not be done by you, +stand aside even now from the combat against us and ask the Carians to +do the same as ye. If however neither of these two things is possible +to be done, and ye are bound down by too strong compulsion to be able +to make revolt, then in the action, when we engage battle, be purposely +slack, remember that ye are descended from us and that our quarrel with +the Barbarian took its rise at the first from you." Themistocles wrote +thus, having, as I suppose, two things together in his mind, namely that +either the inscriptions might elude the notice of the king and cause +the Ionians to change and come over to the side on which he was, or +that having been reported and denounced to Xerxes they might cause the +Ionians to be distrusted by him, and so he might keep them apart from +the sea-fights. + +23. Themistocles then had set these inscriptions: and to the Barbarians +there came immediately after these things a man of Histaia in a boat +bringing word of the retreat of the Hellenes from Artemision. They +however, not believing it, kept the messenger under guard and sent +swift-sailing ships to look on before. Then these having reported +the facts, at last as daylight was spreading over the sky, the whole +armament sailed in a body to Artemision; and having stayed at this place +till mid-day, after this they sailed to Histaia, and there arrived they +took possession of the city of Histaia and overran all the villages +which lie along the coast in the region of Ellopia, which is the land of +Histaia. + +24. While they were there, Xerxes, after he had made his dispositions +with regard to the bodies of the dead, sent a herald to the fleet: and +the dispositions which he made beforehand were as follows:—for all those +of his army who were lying dead at Thermopylai, (and there were as many +as twenty thousand in all), with the exception of about a thousand whom +he left, he dug trenches and buried them, laying over them leaves and +heaping earth upon them, that they might not be seen by the men of the +fleet. Then when the herald had gone over to Histaia, he gathered an +assembly of the whole force and spoke these words: "Allies, king Xerxes +grants permission to any one of you who desires it, to leave his post +and to come and see how he fights against those most senseless men who +looked to overcome the power of the king." + +25. When the herald had proclaimed this, then boats were of all things +most in request, so many were they who desired to see this sight; and +when they had passed over they went through the dead bodies and looked +at them: and every one supposed that those who were lying there were all +Lacedemonians or Thespians, though the Helots also were among those that +they saw: however, they who had passed over did not fail to perceive +that Xerxes had done that which I mentioned about the bodies of his own +dead; for in truth it was a thing to cause laughter even: on the one +side there were seen a thousand dead bodies lying, while the others +lay all gathered together in the same place, four thousand 17 of them. +During this day then they busied themselves with looking, and on the day +after this they sailed back to the ships at Histaia, while Xerxes and +his army set forth upon their march. + +26. There had come also to them a few deserters from Arcadia, men in +want of livelihood and desiring to be employed. These the Persians +brought into the king's presence and inquired about the Hellenes, what +they were doing; and one man it was who asked them this for all the +rest. They told them that the Hellenes were keeping the Olympic festival +and were looking on at a contest of athletics and horsemanship. He then +inquired again, what was the prize proposed to them, for the sake of +which they contended; and they told them of the wreath of olive which is +given. Then Tigranes 18 the son of Artabanos uttered a thought which +was most noble, though thereby he incurred from the king the reproach +of cowardice: for hearing that the prize was a wreath and not money, he +could not endure to keep silence, but in the presence of all he spoke +these words: "Ah! Mardonios, what kind of men are these against whom +thou hast brought us to fight, who make their contest not for money but +for honour!" Thus was it spoken by this man. + +27. In the meantime, so soon as the disaster at Thermopylai had come +about, the Thessalians sent a herald forthwith to the Phokians, against +whom they had a grudge always, but especially because of the latest +disaster which they had suffered: for when both the Thessalians +themselves and their allies had invaded the Phokian land not many +years before this expedition of the king, they had been defeated by the +Phokians and handled by them roughly. For the Phokians had been shut up +in Mount Parnassos having with them a soothsayer, Tellias the Eleian; +and this Tellias contrived for them a device of the following kind:—he +took six hundred men, the best of the Phokians, and whitened them over +with chalk, both themselves and their armour, and then he attacked the +Thessalians by night, telling the Phokians beforehand to slay every +man whom they should see not coloured over with white. So not only the +sentinels of the Thessalians, who saw these first, were terrified by +them, supposing it to be something portentous and other than it was, +but also after the sentinels the main body of their army; so that the +Phokians remained in possession of four thousand bodies of slain men and +shields; of which last they dedicated half at Abai and half at Delphi; +and from the tithe of booty got by this battle were made the large +statues which are contending for the tripod in front of the temple 19 +at Delphi, and others similar to these are dedicated as an offering at +Abai. + +28. Thus had the Phokians done to the Thessalian footmen, when they were +besieged by them; and they had done irreparable hurt to their cavalry +also, when this had invaded their land: for in the pass which is +by Hyampolis they had dug a great trench and laid down in it empty +wine-jars; and then having carried earth and laid it on the top and +made it like the rest of the ground, they waited for the Thessalians to +invade their land. These supposing that they would make short work with +the Phokians, 20 riding in full course fell upon the wine-jars; and +there the legs of their horses were utterly crippled. + +29. Bearing then a grudge for both of these things, the Thessalians sent +a herald and addressed them thus: "Phokians, we advise you to be more +disposed now to change your minds and to admit that ye are not on a +level with us: for in former times among the Hellenes, so long as it +pleased us to be on that side, we always had the preference over you, +and now we have such great power with the Barbarian that it rests with +us to cause you to be deprived of your land and to be sold into slavery +also. We however, though we have all the power in our hands, do not bear +malice, but let there be paid to us fifty talents of silver in return +for this, and we will engage to avert the dangers which threaten to come +upon your land." + +30. Thus the Thessalians proposed to them; for the Phokians alone of +all the people in those parts were not taking the side of the Medes, +and this for no other reason, as I conjecture, but only because of their +enmity with the Thessalians; and if the Thessalians had supported the +cause of the Hellenes, I am of opinion that the Phokians would have been +on the side of the Medes. When the Thessalians proposed this, they said +that they would not give the money, and that it was open to them to take +the Median side just as much as the Thessalians, if they desired it for +other reasons; but they would not with their own will be traitors to +Hellas. + +31. When these words were reported, then the Thessalians, moved with +anger against the Phokians, became guides to the Barbarian to show him +the way: and from the land of Trachis they entered Doris; for a narrow +strip 21 of the Dorian territory extends this way, about thirty furlongs +in breadth, lying between Malis and Phokis, the region which was in +ancient time called Dryopis; this land is the mother-country of the +Dorians in Peloponnese. Now the Barbarians did not lay waste this land +of Doris when they entered it, for the people of it were taking the side +of the Medes, and also the Thessalians did not desire it. + +32. When however from Doris they entered Phokis, they did not indeed +capture the Phokians themselves; for some of them had gone up to the +heights of Parnassos,—and that summit of Parnassos is very convenient to +receive a large number, which lies by itself near the city of Neon, the +name of it being Tithorea,—to this, I say, some of them had carried up +their goods and gone up themselves; but most of them had conveyed their +goods out to the Ozolian Locrians, to the city of Amphissa, which is +situated above the Crissaian plain. The Barbarians however overran the +whole land of Phokis, for so the Thessalians led their army, and all +that they came to as they marched they burned or cut down, and delivered +to the flames both the cities and the temples: + +33, for they laid everything waste, proceeding this way by the river +Kephisos, and they destroyed the city of Drymos by fire, and also +the following, namely Charadra, Erochos, Tethronion, Amphikaia, Neon, +Pedieis, Triteis, Elateia, Hyampolis, Parapotamioi and Abai, at which +last-named place there was a temple of Apollo, wealthy and furnished +with treasuries and votive offerings in abundance; and there was then, +as there is even now, the seat of an Oracle there: this temple they +plundered and burnt. Some also of the Phokians they pursued and captured +upon the mountains, and some women they did to death by repeated +outrage. + +34. Passing by Parapotamioi the Barbarians came to Panopeus, and from +this point onwards their army was separated and went different ways. The +largest and strongest part of the army, proceeding with Xerxes himself +against Athens, entered the land of the Boeotians, coming into the +territory of Orchomenos. Now the general body of the Boeotians was +taking the side of the Medes, and their cities were being kept by +Macedonians appointed for each, who had been sent by Alexander; and they +were keeping them this aim, namely in order to make it plain to Xerxes +that the Boeotians were disposed to be on the side of the Medes. + +35. These, I say, of the Barbarians took their way in this direction; +but others of them with guides had set forth to go to the temple at +Delphi, keeping Parnassos on their right hand: and all the parts of +Phokis over which these marched they ravaged; for they set fire to +the towns of Panopeus and Daulis and Aiolis. And for this reason they +marched in that direction, parted off from the rest of the army, namely +in order that they might plunder the temple at Delphi and deliver over +the treasures there to king Xerxes: and Xerxes was well acquainted with +all that there was in it of any account, better, I am told, than with +the things which he had left in his own house at home, seeing that many +constantly reported of them, and especially of the votive offerings of +Croesus the son of Alyattes. + +36. Meanwhile the Delphians, having been informed of this, had been +brought to extreme fear; and being in great terror they consulted the +Oracle about the sacred things, whether they should bury them in the +earth or carry them forth to another land; but the god forbade them to +meddle with these, saying that he was able by himself to take care of +his own. Hearing this they began to take thought for themselves, and +they sent their children and women over to Achaia on the other side +of the sea, while most of the men themselves ascended up towards the +summits of Parnassos and carried their property to the Corykian cave, +while others departed for refuge to Amphissa of the Locrians. In short +the Delphians had all left the town excepting sixty men and the prophet +of the Oracle. 22 + +37. When the Barbarians had come near and could see the temple, then the +prophet, whose name was Akeratos, saw before the cell 23 arms lying +laid out, having been brought forth out of the sanctuary, 24 which were +sacred and on which it was not permitted to any man to lay hands. He +then was going to announce the portent to those of the Delphians who +were still there, but when the Barbarians pressing onwards came opposite +the temple of Athene Pronaia, there happened to them in addition +portents yet greater than that which had come to pass before: for though +that too was a marvel, that arms of war should appear of themselves laid +forth outside the cell, yet this, which happened straightway after that, +is worthy of marvel even beyond all other prodigies. When the Barbarians +in their approach were opposite the temple of Athene Pronaia, at this +point of time from the heaven there fell thunderbolts upon them, and +from Parnassos two crags were broken away and rushed down upon them with +a great crashing noise falling upon many of them, while from the temple +of Pronaia there was heard a shout, and a battle-cry was raised. + +38. All these things having come together, there fell fear upon the +Barbarians; and the Delphians having perceived that they were flying, +came down after them and slew a great number of them; and those who +survived fled straight to Boeotia. These who returned of the Barbarians +reported, as I am informed, that in addition to this which we have said +they saw also other miraculous things; for two men (they said) in +full armour and of stature more than human followed them slaying and +pursuing. + +39. These two the Delphians say were the native heroes Phylacos and +Autonoös, whose sacred enclosures are about the temple, that of Phylacos +being close by the side of the road above the temple of Pronaia and that +of Autonoös near Castalia under the peak called Hyampeia. Moreover the +rocks which fell from Parnassos were still preserved even to my time, +lying in the sacred enclosure of Athene Pronaia, into which they fell +when they rushed through the ranks of the Barbarians. Such departure had +these men from the temple. + +40. Meanwhile the fleet of the Hellenes after leaving Artemision put in +to land at Salamis at the request of the Athenians: and for this reason +the Athenians requested them to put in to Salamis, namely in order that +they might remove out of Attica to a place of safety their children +and their wives, and also deliberate what they would have to do; for in +their present case they meant to take counsel afresh, because they had +been deceived in their expectation. For they had thought to find the +Peloponnesians in full force waiting for the Barbarians in Boeotia; they +found however nothing of this, but they were informed on the contrary +that the Peloponnesians were fortifying the Isthmus with a wall, valuing +above all things the safety of the Peloponnese and keeping this in +guard; and that they were disposed to let all else go. Being informed of +this, the Athenians therefore made request of them to put in to Salamis. +41. The others then put in their ships to land at Salamis, but the +Athenians went over to their own land; and after their coming they made +a proclamation that every one of the Athenians should endeavour to save +his children and household as best he could. So the greater number sent +them to Troizen, but others to Egina, and others to Salamis, and they +were urgent to put these out of danger, both because they desired +to obey the oracle and also especially for another reason, which was +this:—the Athenians say that a great serpent lives in the temple 25 +and guards the Acropolis; and they not only say this, but also they +set forth for it monthly offerings, as if it were really there; and the +offering consists of a honey-cake. This honey-cake, which before +used always to be consumed, was at this time left untouched. When the +priestess had signified this, the Athenians left the city much more and +with greater eagerness than before, seeing that the goddess also had (as +they supposed) left the Acropolis. Then when all their belongings had +been removed out of danger, they sailed to the encampment of the fleet. + +42. When those who came from Artemision had put their ships in to land +at Salamis, the remainder of the naval force of the Hellenes, being +informed of this, came over gradually to join them 26 from Troizen: +for they had been ordered beforehand to assemble at Pogon, which is the +harbour of the Troizenians. There were assembled accordingly now many +more ships than those which were in the sea-fight at Artemision, and +from more cities. Over the whole was set as admiral the same man as at +Artemision, namely Eurybiades the son of Eurycleides, a Spartan but not +of the royal house; the Athenians however supplied by far the greatest +number of ships and those which sailed the best. + +43. The following were those who joined the muster:—From Peloponnese the +Lacedemonians furnishing sixteen ships, the Corinthians furnishing the +same complement as at Artemision, the Sikyonians furnishing fifteen +ships, the Epidaurians ten, the Troizenians five, the men of Hermion +2601 three, these all, except the Hermionians, being of Doric and +Makednian 27 race and having made their last migration from Erineos +and Pindos and the land of Dryopis; 28 but the people of Hermion are +Dryopians, driven out by Heracles and the Malians from the land which is +now called Doris. + +44. These were the Peloponnesians who joined the fleet, and those of +the mainland outside the Peloponnese were as follows:—the Athenians, +furnishing a number larger than all the rest, 29 namely one hundred and +eighty ships, and serving alone, since the Plataians did not take +part with the Athenians in the sea-fight at Salamis, because when the +Hellenes were departing from Artemision and come near Chalkis, the +Plataians disembarked on the opposite shore of Boeotia and proceeded to +the removal of their households. So being engaged in saving these, +they had been left behind. As for the Athenians, in the time when +the Pelasgians occupied that which is now called Hellas, they were +Pelasgians, being named Cranaoi, and in the time of king Kecrops they +came to be called Kecropidai; then when Erechtheus had succeeded to his +power, they had their name changed to Athenians; and after Ion the son +of Xuthos became commander 30 of the Athenians, they got the name from +him of Ionians. + +45. The Megarians furnished the same complement as at Artermision; the +Amprakiots came to the assistance of the rest with seven ships, and the +Leucadians with three, these being by race Dorians from Corinth. + +46. Of the islanders the Eginetans furnished thirty; these had also +other ships manned, but with them they were guarding their own land, +while with the thirty which sailed best they joined in the sea-fight at +Salamis. Now the Eginetans are Dorians from Epidauros, and their +island had formerly the name of Oinone. After the Eginetans came the +Chalkidians with the twenty ships which were at Artemision, and +the Eretrians with their seven: these are Ionians. Next the Keïans, +furnishing the same as before and being by race Ionians from Athens. The +Naxians furnished four ships, they having been sent out by the citizens +of their State to join the Persians, like the other islanders; but +neglecting these commands they had come to the Hellenes, urged thereto +by Democritos, a man of repute among the citizens and at that time +commander of a trireme. Now the Naxians are Ionians coming originally +from Athens. The Styrians furnished the same ships as at Artemision, and +the men of Kythnos one ship and one fifty-oared galley, these both being +Dryopians. Also the Seriphians, the Siphnians and the Melians served +with the rest; for they alone of the islanders had not given earth and +water to the Barbarian. + +47. These all who have been named dwelt inside the land of the +Thesprotians and the river Acheron; for the Thesprotians border upon the +land of the Amprakiots and Leucadians, and these were they who came from +the greatest distance to serve: but of those who dwell outside these +limits the men of Croton were the only people who came to the assistance +of Hellas in her danger; and these sent one ship, of whom the commander +was Phaÿlos, a man who had three times won victories at the Pythian +games. Now the men of Croton are by descent Achaians. + +48. All the rest who served in the fleet furnished triremes, but the +Melians, Siphnian and Seriphians fifty-oared galleys: the Melians, +who are by descent from Lacedemon, furnished two, the Siphnians and +Seriphians, who are Ionians from Athens, each one. And the whole number +of the ships, apart from the fifty-oared galleys, was three hundred and +seventy-eight. 31 + +49. When the commanders had assembled at Salamis from the States +which have been mentioned, they began to deliberate, Eurybiades having +proposed that any one who desired it should declare his opinion as +to where he thought it most convenient to fight a sea-battle in those +regions of which they had command; for Attica had already been let go, +and he was now proposing the question about the other regions. And the +opinions of the speakers for the most part agreed that they should +sail to the Isthmus and there fight a sea-battle in defence of the +Peloponnese, arguing that if they should be defeated in the sea-battle, +supposing them to be at Salamis they would be blockaded in an island, +where no help would come to them, but at the Isthmus they would be able +to land where their own men were. + +50. While the commanders from the Peloponnese argued thus, an Athenian +had come in reporting that the Barbarians were arrived in Attica and +that all the land was being laid waste with fire. For the army which +directed its march through Boeotia in company with Xerxes, after it had +burnt the city of the Thespians (the inhabitants having left it and gone +to the Peloponnese) and that of the Plataians likewise, had now come +to Athens and was laying waste everything in those regions. Now he had +burnt Thespiai 3101 and Plataia because he was informed by the Thebans +that these were not taking the side of the Medes. + +51. So in three months from the crossing of the Hellespont, whence the +Barbarians began their march, after having stayed there one month while +they crossed over into Europe, they had reached Attica, in the year when +Calliades was archon of the Athenians. And they took the lower city, +which was deserted, and then they found that there were still a few +Athenians left in the temple, either stewards of the temple or needy +persons, who had barred the entrance to the Acropolis with doors and +with a palisade of timber and endeavoured to defend themselves against +the attacks of the enemy, being men who had not gone out to Salamis +partly because of their poverty, and also because they thought that +they alone had discovered the meaning of the oracle which the Pythian +prophetess had uttered to them, namely that the "bulwark of wood" should +be impregnable, and supposed that this was in fact the safe refuge +according to the oracle, and not the ships. + +52. So the Persians taking their post upon the rising ground opposite +the Acropolis, which the Athenians call the Hill of Ares, 32 proceeded +to besiege them in this fashion, that is they put tow round about their +arrows and lighted it, and then shot them against the palisade. The +Athenians who were besieged continued to defend themselves nevertheless, +although they had come to the extremity of distress and their palisade +had played them false; nor would they accept proposals for surrender, +when the sons of Peisistratos brought them forward: but endeavouring to +defend themselves they contrived several contrivances against the enemy, +and among the rest they rolled down large stones when the Barbarians +approached the gates; so that for a long time Xerxes was in a +difficulty, not being able to capture them. + +53. In time however there appeared for the Barbarians a way of approach +after their difficulties, since by the oracle it was destined that all +of Attica which is on the mainland should come to be under the Persians. +Thus then it happened that on the front side 33 of the Acropolis behind +the gates and the way up to the entrance, in a place where no one was +keeping guard, nor would one have supposed that any man could ascend by +this way, here men ascended by the temple of Aglauros the daughter +of Kecrops, although indeed the place is precipitous: and when the +Athenians saw that they had ascended up to the Acropolis, some of them +threw themselves down from the wall and perished, while others took +refuge in the sanctuary 34 of the temple. Then those of the Persians +who had ascended went first to the gates, and after opening these they +proceeded to kill the suppliants; and when all had been slain by them, +they plundered the temple and set fire to the whole of the Acropolis. + +54. Then Xerxes, having fully taken possession of Athens, sent to Susa +a mounted messenger to report to Artabanos the good success which they +had. And on the next day after sending the herald he called together the +exiles of the Athenians who were accompanying him, and bade them go +up to the Acropolis and sacrifice the victims after their own manner; +whether it was that he had seen some vision of a dream which caused him +to give this command, or whether perchance he had a scruple in his +mind because he had set fire to the temple. The Athenian exiles did +accordingly that which was commanded them: + +55, and the reason why I made mention of this I will here declare:—there +is in this Acropolis a temple 35 of Erechtheus, who is said to have been +born of the Earth, and in this there is an olive-tree and a sea, which +(according to the story told by the Athenians) Poseidon and Athene, +when they contended for the land, set as witnesses of themselves. Now +it happened to this olive-tree to be set on fire with the rest of the +temple by the Barbarians; and on the next day after the conflagration +those of the Athenians who were commanded by the king to offer +sacrifice, saw when they had gone up to the temple that a shoot had run +up from the stock of the tree about a cubit in length. These then made +report of this. + +56. The Hellenes meanwhile at Salamis, when it was announced to them how +it had been as regards the Acropolis of the Athenians, were disturbed so +greatly that some of the commanders did not even wait for the question +to be decided which had been proposed, but began to go hastily to their +ships and to put up their sails, meaning to make off with speed; and by +those of them who remained behind it was finally decided to fight at +sea in defence of the Isthmus. So night came on, and they having been +dismissed from the council were going to their ships: + +57, and when Themistocles had come to his ship, Mnesiphilos an Athenian +asked him what they had resolved; and being informed by him that it had +been determined to take out the ships to the Isthmus and fight a battle +by sea in defence of the Peloponnese, he said: "Then, if they set sail +with the ships from Salamis, thou wilt not fight any more sea-battles +at all for the fatherland, for they will all take their way to their +several cities and neither Eurybiades nor any other man will be able +to detain them or to prevent the fleet from being dispersed: and Hellas +will perish by reason of evil counsels. But if there by any means, go +thou and try to unsettle that which has been resolved, if perchance thou +mayest persuade Eurybiades to change his plans, so as to stay here." + +58. This advice very much commended itself to Themistocles; and without +making any answer he went to the ship of Eurybiades. Having come thither +he said that he desired to communicate to him a matter which concerned +the common good; and Eurybiades bade him come into his ship and speak, +if he desired to say anything. Then Themistocles sitting down beside +him repeated to him all those things which he had heard Mnesiphilos say, +making as if they were his own thoughts, and adding to them many others; +until at last by urgent request he persuaded him to come out of his ship +and gather the commanders to the council. + +59. So when they were gathered together, before Eurybiades proposed +the discussion of the things for which he had assembled the commanders, +Themistocles spoke with much vehemence 36 being very eager to gain his +end; and as he was speaking, the Corinthian commander, Adeimantos the +son of Okytos, said: "Themistocles, at the games those who stand forth +for the contest before the due time are beaten with rods." He justifying +himself said: "Yes, but those who remain behind are not crowned." + +60. At that time he made answer mildly to the Corinthian; and to +Eurybiades he said not now any of those things which he had said before, +to the effect that if they should set sail from Salamis they would +disperse in different directions; for it was not seemly for him to bring +charges against the allies in their presence: but he held to another way +of reasoning, saying: "Now it is in thy power to save Hellas, if +thou wilt follow my advice, which is to stay here and here to fight a +sea-battle, and if thou wilt not follow the advice of those among these +men who bid thee remove the ships to the Isthmus. For hear both ways, +and then set them in comparison. If thou engage battle at the Isthmus, +thou wilt fight in an open sea, into which it is by no means convenient +for us that we go to fight, seeing that we have ships which are heavier +and fewer in number than those of the enemy. Then secondly thou wilt +give up to destruction Salamis and Megara and Egina, even if we have +success in all else; for with their fleet will come also the land-army, +and thus thou wilt thyself lead them to the Peloponnese and wilt risk +the safety of all Hellas. If however thou shalt do as I say, thou wilt +find therein all the advantages which I shall tell thee of:—in the first +place by engaging in a narrow place with few ships against many, if the +fighting has that issue which it is reasonable to expect, we shall have +very much the better; for to fight a sea-fight in a narrow space is for +our advantage, but to fight in a wide open space is for theirs. Then +again Salamis will be preserved, whither our children and our wives +have been removed for safety; and moreover there is this also secured +thereby, to which ye are most of all attached, namely that by remaining +here thou wilt fight in defence of the Peloponnese as much as if +the fight were at the Isthmus; and thou wilt not lead the enemy to +Peloponnese, if thou art wise. Then if that which I expect come to pass +and we gain a victory with our ships, the Barbarians will not come to +you at the Isthmus nor will they advance further than Attica, but they +will retire in disorder; and we shall be the gainers by the preservation +of Megara and Egina and Salamis, at which place too an oracle tells us +that we shall get the victory over our enemies. 37 Now when men take +counsel reasonably for themselves, reasonable issues are wont as a rule +to come, but if they do not take counsel reasonably, then God is not +wont generally to attach himself to the judgment of men." + +61. When Themistocles thus spoke, the Corinthian Adeimantos inveighed +against him for the second time, bidding him to be silent because he +had no native land, and urging Eurybiades not to put to the vote +the proposal of one who was a citizen of no city; for he said that +Themistocles might bring opinions before the council if he could show a +city belonging to him, but otherwise not. This objection he made against +him because Athens had been taken and was held by the enemy. Then +Themistocles said many evil things of him and of the Corinthians both, +and declared also that he himself and his countrymen had in truth a city +and a land larger than that of the Corinthians, so long as they had two +hundred ships fully manned; for none of the Hellenes would be able to +repel the Athenians if they came to fight against them. + +62. Signifying this he turned then to Eurybiades and spoke yet more +urgently: "If thou wilt remain here, and remaining here wilt show +thyself a good man, well; but if not, thou wilt bring about the +overthrow of Hellas, for upon the ships depends all our power in the +war. Nay, but do as I advise. If, however, thou shalt not do so, we +shall forthwith take up our households and voyage to Siris in Italy, +which is ours already of old and the oracles say that it is destined +to be colonised by us; and ye, when ye are left alone and deprived of +allies such as we are, will remember my words." + +63. When Themistocles thus spoke, Eurybiades was persuaded to change his +mind; and, as I think, he changed his mind chiefly from fear lest the +Athenians should depart and leave them, if he should take the ships to +the Isthmus; for if the Athenians left them and departed, the rest would +be no longer able to fight with the enemy. He chose then this counsel, +to stay in that place and decide matters there by a sea-fight. + +64. Thus those at Salamis, after having skirmished with one another in +speech, were making preparations for a sea-fight there, since Eurybiades +had so determined: and as day was coming on, at the same time when the +sun rose there was an earthquake felt both on the land and on the sea: +and they determined to pray to the gods and to call upon the sons of +Aiacos to be their helpers. And as they had determined, so also they +did; for when they had prayed to all the gods, they called Ajax and +Telamon to their help from Salamis, where the fleet was, 38 and sent +a ship to Egina to bring Aiacos himself and the rest of the sons of +Aiacos. + +65. Moreover Dicaios the son of Theokydes, an Athenian, who was an exile +and had become of great repute among the Medes at this time, declared +that when the Attic land was being ravaged by the land-army of Xerxes, +having been deserted by the Athenians, he happened then to be in company +with Demaratos the Lacedemonian in the Thriasian plain; and he saw a +cloud of dust going up from Eleusis, as if made by a company of about +thirty thousand men, and they wondered at the cloud of dust, by what men +it was caused. Then forthwith they heard a sound of voices, and Dicaios +perceived that the sound was the mystic cry Iacchos; but Demaratos, +having no knowledge of the sacred rites which are done at Eleusis, asked +him what this was that uttered the sound, and he said: "Demaratos, it +cannot be but that some great destruction is about to come to the army +of the king: for as to this, it is very manifest, seeing that Attica is +deserted, that this which utters the sound is of the gods, and that it +is going from Eleusis to help the Athenians and their allies: if then it +shall come down in the Peloponnese, there is danger for the king himself +and for the army which is upon the mainland, but if it shall direct +its course towards the ships which are at Salamis, the king will be in +danger of losing his fleet. This feast the Athenians celebrate every +year to the Mother and the Daughter; 39 and he that desires it, both of +them and of the other Hellenes, is initiated in the mysteries; and the +sound of voices which thou hearest is the cry Iacchos which they utter +at this feast." To this Demaratos said: "Keep silence and tell not this +tale to any other man; for if these words of thine be reported to the +king, thou wilt surely lose thy head, and neither I nor any other man +upon earth will be able to save thee: but keep thou quiet, and about +this expedition the gods will provide." He then thus advised, and after +the cloud of dust and the sound of voices there came a mist which was +borne aloft and carried towards Salamis to the camp of the Hellenes: and +thus they learnt (said he) that the fleet of Xerxes was destined to be +destroyed. Such was the report made by Dicaios the son of Theodykes, +appealing to Demaratos and others also as witnesses. + +66. Meanwhile those who were appointed to serve in the fleet of Xerxes, +having gazed in Trachis upon the disaster of the Lacedemonians and +having passed over from thence to Histiaia, after staying three days +sailed through Euripos, and in other three days they had reached +Phaleron. And, as I suppose, they made their attack upon Athens not +fewer in number both by land and sea than when they had arrived at +Sepias and at Thermopylai: for against those of them who perished by +reason of the storm and those who were slain at Thermopylai and in the +sea-fights at Artemision, I will set those who at that time were not +yet accompanying the king, the Malians, Dorians, Locrians, and Boeotians +(who accompanied him in a body, except the Thespians and Plataians), +and moreover those of Carystos, Andros, and Tenos, with all the other +islanders except the five cities of which I mentioned the names before; +for the more the Persian advanced towards the centre of Hellas, the more +nations accompanied him. + +67. So then, when all these had come to Athens except the Parians (now +the Parians had remained behind at Kythnos waiting to see how the war +would turn out),—when all the rest, I say, had come to Phaleron, then +Xerxes himself came down to the ships desiring to visit them and to +learn the opinions of those who sailed in them: and when he had come and +was set in a conspicuous place, then those who were despots of their own +nations or commanders of divisions being sent for came before him from +their ships, and took their seats as the king had assigned rank to each +one, first the king of Sidon, then he of Tyre, and after them the +rest: and when they were seated in due order, Xerxes sent Mardonios and +inquired, making trial of each one, whether he should fight a battle by +sea. + +68. So when Mardonios went round asking them, beginning with the king of +Sidon, the others gave their opinions all to the same effect, advising +him to fight a battle by sea, but Artemisia spoke these words:—(a) "Tell +the king I pray thee, Mardonios, that I, who have proved myself not to +be the worst in the sea-fights which have been fought near Euboea, and +have displayed deeds not inferior to those of others, speak to him thus: +Master, it is right that I set forth the opinion which I really have, +and say that which I happen to think best for thy cause: and this I +say,—spare thy ships and do not make a sea-fight; for the men are as +much stronger than thy men by sea, as men are stronger than women. And +why must thou needs run the risk of sea-battles? Hast thou not Athens in +thy possession, for the sake of which thou didst set forth on thy march, +and also the rest of Hellas? and no man stands in thy way to resist, but +those who did stand against thee came off as it was fitting that +they should. (b) Now the manner in which I think the affairs of thy +adversaries will have their issue, I will declare. If thou do not +hasten to make a sea-fight, but keep thy ships here by the land, either +remaining here thyself or even advancing on to the Peloponnese, that +which thou hast come to do, O master, will easily be effected; for the +Hellenes are not able to hold out against thee for any long time, but +thou wilt soon disperse them and they will take flight to their several +cities: since neither have they provisions with them in this island, as +I am informed, nor is it probable that if thou shalt march thy land-army +against the Peloponnese, they who have come from thence will remain +still; for these will have no care to fight a battle in defence of +Athens. (c) If however thou hasten to fight forthwith, I fear that +damage done to the fleet may ruin the land-army also. Moreover, O king, +consider also this, that the servants of good men are apt to grow bad, +but those of bad men good; and thou, who art of all men the best, hast +bad servants, namely those who are reckoned as allies, Egyptians and +Cyprians and Kilikians and Pamphylians, in whom there is no profit." + +69. When she thus spoke to Mardonios, those who were friendly to +Artemisia were grieved at her words, supposing that she would suffer +some evil from the king because she urged him not to fight at sea; while +those who had envy and jealousy of her, because she had been honoured +above all the allies, were rejoiced at the opposition, 40 supposing +that she would now be ruined. When however the opinions were reported +to Xerxes, he was greatly pleased with the opinion of Artemisia; and +whereas even before this he thought her excellent, he commended her +now yet more. Nevertheless he gave orders to follow the advice of the +greater number, thinking that when they fought by Euboea they were +purposely slack, because he was not himself present with them, whereas +now he had made himself ready to look on while they fought a sea-battle. + +70. So when they passed the word to put out to sea, they brought their +ships out to Salamis and quietly ranged themselves along the shore in +their several positions. At that time the daylight was not sufficient +for them to engage battle, for night had come on; but they made their +preparations to fight on the following day. Meanwhile the Hellenes +were possessed by fear and dismay, especially those who were from +Peloponnese: and these were dismayed because remaining in Salamis they +were to fight a battle on behalf of the land of the Athenians, and being +defeated they would be cut off from escape and blockaded in an island, +leaving their own land unguarded. And indeed the land-army of the +Barbarians was marching forward during that very night towards the +Peloponnese. + +71. Yet every means had been taken that the Barbarians might not be able +to enter Peloponnesus by land: for as soon as the Peloponnesians heard +that Leonidas and his company had perished at Thermopylai, they came +together quickly from the cities and took post at the Isthmus, and +over them was set as commander Cleombrotos, the son of Anaxandrides and +brother of Leonidas. These being posted at the Isthmus had destroyed the +Skironian way, and after this (having so determined in counsel with one +another) they began to build a wall across the Isthmus; and as they were +many myriads 41 and every man joined in the work, the work proceeded +fast; for stones and bricks and pieces of timber and baskets full of +sand were carried to it continually, and they who had thus come to help +paused not at all in their work either by night or by day. + +72. Now those of the Hellenes who came in full force to the Isthmus to +help their country were these,—the Lacedemonians, the Arcadians of every +division, the Eleians, Corinthians, Sikyonians, Epidaurians, Phliasians, +Troizenians and Hermionians. These were they who came to the help of +Hellas in her danger and who had apprehension for her, while the rest +of the Peloponnesians showed no care: and the Olympic and Carneian +festivals had by this time gone by. + +73. Now Peloponnesus is inhabited by seven races; and of these, two are +natives of the soil and are settled now in the place where they dwelt of +old, namely the Arcadians and the Kynurians; and one race, that of the +Achaians, though it did not remove from the Peloponnese, yet removed in +former time from its own land and dwells now in that which was not its +own. The remaining races, four in number, have come in from without, +namely the Dorians, Aitolians, Dryopians and Lemnians. Of the Dorians +there are many cities and of great renown; of the Aitolians, Elis +alone; of the Dryopians, Hermion 42 and Asine, which latter is opposite +Cardamyle in the Laconian land; and of the Lemnians, all the Paroreatai. +The Kynurians, who are natives of the soil, seem alone to be Ionians, +but they have become Dorians completely because they are subject to the +Argives and by lapse of time, being originally citizens of Orneai or +the dwellers in the country round Orneai. 43 Of these seven nations the +remaining cities, except those which I enumerated just now, stood aside +and did nothing; and if one may be allowed to speak freely, in thus +standing aside they were in fact taking the side of the Medes. + +74. Those at the Isthmus were struggling with the labour which I have +said, since now they were running a course in which their very being was +at stake, and they did not look to have any brilliant success with their +ships: while those who were at Salamis, though informed of this +work, were yet dismayed, not fearing so much for themselves as for +Peloponnesus. For some time then they spoke of it in private, one +man standing by another, and they marvelled at the ill-counsel of +Eurybiades; but at last it broke out publicly. A meeting accordingly was +held, and much was spoken about the same points as before, some saying +that they ought to sail away to Peloponnesus and run the risk in defence +of that, and not stay and fight for a land which had been captured by +the enemy, while the Athenians, Eginetans and Megarians urged that they +should stay there and defend themselves. + +75. Then Themistocles, when his opinion was like to be defeated by the +Peloponnesians, secretly went forth from the assembly, and having gone +out he sent a man to the encampment of the Medes in a boat, charging him +with that which he must say: this man's name was Sikinnos, and he was +a servant of Themistocles and tutor to his children; and after these +events Themistocles entered him as a Thespian citizen, when the +Thespians were admitting new citizens, and made him a wealthy man. He at +this time came with a boat and said to the commanders of the Barbarians +these words: "The commander of the Athenians sent me privately without +the knowledge of the other Hellenes (for, as it chances, he is disposed +to the cause of the king, and desires rather that your side should gain +the victory than that of the Hellenes), to inform you that the Hellenes +are planning to take flight, having been struck with dismay; and now it +is possible for you to execute a most noble work, if ye do not permit +them to flee away: for they are not of one mind with one another and +they will not stand against you in fight, but ye shall see them fighting +a battle by sea with one another, those who are disposed to your side +against those who are not." + +76. He then having signified to them this, departed out of the way; and +they, thinking that the message deserved credit, landed first a large +number of Persians in the small island of Psyttaleia, which lies between +Salamis and the mainland; and then, as midnight came on, they put out +the Western wing of their fleet to sea, circling round towards Salamis, +and also those stationed about Keos and Kynosura put out their ships +to sea; and they occupied all the passage with their ships as far as +Munychia. And for this reason they put out their ships, namely in order +that the Hellenes might not even be permitted to get away, but being cut +off in Salamis might pay the penalty for the contests at Artemision: +and they disembarked men of the Persians on the small island called +Psyttaleia for this reason, namely that when the fight should take +place, these might save the men of one side and destroy those of the +other, since there especially it was likely that the men and the wrecks +of ships would be cast up on shore, for the island lay in the way of the +sea-fight which was to be. These things they did in silence, that the +enemy might not have information of them. + +77. They then were making their preparations thus in the night without +having taken any sleep at all: and with regard to oracles, I am not able +to make objections against them that they are not true, for I do not +desire to attempt to overthrow the credit of them when they speak +clearly, looking at such matters as these which here follow: + + + "But when with ships they shall join the sacred strand of the goddess, + Artemis golden-sword-girded, and thee, wave-washed Kynosura, + Urged by a maddening hope, 44 having given rich Athens to plunder, + Then shall Justice divine quell Riot, of Insolence first-born, 45 + Longing to overthrow all things 46 and terribly panting for bloodhshed: + Brass shall encounter with brass, and Ares the sea shall empurple, + Tinging its waves with the blood: then a day of freedom for Hellas + Cometh from wide-seeing Zeus 47 and from Victory, lady and mother." 48 + +Looking to such things as this, and when Bakis speaks so clearly, I do +not venture myself to make any objections about oracles, nor can I admit +them from others. + +78. Now between the commanders that were at Salamis there came to be +great contention of speech and they did not yet know that the Barbarians +were surrounding them with their ships, but they thought that they were +still in their place as they saw them disposed in the day. + +79. Then while the commanders were engaged in strife, there came over +from Egina Aristeides the son of Lysimachos, an Athenian who had been +ostracised by the people, a man whom I hold (according to that which +I hear of his character) to have been the best and most upright of all +Athenians. This man came into the council and called forth Themistocles, +who was to him not a friend, but an enemy to the last degree; but +because of the greatness of the present troubles he let those matters be +forgotten and called him forth, desiring to communicate with him. Now he +had heard beforehand that the Peloponnesians were pressing to take +the ships away to the Isthmus. So when Themistocles came forth to him, +Aristeides spoke these words: "Both at other times when occasion arises, +and also especially at this time we ought to carry on rivalry as to +which of us shall do more service to our country. And I tell thee now +that it is indifferent whether the Peloponnesians say many words or few +about sailing away from hence; for having been myself an eye-witness I +tell thee that now not even if the Corinthians and Eurybiades himself +desire to sail out, will they be able; for we are encompassed round by +the enemy. Go thou in then, and signify this to them." + +80. He made answer as follows: "Thou advisest very well, 49 and also +the news which thou hast brought is good, since thou art come having +witnessed with thine own eyes that which I desired might come to pass: +for know that this which is being done by the Medes is of my suggestion; +because, when the Hellenes would not come to a battle of their own will, +it was necessary to bring them over to us against their will. Do thou +however, since thou art come bearing good news, thyself report it to +them; for if I say these things, I shall be thought to speak that which +I have myself invented, and I shall not persuade them, but they will +think that the Barbarians are not doing so. Do thou thyself however come +forward to speak, and declare to them how things are; and when thou hast +declared this, if they are persuaded, that will be the best thing, but +if this is not credible to them, it will be the same thing so far as +concerns us, for they will no longer be able to take to flight, if we +are encompassed on all sides, as thou sayest." + +81. Aristeides accordingly came forward and told them this, saying that +he had come from Egina and had with difficulty escaped without being +perceived by those who were blockading them; for the whole encampment of +the Hellenes was encompassed by the ships of Xerxes; and he counselled +them to get ready to defend themselves. He then having thus spoken +retired, and among them again there arose dispute, for the greater +number of the commanders did not believe that which was reported to +them: + +82. and while these were doubting, there came a trireme manned by +Tenians, deserting from the enemy, of which the commander was Panaitios +the son of Sosimenes, which brought them the whole truth. For this deed +the Tenians were inscribed at Delphi on the tripod among those who had +conquered the Barbarians. With the ship which deserted at Salamis and +the Lemnian ship which deserted before and came to Artemision, the naval +force of the Hellenes was completed to the number of three hundred and +eighty ships, for before this two ships were yet wanting to make up this +number. + +83. The Hellenes then, since they believed that which was said by the +Tenians, were preparing for a sea-fight: and as the dawn appeared, they +made an assembly of those who fought on board the ships 50 and addressed +them, Themistocles making a speech which was eloquent beyond the rest; +and the substance of it was to set forth all that is better as opposed +to that which is worse, of the several things which arise in the nature +and constitution of man; and having exhorted them to choose the better, +51 and thus having wound up his speech, he bade them embark in their +ships. These then proceeded to embark, and there came in meanwhile the +trireme from Egina which had gone away to bring the sons of Aiacos. + +84. Then the Hellenes put out all their ships, and while they were +putting out from shore, the Barbarians attacked them forthwith. Now +the other Hellenes began backing their ships and were about to run them +aground, but Ameinias of Pallene, an Athenian, put forth with his ship +and charged one of the enemy; and his ship being entangled in combat and +the men not being able to get away, the others joined in the fight to +assist Ameinias. The Athenians say that the beginning of the battle was +made thus, but the Eginetans say that the ship which went away to Egina +to bring the sons of Aiacos was that which began the fight. It is also +reported that an apparition of a woman was seen by them, and that having +appeared she encouraged them to the fight so that the whole of the army +of the Hellenes heard it, first having reproached them in these words: +"Madmen, 52 how far will ye yet back your ships?" + +85. Opposite the Athenians had been ranged the Phenicians, for these +occupied the wing towards Eleusis and the West, and opposite the +Lacedemonians were the Ionians, who occupied the wing which extended to +the East and to Piræus. Of them however a few were purposely slack +in the fight according to the injunctions of Themistocles, 53 but +the greater number were not so. I might mention now the names of many +captains of ships who destroyed ships of the Hellenes, but I will make +no use of their names except in the case of Theomestor, the son of +Androdamas and Phylacos the son of Histiaios, of Samos both: and +for this reason I make mention of these and not of the rest, because +Theomestor on account of this deed became despot of Samos, appointed by +the Persians, and Phylacos was recorded as a benefactor of the king +and received much land as a reward. Now the benefactors of the king are +called in the Persian tongue orosangai. + +86. Thus it was with these; but the greater number of their ships were +disabled at Salamis, being destroyed some by the Athenians and others +by the Eginetans: for since the Hellenes fought in order and ranged in +their places, while the Barbarians were no longer ranged in order nor +did anything with design, it was likely that there would be some such +result as in fact followed. Yet on this day they surpassed themselves +much more than when they fought by Euboea, every one being eager +and fearing Xerxes, and each man thinking that the king was looking +especially at him. + +87. As regards the rest I cannot speak of them separately, or say +precisely how the Barbarians or the Hellenes individually contended in +the fight; but with regard to Artemisia that which happened was this, +whence she gained yet more esteem than before from the king.—When the +affairs of the king had come to great confusion, at this crisis a ship +of Artemisia was being pursued by an Athenian ship; and as she was not +able to escape, for in front of her were other ships of her own side, +while her ship, as it chanced, was furthest advanced towards the enemy, +she resolved what she would do, and it proved also much to her advantage +to have done so. While she was being pursued by the Athenian ship +she charged with full career against a ship of her own side manned by +Calyndians and in which the king of the Calyndians Damasithymos was +embarked. Now, even though it be true that she had had some strife with +him before, while they were still about the Hellespont, yet I am not +able to say whether she did this by intention, or whether the Calyndian +ship happened by chance to fall in her way. Having charged against it +however and sunk it, she enjoyed good fortune and got for herself good +in two ways; for first the captain of the Athenian ship, when he saw her +charge against a ship manned by Barbarians, turned away and went after +others, supposing that the ship of Artemisia was either a Hellenic ship +or was deserting from the Barbarians and fighting for the Hellenes, + +88,—first, I say, it was her fortune to have this, namely to escape and +not suffer destruction; and then secondly it happened that though she +had done mischief, she yet gained great reputation by this thing with +Xerxes. For it is said that the king looking on at the fight perceived +that her ship had charged the other; and one of those present said: +"Master, dost thou see Artemisia, how well she is fighting, and how she +sank even now a ship of the enemy?" He asked whether this was in truth +the deed of Artemisia, and they said that it was; for (they declared) +they knew very well the sign of her ship: and that which was destroyed +they thought surely was one of the enemy; for besides other things +which happened fortunately for her, as I have said, there was this also, +namely that not one of the crew of the Calyndian ship survived to become +her accuser. And Xerxes in answer to that which was said to him is +reported to have uttered these words: "My men have become women, and my +women men." Thus it is said that Xerxes spoke. + +89. And meanwhile in this struggle there was slain the commander +Ariabignes, son of Dareios and brother of Xerxes, and there were slain +too many others of note of the Persians and Medes and also of the +allies; and of the Hellenes on their part a few; for since they knew +how to swim, those whose ships were destroyed and who were not slain in +hand-to-hand conflict swam over to Salamis; but of the Barbarians the +greater number perished in the sea, not being able to swim. And when +the first ships turned to flight, then it was that the largest number +perished, for those who were stationed behind, while endeavouring to +pass with their ships to the front in order that they also might display +some deed of valour for the king to see, ran into the ships of their own +side as they fled. + +90. It happened also in the course of this confusion that some of the +Phenicians, whose ships had been destroyed, came to the king and accused +the Ionians, saying that by means of them their ships had been lost, and +that they had been traitors to the cause. Now it so came about that not +only the commanders of the Ionians did not lose their lives, but the +Phenicians who accused them received a reward such as I shall tell. +While these men were yet speaking thus, a Samothrakian ship charged +against an Athenian ship: and as the Athenian ship was being sunk by +it, an Eginetan ship came up against the Samothrakian vessel and ran it +down. Then the Samothrakians, being skilful javelin-throwers, by hurling +cleared off the fighting-men from the ship which had wrecked theirs and +then embarked upon it and took possession of it. This event saved the +Ionians from punishment; for when Xerxes saw that they had performed a +great exploit, he turned to the Phenicians (for he was exceedingly vexed +and disposed to find fault with all) and bade cut off their heads, in +order that they might not, after having been cowards themselves, accuse +others who were better men than they. For whensoever Xerxes (sitting +just under the mountain opposite Salamis, which is called Aigaleos) saw +any one of his own side display a deed of valour in the sea-fight, he +inquired about him who had done it, and the scribes recorded the name of +the ship's captain with that of his father and the city from whence he +came. Moreover also Ariaramnes, a Persian who was present, shared 54 the +fate of the Phenicians, being their friend. They 55 then proceeded to +deal with the Phenicians. + +91. In the meantime, as the Barbarians turned to flight and were sailing +out towards Phaleron, the Eginetans waited for them in the passage and +displayed memorable actions: for while the Athenians in the confused +tumult were disabling both those ships which resisted and those which +were fleeing, the Eginetans were destroying those which attempted to +sail away; and whenever any escaped the Athenians, they went in full +course and fell among the Eginetans. + +92. Then there met one another the ship of Themistocles, which was +pursuing a ship of the enemy, and that of Polycritos the son of Crios +the Eginetan. This last had charged against a ship of Sidon, the same +that had taken the Eginetan vessel which was keeping watch in advance at +Skiathos, 56 and in which sailed Pytheas the son of Ischenoös, whom +the Persians kept in their ship, all cut to pieces as he was, making a +marvel of his valour. The Sidonian ship then was captured bearing with +it this man as well as the Persians of whom I spoke, so that Pytheas +thus came safe to Egina. Now when Polycritos looked at the Athenian +vessel he recognised when he saw it the sign of the admiral's ship, and +shouting out he addressed Themistocles with mockery about the accusation +brought against the Eginetans of taking the side of the Medes, 57 and +reproached him. This taunt Polycritos threw out against Themistocles +after he had charged against the ship of Sidon. And meanwhile those +Barbarians whose ships had escaped destruction fled and came to Phaleron +to be under cover of the land-army. + +93. In this sea-fight the Eginetans were of all the Hellenes the best +reported of, and next to them the Athenians; and of the individual +men the Eginetan Polycritos and the Athenians Eumenes of Anagyrus and +Ameinias of Pallene, the man who had pursued after Artemisia. Now if +he had known that Artemisia was sailing in this ship, he would not have +ceased until either he had taken her or had been taken himself; for +orders had been given to the Athenian captains, and moreover a prize was +offered of ten thousand drachmas for the man who should take her alive; +since they thought it intolerable that a woman should make an expedition +against Athens. She then, as has been said before, had made her escape; +and the others also, whose ships had escaped destruction, were at +Phaleron. + +94. As regards Adeimantos the commander of the Corinthians, the +Athenians say that forthwith at the beginning when the ships were +engaging in the fight, being struck with panic and terror he put up his +sails and fled away; and the Corinthians, when they saw the admiral's +ship fleeing, departed likewise: and after this, as the story goes, when +they came in their flight opposite to the temple of Athene Skiras in +the land of Salamis, there fell in with them by divine guidance a +light vessel, 58 which no one was ever found to have sent, and which +approached the Corinthians at a time when they knew nothing of that +which was happening with the fleet. And by this it is conjectured 59 +that the matter was of the Deity; for when they came near to the ships, +the men in the light vessel said these words: "Adeimantos, thou hast +turned thy ships away and hast set forth to flee, deserting the cause of +the Hellenes, while they are in truth gaining a victory and getting +the better of their foes as much as they desired." When they said this, +since Adeimantos doubted of it, they spoke a second time and said that +they might be taken as hostages and slain, if the Hellenes should prove +not to be gaining the victory. Then he turned his ship back, he and the +others with him, and they reached the camp when the work was finished. +Such is the report spread by the Athenians against these: the +Corinthians however do not allow this to be so, but hold that they were +among the first in the sea-fight; and the rest of Hellas also bears +witness on their side. + +95. Aristeides moreover the son of Lysimachos, the Athenian, of whom +I made mention also shortly before this as a very good man, he in this +tumult which had arisen about Salamis did as follows:—taking with him +a number of the hoplites of Athenian race who had been ranged along the +shore of the land of Salamis, with them he disembarked on the island of +Psyttaleia; and these slew all the Persians who were in this islet. + +96. When the sea-fight had been broken off, the Hellenes towed in to +Salamis so many of the wrecks as chanced to be still about there, and +held themselves ready for another sea-fight, expecting that the king +would yet make use of the ships which remained unhurt; but many of the +wrecks were taken by the West Wind and borne to that strand in Attica +which is called Colias; so as to fulfil 60 not only all that other +oracle which was spoken about this sea-fight by Bakis and Musaios, but +also especially, with reference to the wrecks cast up here, that +which had been spoken in an oracle many years before these events by +Lysistratos, an Athenian who uttered oracles, and which had not been +observed by any of the Hellenes: + + + "Then shall the Colian women with firewood of oars roast barley." 61 + +This was destined to come to pass after the king had marched away. + +97. When Xerxes perceived the disaster which had come upon him, he +feared lest some one of the Ionians should suggest to the Hellenes, +or they should themselves form the idea, to sail to the Hellespont and +break up the bridges; and so he might be cut off in Europe and run the +risk of perishing utterly: therefore he began to consider about taking +flight. He desired however that his intention should not be perceived +either by the Hellenes or by those of his own side; therefore he +attempted to construct a mole going across to Salamis, and he bound +together Phenician merchant vessels in order that they might serve him +both for a bridge and a wall, and made preparations for fighting as if +he were going to have another battle by sea. Seeing him do so, all the +rest made sure that he had got himself ready in earnest and intended to +stay and fight; but Mardonios did not fail to perceive the true meaning +of all these things, being by experience very well versed in his way of +thinking. + +98. While Xerxes was doing thus, he sent a messenger to the Persians, +to announce the calamity which had come upon them. Now there is +nothing mortal which accomplishes a journey with more speed than these +messengers, so skilfully has this been invented by the Persians: for +they say that according to the number of days of which the entire +journey consists, so many horses and men are set at intervals, each man +and horse appointed for a day's journey. These neither snow nor rain nor +heat nor darkness of night prevents from accomplishing each one the task +proposed to him, with the very utmost speed. The first then rides and +delivers the message with which he is charged to the second, and the +second to the third; and after that it goes through them handed from +one to the other, 62 as in the torch-race among the Hellenes, which +they perform for Hephaistos. This kind of running of their horses the +Persians call angareion. + +99. The first message then which came to Susa, announcing that Xerxes +had Athens in his possession, so greatly rejoiced the Persians who had +been left behind, that they strewed all the ways with myrtle boughs and +offered incense perpetually, and themselves continued in sacrifices and +feasting. The second message however, which came to them after this, +so greatly disturbed them that they all tore their garments and gave +themselves up to crying and lamentation without stint, laying the blame +upon Mardonios: and this the Persians did not so much because they were +grieved about the ships, as because they feared for Xerxes himself. + +100. As regards the Persians this went on for all the time which +intervened, until the coming of Xerxes himself caused them to cease: +and Mardonios seeing that Xerxes was greatly troubled by reason of +the sea-fight, and suspecting that he was meaning to take flight from +Athens, considered with regard to himself that he would have to suffer +punishment for having persuaded the king to make an expedition against +Hellas, and that it was better for him to run the risk of either +subduing Hellas or ending his own life honourably, placing his safety in +suspense for a great end, 63 though his opinion was rather that he would +subdue Hellas;—he reckoned up these things, I say, and addressed his +speech to the king as follows: "Master, be not thou grieved, nor feel +great trouble on account of this thing which has come to pass; for it is +not upon a contest of timbers that all our fortunes depend, but of +men and of horses: and none of these who suppose now that all has been +achieved by them will attempt to disembark from the ships and stand +against thee, nor will any in this mainland do so; but those who did +stand against us paid the penalty. If therefore thou thinkest this good +to do, let us forthwith attempt the Peloponnese, or if thou thinkest +good to hold back, we may do that. Do not despond however, for there is +no way of escape for the Hellenes to avoid being thy slaves, after they +have first given an account of that which they did to thee both now +and at former times. Thus it were best to do; but if thou hast indeed +resolved to retire thyself and to withdraw thy army, I have another +counsel to offer for that case too. Do not thou, O king, let the +Persians be an object of laughter to the Hellenes; for none of thy +affairs have suffered by means of the Persians, nor wilt thou be able to +mention any place where we proved ourselves cowards: but if Phenicians +or Egyptians or Cyprians or Kilikians proved themselves cowards, the +calamity which followed does not belong to the Persians in any way. Now +therefore, since it is not the Persians who are guilty towards thee, +follow my counsel. If thou hast determined not to remain here, retire +thou to thine own abode, taking with thee the main body of the army, +and it must then be for me to deliver over to thee Hellas reduced to +subjection, choosing for this purpose thirty myriads 64 from the army." + +101. Hearing this Xerxes was rejoiced and delighted so far as he might +be after his misfortunes, 65 and to Mardonios he said that when he had +taken counsel he would reply and say which of these two things he would +do. So when he was taking counsel with those of the Persians who +were called to be his advisers, 66 it seemed good to him to send for +Artemisia also to give him counsel, because at the former time she alone +had showed herself to have perception of that which ought to be done. So +when Artemisia had come, Xerxes removed from him all the rest, both the +Persian councillors and also the spearmen of the guard and spoke to +her thus: "Mardonios bids me stay here and make an attempt on the +Peloponnese, saying that the Persians and the land-army are not guilty +of any share in my calamity, and that they would gladly give me proof of +this. He bids me therefore either do this or, if not, he desires himself +to choose thirty myriads from the army and to deliver over to me Hellas +reduced to subjection; and he bids me withdraw with the rest of the army +to my own abode. Do thou therefore, as thou didst well advise about the +sea-fight which was fought, urging that we should not bring it on, so +also now advise me which of these things I shall do, that I may succeed +in determining well." + +102. He thus consulted her, and she spoke these words: "O king, it is +hard for me to succeed in saying the best things when one asks me for +counsel; yet it seems good to me at the present that thou shouldest +retire back and leave Mardonios here, if he desires it and undertakes +to do this, together with those whom he desires to have: for on the one +hand if he subdue those whom he says that he desires to subdue, and if +those matters succeed well which he has in mind when he thus speaks, the +deed will after all be thine, master, seeing that thy slaves achieved +it: and on the other hand if the opposite shall come to pass of that +which Mardonios intends, it will be no great misfortune, seeing that +thou wilt thyself remain safe, and also the power in those parts 67 +which concerns thy house: 68 for if thou shalt remain safe with thy +house, many contests many times over repeated will the Hellenes have +to pass through for their own existence. 69 Of Mardonios however, if +he suffer any disaster, no account will be made; and if the Hellenes +conquer they gain a victory which is no victory, having destroyed one +who is but thy slave. Thou however wilt retire having done that for +which thou didst make thy march, that is to say, having delivered Athens +to the fire." + +103. With this advice Xerxes was greatly delighted, since she succeeded +in saying that very thing which he himself was meaning to do: for not +even if all the men and all the women in the world had been counselling +him to remain, would he have done so, as I think, so much had he been +struck with terror. He commended Artemisia therefore and sent her away +to conduct his sons to Ephesos, for there were certain bastard sons of +his which accompanied him. + +104. With these sons he sent Hermotimos to have charge of them, who was +by race of Pedasa and was in the estimation of the king second to none +of the eunuchs. [Now the Pedasians dwell above Halicarnassos, and at +this Pedasa a thing happens as follows:—whenever to the whole number of +those who dwell about this city some trouble is about to come within +a certain time, then the priestess of Athene in that place gets a long +beard; and this has happened to them twice before now. + +105. Of these Pedasians was Hermotimos.] 70 And this man of all persons +whom we know up to this time obtained the greatest revenge for a wrong +done to him. For he had been captured by enemies and was being sold, and +Panionios a man of Chios bought him, one who had set himself to gain his +livelihood by the most impious practices; for whenever he obtained +boys who possessed some beauty, he would make eunuchs of them, and then +taking them to Sardis or Ephesos sold them for large sums of money, +since with the Barbarians eunuchs are held to be of more value for all +matters of trust than those who are not eunuchs. Panionios then, I say, +made eunuchs of many others, since by this he got his livelihood, +and also of this man about whom I speak: and Hermotimos, being not in +everything unfortunate, was sent from Sardis to the king with other +gifts, and as time went on he came to be honoured more than all the +other eunuchs in the sight of Xerxes. + +106. And when the king, being at that time in Sardis, was setting the +Persian army in motion to march against Athens, then Hermotimos, having +gone down for some business to that part of Mysia which the Chians +occupy and which is called Atarneus, found there Panionios: and having +recognised him he spoke to him many friendly words, first recounting +to him all the good things which he had by his means, and next making +promises in return for this, and saying how many good things he would do +for him, if he would bring his household and dwell in that land; so that +Panionios gladly accepting his proposals brought his children and +his wife. Then, when he had caught him together with his whole house, +Hermotimos spoke as follows: "O thou, who of all men that ever lived up +to this time didst gain thy substance by the most impious deeds, what +evil did either I myself or any of my forefathers do either to thee +or to any of thine, that thou didst make me to be that which is nought +instead of a man? Didst thou suppose that thou wouldest escape the +notice of the gods for such things as then thou didst devise? They +however following the rule of justice delivered 71 thee into my hands, +since thou hadst done impious deeds; so that thou shalt not have reason +to find fault with the penalty which shall be inflicted upon thee by +me." When he had thus reproached him, the man's sons were brought into +his presence and Panionios was compelled to make eunuchs of his own +sons, who were four in number, and being compelled he did so; and then +when he had so done, the sons were compelled to do the same thing to +him. Thus vengeance by the hands of Hermotimos 72 overtook Panionios. + +107. When Xerxes had entrusted his sons to Artemisia to carry them back +to Ephesos, he called Mardonios and bade him choose of the army whom he +would, and make his deeds, if possible, correspond to his words. During +this day then things went so far; and in the night on the command of +the king the leaders of the fleet began to withdraw their ships from +Phaleron to the Hellespont, as quickly as they might each one, to guard +the bridges for the king to pass over. And when the Barbarians were +near Zoster as they sailed, then seeing the small points of rock which +stretch out to sea from this part of the mainland, they thought +that these were ships and fled for a good distance. In time however, +perceiving that they were not ships but points of rock, they assembled +together again and continued on their voyage. + +108. When day dawned, the Hellenes, seeing that the land-army was +staying still in its place, supposed that the ships also were about +Phaleron; and thinking that they would fight another sea-battle, they +made preparations to repel them. When however they were informed that +the ships had departed, forthwith upon this they thought it good to +pursue after them. They pursued therefore as far as Andros, but did not +get a sight of the fleet of Xerxes; and when they had come to Andros, +they deliberated what they should do. Themistocles then declared as +his opinion that they should take their course through the islands and +pursue after the ships, and afterwards sail straight to the Hellespont +to break up the bridges; but Eurybiades expressed the opposite opinion +to this, saying that if they should break up the floating-bridges, they +would therein do 73 the greatest possible evil to Hellas: for if the +Persian should be cut off and compelled to remain in Europe, he would +endeavour not to remain still, since if he remained still, neither +could any of his affairs go forward, nor would any way of returning +home appear; but his army would perish of hunger: whereas if he made the +attempt and persevered in it, all Europe might be brought over to +him, city by city and nation by nation, the inhabitants being either +conquered 74 or surrendering on terms before they were conquered: +moreover they would have for food the crops of the Hellenes which grew +year by year. He thought however that conquered in the sea-fight the +Persian would not stay in Europe, and therefore he might be allowed to +flee until in his flight he came to his own land. Then after that they +might begin the contest for the land which belonged to the Persian. To +this opinion the commanders of the other Peloponnesians adhered also. + +109. When Themistocles perceived that he would not be able to persuade +them, or at least the greater number of them, to sail to the Hellespont, +he changed his counsel 75 and turning to the Athenians (for these were +grieved most at the escape of the enemy and were anxious to sail to the +Hellespont even by themselves alone, 76 if the others were not willing) +to them he spoke as follows: "I myself also have been present before now +on many occasions, and have heard of many more, on which something +of this kind came to pass, namely that men who were forced into great +straits, after they had been defeated fought again and repaired their +former disaster: and as for us, since we have won as a prize from +fortune the existence of ourselves and of Hellas by repelling from our +land so great a cloud of men, let us not pursue enemies who flee from +us: for of these things not we were the doors, but the gods and heroes, +who grudged that one man should become king of both Asia and of Europe, +and he a man unholy and presumptuous, one who made no difference between +things sacred and things profane, 77 burning and casting down the images +of the gods, and who also scourged the Sea and let down into it fetters. +But as things are at present, it is well that we should now remain in +Hellas and look after ourselves and our households; and let each man +repair his house, and have a care for sowing his land, after he has +completely driven away the Barbarian: and then at the beginning of +the spring let us sail down towards the Hellespont and Ionia." Thus he +spoke, intending to lay up for himself a store of gratitude with the +Persian, in order that if after all any evil should come upon him at the +hands of the Athenians, he might have a place of refuge: and this was in +fact that which came to pass. + +110. Themistocles then speaking thus endeavoured to deceive them, and +the Athenians followed his advice: for he had had the reputation even in +former times of being a man of ability 78 and he had now proved himself +to be in truth both able and of good judgment; therefore they were ready +in every way to follow his advice when he spoke. So when these had been +persuaded by him, forthwith after this Themistocles sent men with a +vessel, whom he trusted to keep silence, to whatever test they might be +brought, of that which he himself charged them to tell the king; and of +them Sikinnos his servant again was one. When these came to Attica, the +rest stayed behind in the ship, while Sikinnos went up to Xerxes and +spoke these words: "Themistocles the son of Neocles sent me, who is +commander of the Athenians, and of all the allies the best and ablest +man, to tell thee that Themistocles the Athenian, desiring to be of +service to thee, held back the Hellenes when they were desirous to +pursue after thy ships and to destroy the bridges on the Hellespont. Now +therefore thou mayest make thy way home quite undisturbed." They having +signified this sailed away again. + +111. The Hellenes meanwhile, having resolved not to pursue after the +ships of the Barbarians further, nor to sail to the Hellespont to break +up the passage, were investing Andros intending to take it: for +the Andrians were the first of the islanders who, being asked by +Themistocles for money, refused to give it: and when Themistocles made +proposals to them and said that the Athenians had come having on their +side two great deities, Persuasion and Compulsion, and therefore they +must by all means give them money, they replied to this that not without +reason, as it now appeared, was Athens great and prosperous, since the +Athenians were well supplied with serviceable deities; but as for the +Andrians, they were poor, 79 having in this respect attained to the +greatest eminence, and there were two unprofitable deities which never +left their island but always remained attached to the place, Poverty, +namely, and Helplessness: and the Andrians being possessed of these +deities would not give money; for never could the power of the Athenians +get the better of their inability. 80 + +112. These, I say, having thus made answer and having refused to give +the money, were being besieged: and Themistocles not ceasing in his +desire for gain sent threatening messages to the other islands and asked +them for money by the same envoys, employing those whom he had before +sent to the king; 81 and he said that if they did not give that which +was demanded of them, he would bring the fleet of the Hellenes against +them to besiege and take them. Thus saying he collected great sums of +money from the Carystians and the Parians, who being informed how Andros +was being besieged, because it had taken the side of the Medes, and how +Themistocles was held in more regard than any of the other commanders, +sent money for fear of this. Whether any others of the islanders also +gave money I am not able to say, but I think that some others gave and +not these alone. Yet to the Carystians at least there was no respite +from the evil on this account, but the Parians escaped the attack, +because they propitiated Themistocles with money. Thus Themistocles with +Andros as his starting-point was acquiring sums of money for himself +from the men of the islands without the knowledge of the other +commanders. + +113. Xerxes meanwhile with his army stayed for a few days after the +sea-fight, and then they all began to march forth towards Boeotia by the +same way by which they had come: for Mardonios thought both that it was +well for him to escort the king on his way, and also that it was now +too late in the year to carry on the war; it was better, he thought, to +winter in Thessaly and then at the beginning of spring to attempt the +Peloponnese. When he came to Thessaly, then Mardonios chose out for +himself first all those Persians who are called "Immortals," except only +their commander Hydarnes (for Hydarnes said that he would not be left +behind by the king), and after them of the other Persians those who wore +cuirasses, and the body of a thousand horse: also the Medes, Sacans, +Bactrians and Indians, foot and horsemen both. 82 These nations he chose +in the mass, 83 but from the other allies he selected by few at a time, +choosing whose who had fine appearance of those of whom he knew that +they had done good service. From the Persians he chose more than from +any other single nation, and these wore collars of twisted metal and +bracelets; and after them came the Medes, who in fact were not inferior +in number to the Persians, but only in bodily strength. The result was +that there were thirty myriads in all, including cavalry. + +114. During this time, while Mardonios was selecting his army and +Xerxes was in Thessaly, there had come an oracle from Delphi to the +Lacedemonians, bidding them ask satisfaction from Xerxes for the murder +of Leonidas and accept that which should be given by him. The Spartans +therefore sent a herald as quickly as possible, who having found the +whole army still in Thessaly came into the presence of Xerxes and spoke +these words: "O king of the Medes, the Lacedemonians and the sons of +Heracles of Sparta demand of thee satisfaction for murder, because thou +didst kill their king, fighting in defence of Hellas." He laughed and +then kept silence some time, and after that pointing to Mardonios, who +happened to be standing by him, he said: "Then Mardonios here shall give +them satisfaction, such as is fitting for them to have." + +115. The herald accordingly accepted the utterance and departed; and +Xerxes leaving Mardonios in Thessaly went on himself in haste to +the Hellespont and arrived at the passage where the crossing was in +five-and-thirty days, bringing back next to nothing, as one may say, 84 +of his army: and whithersoever they came on the march and to whatever +nation, they seized the crops of that people and used them for +provisions; and if they found no crops, then they took the grass which +was growing up from the earth, and stripped off the bark from the trees +and plucked down the leaves and devoured them, alike of the cultivated +trees and of those growing wild; and they left nothing behind them: thus +they did by reason of famine. Then plague too seized upon the army and +dysentery, which destroyed them by the way, and some of them also who +were sick the king left behind, laying charge upon the cities where at +the time he chanced to be in his march, to take care of them and support +them: of these he left some in Thessaly, and some at Siris in Paionia, +and some in Macedonia. In these parts too he had left behind him the +sacred chariot of Zeus, when he was marching against Hellas; but on his +return he did not receive it back: for the Paionians had given it to the +Thracians, and when Xerxes asked for it again, they said that the mares +while at pasture had been carried off by the Thracians of the upper +country, who dwelt about the source of the Strymon. + +116. Here also a Thracian, the king of the Bisaltians and of the +Crestonian land, did a deed of surpassing horror; for he had said that +he would not himself be subject to Xerxes with his own will and had gone +away up to Mount Rhodope, and also he had forbidden his sons to go on +the march against Hellas. They however, either because they cared not +for his command, or else because a desire came upon them to see the war, +went on the march with the Persian: and when they returned all unhurt, +being six in number, their father plucked out their eyes for this cause. + +117. They then received this reward: and as to the Persians, when +passing on from Thrace they came to the passage, they crossed over the +Hellespont in haste to Abydos by means of the ships, for they did not +find the floating-bridges still stretched across but broken up by a +storm. While staying there for a time they had distributed to them an +allowance of food more abundant than they had had by the way, and from +satisfying their hunger without restraint and also from the changes of +water there died many of those in the army who had remained safe till +then. The rest arrived with Xerxes at Sardis. + +118. There is also another story reported as follows, namely that when +Xerxes on his march away from Athens came to Eïon on the Strymon, from +that point he did not continue further to make marches by road, but +delivered his army to Hydarnes to lead back to the Hellespont, while he +himself embarked in a Phenician ship and set forth for Asia; and as he +sailed he was seized by a wind from the Strymon, 85 violent and raising +great waves; and since he was tossed by the storm more and more, the +ship being heavily laden (for there were upon the deck great numbers of +Persians, those namely who went with Xerxes), the king upon that falling +into fear shouted aloud and asked the pilot whether there were for them +any means of safety. He said: "Master, there are none, unless some way +be found of freeing ourselves of the excessive number of passengers." +Then it is said that Xerxes, when he heard this, spoke thus: "Persians, +now let each one of you show that he has care for the king; for my +safety, as it seems, depends upon you." He, they say, thus spoke, and +they made obeisance to him and leapt out into the sea; and so the ship +being lightened came safe to Asia. As soon as they had landed Xerxes, +they say, first presented the pilot with a wreath of gold, because he +had saved the life of the king, and then cut off his head, because he +had caused the death of many of the Persians. + +119. This other story, I say, is reported about the return of Xerxes, +but I for my part can by no means believe it, either in other respects +or as regards this which is said to have happened to the Persians; for +if this which I have related had in truth been said by the pilot to +Xerxes, not one person's opinion in ten thousand will differ from mine +that the king would have done some such thing as this, that is to say, +he would have caused those who were upon the deck to go down below into +the hold, seeing that they were Persians of the highest rank among the +Persians; and of the rowers, who were Phenicians, he would have thrown +out into the sea a number equal to the number of those. In fact however, +as I have said before, he made his return to Asia together with the rest +of the army by road. + +120. And this also which follows is a strong witness that it was so; for +Xerxes is known to have come to Abdera on his way back, and to have made +with them a guest-friendship and presented them with a Persian sword of +gold and a gold-spangled tiara: and as the men of Abdera themselves say +(though I for my part can by no means believe it), he loosed his girdle +for the first time during his flight back from Athens, considering +himself to be in security. Now Abdera is situated further towards the +Hellespont than the river Strymon and Eïon, from which place the story +says that he embarked in the ship. + +121. The Hellenes meanwhile, when it proved that they were not able to +conquer Andros, turned towards Carystos, and having laid waste the land +of that people they departed and went to Salamis. First then for the +gods they chose out first-fruits of the spoil, and among them three +Persian triremes, one to be dedicated as an offering at the Isthmus, +which remained there still up to my time, another at Sunion, and the +third to Ajax in Salamis where they were. After this they divided the +spoil among themselves and sent the first-fruits 86 to Delphi, of which +was made a statue holding in its hand the beak of a ship and in height +measuring twelve cubits. This statue stood in the same place with the +golden statue of Alexander the Macedonian. + +122. Then when the Hellenes had sent first-fruits to Delphi, they asked +the god on behalf of all whether the first-fruits which he had received +were fully sufficient and acceptable to him. He said that from the +Hellenes he had received enough, but not from the Eginetans, and from +them he demanded the offering of their prize of valour for the sea-fight +at Salamis. Hearing this the Eginetans dedicated golden stars, three in +number, upon a ship's mast of bronze, which are placed in the corner 87 +close to the mixing-bowl of Croesus. + +123. After the division of the spoil the Hellenes sailed to the Isthmus, +to give the prize of valour to him who of all the Hellenes had proved +himself the most worthy during this war: and when they had come thither +and the commanders distributed 88 their votes at the altar of Poseidon, +selecting from the whole number the first and the second in merit, then +every one of them gave in his vote for himself, each man thinking that +he himself had been the best; but for the second place the greater +number of votes came out in agreement, assigning that to Themistocles. +They then were left alone in their votes, while Themistocles in regard +to the second place surpassed the rest by far: + +124, and although the Hellenes would not give decision of this by reason +of envy, but sailed away each to their own city without deciding, yet +Themistocles was loudly reported of and was esteemed throughout Hellas +to be the man who was the ablest 89 by far of the Hellenes: and since he +had not received honour from those who had fought at Salamis, although +he was the first in the voting, he went forthwith after this to +Lacedemon, desiring to receive honour there; and the Lacedemonians +received him well and gave him great honours. As a prize of valour they +gave to Eurybiades a wreath of olive; and for ability and skill they +gave to Themistocles also a wreath of olive, and presented him besides +with the chariot which was judged to be the best in Sparta. So having +much commended him, they escorted him on his departure with three +hundred picked men of the Spartans, the same who are called the +"horsemen," 90 as far as the boundaries of Tegea: and he is the only man +of all we know to whom the Spartans ever gave escort on his way. + +125. When however he had come to Athens from Lacedemon, Timodemos of +Aphidnai, one of the opponents of Themistocles, but in other respects +not among the men of distinction, maddened by envy attacked him, +bringing forward against him his going to Lacedemon, and saying that it +was on account of Athens that he had those marks of honour which he had +from the Lacedemonians, and not on his own account. Then, as Timodemos +continued ceaselessly to repeat this, Themistocles said: "I tell thee +thus it is:—if I had been a native of Belbina 91 I should never have +been thus honoured by the Spartans; but neither wouldest thou, my +friend, for all that thou art an Athenian." So far then went these +matters. + +126. Artabazos meanwhile the son of Pharnakes, a man who was held in +esteem among the Persians even before this and came to be so yet more +after the events about Plataia, was escorting the king as far as the +passage with six myriads 92 of that army which Mardonios had selected +for himself; and when the king was in Asia and Artabazos on his march +back came near to Pallene, finding that Mardonios was wintering in +Thessaly and Macedonia and was not at present urgent with him to come +and join the rest of the army, he thought it not good to pass by without +reducing the Potidaians to slavery, whom he had found in revolt: for the +men of Potidaia, when the king had marched by them and when the fleet of +the Persians had departed in flight from Salamis, had openly made revolt +from the Barbarians; and so also had the others done who occupy Pallene. + +127. So upon this Artabazos began to besiege Potidaia, and suspecting +that the men of Olynthos also were intending revolt from the king, he +began to besiege this city too, which was occupied by Bottiaians who had +been driven away from the Thermaian gulf by the Macedonians. So when he +had taken these men by siege, he brought them forth to a lake and slew +them 93 there; and the city he delivered to Critobulos of Torone to have +in charge, and to the natives of Chalkidike; and thus it was that the +Chalkidians got possession of Olynthos. + +128. Having taken this city Artabazos set himself to attack Potidaia +with vigour, and as he was setting himself earnestly to this work, +Timoxeinos the commander of the troops from Skione concerted with him +to give up the town by treachery. Now in what manner he did this at the +first, I for my part am not able to say, for this is not reported; at +last however it happened as follows. Whenever either Timoxeinos wrote a +paper wishing to send it to Artabazos, or Artabazos wishing to send one +to Timoxeinos, they wound it round by the finger-notches 94 of an arrow, +and then, putting feathers over the paper, they shot it to a place +agreed upon between them. It came however to be found out that +Timoxeinos was attempting by treachery to give up Potidaia; for +Artabazos, shooting an arrow at the place agreed upon, missed this spot +and struck a man of Potidaia in the shoulder; and when he was struck, +a crowd came about him, as is apt to happen when there is fighting, and +they forthwith took the arrow and having discovered the paper carried +it to the commanders. Now there was present an allied force of the other +men of Pallene also. Then when the commanders had read the paper and +discovered who was guilty of the treachery, they resolved not openly to +convict 95 Timoxeinos of treachery, for the sake of the city of Skione, +lest the men of Skione should be esteemed traitors for all time to come. + +129. He then in such a manner as this had been discovered; and when +three months had gone by while Artabazos was besieging the town, there +came to be a great ebb of the sea backwards, which lasted for a long +time; and the Barbarians, seeing that shallow water had been produced, +endeavoured to get by into the peninsula of Pallene, 96 but when they +had passed through two fifth-parts of the distance, and yet three-fifths +remained, which they must pass through before they were within Pallene, +then there came upon them a great flood-tide of the sea, higher than +ever before, as the natives of the place say, though high tides come +often. So those of them who could not swim perished, and those who could +were slain by the men of Potidaia who put out to them in boats. The +cause of the high tide and flood and of that which befell the Persians +was this, as the Potidaians say, namely that these same Persians who +perished by means of the sea had committed impiety towards the temple of +Poseidon and his image in the suburb of their town; and in saying that +this was the cause, in my opinion they say well. The survivors of his +army Artabazos led away to Thessaly to join Mardonios. Thus it fared +with these who escorted the king on his way. + +130. The fleet of Xerxes, so much of it as remained, when it had touched +Asia in its flight from Salamis, and had conveyed the king and his army +over from the Chersonese to Abydos, passed the winter at Kyme: and when +spring dawned upon it, it assembled early at Samos, where some of the +ships had even passed the winter; and most of the Persians and Medes +still served as fighting-men on board of them. 97 To be commanders of +them there came Mardontes the son of Bagaios, and Artaÿntes the son of +Artachaies, and with them also Ithamitres was in joint command, who was +brother's son to Artaÿntes and had been added by the choice of Artaÿntes +himself. They then, since they had suffered a heavy blow, did not +advance further up towards the West, nor did any one compel them to do +so; but they remained still in Samos and kept watch over Ionia, lest +it should revolt, having three hundred ships including those of the +Ionians; and they did not expect that the Hellenes on their part would +come to Ionia, but thought that it would satisfy them to guard their +own land, judging from the fact that they had not pursued after them +in their flight from Salamis but were well contented then to depart +homewards. As regards the sea then their spirit was broken, but on land +they thought that Mardonios would get much the advantage. So they being +at Samos were taking counsel to do some damage if they could to their +enemies, and at the same time they were listening for news how the +affairs of Mardonios would fall out. + +131. The Hellenes on their part were roused both by the coming on of +spring and by the presence of Mardonios in Thessaly. Their land-army had +not yet begun to assemble, when the fleet arrived at Egina, in +number one hundred and ten ships, and the commander and admiral was +Leotychides, who was the son of Menares, the son of Hegesilaos, the son +of Hippocratides, the son of Leotychides, the son of Anaxilaos, the son +of Archidemos, the son of Anaxandriddes, the son of Theopompos, the son +of Nicander, the son of Charilaos, 98 the son of Eunomos, the son of +Polydectes, the son of Prytanis, the son of Euryphon, 99 the son of +Procles, the son of Aristodemos, the son of Aristomachos, the son of +Cleodaios, the son of Hyllos, the son of Heracles, being of the other +royal house. 100 These all, except the two 101 enumerated first +after Leotychides, had been kings of Sparta. And of the Athenians the +commander was Xanthippos the son of Ariphon. + +132. When all the ships had arrived at Egina, there came Ionian envoys +to the camp of the Hellenes, who also came a short time before this to +Sparta and asked the Lacedemonians to set Ionia free; and of them +one was Herodotus the son of Basileides. These had banded themselves +together and had plotted to put to death Strattis the despot of Chios, +being originally seven in number; but when one of those who took part +with them gave information of it and they were discovered to be plotting +against him, then the remaining six escaped from Chios and came both to +Sparta and also at this time to Egina, asking the Hellenes to sail over +to Ionia: but they with difficulty brought them forward as far as Delos; +for the parts beyond this were all fearful to the Hellenes, since they +were without experience of those regions and everything seemed to them +to be filled with armed force, while their persuasion was that it was as +long a voyage to Samos as to the Pillars of Heracles. Thus at the same +time it so chanced that the Barbarians dared sail no further up towards +the West than Samos, being smitten with fear, and the Hellenes no +further down towards the East than Delos, when the Chians made request +of them. So fear was guard of the space which lay between them. + +133. The Hellenes, I say, sailed to Delos; and Mardonios meanwhile had +been wintering in Thessaly. From thence he sent round a man, a native of +Europos, whose name was Mys, to the various Oracles, charging him to +go everywhere to consult, 102 wherever they 103 were permitted to make +trial of the Oracles. What he desired to find out from the Oracles when +he gave this charge, I am not able to say, for that is not reported; but +I conceive for my part that he sent to consult about his present affairs +and not about other things. + +134. This Mys is known to have come to Lebadeia and to have persuaded +by payment of money one of the natives of the place to go down to +Trophonios, and also he came to the Oracle at Abai of the Phokians; +and moreover when he came for the first time to Thebes, he not only +consulted the Ismenian Apollo,—there one may consult just as at Olympia +with victims,—but also by payment he persuaded a stranger who was not +a Theban, and induced him to lie down to sleep in the temple of +Amphiaraos. In this temple no one of the Thebans is permitted to seek +divination, and that for the following reason:—Amphiaraos dealing by +oracles bade them choose which they would of these two things, either +to have him as a diviner or else as an ally in war, abstaining from the +other use; and they chose that he should be their ally in war: for this +reason it is not permitted to any of the Thebans to lie down to sleep in +that temple. + +135. After this a thing which to me is a very great marvel is said by +the Thebans to have come to pass:—it seems that this man Mys of Europos, +as he journeyed round to all the Oracles, came also to the sacred +enclosure of the Ptoan Apollo. This temple is called "Ptoon," and +belongs to the Thebans, and it lies above the lake Copaïs at the foot of +the mountains, close to the town of Acraiphia. When the man called Mys +came to this temple with three men chosen from the citizens 104 in his +company, who were sent by the public authority to write down that which +the god should utter in his divination, forthwith it is said the prophet +105 of the god began to give the oracle in a Barbarian tongue; and while +those of the Thebans who accompanied him were full of wonder, hearing a +Barbarian instead of the Hellenic tongue, and did not know what to make +of the matter before them, it is said that the man of Europos, Mys, +snatched from them the tablet which they bore and wrote upon it that +which was being spoken by the prophet; and he said that the prophet was +giving his answer in the Carian tongue: and then when he had written it, +he went away and departed to Thessaly. + +136. Mardonios having read that which the Oracles uttered, whatever that +was, after this sent as an envoy to Athens Alexander the son of Amyntas, +the Macedonian, both because the Persians were connected with him by +marriage, (for Gygaia the sister of Alexander and daughter of Amyntas +had been married to a Persian Bubares, 106 and from her had been born +to him that Amyntas who lived in Asia, having the name of his mother's +father, to whom the king gave Alabanda, 107 a great city of Phrygia, +to possess), and also Mardonios was sending him because he was +informed that Alexander was a public guest-friend and benefactor of the +Athenians; for by this means he thought that he would be most likely to +gain over the Athenians to his side, about whom he heard that they were +a numerous people and brave in war, and of whom he knew moreover that +these were they who more than any others had brought about the disasters +which had befallen the Persians by sea. Therefore if these should be +added to him, he thought that he should easily have command of the sea +(and this in fact would have been the case), while on land he supposed +himself to be already much superior in force. Thus he reckoned that his +power would be much greater than that of the Hellenes. Perhaps also the +Oracles told him this beforehand, counselling him to make the Athenian +his ally, and so he was sending in obedience to their advice. + +137. Now of this Alexander the seventh ancestor 108 was that Perdiccas +who first became despot of the Macedonians, and that in the manner which +here follows:—From Argos there fled to the Illyrians three brothers of +the descendents of Temenos, Gauanes, Aëropos, and Perdiccas; and passing +over from the Illyrians into the upper parts of Macedonia they came +to the city of Lebaia. There they became farm-servants for pay in the +household of the king, one pasturing horses, the second oxen, and the +youngest of them, namely Perdiccas, the smaller kinds of cattle; for 109 +in ancient times even those who were rulers over men 110 were poor in +money, and not the common people only; and the wife of the king cooked +for them their food herself. And whenever she baked, the loaf of the boy +their servant, namely Perdiccas, became double as large as by nature it +should be. When this happened constantly in the same manner, she told +it to her husband, and he when he heard it conceived forthwith that +this was a portent and tended to something great. He summoned the +farm-servants therefore, and gave notice to them to depart out of his +land; and they said that it was right that before they went forth they +should receive the wages which were due. Now it chanced that the sun +was shining into the house down through the opening which received the +smoke, and the king when he heard about the wages said, being infatuated +by a divine power: "I pay you then this for wages, and it is such as +ye deserve," pointing to the sunlight. So then Gauanes and Aëropos the +elder brothers stood struck with amazement when they heard this, but +the boy, who happened to have in his hand a knife, said these words: "We +accept, O king, that which thou dost give;" and he traced a line with +his knife round the sunlight on the floor of the house, and having +traced the line round he thrice drew of the sunlight into his bosom, and +after that he departed both himself and his fellows. + +138. They then were going away, and to the king one of those who sat +by him at table told what manner of thing the boy had done, and how the +youngest of them had taken that which was given with some design: and +he hearing this and being moved with anger, sent after them horsemen to +slay them. Now there is a river in this land to which the descendents of +these men from Argos sacrifice as a saviour. This river, so soon as the +sons of Temenos had passed over it, began to flow with such great volume +of water that the horsemen became unable to pass over. So the brothers, +having come to another region of Macedonia, took up their dwelling near +the so-called gardens of Midas the son of Gordias, where roses grow wild +which have each one sixty petals and excel all others in perfume. +In these gardens too Silenos was captured, as is reported by the +Macedonians: and above the gardens is situated a mountain called +Bermion, which is inaccessible by reason of the cold. Having taken +possession of that region, they made this their starting-point, and +proceeded to subdue also the rest of Macedonia. + +139. From this Perdiccas the descent of Alexander was as +follows:—Alexander was the son of Amyntas, Amyntas was the son of +Alketes, the father of Alketes was Aëropos, of him Philip, of Philip +Argaios, and of this last the father was Perdiccas, who first obtained +the kingdom. + +140. Thus then, I say, Alexander the son of Amyntas was descended; and +when he came to Athens sent from Mardonios, he spoke as follows: (a) +"Athenians, Mardonios speaks these words:—There has come to me a message +from the king which speaks in this manner:—To the Athenians I remit all +the offences which were committed against me: and now, Mardonios, +thus do,—first give them back their own land; then let them choose +for themselves another in addition to this, whichsoever they desire, +remaining independent; and set up for them again all their temples, +which I set on fire, provided that they consent to make a treaty with +me. This message having come to me, it is necessary for me to do so, +unless by your means I am prevented: and thus I speak to you now:—Why +are ye so mad as to raise up war against the king? since neither will ye +overcome him, nor are ye able to hold out against him for ever: for +ye saw the multitude of the host of Xerxes and their deeds, and ye are +informed also of the power which is with me at the present time; so that +even if ye overcome and conquer us (of which ye can have no hope if ye +are rightly minded), another power will come many times as large. Do +not ye then desire to match yourselves with the king, and so to be both +deprived of your land and for ever running a course for your own lives; +but make peace with him: and ye have a most honourable occasion to make +peace, since the king has himself set out upon this road: agree to a +league with us then without fraud or deceit, and remain free. (b) These +things Mardonios charged me to say to you, O Athenians; and as for me, +I will say nothing of the goodwill towards you on my part, for ye +would not learn that now for the first time; but I ask of you to do as +Mardonios says, since I perceive that ye will not be able to war with +Xerxes for ever,—if I perceived in you ability to do this, I should +never have come to you speaking these words,—for the power of the king +is above that of a man and his arm is very long. If therefore ye do not +make an agreement forthwith, when they offer you great things as the +terms on which they are willing to make a treaty, I have fear on your +behalf, seeing that ye dwell more upon the highway than any of your +allies, and are exposed ever to destruction alone, the land which ye +possess being parted off from the rest and lying between the armies +which are contending together. 111 Nay, but be persuaded, for this is +a matter of great consequence to you, that to you alone of the Hellenes +the great king remits the offences committed and desires to become a +friend." + +141. Thus spoke Alexander; and the Lacedemonians having been informed +that Alexander had come to Athens to bring the Athenians to make a +treaty with the Barbarians, and remembering the oracles, who it was +destined that they together with the other Dorians should be driven +forth out of the Peloponnese by the Medes and the Athenians combined, +had been very greatly afraid lest the Athenians should make a treaty +with the Persians; and forthwith they had resolved to send envoys. +It happened moreover that they were introduced at the same time with +Alexander; 112 for the Athenians had waited for them, protracting the +time, because they were well assured that the Lacedemonians would hear +that an envoy had come from the Barbarians to make a treaty, and that +having heard it they would themselves send envoys with all speed. They +acted therefore of set purpose, so as to let the Lacedemonians see their +inclination. + +142. So when Alexander had ceased speaking, the envoys from Sparta +followed him forthwith and said: "As for us, the Lacedemonians sent us +to ask of you not to make any change in that which concerns Hellas, nor +to accept proposals from the Barbarian; since this is not just in any +way nor honourable for any of the Hellenes to do, but least of all for +you, and that for many reasons. Ye were they who stirred up this war, +when we by no means willed it; and the contest came about for your +dominion, but now it extends even to the whole of Hellas. Besides this +it is by no means to be endured that ye Athenians, who are the authors +of all this, should prove to be the cause of slavery to the Hellenes, +seeing that ye ever from ancient time also have been known as the +liberators of many. We feel sympathy however with you for your +sufferings and because ye were deprived of your crops twice and have had +your substance ruined now for a long time. In compensation for this the +Lacedemonians and their allies make offer to support your wives and all +those of your households who are unfitted for war, so long as this war +shall last: but let not Alexander the Macedonian persuade you, making +smooth the speech of Mardonios; for these things are fitting for him to +do, since being himself a despot he is working in league with a despot: +for you however they are not fitting to do, if ye chance to be rightly +minded; for ye know that in Barbarians there is neither faith nor truth +at all." + +Thus spoke the envoys: + +143, and to Alexander the Athenians made answer thus: "Even of ourselves +we know so much, that the Mede has a power many times as numerous as +ours; so that there is no need for thee to cast this up against us. +Nevertheless because we long for liberty we shall defend ourselves as we +may be able: and do not thou endeavour to persuade us to make a treaty +with the Barbarian, for we on our part shall not be persuaded. And now +report to Mardonios that the Athenians say thus:—So long as the Sun goes +on the same course by which he goes now, we will never make an agreement +with Xerxes; but we will go forth to defend ourselves 113 against +him, trusting in the gods and the heroes as allies, for whom he had no +respect when he set fire to their houses and to their sacred images. +And in the future do not thou appear before the Athenians with any such +proposals as these, nor think that thou art rendering them good service +in advising them to do that which is not lawful; for we do not desire +that thou shouldest suffer anything unpleasant at the hands of the +Athenians, who art their public guest and friend." + +144. To Alexander they thus made answer, but to the envoys from Sparta +as follows: "That the Lacedemonians should be afraid lest we should make +a treaty with the Barbarian was natural no doubt; 114 but it seems to be +an unworthy fear for men who know so well the spirit of the Athenians, +namely that there is neither so great quantity of gold anywhere upon the +earth, nor any land so much excelling in beauty and goodness, that we +should be willing to accept it and enslave Hellas by taking the side of +the Medes. For many and great are the reasons which hinder us from doing +this, even though we should desire it; first and greatest the images +and houses of the gods set on fire or reduced to ruin, which we must +necessarily avenge to the very utmost rather than make an agreement with +him who did these deeds; then secondly there is the bond of Hellenic +race, by which we are of one blood and of one speech, the common temples +of the gods and the common sacrifices, the manners of life which are the +same for all; to these it would not be well that the Athenians should +become traitors. And be assured of this, if by any chance ye were not +assured of it before, that so long as one of the Athenians remains +alive, we will never make an agreement with Xerxes. We admire however +the forethought which ye had with regard to us, in that ye took thought +for us who have had our substance destroyed, and are willing to support +the members of our households; and so far as ye are concerned, the +kindness has been fully performed: but we shall continue to endure as +we may, and not be a trouble in any way to you. Now therefore, with full +conviction this is so, send out an army as speedily as ye may: for, as +we conjecture, the Barbarian will be here invading our land at no far +distant time but so soon as he shall be informed of the message sent, +namely that we shall do none of those things which he desired of us. +Therefore before he arrives here in Attica, it is fitting that ye come +to our rescue quickly in Boeotia." Thus the Athenians made answer, and +upon that the envoys went away back to Sparta. + + + + +NOTES TO BOOK VIII + +1 [ See v. 77.] + +2 [ i.e. triremes.] + +3 [ {os to plethos ekastoi ton neon pareikhonto}: some read by +conjecture {oson to plethos k.t.l.}] + +4 [ Perhaps "also" refers to the case of those who had come to +Thermopylai, cp. vii. 207: Others translate, "these Hellenes who had +come after all to Artemision," i.e. after all the doubt and delay.] + +5 [ {pantes}: some MSS. have {plegentes}, which is adopted by most +Editors, "smitten by bribes."] + +6 [ {dethen}, with ironical sense.] + +7 [ {mede purphoron}: the {purphoros} had charge of the fire brought for +sacrifices from the altar of Zeus Agetor at Sparta, and ordinarily his +person would be regarded as sacred; hence the proverb {oude purphoros +esothe}, used of an utter defeat.] + +8 [ {tou diekploou}.] + +9 [ {kata stoma}.] + +10 [ {sklerai brontai}: the adjective means "harsh-sounding."] + +11 [ {akhari}.] + +12 [ {ta Koila tes Euboies}.] + +13 [ "having been roughly handled."] + +14 [ {epi ten thalassan tauten}: some MSS. read {taute} for {tauten}, +which is to be taken with {sullexas}, "he assembled the generals +there."] + +15 [ {peripetea epoiesanto sphisi autoisi ta pregmata}.] + +16 [ {paleseie}, a word which does not occur elsewhere, and is explained +by Hesychius as equivalent to {diaphtharein}. Various emendations have +been proposed, and Valla seems to have had the reading {apelaseie}, for +he says discessisset. Stein explains {paleseie} (as from {pale}) "should +contend."] + +17 [ Some suppose the number "four thousand" is interpolated by +misunderstanding of the inscription in vii. 228; and it seems hardly +possible that the dead were so many as four thousand, unless at least +half were Helots.] + +18 [ Some MSS. have "Tritantaichmes," which is adopted by many Editors.] + +19 [ {neou}.] + +20 [ {os anarpasomenoi tous Phokeas}: cp. ix. 60.] + +21 [ {podeon steinos}, like the neck of a wineskin; cp. ii. 121, note +[Footnote 102.] + +22 [ {tou propheten}, the interpreter of the utterances of the +{promantis}.] + +23 [ {neou}.] + +24 [ {megarou}.] + +25 [ i.e. of Athene Polias, the Erechtheion; so throughout this +account.] + +26 [ {sunerree}, "kept flowing together."] + +2601 [ Or, "Hermione."] + +27 [ See i. 56.] + +28 [ See ch. 31.] + +29 [ {pros pantas tous allous}, "in comparison with all the rest," cp. +iii. 94.] + +30 [ {stratarkheo}: a vague expression, because being introduced after +Kecrops he could not have the title of king.] + +31 [ The number obtained by adding up the separate contingents is +366. Many Editors suppose that the ships with which the Eginetans +were guarding their own coast (ch. 46) are counted here, and quote the +authority of Pausanias for the statement that the Eginetans supplied +more ships than any others except the Athenians. Stein suggests the +insertion of the number twelve in ch. 46.] + +3101 [ Or, "Thespeia."] + +32 [ i.e. "Areopagus."] + +33 [ i.e. the North side.] + +34 [ {megaron}.] + +35 [ {neos}.] + +36 [ {pollos en en tois logois}: cp. ix. 91.] + +37 [ See vii. 141-143.] + +38 [ {autothen ik Salaminos}.] + +39 [ {te Metri kai te Koure}, Demeter and Persephone.] + +40 [ {te anakrisi}: cp. {anakrinomenous}, ix. 56: Some Editors, +following inferior MSS., read {te krisi}, "at the judgment expressed."] + +41 [ {muriadon}, "ten thousands."] + +42 [ Or, "Hermione."] + +43 [ {oi perioikoi}: some Editors omit the article and translate "and +these are the so-called Orneates or dwellers round (Argos)," Orneates +being a name for the {perioikoi} of Argos, derived from the conquered +city of Orneai.] + +44 [ {elpidi mainomene}, "with a mad hope."] + +45 [ {krateron Koron Ubrios uion}.] + +46 [ {dokeunt ana panta tithesthai}: the MSS. have also {pithesthai}. +Possibly {tithesthai} might stand, though {anatithesthai} is not found +elsewhere in this sense. Stein adopts in his last edition the conjecture +{piesthai}, "swallow up."] + +47 [ {Kronides}.] + +48 [ {potnia Nike}.] + +49 [ i.e. about rivalry.] + +50 [ {ton epibateon}.] + +51 [ Many Editors reading {osa de} and {parainesas de}, make the stop +after {antitithemena}: "and in all that is produced in the nature and +constitution of man he exhorted them to choose the better."] + +52 [ {o daimonioi}, "strange men."] + +53 [ See ch. 22.] + +54 [ {pros de eti kai proselabeto}: the MSS. have {prosebaleto}. Most +Editors translate, "Moreover Ariamnes... contributed to the fate of the +Phenicians, being a friend (of the Ionians);" but this does not seem +possible unless we read {philos eon Iosi} (or {Ionon}). Valla translates +nearly as I have done. (It does not appear that {prosballesthai} is +found elsewhere in the sense of {sumballesthai}.)] + +55 [ i.e. they who were commanded to execute them.] + +56 [ See vii. 179, 181.] + +57 [ See vi. 49, etc., and 73.] + +58 [ {keleta}.] + +59 [ {sumballontai}: the Athenians apparently are spoken of, for they +alone believed the story.] + +60 [ {apoplesai}: this is the reading of the MSS.; but many Editors +adopt corrections ({apoplesthai} or {apoplesthenai}). The subject to +{apoplesai} is to be found in the preceding sentence and the connexion +with {ton te allon panta k.t.l.} is a loose one. This in fact is added +as an afterthought, the idea being originally to call attention simply +to the fulfilment of the oracle of Lysistratos.] + +61 [ {phruxousi}: a conjectural emendation, adopted by most Editors, of +{phrixousi}, "will shudder (at the sight of oars)."] + +62 [ {kat allon kai allon}: the MSS. have {kat allon}, but Valla's +rendering is "alium atque alium."] + +63 [ {uper megalon aiorethenta}.] + +64 [ i.e. 300,000.] + +65 [ {os ek kakon}: some translate, "thinking that he had escaped from +his troubles."] + +66 [ {toisi epikletoisi}, cp. vii. 8 and ix. 42.] + +67 [ i.e. Asia, as opposed to "these parts."] + +68 [ Stein would take {peri oikon ton son} with {oudemia sumphore}, but +the order of words is against this.] + +69 [ {pollous pollakis agonas drameontai peri spheon auton}.] + +70 [ See i. 175: The manner of the repetition and some points in the +diction raise suspicion that the passage is interpolated here; and so +it is held to be by most Editors. In i. 175 we find {tris} instead of +{dis}.] + +71 [ {upegagon}, cp. vi. 72, with the idea of bringing before a court +for punishment, not "by underhand means," as it is understood by Larcher +and Bähr.] + +72 [ "vengeance and Hermotimos."] + +73 [ {spheis... ergasaiato}: the MSS. read {sphi} (one {spheas}) and +{ergasaito}, and this is retained by some Editors.] + +74 [ "taken."] + +75 [ {metabalon}: others translate, "he turned from them to the +Athenians"; but cp. vii. 52: The words {pros tous Athenaious} are +resumed by {sphi} with {elege}.] + +76 [ {kai epi spheon auton balomenoi}, "even at their own venture," cp. +iii. 71.] + +77 [ {ta idia}, "things belonging to private persons."] + +78 [ {sophos}.] + +79 [ {geopeinas}, "poor in land."] + +80 [ It seems necessary to insert {an} with {einai}. For the sentiment +cp. vii. 172.] + +81 [ {khreomenos toisi kai pros basilea ekhresato}. This is the reading +of the best MSS.: the rest have {khreomenos logoisi toisi kai pros +Andrious ekhresato}, "using the same language as he had before used to +the Andrians."] + +82 [ {kai ten allen ippon}: some MSS. omit {allen}.] + +83 [ {ola}, i.e. not the whole number of them, but great masses without +individual selection.] + +84 [ {ouden meros os eipein}.] + +85 [ {anemon Strumonien}, "the wind called Strymonias."] + +86 [ {ta akrothinia}, i.e. the tithe.] + +87 [ i.e. the corner of the entrance-hall, {epi tou proneiou tes +gonies}, i. 51.] + +88 [ {dienemon}: some understand this to mean "distributed the +voting tablets," and some MSS. read {dienemonto}, "distributed among +themselves," which is adopted by many Editors.] + +89 [ {sophotatos}.] + +90 [ See i. 67.] + +91 [ A small island near Attica, taken here as the type of +insignificance. To suppose that Timodemos was connected with it is quite +unnecessary. The story in Plutarch about the Seriphian is different.] + +92 [ i.e. 60,000.] + +93 [ {katesphaxe}, "cut their throats."] + +94 [ {para tas gluphidas}: some Editors read {peri tas gluphidas} on the +authority of Æneas Tacticus. The {gluphides} are probably notches which +give a hold for the fingers as they draw back the string.] + +95 [ {kataplexai}, "strike down" by the charge.] + +96 [ The way was shut against them ordinarily by the town of Potidaia, +which occupied the isthmus.] + +97 [ i.e. most of those who before served as {epibatai} (vii. 96) +continued to serve still. The sentence is usually translated, "of those +who served as fighting-men in them the greater number were Persians or +Medes," and this may be right.] + +98 [ The MSS. have "Charilos" or "Charillos."] + +99 [ Some Editors read "Eurypon," which is the form found elsewhere.] + +100 [ Cp. vii. 204.] + +101 [ {duon}. It seems certain that the number required here is seven +and not two, and the emendation {epta} for {duon} ({z} for {b}) is +approved by several Editors.] + +102 [ {khresomenon}: the best MSS. read {khresamenon}, which is +retained by Stein, with the meaning "charging him to consult the Oracles +everywhere... and then return."] + +103 [ i.e. Mardonios and the Persians.] + +104 [ i.e. Theban citizens.] + +105 [ {promantin}: he is afterwards called {prophetes}.] + +106 [ Cp. v. 21.] + +107 [ Some Editors would read "Alabastra." Alabanda was a Carian town.] + +108 [ Counting Alexander himself as one.] + +109 [ {esan gar}: this is the reading of the best MSS.: others have +{esan de}. Stein (reading {esan gar}) places this clause after the next, +"The wife of the king herself baked their bread, for in ancient times, +etc." This transposition is unnecessary; for it would be easy to +understand it as a comment on the statement that three members of the +royal house of Argos became farm-servants.] + +110 [ {ai turannides ton anthropon}.] + +111 [ {exaireton metaikhmion te ten gun ektemenon}: there are variations +of reading and punctuation in the MSS.] + +112 [ {sunepipte oste omou spheon ginesthai ten katastasin}, i.e. their +introduction before the assembly, cp. iii. 46.] + +113 [ {epeximen amunomenoi}, which possibly might be translated, "we +will continue to defend ourselves."] + +114 [ {karta anthropeion}.] + + + + + +BOOK IX. THE NINTH BOOK OF THE HISTORIES, CALLED CALLIOPE + +1. Mardonios, when Alexander had returned back and had signified to him +that which was said by the Athenians, set forth from Thessaly and began +to lead his army with all diligence towards Athens: and to whatever land +he came, he took up with him the people of that land. The leaders +of Thessaly meanwhile did not repent of all that which had been done +already, but on the contrary they urged on the Persian yet much more; +and Thorax of Larissa had joined in escorting Xerxes in his flight and +at this time he openly offered Mardonios passage to invade Hellas.. + +2. Then when the army in its march came to Boeotia, the Thebans +endeavoured to detain Mardonios, and counselled him saying that there +was no region more convenient for him to have his encampment than that; +and they urged him not to advance further, but to sit down there and +endeavour to subdue to himself the whole of Hellas without fighting: for +to overcome the Hellenes by open force when they were united, as at the +former time they were of one accord together, 1 was a difficult task +even for the whole world combined, "but," they proceeded, "if thou wilt +do that which we advise, with little labour thou wilt have in thy power +all their plans of resistance. 2 Send money to the men who have power in +their cities, and thus sending thou wilt divide Hellas into two parties: +after that thou wilt with ease subdue by the help of thy party those who +are not inclined to thy side.". + +3. Thus they advised, but he did not follow their counsel; for there had +instilled itself into him a great desire to take Athens for the second +time, partly from obstinacy 3 and partly because he meant to signify to +the king in Sardis that he was in possession of Athens by beacon-fires +through the islands. However he did not even at this time find the +Athenians there when he came to Attica; but he was informed that the +greater number were either in Salamis or in the ships, and he captured +the city finding it deserted. Now the capture of the city by the king +had taken place ten months before the later expedition of Mardonios +against it. + +4. When Mardonios had come to Athens, he sent to Salamis Morychides +a man of the Hellespont, bearing the same proposals as Alexander the +Macedonian had brought over to the Athenians. These he sent for the +second time, being aware beforehand that the dispositions of the +Athenians were not friendly, but hoping that they would give way and +leave their obstinacy, since the Attic land had been captured by the +enemy and was in his power.. + +5. For this reason he sent Morychides to Salamis; and he came before +the Council 4 and reported the words of Mardonios. Then one of the +Councillors, Lykidas, expressed the opinion that it was better to +receive the proposal which Morychides brought before them and refer +it to the assembly of the people. 5 He, I say, uttered this opinion, +whether because he had received money from Mardonios, or because this +was his own inclination: however the Athenians forthwith, both those +of the Council and those outside, when they heard of it, were very +indignant, and they came about Lykidas and stoned him to death; but +the Hellespontian Morychides they dismissed unhurt. Then when there had +arisen much uproar in Salamis about Lykidas, the women of the Athenians +heard of that which was being done, and one woman passing the word to +another and one taking another with her, they went of their own accord +to the house of Lykidas and stoned his wife and his children to death. + +6. The Athenians had passed over to Salamis as follows:—So long as they +were looking that an army should come from the Peloponnese to help them, +they remained in Attica; but as those in Peloponnesus acted very +slowly and with much delay, while the invader was said to be already +in Boeotia, they accordingly removed everything out of danger, and +themselves passed over to Salamis; and at the same time they sent envoys +to Lacedemon to reproach the Lacedemonians for having permitted the +Barbarian to invade Attica and for not having gone to Boeotia to meet +him in company with them, and also to remind them how many things +the Persian had promised to give the Athenians if they changed sides; +bidding the envoys warn them that if they did not help the Athenians, +the Athenians would find some shelter 6 for themselves.. + +7. For the Lacedemonians in fact were keeping a feast during this +time, and celebrating the Hyakinthia; and they held it of the greatest +consequence to provide for the things which concerned the god, while at +the same time their wall which they had been building at the Isthmus +was just at this moment being completed with battlements. And when the +envoys from the Athenians came to Lacedemon, bringing with them also +envoys from Megara and Plataia, they came in before the Ephors and said +as follows: "The Athenians sent us saying that the king of the Medes not +only offers to give us back our land, but also desires to make us his +allies on fair and equal terms without deceit or treachery, 7 and +is desirous moreover to give us another land in addition to our own, +whichsoever we shall ourselves choose. We however, having respect for +Zeus of the Hellenes and disdaining to be traitors to Hellas, did not +agree but refused, although we were unjustly dealt with by the other +Hellenes and left to destruction, and although we knew that it was more +profitable to make a treaty with the Persian than to carry on war: nor +shall we make a treaty at any future time, if we have our own will. Thus +sincerely is our duty done towards the Hellenes: 8 but as for you, after +having come then to great dread lest we should make a treaty with the +Persian, so soon as ye learnt certainly what our spirit was, namely that +we should never betray Hellas, and because your wall across the Isthmus +is all but finished, now ye make no account of the Athenians, but having +agreed with us to come to Boeotia to oppose the Persian, ye have now +deserted us, and ye permitted the Barbarian moreover to make invasion of +Attica. For the present then the Athenians have anger against you, for +ye did not do as was fitting to be done: and now they bid 9 you with all +speed send out an army together with us, in order that we may receive +the Barbarian in the land of Attica; for since we failed of Boeotia, the +most suitable place to fight in our land is the Thriasian plain.". + +8. When the Ephors heard this they deferred their reply to the next day, +and then on the next day to the succeeding one; and this they did even +for ten days, deferring the matter from day to day, while during this +time the whole body of the Peloponnesians were building the wall over +the Isthmus with great diligence and were just about to complete it. +Now I am not able to say why, when Alexander the Macedonian had come +to Athens, they were so very anxious lest the Athenians should take the +side of the Medes, whereas now they had no care about it, except indeed +that their wall over the Isthmus had now been built, and they thought +they had no need of the Athenians any more; whereas when Alexander came +to Attica the wall had not yet been completed, but they were working at +it in great dread of the Persians.. + +9. At last however the answer was given and the going forth of the +Spartans took place in the following manner:—on the day before that +which was appointed for the last hearing of the envoys, Chileos a man of +Tegea, who of all strangers had most influence in Lacedemon, heard from +the Ephors all that which the Athenians were saying; and he, it seems, +said to them these words: "Thus the matter stands, Ephors:—if the +Athenians are not friendly with us but are allies of the Barbarian, then +though a strong wall may have been built across the Isthmus, yet a wide +door has been opened for the Persian into Peloponnesus. Listen to their +request, however, before the Athenians resolve upon something else +tending to the fall of Hellas.". + +10. Thus he counselled them, and they forthwith took his words to heart; +and saying nothing to the envoys who had come from the cities, while +yet it was night they sent out five thousand Spartans, with no less than +seven of the Helots set to attend upon each man of them, 901 appointing +Pausanias the son of Cleombrotos to lead them forth. Now the leadership +belonged to Pleistarchos the son of Leonidas; but he was yet a boy, and +the other was his guardian and cousin: for Cleombrotos, the father of +Pausanias and son of Anaxandrides, was no longer alive, but when he had +led home from the Isthmus the army which had built the wall, no long +time after this he died. Now the reason why Cleombrotos led home +the army from the Isthmus was this:—as he was offering sacrifice for +fighting against the Persian, the sun was darkened in the heaven. And +Pausanias chose as commander in addition to himself Euryanax the son of +Dorieos, a man of the same house.. + +11. So Pausanias with his army had gone forth out of Sparta; and the +envoys, when day had come, not knowing anything of this going forth, +came in before the Ephors meaning to depart also, each to his own State: +and when they had come in before them they said these words: "Ye, O +Lacedemonians, are remaining here and celebrating this Hyakinthia and +disporting yourselves, having left your allies to destruction; and the +Athenians being wronged by you and for want of allies will make peace +with the Persians on such terms as they can: and having made peace, +evidently we become allies of the king, and therefore we shall join with +him in expeditions against any land to which the Persians may lead us; +and ye will learn then what shall be the issue for you of this matter." +When the envoys spoke these words, the Ephors said and confirmed it with +an oath, that they supposed by this time the men were at Orestheion on +their way against the strangers: for they used to call the Barbarians +"strangers." 10 So they, not knowing of the matter, asked the meaning +of these words, and asking they learnt all the truth; so that they were +struck with amazement and set forth as quickly as possible in pursuit; +and together with them five thousand chosen hoplites of the Lacedemonian +"dwellers in the country round" 11 did the same thing also. + +12. They then, I say, were hastening towards the Isthmus; and the +Argives so soon as they heard that Pausanias with his army had gone +forth from Sparta, sent as a herald to Attica the best whom they could +find of the long-distance runners, 12 because they had before of their +own motion engaged for Mardonios that they would stop the Spartans from +going forth: and the herald when he came to Athens spoke as follows: +"Mardonios, the Argives sent me to tell thee that the young men have +gone forth from Lacedemon, and that the Argives are not able to stop +them from going forth: with regard to this therefore may it be thy +fortune to take measures well." 13. + +13. He having spoken thus departed and went back; and Mardonios was +by no means anxious any more to remain in Attica when he heard this +message. Before he was informed of this he had been waiting, because he +desired to know the news from the Athenians as to what they were about +to do; and he had not been injuring or laying waste the land of Attica, +because he hoped always that they would make a treaty with him; but as +he did not persuade them, being now informed of everything he began to +retire out of the country before the force of Pausanias arrived at the +Isthmus, having first set fire to Athens and cast down and destroyed +whatever was left standing of the walls, houses or temples. Now he +marched away for this cause, namely first because Attica was not a +land where horsemen could act freely, and also because, if he should be +defeated in a battle in Attica, there was no way of retreat except by a +narrow pass, so that a few men could stop them. He intended therefore +to retreat to Thebes, and engage battle near to a friendly city and to a +country where horsemen could act freely. + +14. Mardonios then was retiring out of the way, and when he was already +upon a road a message came to him saying that another body of troops +in advance of the rest 14 had come to Megara, consisting of a thousand +Lacedemonians. Being thus informed he took counsel with himself, +desiring if possible first to capture these. Therefore he turned back +and proceeded to lead his army towards Megara, and the cavalry going in +advance of the rest overran the Megaran land: this was the furthest land +in Europe towards the sun-setting to which this Persian army came.. + +15. After this a message came to Mardonios that the Hellenes were +assembled at the Isthmus; therefore he marched back by Dekeleia, for the +chiefs of Boeotia 15 had sent for those of the Asopians who dwelt +near the line of march, and these were his guides along the road to +Sphendaleis and thence to Tanagra. So having encamped for the night at +Tanagra and on the next day having directed his march to Scolos, he was +within the land of the Thebans. Then he proceeded to cut down the trees +in the lands of the Thebans, although they were on the side of the +Medes, moved not at all by enmity to them, but pressed by urgent +necessity both to make a defence for his camp, and also he was making it +for a refuge, in case that when he engaged battle things should not turn +out for him as he desired. Now the encampment of his army extended +from Erythrai along by Hysiai and reached the river Asopos: he was not +however making the wall to extend so far as this, but with each face +measuring somewhere about ten furlongs. 16 + +16. While the Barbarians were engaged upon this work, Attaginos the son +of Phyrnon, a Theban, having made magnificent preparations invited to +an entertainment Mardonios himself and fifty of the Persians who were of +most account; and these being invited came; and the dinner was given at +Thebes. Now this which follows I heard from Thersander, an Orchomenian +and a man of very high repute in Orchomenos. This Thersander said that +he too was invited by Attaginos to this dinner, and there were invited +also fifty men of the Thebans, and their host did not place them to +recline 17 separately each nation by themselves, but a Persian and +a Theban upon every couch. Then when dinner was over, as they were +drinking pledges to one another, 18 the Persian who shared a couch with +him speaking in the Hellenic tongue asked him of what place he was, and +he answered that he was of Orchomenos. The other said: "Since now thou +hast become my table-companion and the sharer of my libation, I desire +to leave behind with thee a memorial of my opinion, in order that thou +thyself also mayest know beforehand and be able to take such counsels +for thyself as may be profitable. Dost thou see these Persians who +are feasting here, and the army which we left behind encamped upon the +river? Of all these, when a little time has gone by, thou shalt see but +very few surviving." While the Persian said these words he shed many +tears, as Thersander reported; and he marvelling at his speech said +to him: "Surely then it is right to tell Mardonios and to those of the +Persians who after him are held in regard." He upon this said: "Friend, +that which is destined to come from God, it is impossible for a man to +avert; for no man is willing to follow counsel, even when one speaks +that which is reasonable. And these things which I say many of us +Persians know well; yet we go with the rest being bound in the bonds of +necessity: and the most hateful grief of all human griefs is this, +to have knowledge of the truth but no power over the event." 19 These +things I heard from Thersander of Orchomenos, and in addition to them +this also, namely that he told them to various persons forthwith, before +the battle took place at Plataia. + +17. Mardonios then being encamped in Boeotia, the rest of the Hellenes +who lived in these parts and took the side of the Medes were all +supplying troops and had joined in the invasion of Attica, but the +Phokians alone had not joined in the invasion,—the Phokians, I say, +for these too were now actively 20 taking the side of the Medes, not of +their own will however, but by compulsion. Not many days however after +the arrival of Mardonios at Thebes, there came of them a thousand +hoplites, and their leader was Harmokydes, the man who was of most +repute among their citizens. When these too came to Thebes, Mardonios +sent horsemen and bade the Phokians take up their position by themselves +in the plain. After they had so done, forthwith the whole cavalry +appeared; and upon this there went a rumour 21 through the army of +Hellenes which was with the Medes that the cavalry was about to shoot +them down with javelins, and this same report went through the Phokians +themselves also. Then their commander Harmokydes exhorted them, speaking +as follows: "Phokians, it is manifest that these men are meaning to +deliver us to a death which we may plainly foresee, 22 because we have +been falsely accused by the Thessalians, as I conjecture: now therefore +it is right that every one of you prove himself a good man; for it is +better to bring our lives to an end doing deeds of valour and defending +ourselves, than to be destroyed by a dishonourable death offering +ourselves for the slaughter. Let each man of them learn that they +are Barbarians and that we, against whom they contrived murder, are +Hellenes.". + +18. While he was thus exhorting them, the horsemen having encompassed +them round were riding towards them as if to destroy them; and they were +already aiming their missiles as if about to discharge them, nay some +perhaps did discharge them: and meanwhile the Phokians stood facing them +gathered together and with their ranks closed as much as possible every +way. Then the horsemen turned and rode away back. Now I am not able to +say for certain whether they came to destroy the Phokians at the request +of the Thessalians, and then when they saw them turn to defence they +feared lest they also might suffer some loss, and therefore rode away +back, for so Mardonios had commanded them; or whether on the other hand +he desired to make trial of them and to see if they had in them any +warlike spirit. Then, when the horsemen had ridden away back, Mardonios +sent a herald and spoke to them as follows: "Be of good courage, +Phokians, for ye proved yourselves good men, and not as I was informed. +Now therefore carry on this way with zeal, for ye will not surpass in +benefits either myself or the king." Thus far it happened as regards the +Phokians. + +19. When the Lacedemonians came to the Isthmus they encamped upon it, +and hearing this the rest of the Peloponnesians who favoured the better +cause, and some also because they saw the Spartans going out, did not +think it right to be behind the Lacedemonians in their going forth. +So from the Isthmus, when the sacrifices had proved favourable, +they marched all together and came to Eleusis; and having performed +sacrifices there also, when the signs were favourable they marched +onwards, and the Athenians together with them, who had passed over +from Salamis and had joined them at Eleusis. And then they had come to +Erythrai in Boeotia, then they learnt that the Barbarians were encamping +on the Asopos, and having perceived this they ranged themselves over +against them on the lower slopes of Kithairon.. + +20. Then Mardonios, as the Hellenes did not descend into the plain, sent +towards them all his cavalry, of which the commander was Masistios (by +the Hellenes called Makistios), a man of reputation among the Persians, +who had a Nesaian horse with a bridle of gold and in other respects +finely caparisoned. So when the horsemen had ridden up to the Hellenes +they attacked them by squadrons, and attacking 23 they did them much +mischief, and moreover in contempt they called them women.. + +21. Now it happened by chance that the Megarians were posted in the +place which was the most assailable of the whole position and to which +the cavalry could best approach: so as the cavalry were making +their attacks, the Megarians being hard pressed sent a herald to the +commanders of the Hellenes, and the herald having come spoke these +words: "The Megarians say:—we, O allies, are not able by ourselves to +sustain the attacks of the Persian cavalry, keeping this position where +we took post at the first; nay, even hitherto by endurance and valour +alone have we held out against them, hard pressed as we are: and now +unless ye shall send some others to take up our position in succession +to us, know that we shall leave the position in which we now are." The +herald brought report to them thus; and upon this Pausanias made trial +of the Hellenes, whether any others would voluntarily offer to go to +this place and post themselves there in succession to the Megarians: and +when the rest were not desirous to go, the Athenians undertook the task, +and of the Athenians those three hundred picked men of whom Olympidoros +the son of Lampon was captain. + +22. These they were who undertook the task and were posted at Erythrai +in advance of the other Hellenes who ere there present, having chosen +to go with them the bow-men also. For some time then they fought, and at +last an end was set to the fighting in the following manner:—while the +cavalry was attacking by squadrons, the horse of Masistios, going in +advance of the rest, was struck in the side by an arrow, and feeling +pain he reared upright and threw Masistios off; and when he had fallen, +the Athenians forthwith pressed upon him; and his horse they took and +himself, as he made resistance, they slew, though at first they could +not, for his equipment was of this kind,—he wore a cuirass of gold +scales underneath, and over the cuirass he had put on a crimson tunic. +So as they struck upon the cuirass they could effect nothing, until some +one, perceiving what the matter was, thrust into his eye. Then at length +he fell and died; and by some means the other men of the cavalry had not +observed this take place, for they neither saw him when he had fallen +from his horse nor when he was being slain, and while the retreat +and the turn 24 were being made, they did not perceive that which was +happening; but when they had stopped their horses, then at once they +missed him, since there was no one to command them; and when they +perceived what had happened, they passed the word to one another and all +rode together, that they might if possible recover the body.. + +23. The Athenians upon that, seeing that the cavalry were riding to +attack them no longer by squadrons but all together, shouted to the rest +of the army to help them. Then while the whole number of those on foot +were coming to their help, there arose a sharp fight for the body; and +so long as the three hundred were alone they had much the worse and were +about to abandon the body, but when the mass of the army came to their +help, then the horsemen no longer sustained the fight, nor did they +succeed in recovering the body; and besides him they lost others of +their number also. Then they drew off about two furlongs away and +deliberated what they should do; and it seemed good to them, as they had +no commander, to ride back to Mardonios.. + +24. When the cavalry arrived at the camp, the whole army and also +Mardonios made great mourning for Masistios, cutting off their own +hair and that of their horses and baggage-animals and giving way to +lamentation without stint; for all Boeotia was filled with the sound of +it, because one had perished who after Mardonios was of the most account +with the Persians and with the king.. + +25. The Barbarians then were paying honours in their own manner to +Masistios slain: but the Hellenes, when they had sustained the attack of +the cavalry and having sustained it had driven them back, were much more +encouraged; and first they put the dead body in a cart and conveyed it +along their ranks; and the body was a sight worth seeing for its size +and beauty, wherefore also the men left their places in the ranks and +went one after the other 25 to gaze upon Masistios. After this they +resolved to come down further towards Plataia; for the region of Plataia +was seen to be much more convenient for them to encamp in than that of +Erythrai, both for other reasons and because it is better watered. To +this region then and to the spring Gargaphia, which is in this region, +they resolved that they must come, and encamp in their several posts. So +they took up their arms and went by the lower slopes of Kithairon +past Hysiai to the Plataian land; and having there arrived they posted +themselves according to their several nations near the spring Gargaphia +and the sacred enclosure of Androcrates the hero, over low hills or +level ground. + +26. Then in the arranging of the several posts there arose a contention +of much argument 2501 between the Tegeans and the Athenians; for +they each claimed to occupy the other wing of the army 26 themselves, +alleging deeds both new and old. The Tegeans on the one hand said as +follows: "We have been always judged worthy of this post by the whole +body of allies in all the common expeditions which the Peloponnesians +have made before this, whether in old times or but lately, ever since +that time when the sons of Heracles endeavoured after the death of +Eurystheus to return to the Peloponnese. This honour we gained at that +time by reason of the following event:—When with the Achaians and the +Ionians who were then in Peloponnesus we had come out to the Isthmus to +give assistance and were encamped opposite those who desired to return, +then it is said that Hyllos made a speech saying that it was not right +that the one army should risk its safety by engaging battle with the +other, and urging that that man of the army of the Peloponnesians whom +they should judge to be the best of them should fight in single combat +with himself on terms concerted between them. The Peloponnesians then +resolved that this should be done; and they made oath with one another +on this condition,—that if Hyllos should conquer the leader of the +Peloponnesians, then the sons of Heracles should return to their +father's heritage; but he should be conquered, then on the other hand +the sons of Heracles should depart and lead away their army, and not +within a hundred years attempt to return to the Peloponnese. There was +selected then of all the allies, he himself making a voluntary offer, +Echemos the son of Aëropos, the son of Phegeus, 27 who was our commander +and king: and he fought a single combat and slew Hyllos. By reason of +this deed we obtained among the Peloponnesians of that time, besides +many other great privileges which we still possess, this also of always +leading the other wing of the army, when a common expedition is made. +To you, Lacedemonians, we make no opposition, but we give you freedom +of choice, and allow you to command whichever wing ye desire; but of the +other we say that it belongs to us to be the leaders as in former time: +and apart from this deed which has been related, we are more worthy than +the Athenians to have this post; for in many glorious contests have +we contended against you, O Spartans, and in many also against others. +Therefore it is just that we have the other wing rather than the +Athenians; for they have not achieved deeds such as ours, either new or +old.". + +27. Thus they spoke, and the Athenians replied as follows: "Though we +know that this gathering was assembled for battle with the Barbarian +and not for speech, yet since the Tegean has proposed to us as a task +to speak of things both old and new, the deeds of merit namely which by +each of our two nations have been achieved in all time, it is necessary +for us to point out to you whence it comes that to us, who have been +brave men always, it belongs as a heritage rather than to the Arcadians +to have the chief place. First as to the sons of Heracles, whose leader +they say that they slew at the Isthmus, these in the former time, when +they were driven away by all the Hellenes to whom they came flying from +slavery under those of Mykene, we alone received; and joining with them +we subdued the insolence of Eurystheus, having conquered in fight +those who then dwelt in Peloponnesus. Again when the Argives who +with Polyneikes marched against Thebes, had been slain and were lying +unburied, we declare that we marched an army against the Cadmeians +and recovered the dead bodies and gave them burial in our own land at +Eleusis. We have moreover another glorious deed performed against +the Amazons who invaded once the Attic land, coming from the river +Thermodon: and in the toils of Troy we were not inferior to any. But it +is of no profit to make mention of these things; for on the one hand, +though we were brave men in those times, we might now have become +worthless, and on the other hand even though we were then worthless, yet +now we might be better. Let it suffice therefore about ancient deeds; +but if by us no other deed has been displayed (as many there have been +and glorious, not less than by any other people of the Hellenes), yet +even by reason of the deed wrought at Marathon alone we are worthy to +have this privilege and others besides this, seeing that we alone of +all the Hellenes fought in single combat with the Persian, and having +undertaken so great a deed we overcame and conquered six-and-forty +nations. 28 Are we not worthy then to have this post by reason of that +deed alone? However, since at such a time as this it is not fitting to +contend for post, we are ready to follow your saying, O Lacedemonians, +as to where ye think it most convenient that we should stand and +opposite to whom; for wheresoever we are posted, we shall endeavour to +be brave men. Prescribe to us therefore and we shall obey." They made +answer thus; and the whole body of the Lacedemonians shouted aloud that +the Athenians were more worthy to occupy the wing than the Arcadians. +Thus the Athenians obtained the wing, and overcame the Tegeans. + +28. After this the Hellenes were ranged as follows, both those of them +who came in continually afterwards 29 and those who had come at the +first. The right wing was held by ten thousand Lacedemonians; and of +these the five thousand who were Spartans were attended by thirty-five +thousand Helots serving as light-armed troops, seven of them appointed +for each man. 30 To stand next to themselves the Spartans chose the +Tegeans, both to do them honour and also because of their valour; and +of these there were one thousand five hundred hoplites. After these were +stationed five thousand Corinthians, and they had obtained permission +from Pausanias that the three hundred who were present of the men of +Potidaia in Pallene should stand by their side. Next to these were +stationed six hundred Arcadians of Orchomenos; and to these three +thousand Sikyonians. Next after these were eight hundred Epidaurians: +by the side of these were ranged a thousand Troizenians: next to the +Troizenians two hundred Lepreates: next to these four hundred of the +men of Mikene and Tiryns; and then a thousand Phliasians. By the side of +these stood three hundred Hermionians; and next to the Hermionians were +stationed six hundred Eretrians and Styrians; next to these four hundred +Chalkidians; and to these five hundred men of Amprakia. After these +stood eight hundred Leucadians and Anactorians; and next to them two +hundred from Pale in Kephallenia. After these were ranged five hundred +Eginetans; by their side three thousand Megarians; and next to these +six hundred Plataians. Last, or if you will first, were ranged the +Athenians, occupying the left wing, eight thousand in number, and the +commander of them was Aristeides the son of Lysimachos.. + +29. These all, excepting those who were appointed to attend the +Spartans, seven for each man, were hoplites, being in number altogether +three myriads eight thousand and seven hundred. 31 This was the whole +number of hoplites who were assembled against the Barbarian; and the +number of the light-armed was as follows:—of the Spartan division +thirty-five thousand men, reckoning at the rate of seven for each man, +and of these every one was equipped for fighting; and the light-armed +troops of the rest of the Lacedemonians and of the other Hellenes, being +about one for each man, amounted to thirty-four thousand five hundred.. + +30. Of the light-armed fighting men the whole number then was six +myriads nine thousand and five hundred; 32 and of the whole Hellenic +force which assembled at Plataia the number (including both the hoplites +and the light-armed fighting men) was eleven myriads 33 all but one +thousand eight hundred men; and with the Thespians who were present the +number of eleven myriads was fully made up; for there were present also +in the army those of the Thespians who survived, being in number about +one thousand eight hundred, and these too were without heavy arms. +34 These then having been ranged in order were encamped on the river +Asopos. + +31. Meanwhile the Barbarians with Mardonios, when they had sufficiently +mourned for Masistios, being informed that the Hellenes were at Plataia +came themselves also to that part of the Asopos which flows there; and +having arrived there, they were ranged against the enemy by Mardonios +thus:—against the Lacedemonians he stationed the Persians; and since +the Persians were much superior in numbers, they were arrayed in deeper +ranks than those, and notwithstanding this they extended in front of the +Tegeans also: and he ranged them in this manner,—all the strongest part +of that body he selected from the rest and stationed it opposite to the +Lacedemonians, but the weaker part he ranged by their side opposite +to the Tegeans. This he did on the information and suggestion of the +Thebans. Then next to the Persians he ranged the Medes; and these +extended in front of the Corinthians, Potidaians, Orchomenians and +Sikyonians. Next to the Medes he ranged the Bactrians; and these +extended in front of the Epidaurians, Troizenians, Lepreates, +Tirynthians, Mykenians and Phliasians. After the Bactrians he stationed +the Indians; and these extended in front of the Hermionians, Eretrians, +Styrians and Chalkidians. Next to the Indians he ranged the Sacans, who +extended in front of the men of Amprakia, the Anactorians, Leucadians, +Palians and Eginetans. Next to the Sacans and opposite to the Athenians, +Plataians and Megarians, he ranged the Boeotians, Locrians, Malians, +Thessalians, and the thousand men of the Phokians: for not all the +Phokians had taken the side of the Medes, but some of them were even +supporting the cause of the Hellenes, being shut up in Parnassos; and +setting out from thence they plundered from the army of Mardonios and +from those of the Hellenes who were with him. He ranged the Macedonians +also and those who dwell about the borders of Thessaly opposite to the +Athenians.. + +32. These which have been named were the greatest of the nations who +were arrayed in order by Mardonios, those, I mean, which were the most +renowned and of greatest consideration: but there were in his army +also men of several other nations mingled together, of the Phrygians, +Thracians, Mysians, Paionians, and the rest; and among them also +some Ethiopians, and of the Egyptians those called Hermotybians and +Calasirians, 35 carrying knives, 36 who of all the Egyptians are the +only warriors. These men, while he was yet at Phaleron, he had caused to +disembark from the ships in which they served as fighting-men; for the +Egyptians had not been appointed to serve in the land-army which came +with Xerxes to Athens. Of the Barbarians then there were thirty myriads, +37 as has been declared before; but of the Hellenes who were allies of +Mardonios no man knows what the number was, for they were not numbered; +but by conjecture I judge that these were assembled to the number of +five myriads. These who were placed in array side by side were on foot; +and the cavalry was ranged apart from them in a separate body. + +33. When all had been drawn up by nations and by divisions, then on +the next day they offered sacrifice on both sides. For the Hellenes +Tisamenos the son of Antiochos was he who offered sacrifice, for he it +was who accompanied this army as diviner. This man the Lacedemonians had +made to be one of their own people, being an Eleian and of the race +of the Iamidai: 38 for when Tisamenos was seeking divination at Delphi +concerning issue, the Pythian prophetess made answer to him that he +should win five of the greatest contests. He accordingly, missing the +meaning of the oracle, began to attend to athletic games, supposing +that he should win contests of athletics; and he practised for the +"five contests" 39 and came within one fall of winning a victory at the +Olympic games, 40 being set to contend with Hieronymos of Andros. The +Lacedemonians however perceived that the oracle given to Tisamenos had +reference not to athletic but to martial contests, and they endeavoured +to persuade Tisamenos by payment of money, and to make him a leader in +their wars together with the kings of the race of Heracles. He then, +seeing that the Spartans set much store on gaining him over as a friend, +having perceived this, I say, he raised his price and signified to them +that he would do as they desired, if they would make him a citizen of +their State and give him full rights, but for no other payment. The +Spartans at first when they heard this displayed indignation and +altogether gave up their request, but at last, when great terror +was hanging over them of this Persian armament, they gave way 41 and +consented. He then perceiving that they had changed their minds, said +that he could not now be satisfied even so, nor with these terms alone; +but it was necessary that his brother Hegias also should be made a +Spartan citizen on the same terms as he himself became one.. + +34. By saying this he followed the example of Melampus in his request, +42 if one may compare royal power with mere citizenship; for Melampus +on his part, when the women in Argos had been seized by madness, and the +Argives endeavoured to hire him to come from Pylos and to cause their +women to cease from the malady, proposed as payment for himself the half +of the royal power; and the Argives did not suffer this, but departed: +and afterwards, when more of their women became mad, at length they +accepted that which Melampus had proposed, and went to offer him this: +but he then seeing that they had changed their minds, increased his +demand, and said that he would not do that which they desired unless +they gave to his brother Bias also the third share in the royal power. +43 And the Argives, being driven into straits, consented to this also. +35. Just so the Spartans also, being very much in need of Tisamenos, +agreed with him on any terms which he desired: and when the Spartans had +agreed to this demand also, then Tisamenos the Eleian, having become a +Spartan, had part with them in winning five of the greatest contests +as their diviner: and these were the only men who ever were made +fellow-citizens of the Spartans. Now the five contests were these: one +and the first of them was this at Plataia; and after this the contest at +Tegea, which took place with the Tegeans and the Argives; then that at +Dipaieis against all the Arcadians except the Mantineians; after that +the contest with the Messenians at Ithome; 44 and last of all that which +took place at Tanagra against the Athenians and Argives. This, I say, +was accomplished last of the five contests. + +36. This Tisamenos was acting now as diviner for the Hellenes in the +Plataian land, being brought by the Spartans. Now to the Hellenes the +sacrifices were of good omen if they defended themselves only, but not +if they crossed the Asopos and began a battle;. + +37, and Mardonios too, who was eager to begin a battle, found the +sacrifices not favourable to this design, but they were of good omen +to him also if he defended himself only; for he too used the Hellenic +manner of sacrifice, having as diviner Hegesistratos an Eleian and the +most famous of the Telliadai, whom before these events the Spartans had +taken and bound, in order to put him to death, because they had suffered +much mischief from him. He then being in this evil case, seeing that he +was running a course for his life and was likely moreover to suffer +much torment before his death, had done a deed such as may hardly be +believed. Being made fast on a block bound with iron, he obtained +an iron tool, which in some way had been brought in, and contrived +forthwith a deed the most courageous of any that we know: for having +first calculated how the remaining portion of his foot might be got out +of the block, he cut away the flat of his own foot, 45 and after that, +since he was guarded still by warders, he broke through the wall and +so ran away to Tegea, travelling during the nights and in the daytime +entering a wood and resting there; so that, though the Lacedemonians +searched for him in full force, he arrived at Tegea on the third +night; and the Lacedemonians were possessed by great wonder both at +his courage, when they saw the piece of the foot that was cut off lying +there, and also because they were not able to find him. So he at that +time having thus escaped them took refuge at Tegea, which then was not +friendly with the Lacedemonians; and when he was healed and had procured +for himself a wooden foot, he became an open enemy of the Lacedemonians. +However in the end the enmity into which he had fallen with the +Lacedemonians was not to his advantage; for he was caught by them while +practising divination in Zakynthos, and was put to death. + +38. However the death of Hegesistratos took place later than the +events at Plataia, and he was now at the Asopos, having been hired by +Mardonions for no mean sum, sacrificing and displaying zeal for his +cause both on account of his enmity with the Lacedemonians and on +account of the gain which he got: but as the sacrifices were not +favourable for a battle either for the Persians themselves or for +those Hellenes who were with them (for these also had a diviner for +themselves, Hippomachos a Leucadian), and as the Hellenes had men +constantly flowing in and were becoming more in number, Timagenides the +son of Herpys, a Theban, counselled Mardonios to set a guard on the pass +of Kithairon, saying that the Hellenes were constantly flowing in every +day and that he would thus cut off large numbers.. + +39. Eight days had now passed while they had been sitting opposite to +one another, when he gave this counsel to Mardonios; and Mardonios, +perceiving that the advice was good, sent the cavalry when night came +on to the pass of Kithairon leading towards Plataia, which the Boeotians +call the "Three Heads" 46 and the Athenians the "Oak Heads." 47 Having +been thus sent, the cavalry did not come without effect, for they caught +five hundred baggage-animals coming out into the plain, which were +bearing provisions from Peloponnesus to the army, and also the men +who accompanied the carts: and having taken this prize the Persians +proceeded to slaughter them without sparing either beast or man; and +when they were satiated with killing they surrounded the rest and drove +them into the camp to Mardonios. + +40. After this deed they spent two days more, neither side wishing to +begin a battle; for the Barbarians advanced as far as the Asopos to make +trial of the Hellenes, but neither side would cross the river. However +the cavalry of Mardonios made attacks continually and did damage to the +Hellenes; for the Thebans, being very strong on the side of the Medes, +carried on the war with vigour, and always directed them up to the +moment of fighting; and after this the Persians and Medes took up the +work and were they who displayed valour in their turn. + +41. For ten days then nothing more was done than this; but when the +eleventh day had come, while they still sat opposite to one another at +Plataia, the Hellenes having by this time grown much more numerous and +Mardonios being greatly vexed at the delay of action, then Mardonios the +son of Gobryas and Artabazos the son of Pharnakes, who was esteemed +by Xerxes as few of the Persians were besides, came to speech with +one another; and as they conferred, the opinions they expressed were +these,—that of Artabazos, that they must put the whole army in motion +as soon as possible and go to the walls of the Thebans, whither great +stores of corn had been brought in for them and fodder for their beasts; +and that they should settle there quietly and get their business done +as follows:—they had, he said, great quantities of gold, both coined and +uncoined, and also of silver and of drinking-cups; and these he advised +they should send about to the Hellenes without stint, more especially +to those of the Hellenes who were leaders in their several cities; and +these, he said, would speedily deliver up their freedom: and he advised +that they should not run the risk of a battle. His opinion then was the +same as that of the Thebans, 48 for he as well as they had some true +foresight: but the opinion of Mardonios was more vehement and more +obstinate, and he was by no means disposed to yield; for he said that he +thought their army far superior to that of the Hellenes, and he gave as +his opinion that they should engage battle as quickly as possible and +not allow them to assemble in still greater numbers than were already +assembled; and as for the sacrifices of Hegesistratos, they should leave +them alone and not endeavour to force a good sign, but follow the custom +of the Persians and engage battle.. + +42. When he so expressed his judgment, none opposed him, and thus his +opinion prevailed; for he and not Artabazos had the command of the +army given him by the king. He summoned therefore the commanders of +the divisions and the generals of those Hellenes who were with him, and +asked whether they knew of any oracle regarding the Persians, which +said that they should be destroyed in Hellas; and when those summoned to +council 49 were silent, some not knowing the oracles and others knowing +them but not esteeming it safe to speak, Mardonios himself said: "Since +then ye either know nothing or do not venture to speak, I will tell you, +since I know very well. There is an oracle saying that the Persians are +destined when they come to Hellas to plunder the temple at Delphi, and +having plundered it to perish every one of them. We therefore, just +because we know this, will not go to that temple nor will we attempt +to plunder it; and for this cause we shall not perish. So many of you +therefore as chance to wish well to the Persians, have joy so far +as regards this matter, and be assured that we shall overcome the +Hellenes." Having spoken to them thus, he next commanded to prepare +everything and to set all in order, since at dawn of the next day a +battle would be fought. + +43. Now this oracle, which Mardonios said referred to the Persians, I +know for my part was composed with reference with the Illyrians and the +army of the Enchelians, and not with reference to the Persians at all. +However, the oracle which was composed by Bakis with reference to this +battle, + + + "The gathering of Hellenes together and cry of Barbarian voices, + Where the Thermodon flows, by the banks of grassy Asopos; + Here very many shall fall ere destiny gave them to perish, + Medes bow-bearing in fight, when the fatal day shall approach them,"— + +these sayings, and others like them composed by Musaios, I know had +reference to the Persians. Now the river Thermodon flows between Tanagra +and Glisas. + +44. After the inquiry about the oracles and the exhortation given by +Mardonios night came on and the guards were set: and when night was far +advanced, and it seemed that there was quiet everywhere in the camps, +and that the men were in their deepest sleep, then Alexander the son of +Amyntas, commander and king of the Macedonians, rode his horse up to +the guard-posts of the Athenians and requested that he might have speech +with their generals. So while the greater number of the guards stayed at +their posts, some ran to the generals, and when they reached them they +said that a man had come riding on a horse out of the camp of the Medes, +who discovered nothing further, but only named the generals and said +that he desired to have speech with them.. + +45. Having heard this, forthwith they accompanied the men to the +guard-posts, and when they had arrived there, Alexander thus spoke +to them: "Athenians, I lay up these words of mine as a trust to you, +charging you to keep them secret and tell them to no one except only to +Pausanias, lest ye bring me to ruin: for I should not utter them if I +did not care greatly for the general safety of Hellas, seeing that I am +a Hellene myself by original descent and I should not wish to see Hellas +enslaved instead of free. I say then that Mardonios and his army cannot +get the offerings to be according to their mind, 50 for otherwise ye +would long ago have fought. Now however he has resolved to let the +offerings alone and to bring on a battle at dawn of day; for, as +I conjecture, he fears lest ye should assemble in greater numbers. +Therefore prepare yourselves; and if after all Mardonios should put +off the battle and not bring it on, stay where ye are and hold out +patiently; for they have provisions only for a few days remaining. And +if this way shall have its issue according to your mind, then each one +of you ought to remember me also concerning liberation, 51 since I have +done for the sake of the Hellenes so hazardous a deed by reason of my +zeal for you, desiring to show you the design of Mardonios, in order +that the Barbarians may not fall upon you when ye are not as yet +expecting them: and I am Alexander the Macedonian." Thus having spoken +he rode away back to the camp and to his own position. + +46. Then the generals of the Athenians came to the right wing and told +Pausanias that which they had heard from Alexander. Upon this saying he +being struck with fear of the Persians spoke as follows: "Since then at +dawn the battle comes on, it is right that ye, Athenians, should take +your stand opposite to the Persians, and we opposite to the Boeotians +and those Hellenes who are now posted against you; and for this reason, +namely because ye are acquainted with the Medes and with their manner +of fighting, having fought with them at Marathon, whereas we have had no +experience of these men and are without knowledge of them; for not +one of the Spartans has made trial of the Medes in fight, but of the +Boeotians and Thessalians we have had experience. It is right therefore +that ye should take up your arms and come to this wing of the army, and +that we should go to the left wing." In answer to this the Athenians +spoke as follows: "To ourselves also long ago at the very first, when we +saw that the Persians were being ranged opposite to you, it occurred to +us to say these very things, which ye now bring forward before we have +uttered them; but we feared lest these words might not be pleasing to +you. Since however ye yourselves have made mention of this, know that +your words have caused us pleasure, and that we are ready to do this +which ye say.". + +47. Both then were content to do this, and as dawn appeared they began +to change their positions with one another: and the Boeotians perceiving +that which was being done reported it to Mardonios, who, when he heard +it, forthwith himself also endeavoured to change positions, bringing the +Persians along so as to be against the Lacedemonians: and when +Pausanias learnt that this was being done, he perceived that he was not +unobserved, and he led the Spartans back again to the right wing; and +just so also did Mardonios upon his left. + +48. When they had been thus brought to their former positions, Mardonios +sent a herald to the Spartans and said as follows: "Lacedemonians, ye +are said forsooth by those who are here to be very good men, and they +have admiration for you because ye do not flee in war nor leave +your post, but stay there and either destroy your enemies or perish +yourselves. In this however, as it now appears, there is no truth; for +before we engaged battle and came to hand-to-hand conflict we saw you +already flee and leave your station, desiring to make the trial with +the Athenians first, while ye ranged yourselves opposite to our slaves. +These are not at all the deeds of good men in war, but we were deceived +in you very greatly; for we expected by reason of your renown that ye +would send a herald to us, challenging us and desiring to fight with the +Persians alone; but though we on our part were ready to do this, we did +not find that ye said anything of this kind, but rather that ye cowered +with fear. Now therefore since ye were not the first to say this, we +are the first. Why do we not forthwith fight, 52 ye on behalf of the +Hellenes, since ye have the reputation of being the best, and we on +behalf of the Barbarians, with equal numbers on both sides? and if we +think it good that the others should fight also, then let them fight +afterwards; and if on the other hand we should not think it good, but +think it sufficient that we alone should fight, then let us fight it +out to the end, and whichsoever of us shall be the victors, let these be +counted as victorious with their whole army.". + +49. The herald having thus spoken waited for some time, and then, as no +one made him any answer, he departed and went back; and having returned +he signified to Mardonios that which had happened to him. Mardonios +then being greatly rejoiced and elated by his empty 53 victory, sent +the cavalry to attack the Hellenes: and when the horsemen had ridden +to attack them, they did damage to the whole army of the Hellenes by +hurling javelins against them and shooting with bows, being mounted +archers and hard therefore to fight against: and they disturbed and +choked up the spring Gargaphia, from which the whole army of the +Hellenes was drawing its water. Now the Lacedemonians alone were posted +near this spring, and it was at some distance from the rest of the +Hellenes, according as they chanced to be posted, while the Asopos was +near at hand; but when they were kept away from the Asopos, then they +used to go backwards and forwards to this spring; for they were not +permitted by the horsemen and archers to fetch water from the river.. + +50. Such then being the condition of things, the generals of the +Hellenes, since the army had been cut off from its water and was being +harassed by the cavalry, assembled to consult about these and other +things, coming to Pausanias upon the right wing: for other things too +troubled them yet more than these of which we have spoken, since they +no longer had provisions, and their attendants who had been sent to +Peloponnese for the purpose of getting them had been cut off by the +cavalry and were not able to reach the camp.. + +51. It was resolved then by the generals in council with one another, +that if the Persians put off the battle for that day, they would go +to the Island. This is distant ten furlongs 54 from the Asopos and the +spring Gargaphia, where they were then encamped, and is in front of the +city of the Plataians: and if it be asked how there can be an island on +the mainland, thus it is 55:—the river parts in two above, as it flows +from Kithairon down to the plain, keeping a distance of about three +furlongs between its streams, and after that it joins again in one +stream; and the name of it is Oëroe, said by the natives of the country +to be the daughter of Asopos. To this place of which I speak they +determined to remove, in order that they might be able to get an +abundant supply of water and that the cavalry might not do them damage, +as now when they were right opposite. And they proposed to remove when +the second watch of the night should have come, so that the Persians +might not see them set forth and harass them with the cavalry pursuing. +They proposed also, after they had arrived at this place, round which, +as I say, Oëroe the daughter of Asopos flows, parting into two streams +56 as she runs from Kithairon, to send half the army to Kithairon during +this same night, in order to take up their attendants who had gone to +get the supplies of provisions; for these were cut off from them in +Kithairon. + +52. Having thus resolved, during the whole of that day they had trouble +unceasingly, while the cavalry pressed upon them; but when the day drew +to a close and the attacks of the cavalry had ceased, then as it was +becoming night and the time had arrived at which it had been agreed +that they should retire from their place, the greater number of them set +forth and began to retire, not however keeping it in mind to go to the +place which had been agreed upon; but on the contrary, when they had +begun to move, they readily took occasion to flee 57 from the cavalry +towards the city of the Plataians, and in their flight they came as +far as the temple of Hera, which temple is in front of the city of the +Plataians at a distance of twenty furlongs from the spring Gargaphia; +and when they had there arrived they halted in front of the temple. + +53. These then were encamping about the temple of Hera; and Pausanias, +seeing that they were retiring from the camp, gave the word to the +Lacedemonians also to take up their arms and go after the others who +were preceding them, supposing that these were going to the place to +which they had agreed to go. Then, when all the other commanders were +ready to obey Pausanias, Amompharetos the son of Poliades, the commander +of the Pitanate division, 58 said that he would not flee from the +strangers, nor with his own will would he disgrace Sparta; and he +expressed wonder at seeing that which was being done, not having been +present at the former discussion. And Pausanias and Euryanax were +greatly disturbed that he did not obey them and still more that they +should be compelled to leave the Pitanate division behind, since he thus +refused; 59 for they feared that if they should leave it in order to do +that which they had agreed with the other Hellenes, both Amompharetos +himself would perish being left behind and also the men with him. With +this thought they kept the Lacedemonian force from moving, and meanwhile +they endeavoured to persuade him that it was not right for him to do +so.. + +54. They then were exhorting Amompharetos, who had been left behind +alone of the Lacedemonians and Tegeans; and meanwhile the Athenians +were keeping themselves quiet in the place where they had been posted, +knowing the spirit of the Lacedemonians, that they were apt to say +otherwise than they really meant; 60 and when the army began to move, +they sent a horseman from their own body to see whether the Spartans +were attempting to set forth, or whether they had in truth no design at +all to retire; and they bade him ask Pausanias what they ought to do. +55. So when the herald came to the Lacedemonians, he saw that they were +still in their place and that the chiefs of them had come to strife with +one another: for when Euryanax and Pausanias both exhorted Amompharetos +not to run the risk of remaining behind with his men, alone of all the +Lacedemonians, they did not at all persuade him, and at last they had +come to downright strife; and meanwhile the herald of the Athenians had +arrived and was standing by them. And Amompharetos in his contention +took a piece of rock in both his hands and placed it at the feet of +Pausanias, saying that with this pebble he gave his vote not to fly from +the strangers, meaning the Barbarians. 61 Pausanias then, calling him a +madman and one who was not in his right senses, bade tell the state of +their affairs to the Athenian herald, 62 who was asking that which he +had been charged to ask; and at the same time he requested the Athenians +to come towards the Lacedemonians and to do in regard to the retreat the +same as they did.. + +56. He then went away back to the Athenians; and as the dawn of day +found them yet disputing with one another, Pausanias, who had remained +still throughout all this time, gave the signal, and led away all the +rest over the low hills, supposing that Amonpharetos would not stay +behind when the other Lacedemonians departed (in which he was in fact +right); and with them also went the Tegeans. Meanwhile the Athenians, +following the commands which were given them, were going in the +direction opposite to that of the Lacedemonians; for these were clinging +to the hills and the lower slope of Kithairon from fear of the cavalry, +while the Athenians were marching below in the direction of the plain.. + +57. As for Amonpharetos, he did not at first believe that Pausanias +would ever venture to leave him and his men behind, and he stuck to it +that they should stay there and not leave their post; but when Pausanias +and his troops were well in front, then he perceived that they had +actually left him behind, and he made his division take up their arms +and led them slowly towards the main body. This, when it had got away +about ten furlongs, stayed for the division of Amompharetos, halting +at the river Moloeis and the place called Argiopion, where also there +stands a temple of the Eleusinian Demeter: and it stayed there for this +reason, namely in order that of Amonpharetos and his division should not +leave the place where they had been posted, but should remain there, it +might be able to come back to their assistance. So Amompharetos and his +men were coming up to join them, and the cavalry also of the Barbarians +was at the same time beginning to attack them in full force: for the +horsemen did on this day as they had been wont to do every day; and +seeing the place vacant in which the Hellenes had been posted on the +former days, they rode their horses on continually further, and as soon +as they came up with them they began to attack them. + +58. Then Mardonios, when he was informed that the Hellenes had departed +during the night, and when he saw their place deserted, called Thorax of +Larissa and his brothers Eurypylos and Thrasydeios, and said: "Sons +of Aleuas, will ye yet say anything, 63 now that ye see these places +deserted? For ye who dwell near them were wont to say that the +Lacedemonians did not fly from a battle, but were men unsurpassed in +war; and these men ye not only saw before this changing from their post, +but now we all of us see that they have run away during the past night; +and by this they showed clearly, when the time came for them to contend +in battle with those who were in truth the best of all men, that after +all they were men of no worth, who had been making a display of valour +among Hellenes, a worthless race. As for you, since ye had had no +experience of the Persians, I for my part was very ready to excuse you +when ye praised these, of whom after all ye knew something good; but +much more I marvelled at Artabazos that he should have been afraid of +the Lacedemonians, and that having been afraid he should have uttered +that most cowardly opinion, namely that we ought to move our army away +and go to the city of the Thebans to be besieged there,—an opinion about +which the king shall yet be informed by me. Of these things we will +speak in another place; now however we must not allow them to act thus, +but we must pursue them until they are caught and pay the penalty to us +for all that they did to the Persians in time past.". + +59. Thus having spoken he led on the Persians at a run, after they had +crossed the Asopos, on the track of the Hellenes, supposing that +these were running away from him; and he directed his attack upon the +Lacedemonians and Tegeans only, for the Athenians, whose march was +towards the plain, he did not see by reason of the hills. Then the rest +of the commanders of the Barbarian divisions, seeing that the Persians +had started to pursue the Hellenes, forthwith all raised the signals for +battle and began to pursue, each as fast as they could, not arranged in +any order or succession of post.. + +60. These then were coming on with shouting and confused numbers, +thinking to make short work of 64 the Hellenes; and Pausanias, when the +cavalry began to attack, sent to the Athenians a horseman and said thus: +"Athenians, now that the greatest contest is set before us, namely that +which has for its issue the freedom or the slavery of Hellas, we have +been deserted by our allies, we Lacedemonians and ye Athenians, seeing +that they have run away during the night that is past. Now therefore +it is determined what we must do upon this, namely that we must defend +ourselves and protect one another as best we may. If then the cavalry +had set forth to attack you at the first, we and the Tegeans, who with +us refuse to betray the cause of Hellas, should have been bound to go to +your help; but as it is, since the whole body has come against us, it is +right that ye should come to that portion of the army which is hardest +pressed, to give aid. If however anything has happened to you which +makes it impossible for you to come to our help, then do us a kindness +by sending to us the archers; and we know that ye have been in the +course of this present war by far the most zealous of all, so that ye +will listen to our request in this matter also.". + +61. When the Athenians heard this they were desirous to come to their +help and to assist them as much as possible; and as they were already +going, they were attacked by those of the Hellenes on the side of the +king who had been ranged opposite to them, so that they were no longer +able to come to the help of the Lacedemonians, for the force that +was attacking them gave them much trouble. Thus the Lacedemonians and +Tegeans were left alone, being in number, together with light-armed men, +the former fifty thousand and the Tegeans three thousand; for these +were not parted at all from the Lacedemonians: and they began to offer +sacrifice, meaning to engage battle with Mardonios and the force +which had come against them. Then since their offerings did not prove +favourable, and many of them were being slain during this time and many +more wounded,—for the Persians had made a palisade of their wicker-work +shields 65 and were discharging their arrows in great multitude and +without sparing,—Pausanias, seeing that the Spartans were hard pressed +and that the offerings did not prove favourable, fixed his gaze upon +the temple of Hera of the Plataians and called upon the goddess to help, +praying that they might by no means be cheated of their hope:. + +62, and while he was yet calling upon her thus, the Tegeans started +forward before them and advanced against the Barbarians, and forthwith +after the prayer of Pausanias the offerings proved favourable for the +Lacedemonians as they sacrificed. So when this at length came to pass, +then they also advanced against the Persians; and the Persians put away +their bows and came against them. Then first there was fighting about +the wicker-work shields, and when these had been overturned, after that +the fighting was fierce by the side of the temple of Demeter, and so +continued for a long time, until at last they came to justling; for +the Barbarians would take hold of the spears and break them off. Now in +courage and in strength the Persians were not inferior to the others, +but they were without defensive armour, 66 and moreover they were +unversed in war and unequal to their opponents in skill; and they would +dart out one at a time or in groups of about ten together, some more and +some less, and fall upon the Spartans and perish.. + +63. In the place where Mardonios himself was, riding on a white horse +and having about him the thousand best men of the Persians chosen out +from the rest, here, I say, they pressed upon their opponents most of +all: and so long as Mardonios survived, they held out against them, and +defending themselves they cast down many of the Lacedemonians; but when +Mardonios was slain and the men who were ranged about his person, which +was the strongest portion of the whole army, had fallen, then the others +too turned and gave way before the Lacedemonians; for their manner of +dress, without defensive armour, was a very great cause of destruction +to them, since in truth they were contending light-armed against +hoplites.. + +64. Then the satisfaction for the murder of Leonidas was paid by +Mardonios according to the oracle given to the Spartans, 67 and the most +famous victory of all those about which we have knowledge was gained +by Pausanias the son of Cleombrotos, the son of Anaxandrides; of his +ancestors above this the names have been given for Leonidas, 68 since, +as it happens, they are the same for both. Now Mardonios was slain by +Arimnestos, 69 a man of consideration in Sparta, who afterwards, when +the Median wars were over, with three hundred men fought a battle +against the whole army of the Messenians, then at war with the +Lacedemonians, at Stenycleros, and both he was slain and also the three +hundred.. + +65. When the Persians were turned to flight at Plataia by the +Lacedemonians, they fled in disorder to their own camp and to the +palisade which they had made in the Theban territory: 70 and it is a +marvel to me that, whereas they fought by the side of the sacred grove +of Demeter, not one of the Persians was found to have entered the +enclosure or to have been slain within it, but round about the temple in +the unconsecrated ground fell the greater number of the slain. I suppose +(if one ought to suppose anything about divine things) that the goddess +herself refused to receive them, because they had set fire to the +temple, that is to say the "palace" 71 at Eleusis. + +66. Thus far then had this battle proceeded: but Artabazos the son +of Pharnakes had been displeased at the very first because Mardonios +remained behind after the king was gone; and afterwards he had been +bringing forward objections continually and doing nothing, but had urged +them always not to fight a battle: and for himself he acted as +follows, not being pleased with the things which were being done by +Mardonios.—The men of whom Artabazos was commander (and he had with him +no small force but one which was in number as much as four myriads 72 of +men), these, when the fighting began, being well aware what the issue of +the battle would be, he led carefully, 73 having first given orders that +all should go by the way which he should lead them and at the same pace +at which they should see him go. Having given these orders he led his +troops on pretence of taking them into battle; and when he was well on +his way, he saw the Persians already taking flight. Then he no longer +led his men in the same order as before, but set off at a run, taking +flight by the quickest way not to the palisade nor yet to the wall of +the Thebans, but towards Phokis, desiring as quickly as possible to +reach the Hellespont.. + +67. These, I say, were thus directing their march: and in the meantime, +while the other Hellenes who were on the side of the king were purposely +slack in the fight, 74 the Boeotians fought with the Athenians for a +long space; for those of the Thebans who took the side of the Medes had +no small zeal for the cause, and they fought and were not slack, so +that three hundred of them, the first and best of all, fell there by the +hands of the Athenians: and when these also turned to flight, they fled +to Thebes, not to the same place as the Persians: and the main body of +the other allies fled without having fought constantly with any one or +displayed any deeds of valour.. + +68. And this is an additional proof to me that all the fortunes of the +Barbarians depended upon the Persians, namely that at that time these +men fled before they had even engaged with the enemy, because they saw +the Persians doing so. Thus all were in flight except only the cavalry, +including also that of the Boeotians; and this rendered service to the +fugitives by constantly keeping close to the enemy and separating the +fugitives of their own side from the Hellenes.. + +69. The victors then were coming after the troops of Xerxes, both +pursuing them and slaughtering them; and during the time when this +panic arose, the report was brought to the other Hellenes who had posted +themselves about the temple of Hera and had been absent from the battle, +that a battle had taken place and that the troops of Pausanias were +gaining the victory. When they heard this, then without ranging +themselves in any order the Corinthians and those near them turned to go +by the skirts of the mountain and by the low hills along the way which +led straight up to the temple of Demeter, while the Megarians and +Phliasians and those near them went by the plain along the smoothest +way. When however the Megarians and Phliasians came near to the enemy, +the cavalry of the Thebans caught sight of them from a distance hurrying +along without any order, and rode up to attack them, the commander of +the cavalry being Asopodoros the son of Timander; and having fallen upon +them they slew six hundred of them, and the rest they pursued and drove +to Kithairon. + +70. These then perished thus ingloriously; 75 and meanwhile the Persians +and the rest of the throng, having fled for refuge to the palisade, +succeeded in getting up to the towers before the Lacedemonians came; and +having got up they strengthened the wall of defence as best they could. +Then when the Lacedemonians 76 came up to attack it, there began between +them a vigorous 77 fight for the wall: for so long as the Athenians +were away, they defended themselves and had much the advantage over +the Lacedemonians, since these did not understand the art of fighting +against walls; but when the Athenians came up to help them, then there +was a fierce fight for the wall, lasting for a long time, and at length +by valour and endurance the Athenians mounted up on the wall and made a +breach in it, through which the Hellenes poured in. Now the Tegeans were +the first who entered the wall, and these were they who plundered the +tent of Mardonios, taking, besides the other things which were in it, +also the manger of his horse, which was all of bronze and a sight worth +seeing. This manger of Mardonios was dedicated by the Tegeans as an +offering in the temple of Athene Alea, 78 but all the other things +which they took, they brought to the common stock of the Hellenes. The +Barbarians however, after the wall had been captured, no longer formed +themselves into any close body, nor did any of them think of making +resistance, but they were utterly at a loss, 79 as you might expect from +men who were in a panic with many myriads of them shut up together in a +small space: and the Hellenes were able to slaughter them so that out +of an army of thirty myriads, 80 if those four be subtracted which +Artabazos took with him in his flight, of the remainder not three +thousand men survived. Of the Lacedemonians from Sparta there were slain +in the battle ninety-one in all, of the Tegeans sixteen, and of the +Athenians two-and-fifty. + +71. Among the Barbarians those who proved themselves the best men were, +of those on foot the Persians, and of the cavalry the Sacans, and for +a single man Mardonios it is said was the best. Of the Hellenes, though +both the Tegeans and the Athenians proved themselves good men, yet the +Lacedemonians surpassed them in valour. Of this I have no other proof +(for all these were victorious over their opposites), but only this, +that they fought against the strongest part of the enemy's force and +overcame it. And the man who proved himself in my opinion by much the +best was that Aristodemos who, having come back safe from Thermopylai +alone of the three hundred, had reproach and dishonour attached to him. +After him the best were Poseidonios and Philokyon and Amompharetos the +Spartan. 81 However, when there came to be conversation as to which of +them had proved himself the best, the Spartans who were present gave it +as their opinion that Aristodemos had evidently wished to be slain in +consequence of the charge which lay against him, and so, being as it +were in a frenzy and leaving his place in the ranks, he had displayed +great deeds, whereas Poseidonios had proved himself a good man although +he did not desire to be slain; and so far he was the better man of the +two. This however they perhaps said from ill-will; and all these whose +names I mentioned among the men who were killed in this battle, were +specially honoured, except Aristodemos; but Aristodemos, since he +desired to be slain on account of the before-mentioned charge, was not +honoured. + +72. These obtained the most renown of those who fought at Plataia, for +as for Callicrates, the most beautiful who came to the camp, not of the +Lacedemonians alone, but also of all the Hellenes of his time, he +was not killed in the battle itself; but when Pausanias was offering +sacrifice, he was wounded by an arrow in the side, as he was sitting +down in his place in the ranks; and while the others were fighting, he +having been carried out of the ranks was dying a lingering death: and he +said to Arimnestos 82 a Plataian that it did not grieve him to die for +Hellas, but it grieved him only that he had not proved his strength of +hand, and that no deed of valour had been displayed by him worthy of the +spirit which he had in him to perform great deeds. 83 + +73. Of the Athenians the man who gained most glory is said to have been +Sophanes the son of Eutychides of the deme of Dekeleia,—a deme of which +the inhabitants formerly did a deed that was of service to them for all +time, as the Athenians themselves report. For when of old the sons of +Tyndareus invaded the Attic land with a great host, in order to bring +home Helen, and were laying waste the demes, not knowing to what +place of hiding Helen had been removed, then they say that the men +of Dekeleia, or as some say Dekelos himself, being aggrieved by the +insolence of Theseus and fearing for all the land of the Athenians, told +them the whole matter and led them to Aphidnai, which Titakos who was +sprung from the soil delivered up by treachery to the sons of Tyndareus. +In consequence of this deed the Dekeleians have had continually freedom +from dues in Sparta and front seats at the games, 84 privileges which +exist still to this day; insomuch that even in the war which many years +after these events arose between the Athenians and the Peloponnesians, +when the Lacedemonians laid waste all the rest of Attica, they abstained +from injury to Dekeleia.. + +74. To this deme belonged Sophanes, who showed himself the best of all +the Athenians in this battle; and of him there are two different stories +told: one that he carried an anchor of iron bound by chains of bronze +to the belt of his corslet; and this he threw whensoever he came up with +the enemy, in order, they say, that the enemy when they came forth out +of their ranks might not be able to move him from his place; and when a +flight of his opponents took place, his plan was to take up the anchor +first and then pursue after them. This story is reported thus; but the +other of the stories, disputing the truth of that which has been told +above, is reported as follows, namely that upon his shield, which was +ever moving about and never remaining still, he bore an anchor as a +device, and not one of iron bound to his corslet. + +75. There was another illustrious deed done too by Sophanes; for when +the Athenians besieged Egina he challenged to a fight and slew Eurybates +the Argive, 85 one who had been victor in the five contests 86 at the +games. To Sophanes himself it happened after these events that when he +was general of the Athenians together with Leagros the son of Glaucon, +he was slain after proving himself a good man by the Edonians at Daton, +fighting for the gold mines. + +76. When the Barbarians had been laid low by the Hellenes at Plataia, +there approached to these a woman, the concubine of Pharandates the son +of Teaspis a Persian, coming over of her own free will from the enemy, +who when she perceived that the Persians had been destroyed and that the +Hellenes were the victors, descended from her carriage and came up to +the Lacedemonians while they were yet engaged in the slaughter. +This woman had adorned herself with many ornaments of gold, and her +attendants likewise, and she had put on the fairest robe of those which +she had; and when she saw that Pausanias was directing everything there, +being well acquainted before with his name and with his lineage, because +she had heard it often, she recognised Pausanias and taking hold of his +knees she said these words: "O king of Sparta, deliver me thy suppliant +from the slavery of the captive: for thou hast also done me service +hitherto in destroying these, who have regard neither for demigods nor +yet for gods. 87 I am by race of Cos, the daughter of Hegetorides the +son of Antagoras; and the Persian took me by force in Cos and kept me +a prisoner." He made answer in these words: "Woman, be of good courage, +both because thou art a suppliant, and also if in addition to this +it chances that thou art speaking the truth and art the daughter of +Hegetorides the Coan, who is bound to me as a guest-friend more than any +other of the men who dwell in those parts." Having thus spoken, for +that time her gave her in charge to those Ephors who were present, and +afterwards he sent her away to Egina, whither she herself desired to go. + +77. After the arrival of the woman, forthwith upon this arrived the +Mantineians, when all was over; and having learnt that they had come +too late for the battle, they were greatly grieved, and said that +they deserved to be punished: and being informed that the Medes with +Artabazos were in flight, they pursued after them as far as Thessaly, +though the Lacedemonians endeavoured to prevent them from pursuing after +fugitives. 88 Then returning back to their own country they sent the +leaders of their army into exile from the land. After the Mantineians +came the Eleians; and they, like the Mantineians, were greatly grieved +by it and so departed home; and these also when they had returned sent +their leaders into exile. So much of the Mantineians and Eleians. + +78. At Plataia among the troops of the Eginetans was Lampon the son of +Pytheas, one of the leading men of the Eginetans, who was moved to go to +Pausanias with a most impious proposal, and when he had come with haste, +he said as follows: "Son of Cleombrotos, a deed has been done by +thee which is of marvellous greatness and glory, and to thee God has +permitted by rescuing Hellas to lay up for thyself the greatest renown +of all the Hellenes about whom we have any knowledge. Do thou then +perform also that which remains to do after these things, in order that +yet greater reputation may attach to thee, and also that in future every +one of the Barbarians may beware of being the beginner of presumptuous +deeds towards the Hellenes. For when Leonidas was slain at Thermopylai, +Mardonios and Xerxes cut off his head and crucified him: to him +therefore do thou repay like with like, and thou shalt have praise first +from all the Spartans and then secondly from the other Hellenes also; +for if thou impale the body of Mardonios, thou wilt then have taken +vengeance for Leonidas thy father's brother.". + +79. He said this thinking to give pleasure; but the other made him +answer in these words: "Stranger of Egina, I admire thy friendly spirit +and thy forethought for me, but thou hast failed of a good opinion +nevertheless: for having exalted me on high and my family and my deed, +thou didst then cast me down to nought by advising me to do outrage to +a dead body, and by saying that if I do this I shall be better reported +of. These things it is more fitting for Barbarians to do than for +Hellenes; and even with them we find fault for doing so. However that +may be, I do not desire in any such manner as this to please either +Eginetans or others who like such things; but it is enough for me that +I should keep from unholy deeds, yea and from unholy speech also, and +so please the Spartans. As for Leonidas, whom thou biddest me avenge, I +declare that he has been greatly avenged already, and by the unnumbered +lives which have been taken of these men he has been honoured, and +not he only but also the rest who brought their lives to an end at +Thermopylai. As for thee however, come not again to me with such a +proposal, nor give me such advice; and be thankful moreover that thou +hast no punishment for it now." + +80. He having heard this went his way; and Pausanias made a proclamation +that none should lay hands upon the spoil, and he ordered the Helots to +collect the things together. They accordingly dispersed themselves +about the camp and found tents furnished with gold and silver, and beds +overlaid with gold and overlaid with silver, and mixing-bowls of gold, +and cups and other drinking vessels. They found also sacks laid upon +waggons, in which there proved to be caldrons both of gold and of +silver; and from the dead bodies which lay there they stripped bracelets +and collars, and also their swords 89 if they were of gold, for as to +embroidered raiment, there was no account made of it. Then the Helots +stole many of the things and sold them to the Eginetans, but many things +also they delivered up, as many of them as they could not conceal; so +that the great wealth of the Eginetans first came from this, that they +bought the gold from the Helots making pretence that it was brass.. + +81. Then having brought the things together, and having set apart a +tithe for the god of Delphi, with which the offering was dedicated of +the golden tripod which rests upon the three-headed serpent of bronze +and stands close by the altar, and also 90 for the god at Olympia, with +which they dedicated the offering of a bronze statue of Zeus ten cubits +high, and finally for the god at the Isthmus, with which was made a +bronze statue of Poseidon seven cubits high,—having set apart these +things, they divided the rest, and each took that which they ought to +have, including the concubines of the Persians and the gold and the +silver and the other things, and also the beasts of burden. How much was +set apart and given to those of them who had proved themselves the best +men at Plataia is not reported by any, though for my part I suppose that +gifts were made to these also; Pausanias however had ten of each thing +set apart and given to him, that is women, horses, talents, camels, and +so also of the other things. + +82. It is said moreover that this was done which here follows, namely +that Xerxes in his flight from Hellas had left to Mardonios the +furniture of his own tent, and Pausanias accordingly seeing the +furniture of Mardonios furnished 91 with gold and silver and hangings of +different colours ordered the bakers and the cooks to prepare a meal as +they were used to do for Mardonios. Then when they did this as they had +been commanded, it is said that Pausanias seeing the couches of gold and +of silver with luxurious coverings, and the tables of gold and silver, +and the magnificent apparatus of the feast, was astonished at the good +things set before him, and for sport he ordered his own servants to +prepare a Laconian meal; and as, when the banquet was served, the +difference between the two was great, Pausanias laughed and sent for the +commanders of the Hellenes; and when these had come together, Pausanias +said, pointing to the preparation of the two meals severally: "Hellenes, +for this reason I assembled you together, because I desired to show you +the senselessness of this leader of the Medes, who having such fare as +this, came to us who have such sorry fare as ye see here, in order +to take it away from us." Thus it is said that Pausanias spoke to the +commanders of the Hellenes. + +83. However, 92 in later time after these events many of the Plataians +also found chests of gold and of silver and of other treasures; and +moreover afterwards this which follows was seen in the case of the dead +bodies here, after the flesh had been stripped off from the bones; for +the Plataians brought together the bones all to one place:—there was +found, I say, a skull with no suture but all of one bone, and there was +seen also a jaw-bone, that is to say the upper part of the jaw, which +had teeth joined together and all of one bone, both the teeth that bite +and those that grind; and the bones were seen also of a man five cubits +high.. + +84. The body of Mardonios however had disappeared 93 on the day after +the battle, taken by whom I am not able with certainty to say, but I +have heard the names of many men of various cities who are said to have +buried Mardonios, and I know that many received gifts from Artontes the +son of Mardonios for having done this: who he was however who took up +and buried the body of Mardonios I am not able for certain to discover, +but Dionysophanes an Ephesian is reported with some show of reason to +have been he who buried Mardonios.. + +85. He then was buried in some such manner as this: and the Hellenes +when they had divided the spoil at Plataia proceeded to bury their dead, +each nation apart by themselves. The Spartans made for themselves three +several burial-places, one in which they buried the younger Spartans, +94 of whom also were Poseidonios, Amompharetos, Philokyon and +Callicrates,—in one of the graves, I say, were laid the younger men, in +the second the rest of the Spartans, and in the third the Helots. These +then thus buried their dead; but the Tegeans buried theirs all together +in a place apart from these, and the Athenians theirs together; and the +Megarians and Phliasians those who had been slain by the cavalry. Of +all these the burial-places had bodies laid in them, but as to the +burial-places of other States which are to be seen at Plataia, these, as +I am informed, are all mere mounds of earth without any bodies in them, +raised by the several peoples on account of posterity, because they were +ashamed of their absence from the fight; for among others there is one +there called the burial-place of the Eginetans, which I hear was raised +at the request of the Eginetans by Cleades the son of Autodicos, a man +of Plataia who was their public guest-friend, 95 no less than ten years +after these events. + +86. When the Hellenes had buried their dead at Plataia, forthwith they +determined in common council to march upon Thebes and to ask the Thebans +to surrender those who had taken the side of the Medes, and among the +first of them Timagenides and Attaginos, who were leaders equal to the +first; and if the Thebans did not give them up, they determined not to +retire from the city until they had taken it. Having thus resolved, +they came accordingly on the eleventh day after the battle and began to +besiege the Thebans, bidding them give the men up: and as the Thebans +refused to give them up, they began to lay waste their land and also to +attack their wall.. + +87. So then, as they did not cease their ravages, on the twentieth day +Timagenides spoke as follows to the Thebans: "Thebans, since it has been +resolved by the Hellenes not to retire from the siege until either they +have taken Thebes or ye have delivered us up to them, now therefore let +not the land of Boeotia suffer 96 any more for our sakes, but if they +desire to have money and are demanding our surrender as a colour for +this, let us give them money taken out of the treasury of the State; +for we took the side of the Medes together with the State and not by +ourselves alone: but if they are making the siege truly in order to get +us into their hands, then we will give ourselves up for trial." 97 In +this it was thought that he spoke very well and seasonably, and the +Thebans forthwith sent a herald to Pausanias offering to deliver up the +men.. + +88. After they had made an agreement on these terms, Attaginos escaped +out of the city; and when his sons were delivered up to Pausanias, he +released them from the charge, saying that the sons had no share in +the guilt of taking the side of the Medes. As to the other men whom the +Thebans delivered up, they supposed that they would get a trial, 98 +and they trusted moreover to be able to repel the danger by payment of +money; but Pausanias, when he had received them, suspecting this very +thing, first dismissed the whole army of allies, and then took the men +to Corinth and put them to death there. These were the things which +happened at Plataia and at Thebes. + +89. Artabazos meanwhile, the son of Pharnakes, in his flight +from Plataia was by this time getting forward on his way: and the +Thessalians, when he came to them, offered him hospitality and inquired +concerning the rest of the army, not knowing anything of that which had +happened at Plataia; and Artabazos knowing that if he should tell them +the whole truth about the fighting, he would run the risk of being +destroyed, both himself and the whole army which was with him, (for he +thought that they would all set upon him if they were informed of that +which had happened),—reflecting, I say, upon this he had told nothing of +it to the Phokians, and now to the Thessalians he spoke as follows: +"I, as you see, Thessalians, am earnest to march by the shortest way to +Thracia; and I am in great haste, having been sent with these men for a +certain business from the army; moreover Mardonios himself and his army +are shortly to be looked for here, marching close after me. To him give +entertainment and show yourselves serviceable, for ye will not in the +end repent of so doing." Having thus said he continued to march his army +with haste through Thessaly and Macedonia straight for Thracia, being +in truth earnest to proceed and going through the land by the shortest +possible way: 99 and so he came to Byzantion, having left behind him +great numbers of his army, who had either been cut down by the Thracians +on the way or had been overcome by hunger and fatigue; 100 and from +Byzantion he passed over in ships. He himself 101 then thus made his +return back to Asia. + +90. Now on the same day on which the defeat took place at Plataia, +another took place also, as fortune would have it, at Mycale in Ionia. +For when the Hellenes who had come in the ships with Leotychides the +Lacedemonian, were lying at Delos, there came to them as envoys +from Samos Lampon the son of Thrasycles and Athenagoras the son of +Archestratides and Hegesistratos the son of Aristagoras, who had been +sent by the people of Samos without the knowledge either of the Persians +or of the despot Theomestor the son of Androdamas, whom the Persians had +set up to be despot of Samos. When these had been introduced before the +commanders, Hegesistratos spoke at great length using arguments of all +kinds, and saying that so soon as the Ionians should see them they would +at once revolt from the Persians, and that the Barbarians would not wait +for their attack; and if after all they did so, then the Hellenes +would take a prize such as they would never take again hereafter; and +appealing to the gods worshipped in common he endeavoured to persuade +them to rescue from slavery men who were Hellenes and to drive away the +Barbarian: and this he said was easy for them to do, for the ships of +the enemy sailed badly and were no match for them in fight. Moreover if +the Hellenes suspected that they were endeavouring to bring them on by +fraud, they were ready to be taken as hostages in their ships.. + +91. Then as the stranger of Samos was urgent in his prayer, Leotychides +inquired thus, either desiring to hear for the sake of the omen or +perhaps by a chance which Providence brought about: "Stranger of Samos, +what is thy name?" He said "Hegesistratos." 102 The other cut short the +rest of the speech, stopping all that Hegesistratos had intended to say +further, and said: "I accept the augury given in Hegesistratos, stranger +of Samos. Do thou on thy part see that thou give us assurance, thou and +the men who are with thee, that the Samians will without fail be our +zealous allies, and after that sail away home.". + +92. Thus he spoke and to the words he added the deed; for forthwith the +Samians gave assurance and made oaths of alliance with the Hellenes, and +having so done the others sailed away home, but Hegesistratos he bade +sail with the Hellenes, considering the name to be an augury of good +success. Then the Hellenes after staying still that day made sacrifices +for success on the next day, their diviner being Deïphonos the son of +Euenios an Apolloniate, of that Apollonia which lies in the Ionian gulf. +10201. + +93. To this man's father Euenios it happened as follows:—There are at +this place Apollonia sheep sacred to the Sun, which during the day feed +by a river 103 running from Mount Lacmon through the land of Apollonia +to the sea by the haven of Oricos; and by night they are watched by +men chosen for this purpose, who are the most highly considered of the +citizens for wealth and noble birth, each man having charge of them for +a year; for the people of Apollonia set great store on these sheep by +reason of an oracle: and they are folded in a cave at some distance from +the city. Here at the time of which I speak this man Euenios was keeping +watch over them, having been chosen for that purpose; and it happened +one night that he fell asleep during his watch, and wolves came by into +the cave and killed about sixty of the sheep. When he perceived this, +he kept it secret and told no one, meaning to buy others and substitute +them in the place of those that were killed. It was discovered however +by the people of Apollonia that this had happened; and when they were +informed of it, they brought him up before a court and condemned him to +be deprived of his eyesight for having fallen asleep during his watch. +But when they had blinded Euenios, forthwith after this their flocks +ceased to bring forth young and their land to bear crops as before. Then +prophesyings were uttered to them both at Dodona and also at Delphi, +when they asked the prophets the cause of the evil which they were +suffering, and they told them 104 that they had done unjustly in +depriving of his sight Euenios the watcher of the sacred sheep; for the +gods of whom they inquired had themselves sent the wolves to attack the +sheep; and they would not cease to take vengeance for him till the men +of Apollonia should have paid to Euenios such satisfaction as he himself +should choose and deem sufficient; and this being fulfilled, the gods +would give to Euenios a gift of such a kind that many men would think +him happy in that he possessed it.. + +94. These oracles then were uttered to them, and the people of +Apollonia, making a secret of it, proposed to certain men of the +citizens to manage the affair; and they managed it for them thus:—when +Euenios was sitting on a seat in public, they came and sat by him, and +conversed about other matters, and at last they came to sympathising +with him in his misfortune; and thus leading him on they asked what +satisfaction he should choose, if the people of Apollonia should +undertake to give him satisfaction for that which they had done. He +then, not having heard the oracle, made choice and said that if there +should be given him the lands belonging to certain citizens, naming +those whom he knew to possess the two best lots of land in Apollonia, +and a dwelling-house also with these, which he knew to be the best house +in the city,—if he became the possessor of these, he said, he would have +no anger against them for the future, and this satisfaction would be +sufficient for him if it should be given. Then as he was thus +speaking, the men who sat by him said interrupting him: "Euenios, this +satisfaction the Apolloniates pay to thee for thy blinding in accordance +with the oracles which have been given to them." Upon this he was angry, +being thus informed of the whole matter and considering that he had been +deceived; and they bought the property from those who possessed it and +gave him that which he had chosen. And forthwith after this he had a +natural gift of divination, 105 so that he became very famous.. + +95. Of this Euenios, I say, Deïphonos was the son, and he was acting +as diviner for the army, being brought by the Corinthians. I have heard +however also that Deïphonos wrongly made use of the name of Euenios, and +undertook work of this kind about Hellas, not being really the son of +Euenios. + +96. Now when the sacrifices were favourable to the Hellenes, they put +their ships to sea from Delos to go to Samos; and having arrived off +Calamisa 106 in Samos, they moored their ships there opposite the temple +of Hera which is at this place, and made preparations for a sea-fight; +but the Persians, being informed that they were sailing thither, put out +to sea also and went over to the mainland with their remaining ships, +(those of the Phenicians having been already sent away to sail home): +for deliberating of the matter they thought it good not to fight a +battle by sea, since they did not think that they were a match for the +enemy. And they sailed away to the mainland in order that they might +be under the protection of their land-army which was in Mycale, a body +which had stayed behind the rest of the army by command of Xerxes and +was keeping watch over Ionia: of this the number was six myriads 107 and +the commander of it was Tigranes, who in beauty and stature excelled the +other Persians. The commanders of the fleet then had determined to take +refuge under the protection of this army, and to draw up their ships +on shore and put an enclosure round as a protection for the ships and a +refuge for themselves.. + +97. Having thus determined they began to put out to sea; and they came +along by the temple of the "Revered goddesses" 10701 to the Gaison +and to Scolopoeis in Mycale, where there is a temple of the Eleusinian +Demeter, which Philistos the son of Pasicles erected when he had +accompanied Neileus the son of Codros for the founding of Miletos; and +there they drew up their ships on shore and put an enclosure round them +of stones and timber, cutting down fruit-trees for this purpose, and +they fixed stakes round the enclosure and made their preparations +either for being besieged or for gaining a victory, for in making their +preparations they reckoned for both chances. + +98. The Hellenes however, when they were informed that the Barbarians +had gone away to the mainland, were vexed because they thought that they +had escaped; and they were in a difficulty what they should do, whether +they should go back home, or sail down towards the Hellespont. At last +they resolved to do neither of these two things, but to sail on to +the mainland. Therefore when they had prepared as for a sea-fight both +boarding-bridges and all other things that were required, they sailed +towards Mycale; and when they came near to the camp and no one was seen +to put out against them, but they perceived ships drawn up within +the wall and a large land-army ranged along the shore, then first +Leotychides, sailing along in his ship and coming as near to the shore +as he could, made proclamation by a herald to the Ionians, saying: +"Ionians, those of you who chance to be within hearing of me, attend to +this which I say: for the Persians will not understand anything at all +of that which I enjoin to you. When we join battle, each one of you must +remember first the freedom of all, and then the watchword 'Hebe'; and +this let him also who has not heard know from him who has heard." The +design in this act was the same as that of Themistocles at Artemision; +for it was meant that either the words uttered should escape the +knowledge of the Barbarians and persuade the Ionians, or that they +should be reported to the Barbarians and make them distrustful of the +Hellenes. 108 + +99. After Leotychides had thus suggested, then next the Hellenes +proceeded to bring their ships up to land, and they disembarked upon the +shore. These then were ranging themselves for fight; and the Persians, +when they saw the Hellenes preparing for battle and also that they +had given exhortation to the Ionians, in the first place deprived the +Samians of their arms, suspecting that they were inclined to the side of +the Hellenes; for when the Athenian prisoners, the men whom the army +of Xerxes had found left behind in Attica, had come in the ships of the +Barbarians, the Samians had ransomed these and sent them back to +Athens, supplying them with means for their journey; and for this reason +especially they were suspected, since they had ransomed five hundred +persons of the enemies of Xerxes. Then secondly the Persians appointed +the Milesians to guard the passes which lead to the summits of Mycale, +on the pretext that they knew the country best, but their true reason +for doing this was that they might be out of the camp. Against these of +the Ionians, who, as they suspected, would make some hostile move 109 if +they found the occasion, the Persians sought to secure themselves in +the manner mentioned; and they themselves then brought together their +wicker-work shields to serve them as a fence. + +100. Then when the Hellenes had made all their preparations, they +proceeded to the attack of the Barbarians; and as they went, a rumour +came suddenly 110 to their whole army, and at the same time a herald's +staff was found lying upon the beach; and the rumour went through their +army to this effect, namely that the Hellenes were fighting in Boeotia +and conquering the army of Mardonios. Now by many signs is the divine +power seen in earthly things, and by this among others, namely that now, +when the day of the defeat at Plataia and of that which was about to +take place at Mycale happened to be the same, a rumour came to the +Hellenes here, so that the army was encouraged much more and was more +eagerly desirous to face the danger.. + +101. Moreover this other thing by coincidence happened besides, namely +that there was a sacred enclosure of the Eleusinian Demeter close by the +side of both the battle-fields; for not only in the Plataian land did +the fight take place close by the side of the temple of Demeter, as +I have before said, but also in Mycale it was to be so likewise. And +whereas the rumour which came to them said that a victory had been +already gained by the Hellenes with Pausanias, this proved to be a true +report; for that which was done at Plataia came about while it was yet +early morning, but the fighting at Mycale took place in the afternoon; +and that it happened on the same day of the same month as the other +became evident to them not long afterwards, when they inquired into +the matter. Now they had been afraid before the rumour arrived, not for +themselves so much as for the Hellenes generally, lest Hellas should +stumble and fall over Mardonios; but when this report had come suddenly +to them, they advanced on the enemy much more vigorously and swiftly +than before. The Hellenes then and the Barbarians were going with +eagerness into the battle, since both the islands and the Hellespont +were placed before them as prizes of the contest. + +102. Now for the Athenians and those who were ranged next to them, +to the number perhaps of half the whole army, the road lay along the +sea-beach and over level ground, while the Lacedemonians and those +ranged in order by these were compelled to go by a ravine and along the +mountain side: so while the Lacedemonians were yet going round, those +upon the other wing were already beginning the fight; and as long as +the wicker-work shields of the Persians still remained upright, they +continued to defend themselves and had rather the advantage in the +fight; but when the troops of the Athenians and of those ranged next to +them, desiring that the achievement should belong to them and not to +the Lacedemonians, with exhortations to one another set themselves more +vigorously to the work, then from that time forth the fortune of the +fight was changed; for these pushed aside the wicker-work shields and +fell upon the Persians with a rush all in one body, and the Persians +sustained their first attack and continued to defend themselves for +a long time, but at last they fled to the wall; and the Athenians, +Corinthians, Sikyonians and Troizenians, for that was the order in which +they were ranged, followed close after them and rushed in together +with them to the space within the wall: and when the wall too had been +captured, then the Barbarians no longer betook themselves to resistance, +but began at once to take flight, excepting only the Persians, who +formed into small groups and continued to fight with the Hellenes as +they rushed in within the wall. Of the commanders of the Persians +two made their escape and two were slain; Artaÿntes and Ithamitres +commanders of the fleet escaped, while Mardontes and the commander of +the land-army, Tigranes, were slain.. + +103. Now while the Persians were still fighting, the Lacedemonians and +those with them arrived, and joined in carrying through the rest of the +work; and of the Hellenes themselves many fell there and especially many +of the Sikyonians, together with their commander Perilaos. And those of +the Samians who were serving in the army, being in the camp of the Medes +and having been deprived of their arms, when they saw that from the very +first the battle began to be doubtful, 111 did as much as they could, +endeavouring to give assistance to the Hellenes; and the other Ionians +seeing that the Samians had set the example, themselves also upon that +made revolt from the Persians and attacked the Barbarians.. + +104. The Milesians too had been appointed to watch the passes of the +Persians 112 in order to secure their safety, so that if that should +after all come upon them which actually came, they might have guides +and so get safe away to the summits of Mycale,—the Milesians, I say, had +been appointed to do this, not only for that end but also for fear that, +if they were present in the camp, they might make some hostile move: 113 +but they did in fact the opposite of that which they were appointed +to do; for they not only directed them in the flight by other than the +right paths, by paths indeed which led towards the enemy, but also at +last they themselves became their worst foes and began to slay them. +Thus then for the second time Ionia revolted from the Persians. + +105. In this battle, of the Hellenes the Athenians were the best men, +and of the Athenians Hermolycos the son of Euthoinos, a man who had +trained for the pancration. This Hermolycos after these events, when +there was war between the Athenians and the Carystians, was killed in +battle at Kyrnos in the Carystian land near Geraistos, and there was +buried. After the Athenians the Corinthians, Troizenians and Sikyonians +were the best. + +106. When the Hellenes had slain the greater number of the Barbarians, +some in the battle and others in their flight, they set fire to the +ships and to the whole of the wall, having first brought out the spoil +to the sea-shore; and among the rest they found some stores of money. So +having set fire to the wall and to the ships they sailed away; and +when they came to Samos, the Hellenes deliberated about removing the +inhabitants of Ionia, and considered where they ought to settle them in +those parts of Hellas of which they had command, leaving Ionia to the +Barbarians: for it was evident to them that it was impossible on the one +hand for them to be always stationed as guards to protect the Ionians, +and on the other hand, if they were not stationed to protect them, +they had no hope that the Ionians would escape with impunity from the +Persians. Therefore it seemed good to those of the Peloponnesians that +were in authority that they should remove the inhabitants of the trading +ports which belonged to those peoples of Hellas who had taken the side +of the Medes, and give that land to the Ionians to dwell in; but the +Athenians did not think it good that the inhabitants of Ionia should +be removed at all, nor that the Peloponnesians should consult about +Athenian colonies; and as these vehemently resisted the proposal, the +Peloponnesians gave way. So the end was that they joined as allies to +their league the Samians, Chians, Lesbians, and the other islanders who +chanced to be serving with the Hellenes, binding them by assurance and +by oaths to remain faithful and not withdraw from the league: and having +bound these by oaths they sailed to break up the bridges, for they +supposed they would find them still stretched over the straits. + +These then were sailing towards the Hellespont;. + +107, and meanwhile those Barbarians who had escaped and had been driven +to the heights of Mycale, being not many in number, were making their +way to Sardis: and as they went by the way, Masistes the son of Dareios, +who had been present at the disaster which had befallen them, was saying +many evil things of the commander Artaÿntes, and among other things he +said that in respect of the generalship which he had shown he was worse +than a woman, and that he deserved every kind of evil for having brought +evil on the house of the king. Now with the Persians to be called worse +than a woman is the greatest possible reproach. So he, after he had been +much reviled, at length became angry and drew his sword upon Masistes, +meaning to kill him; and as he was running upon him, Xeinagoras the son +of Prexilaos, a man of Halicarnassos, perceived it, who was standing +just behind Artaÿntes; and this man seized him by the middle and +lifting him up dashed him upon the ground; and meanwhile the spearmen of +Masistes came in front to protect him. Thus did Xeinagoras, and thus he +laid up thanks for himself both with Masistes and also with Xerxes for +saving the life of his brother; and for this deed Xeinagoras became +ruler of all Kilikia by the gift of the king. Nothing further happened +than this as they went on their way, but they arrived at Sardis. + +Now at Sardis, as it chanced, king Xerxes had been staying ever since +that time when he came thither in flight from Athens, after suffering +defeat in the sea-fight.. + +108. At that time, while he was in Sardis, he had a passionate desire, +as it seems, for the wife of Masistes, who was also there: and as she +could not be bent to his will by his messages to her, and he did not +wish to employ force because he had regard for his brother Masistes and +the same consideration withheld the woman also, for she well knew that +force would not be used towards her, then Xerxes abstained from all +else, and endeavoured to bring about the marriage of his own son Dareios +with the daughter of this woman and of Masistes, supposing that if +he should do so he would obtain her more easily. Then having made the +betrothal and done all the customary rites, he went away to Susa; and +when he had arrived there and had brought the woman into his own house +for Dareios, then he ceased from attempting the wife of Masistes and +changing his inclination he conceived a desire for the wife of Dareios, +who was daughter of Masistes, and obtained her: now the name of this +woman was Artaÿnte.. + +109. However as time went on, this became known in the following +manner:—Amestris the wife of Xerxes had woven a mantle, large and of +various work and a sight worthy to be seen, and this she gave to Xerxes. +He then being greatly pleased put it on and went to Artaÿnte; and being +greatly pleased with her too, he bade her ask what she would to be given +to her in return for the favours which she had granted to him, for she +should obtain, he said, whatsoever she asked: and she, since it was +destined that she should perish miserably with her whole house, said to +Xerxes upon this: "Wilt thou give me whatsoever I ask thee for?" and he, +supposing that she would ask anything rather than that which she did, +promised this and swore to it. Then when he had sworn, she boldly asked +for the mantle; and Xerxes tried every means of persuasion, not being +willing to give it to her, and that for no other reason but only because +he feared Amestris, lest by her, who even before this had some inkling +of the truth, he should thus be discovered in the act; and he offered +her cities and gold in any quantity, and an army which no one else +should command except herself. Now this of an army is a thoroughly +Persian gift. Since however he did not persuade her, he gave her the +mantle; and she being overjoyed by the gift wore it and prided herself +upon it.. + +110. And Amestris was informed that she had it; and having learnt that +which was being done, she was not angry with the woman, but supposing +that her mother was the cause and that she was bringing this about, she +planned destruction for the wife of Masistes. She waited then until her +husband Xerxes had a royal feast set before him:—this feast is served up +once in the year on the day on which the king was born, and the name +of this feast is in Persian tycta, which in the tongue of the Hellenes +means "complete"; also on this occasion alone the king washes his head, +114 and he makes gifts then to the Persians:—Amestris, I say, waited +for this day and then asked of Xerxes that the wife of Masistes might +be given to her. And he considered it a strange and untoward thing +to deliver over to her his brother's wife, especially since she was +innocent of this matter; for he understood why she was making the +request.. + +111. At last however as she continued to entreat urgently and he was +compelled by the rule, namely that it is impossible among them that he +who makes request when a royal feast is laid before the king should +fail to obtain it, at last very much against his will consented; and in +delivering her up he bade Amestris do as she desired, and meanwhile he +sent for his brother and said these words: "Masistes, thou art the son +of Dareios and my brother, and moreover in addition to this thou art +a man of worth. I say to thee, live no longer with this wife with whom +thou now livest, but I give thee instead of her my daughter; with her +live as thy wife, but the wife whom thou now hast, do not keep; for it +does not seem good to me that thou shouldest keep her." Masistes then, +marvelling at that which was spoken, said these words: "Master, how +unprofitable a speech is this which thou utterest to me, in that thou +biddest me send away a wife by whom I have sons who are grown up to be +young men, and daughters one of whom even thou thyself didst take as +a wife for thy son, and who is herself, as it chances, very much to my +mind,—that thou biddest me, I say, send away her and take to wife thy +daughter! I, O king, think it a very great matter that I am judged +worthy of thy daughter, but nevertheless I will do neither of these +things: and do not thou urge me by force to do such a thing as this: but +for thy daughter another husband will be found not in any wise inferior +to me, and let me, I pray thee, live still with my own wife." He +returned answer in some such words as these; and Xerxes being stirred +with anger said as follows: "This then, Masistes, is thy case,—I will +not give thee my daughter for thy wife, nor yet shalt thou live any +longer with that one, in order that thou mayest learn to accept that +which is offered thee." He then when he heard this went out, having +first said these words: "Master, thou hast not surely brought ruin upon +me?" 115. + +112. During this interval of time, while Xerxes was conversing with his +brother, Amestris had sent the spearmen of Xerxes to bring the wife of +Masistes, and she was doing to her shameful outrage; for she cut away +her breasts and threw them to dogs, and she cut off her nose and ears +and lips and tongue, and sent her back home thus outraged. + +113. Then Masistes, not yet having heard any of these things, but +supposing that some evil had fallen upon him, came running to his house; +and seeing his wife thus mutilated, forthwith upon this he took counsel +with his sons and set forth to go to Bactria together with his sons +and doubtless some others also, meaning to make the province of Bactria +revolt and to do the greatest possible injury to the king: and this in +fact would have come to pass, as I imagine, if he had got up to the land +of the Bactrians and Sacans before he was overtaken, for they were much +attached to him, and also he was the governor of the Bactrians: but +Xerxes being informed that he was doing this, sent after him an army as +he was on his way, and slew both him and his sons and his army. So far +of that which happened about the passion of Xerxes and the death of +Masistes. + +114. Now the Hellenes who had set forth from Mycale to the Hellespont +first moored their ships about Lecton, being stopped from their voyage +by winds; and thence they came to Abydos and found that the bridges had +been broken up, which they thought to find still stretched across, and +on account of which especially they had come to the Hellespont. So the +Peloponnesians which Leotychides resolved to sail back to Hellas, while +the Athenians and Xanthippos their commander determined to stay behind +there and to make an attempt upon the Chersonese. Those then sailed +away, and the Athenians passed over from Abydos to the Chersonese and +began to besiege Sestos.. + +115. To this town of Sestos, since it was the greatest stronghold of +those in that region, men had come together from the cities which +lay round it, when they heard that the Hellenes had arrived at the +Hellespont, and especially there had come from the city of Cardia +Oiobazos a Persian, who had brought to Sestos the ropes of the bridges. +The inhabitants of the city were Aiolians, natives of the country, but +there were living with them a great number of Persians and also of their +allies.. + +116. And of the province Artaÿctes was despot, as governor under Xerxes, +a Persian, but a man of desperate and reckless character, who also had +practised deception upon the king on his march against Athens, in +taking away from Elaius the things belonging to Protesilaos the son +of Iphiclos. For at Elaius in the Chersonese there is the tomb of +Protesilaos with a sacred enclosure about it, where there were many +treasures, with gold and silver cups and bronze and raiment and other +offerings, which things Artaÿctes carried off as plunder, the king +having granted them to him. And he deceived Xerxes by saying to him +some such words as these: "Master, there is here the house of a man, +a Hellene, who made an expedition against thy land and met with his +deserts and was slain: this man's house I ask thee to give to me, that +every one may learn not to make expeditions against thy land." By saying +this it was likely that he would easily enough persuade Xerxes to give +him a man's house, not suspecting what was in his mind: and when he said +that Protesilaos had made expedition against the land of the king, it +must be understood that the Persians consider all Asia to be theirs and +to belong to their reigning king. So when the things had been given him, +he brought them from Elaius to Sestos, and he sowed the sacred enclosure +for crops and occupied it as his own; and he himself, whenever he came +to Elaius, had commerce with women in the inner cell of the temple. 116 +And now he was being besieged by the Athenians, when he had not made any +preparation for a siege nor had been expecting that the Hellenes would +come; for they fell upon him, as one may say, inevitably. 117. + +117. When however autumn came and the siege still went on, the Athenians +began to be vexed at being absent from their own land and at the +same time not able to conquer the fortress, and they requested their +commanders to lead them away home; but these said that they would not do +so, until either they had taken the town or the public authority of the +Athenians sent for them home: and so they endured their present state. + +118. Those however who were within the walls had now come to the +greatest misery, so that they boiled down the girths of their beds and +used them for food; and when they no longer had even these, then the +Persians and with them Artaÿctes and Oiobazos ran away and departed in +the night, climbing down by the back part of the wall, where the place +was left most unguarded by the enemy; and when day came, the men of the +Chersonese signified to the Athenians from the towers concerning that +which had happened, and opened the gates to them. So the greater number +of them went in pursuit, and the rest occupied the city.. + +119. Now Oiobazos, as he was escaping 119 into Thrace, was caught by the +Apsinthian Thracians and sacrificed to their native god Pleistoros with +their rites, and the rest who were with him they slaughtered in another +manner: but Artaÿctes with his companions, who started on their flight +later and were overtaken at a little distance above Aigospotamoi, +defended themselves for a considerable time and were some of them +killed and others taken alive: and the Hellenes had bound these and were +bringing them to Sestos, and among them Artaÿctes also in bonds together +with his son.. + +120. Then, it is said by the men of the Chersonese, as one of those who +guarded them was frying dried fish, a portent occurred as follows,—the +dried fish when laid upon the fire began to leap and struggle just as +if they were fish newly caught: and the others gathered round and were +marvelling at the portent, but Artaÿctes seeing it called to the man who +was frying the fish and said: "Stranger of Athens, be not at all afraid +of this portent, seeing that it has not appeared for thee but for me. +Protesilaos who dwells at Elaius signifies thereby that though he is +dead and his body is dried like those fish, 120 yet he has power given +him by the gods to exact vengeance from the man who does him wrong. Now +therefore I desire to impose this penalty for him, 121—that in place +of the things which I took from the temple I should pay down a hundred +talents to the god, and moreover as ransom for myself and my son I will +pay two hundred talents to the Athenians, if my life be spared." Thus he +engaged to do, but he did not prevail upon the commander Xanthippos; for +the people of Elaius desiring to take vengeance for Protesilaos asked +that he might be put to death, and the inclination of the commander +himself tended to the same conclusion. They brought him therefore to +that headland to which Xerxes made the passage across, or as some say to +the hill which is over the town of Madytos, and there they nailed him to +boards 122 and hung him up; and they stoned his son to death before the +eyes of Artaÿctes himself.. + +121. Having so done, they sailed away to Hellas, taking with them, +besides other things, the ropes also of the bridges, in order to +dedicate them as offerings in the temples: and for that year nothing +happened further than this. + +122. Now a forefather of this Artaÿctes who was hung up, was that +Artembares who set forth to the Persians a proposal which they took up +and brought before Cyrus, being to this effect: "Seeing that Zeus +grants to the Persians leadership, and of all men to thee, O Cyrus, by +destroying Astyages, come, since the land we possess is small and also +rugged, let us change from it and inhabit another which is better: and +there are many near at hand, and many also at a greater distance, of +which if we take one, we shall have greater reverence and from more men. +It is reasonable too that men who are rulers should do such things; for +when will there ever be a fairer occasion than now, when we are rulers +of many nations and of the whole of Asia?" Cyrus, hearing this and not +being surprised at the proposal, 123 bade them do so if they would; +but he exhorted them and bade them prepare in that case to be no longer +rulers but subjects; "For," said he, "from lands which are not rugged +men who are not rugged are apt to come forth, since it does not belong +to the same land to bring forth fruits of the earth which are admirable +and also men who are good in war." So the Persians acknowledged that he +was right and departed from his presence, having their opinion defeated +by that of Cyrus; and they chose rather to dwell on poor land and be +rulers, than to sow crops in a level plain and be slaves to others. + + + + +NOTES TO BOOK IX + +1 [ "the same who at the former time also were of one accord +together."] + +2 [ {ta ekeinon iskhura bouleumata}: some good MSS. omit +{iskhura}, and so many Editors.] + +3 [ {up agnomosunes}.] + +4 [ {boulen}.] + +5 [ {exeneikai es ton dumon}.] + +6 [ {aleoren}.] + +7 [ Cp. viii. 140 (a).] + +8 [ {to men ap emeon outo akibdelon nemetai epi tous Ellenas}, +"that which we owe to the Hellenes is thus paid in no counterfeit +coin."] + +9 [ {ekeleusan}, i.e. "their bidding was" when they sent us.] + +901 [ This clause, "with no less—each man of them," is omitted +in some MSS. and considered spurious by several Editors.] + +10 [ Cp. ch. 55.] + +11 [ {perioikon}.] + +12 [ {ton emerodromon}, cp. vi. 105.] + +13 [ {tugkhane eu bouleoumenos}: perhaps, "endeavour to take +measures well."] + +14 [ {prodromon}, a conjectural emendation of {prodromos}.] + +15 [ {boiotarkhai}, i.e. the heads of the Boeotian +confederacy.] + +16 [ {os epi deka stadious malista ke}.] + +17 [ {klinai}: several Editors have altered this, reading +{klithenai} or {klinenai}, "they were made to recline."] + +18 [ {diapinonton}, cp. v. 18.] + +19 [ {polla phroneonta medenos krateein}.] + +20 [ {sphodra}: not quite satisfactory with {emedizon}, but it +can hardly go with {ouk ekontes}, as Krüger suggests.] + +21 [ {pheme}, as in ch. 100.] + +22 [ {proopto thanato}.] + +23 [ {prosballontes}: most of the MSS. have {prosbalontes}, and +so also in ch. 21 and 22 they have {prosbalouses}.] + +24 [ i.e. the retreat with which each charge ended and the turn +from retreat in preparation for a fresh charge. So much would be done +without word of command, before reining in their horses.] + +25 [ {ephoiteon}.] + +2501 [ Or, according to some MSS., "much contention in +argument."] + +26 [ i.e. the left wing.] + +27 [ The name apparently should be Kepheus, but there is no +authority for changing the text.] + +28 [ This is the number of nations mentioned in vii. 61-80 as +composing the land-army of Xerxes.] + +29 [ {oi epiphoiteontes}.] + +30 [ {peri andra ekaston}.] + +31 [ i.e. 38,700.] + +32 [ i.e. 69,500.] + +33 [ i.e. 110,000.] + +34 [ {opla de oud outoi eikhon}: i.e. these too must be +reckoned with the light-armed.] + +35 [ Cp. ii. 164.] + +36 [ {makhairophoroi}: cp. vii. 89.] + +37 [ i.e. 300,000: see viii. 113.] + +38 [ {geneos tou Iamideon}: the MSS. have {Klutiaden} after +{Iamideon}, but the Clytiadai seem to have been a distinct family of +soothsayers.] + +39 [ {pentaethlon}.] + +40 [ {para en palaisma edrame nikan Olumpiada}. The meaning is +not clear, because the conditions of the {pentaethlon} are not known: +however the wrestling {pale} seems to have been the last of the five +contests, and the meaning may be that both Tisamenos and Hieronymos had +beaten all the other competitors and were equal so far, when Tisamenos +failed to win two out of three falls in the wrestling.] + +41 [ {metientes}: some MSS. have {metiontes}, "they went to +fetch him."] + +42 [ {aiteomenos}: this is the reading of the MSS., but the +conjecture {aiteomenous} (or {aiteomenon}) seems probable enough: "if +one may compare the man who asked for royal power with him who asked +only for citizenship."] + +43 [ i.e. instead of half for himself, he asks for two-thirds +to be divided between himself and his brother.] + +44 [ {o pros Ithome}: a conjectural emendation of {o pros +Isthmo}.] + +45 [ {ton tarson eoutou}.] + +46 [ {Treis Kephalas}.] + +47 [ {Druos Kephalas}.] + +48 [ See ch. 2.] + +49 [ {ton epikleton}: cp. vii. 8.] + +50 [ {Mardonio te kai te stratie ta sphagia ou dunatai +katathumia genesthai}.] + +51 [ He asks for their help to free his country also from the +Persian yoke.] + +52 [ {emakhesametha}.] + +53 [ {psukhre}, cp. vi. 108.] + +54 [ {deka stadious}.] + +55 [ {nesos de outo an eie en epeiro}.] + +56 [ {periskhizetai}.] + +57 [ {epheugon asmenoi}.] + +58 [ {tou Pitaneteon lokhou}, called below {ton lokhon ton +Pitaneten}. Evidently {lokhos} here is a division of considerable size.] + +59 [ {anainomenou}: some MSS. and many Editors read +{nenomenou}, "since he was thus minded."] + +60 [ {os alla phroneonton kai alla legonton}.] + +61 [ Cp. ch. 11.] + +62 [ The structure of the sentence is rather confused, and +perhaps some emendation is required.] + +63 [ {eti ti lexete}. The MSS. and most Editors read {ti}, +"what will ye say after this?" The order of the words is against this.] + +64 [ {anarpasomenoi}: cp. viii. 28.] + +65 [ {phraxantes ta gerra}: cp. ch. 99.] + +66 [ {anoploi}, by which evidently more is meant than the +absence of shields; cp. the end of ch. 63, where the equipment of the +Persians is compared to that of light-armed troops.] + +67 [ See viii. 114.] + +68 [ {es Leoniden}: this is ordinarily translated "as far as +Leonidas;" but to say "his ancestors above Anaxandrides have been given +as far as Leonidas" (the son of Anaxandrides), is hardly intelligible. +The reference is to vii. 204.] + +69 [ Most of the MSS. call him Aeimnestos (with some variation +of spelling), but Plutarch has Arimnestos.] + +70 [ See ch. 15: There is no sharp distinction here between +camp and palisade, the latter being merely the fortified part of the +encampment.] + +71 [ {anaktoron}, a usual name for the temple of Demeter and +Persephone at Eleusis.] + +72 [ i.e. 40,000.] + +73 [ {ege katertemenos}: the better MSS. have {eie} for {ege}, +which is retained by some Editors ({toutous} being then taken with {inai +pantas}): for {katertemenos} we find as variations {katertemenos} and +{katertismenos}. Many Editors read {katertismenos} ("well prepared"), +following the Aldine tradition.] + +74 [ {ephelokakeonton}.] + +75 [ {en oudeni logo apolonto}.] + +76 [ Stein proposes to substitute "Athenians" for +"Lacedemonians" here, making the comparative {erremenestere} anticipate +the account given in the next few clauses.] + +77 [ {erromenestere}.] + +78 [ Cp. i. 66.] + +79 [ {aluktazon}, a word of doubtful meaning which is not found +elsewhere.] + +80 [ i.e. 300,000.] + +81 [ {o Spartietes}: it has been proposed to read {Spartietai}, +for it can hardly be supposed that the other two were not Spartans +also.] + +82 [ One MS. at least calls him Aeimenstos, cp. ch. 64: +Thucydides (iii. [Footnote 52) mentions Aeimnestos as the name of a +Plataian citizen, the father of Lacon. Stein observes that in any case +this cannot be that Arimnestos who is mentioned by Plutarch as commander +of the Plataian contingent.] + +83 [ {eoutou axion prophumeumenou apodexasthai}.] + +84 [ {atelein te kai proedrin}.] + +85 [ vi. 92.] + +86 [ {andra pentaethlon}.] + +87 [ {oute daimonon oute theon}: heroes and in general +divinities of the second order are included under the term {daimonon}.] + +88 [ Most of the commentators (and following them the +historians) understand the imperfect {ediokon} to express the mere +purpose to attempt, and suppose that this purpose was actually hindered +by the Lacedemonians, but for a mere half-formed purpose the expression +{mekhri Thessalies} seems to definite, and Diodorus states that +Artabazos was pursued. I think therefore that Krüger is right in +understanding {eon} of an attempt to dissuade which was not successful. +The alternative version would be "they were for pursuing them as far +as Thessaly, but the Lacedemonians prevented them from pursuing +fugitives."] + +89 [ {akinakas}.] + +90 [ Whether three tithes were taken or only one is left +uncertain.] + +91 [ "furniture furnished" is hardly tolerable; perhaps +Herodotus wrote {skenen} for {kataskeuen} here.] + +92 [ The connexion here is not satisfactory, and the chapter is +in part a continuation of chapter 81: It is possible that ch. 82 may +be a later addition by the author, thrown in without much regard to the +context.] + +93 [ "Whereas however the body of Mardonios had disappeared on +the day after the battle (taken by whom I am not able to say....), it is +reported with some show of reason that Dionysophanes, an Ephesian, was +he who buried it." The construction however is irregular and broken by +parentheses: possibly there is some corruption of text.] + +94 [ {tous irenas}. Spartans between twenty and thirty years +old were so called. The MSS. have {ireas}.] + +95 [ {proxeinon}.] + +96 [ "fill up more calamities," cp. v. 4.] + +97 [ {es antilogien}.] + +98 [ {antilogies kuresein}.] + +99 [ {ten mesogaian tamnon tes odou}, cp. vii. 124: The +expression seems almost equivalent to {tamnon ten mesen odon}, apart +from any question of inland or coast roads.] + +100 [ {limo sustantas kai kamato}, "having struggled with +hunger and fatigue."] + +101 [ {autos}: some MSS. read {outos}. If the text is right, it +means Artabazos as distinguished from his troops.] + +102 [ i.e. "leader of the army."] + +10201 [ {en to Ionio kolpo}.] + +103 [ Stein reads {para Khona potamon}, "by the river Chon," a +conjecture derived from Theognostus.] + +104 [ It is thought by some Editors that "the prophets" just +above, and these words, "and they told them," are interpolated.] + +105 [ {emphuton mantiken}, as opposed to the {entekhnos +mantike} possessed for example by Melampus, cp. ii. 49.] + +106 [ Or possibly "Calamoi."] + +107 [ i.e. 60,000.] + +10701 [ {ton Potneion}, i.e. either the Eumenides or Demeter +and Persephone.] + +108 [ {apistous toisi Ellesi}. Perhaps the last two words +are to be rejected, and {apistous} to be taken in its usual sense, +"distrusted"; cp. viii. 22.] + +109 [ {neokhmon an ti poieein}.] + +110 [ {pheme eseptato}.] + +111 [ {eteralkea}, cp. viii. 11.] + +112 [ {ton Perseon}: perhaps we should read {ek ton Perseon}, +"appointed by the Persians to guard the passes."] + +113 [ {ti neokhmon poieoien}.] + +114 [ {ten kephalen smatai}: the meaning is uncertain.] + +115 [ {Pou de kou me apolesas}: some Editors read {ko} for +{kou} (by conjecture), and print the clause as a statement instead of a +question, "not yet hast thou caused by ruin."] + +116 [ {en to aduto}.] + +117 [ {aphuktos}: many Editors adopt the reading {aphulakto} +from inferior MSS., "they fell upon him when he was, as one may say, off +his guard."] + +118 [ {estergon ta pareonta}.] + +119 [ {ekpheugonta}: many Editors have {ekphugonta}, "after he +had escaped."] + +120 [ {tarikhos eon}. The word {tarikhos} suggests the idea of +human bodies embalmed, as well as of dried or salted meat.] + +121 [ {oi}: some Editors approve the conjecture {moi}, "impose +upon myself this penalty."] + +122 [ {sanidas}: some read by conjecture {sanidi}, or {pros +sanida}: cp. vii. 33.] + +123 [ Or, "when he had heard this, although he did not admire +the proposal, yet bade them do so if they would."] + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2456 *** |