OF THE GREEKS AT SALAMIS AND OF THE CITY OF ATHENS.
The ships of the Greeks, having departed from Artemisium, came to
Salamis. The Athenians had besought them to do this that they might
carry their women and children out of their country, and might also
take counsel together what was best to be done. For indeed things had
not happened according to their expectations. For they had thought to
find the men of the Peloponnese drawn up with their whole force in the
land of Bœotia to do battle with the barbarians. But now they heard
that these purposed to build a wall across the Isthmus, and so defend
their own country, suffering the rest of Greece to take thought for
itself. And this the Greeks did. And so soon as they were come thither
there flowed to them no small force that had been gathered together at
Pogon, the haven of the Trœzenians. For the word had gone forth that
all who would fight for Greece should be gathered together at Pogon.
All these the same Euribiades that was at Artemisium commanded, being
a Spartan, but not of the house of the Kings. Of all the ships the
best were the ships of the Athenians, being in number one hundred and
eighty. These were now altogether manned by their own people, for the
men of Platæa had gone to carry away their wives and children from
their city. The men of Ægina sent thirty ships, leaving certain others
to defend their city. From the island of Naxos there came four. These
indeed had been sent by their people to help the Persians, but they
made light of the command and helped the Greeks. This they did at the
instance of Democritus, a notable man among the Naxians and captain
of a ship. The men of Seriphos and Siphnos and Melos also helped the
Greeks, being the only islanders that had not given earth and water to
the barbarians. These three sent in all four ships of fifty oars. And
of all the countries beyond the sea the men of Crotona only came to
the help of the Greeks in their great peril. These sent one ship which
Phayllus, a man that had been crowned at the Pythians games, commanded.
Now the number of the ships in all was three hundred and seventy and
eight; but in this number the ships of fifty oars were not reckoned.
Meanwhile there had been made a proclamation among the Athenians that
each man should save his children and his household as best he could.
The most part sent them away to Trœzen; but some sent them to Ægina,
and some to Salamis. This they did with all speed, desiring to obey
the words of the oracle, and also for another reason which shall now
be told. The Athenians say that in their citadel in the temple there
dwells a great snake that is the guardian of the place. And indeed they
set out for this snake a monthly provision of food, as for a veritable
creature; and the monthly provision is a honey cake. This honey cake
which before had always been eaten, was now seen to be untouched.
When the priestess told these things to the people they were more
earnest than before to leave the city, as thinking that the goddess
Athene had deserted the citadel. Nevertheless they did not all depart,
for the Persians, when they came, found the city indeed desolate of
inhabitants, but in the citadel certain men, that were either ministers
of the temple or of the poorer sort that for lack of means had not
departed with the rest of the people to Salamis. But some of them went
not, thinking that they rightly understood the oracle of the Pythia
when she said, “The wooden wall shall not be taken;” for that by this
wall was signified, not the ships, but a veritable wall of wood. These
therefore had fenced about the citadel with doors and pieces of wood,
and so awaited the coming of the Persians.
The Persians indeed encamped on the hill that is over against the
citadel (this hill the Athenians call the hill of Ares) and began
the siege, shooting at the Greeks arrows with burning tow upon them
that so they might set fire to the barricade. Nevertheless the men
held out, though indeed they were in evil case, and their wooden wall
had failed them; nor would they hearken to the words of the sons of
Pisistratus when these would have them surrender, but they rolled down
great stones upon the barbarians as these came up to the gates, and so
kept the place. And for many days Xerxes was in great doubt, and knew
not how he should prevail over them; but at last they discovered a way
of access. For it must needs be that the oracle should be fulfilled,
that all the country of the Athenians upon the mainland should be
conquered by the barbarians. Certain Persians climbed up the hill where
there was no watch, no one believing that any man could mount by that
way, so steep was it. (The place is on the face of the cliff, behind
the gates and the way by which men commonly ascend.) So soon as the
Athenians saw them now already on the top, some threw themselves from
the wall and so perished; and some fled for refuge to the sanctuary.
But the Persians, when they had opened the gates of the citadel for
their fellows, slew all them that had taken sanctuary; and afterward
they plundered the temple and burned all the citadel with fire. Then
Xerxes, being now wholly master of Athens, sent off a messenger, a
horseman, to Artabanus, to tell him of his good success. Also, on the
second day after the sending of the herald, he commanded the Athenian
exiles that had followed in his train to go up to the citadel and do
sacrifice in the place according to the custom of their country. This
he did either by reason of a dream, or because it repented him that
he had burned the temple. And the exiles did as the King commanded.
And when they were come to the citadel they found a marvelous thing.
There was in the citadel a temple of Erectheus, whom the Athenians call
the “earth-born,” and in the temple an olive tree, which Athene left
for a memorial of her when she contended with Poseidon for the land
of the Athenians. Now this olive had been burned with other things in
the temple, but when the Athenians went up according to the King’s
commandment, they found that there had sprung forth from the trunk a
fresh shoot of a cubit in length.
So soon as tidings came to the Greeks of Salamis of the things that had
befallen Athens and its citadel, there came upon them such fear that
some of the captains would not wait till the council should have voted,
but embarked in their vessels with all haste, and hoisted up their
sails, as though they would fly without delay. And such as stayed at
the council voted that the fleet should give battle to the Persians at
the Isthmus. Afterward, it being now night, the captains departed, each
man to his own vessel.
And when Themistocles was come to his ship there met him a certain
Mnesiphilus, an Athenian, who asked him what the council had decreed.
And when Themistocles said, “They have decreed that we should sail to
the Isthmus, and there fight for the Peloponnese,” Mnesiphilus made
answer, “If these men take away their ships from Salamis, there will
be no one country for which ye may fight. For the Greeks will depart
each to his own city, and neither Eurybiades nor any other man shall
be able to hinder them from so scattering themselves. So shall Greece
perish by the folly of their children. If therefore there be any device
by which thou canst deliver us from this end, haste and make trial of
it. Happily thou mayest persuade Eurybiades to change his purpose and
remain in this place.”
This counsel pleased Themistocles well. To Mnesiphilus indeed he
answered nothing, but he went straightway to the ship of Eurybiades,
and said that he had a matter concerning the common weal about which
he would speak with him. Then said Eurybiades, “Come into my ship if
thou hast aught to say.” So Themistocles sat by his side and told him
all that he had heard from Mnesiphilus--only he said these things as
if from himself--and added also many other things. So urgent was he
that at the last Eurybiades went forth and gathered together the other
captains to council. So soon then as these were gathered together,
before that Eurybiades had set forth the matter wherefore they were
assembled, Themistocles, as one that was wholly intent on his purpose,
said many things, so that Adeimantus of Corinth cried out to him,
“Themistocles, in the games they that start too soon are scourged.”
“Yea,” said Themistocles, excusing himself, “but they that linger are
not crowned.” Thus he answered the Corinthian softly. And to Eurybiades
he spake, not indeed after his former manner how that the ships would
be scattered from where he should have sailed to the Isthmus, for the
allies were present, and he thought it not seemly to say this thing
in their ears, but rather in some such fashion as this: “It is in thy
hands to save Greece, if thou wilt hearken unto me and abide in this
place, and so give battle to the barbarians, not heeding those who
would have thee depart hence to the Isthmus with thy ships. For hear
now, and set these two things one against the other. If the host give
battle at the Isthmus, then shall we fight in the open sea, than which
there could be nothing less to our advantage, seeing that our ships
are fewer in number and these heavier. Also we shall lose Salamis and
Megara and Ægina, though we prosper in the battle. For remember that
the army of the barbarians will follow, together with their fleet,
and that thou wilt thus bring both the one and the other to the
Peloponnesus, and so put all Greece upon the hazard. But if thou wilt
hearken unto me, see what we shall gain. First we shall do battle in
a narrow space, a thing much to our advantage and to the harm of our
enemies. And secondly, we shall yet keep Salamis, where we have put our
wives and children, and Megara also and Ægina. And at Salamis, saith
the oracle, we shall prevail over the barbarians.”
When Themistocles had thus spoken, Adeimantus of Corinth reproached
him again, bidding him be silent, because he was a man without a city
(for Athens had been destroyed by the barbarians). Then Themistocles
brake out against him and the Corinthians with many bitter words, and
saying, “Nay, but we have a city and a land greater than yours, for we
have two hundred ships well manned, whose attack no city of the Greeks
would be able to withstand.” Then he turned to Eurybiades, and said
with all earnestness, “If thou wilt abide here and bear thyself bravely
all will be well; but if not, then wilt thou bring Greece to ruin. For
verily we will take our wives and children and go straightway to Siris
in Italy, which is ours. Verily, when ye have lost our help, ye will
remember what I have said this day.”
When Eurybiades heard these words, he changed his purpose, knowing
that if the Athenians should depart, the rest of the fleet should not
be able to withstand the Persians. Wherefore he made his resolve that
he would stay and give battle at Salamis. Then all the captains made
ready for battle. After this, at daybreak there was an earthquake, and
it seemed good to the Greeks to make supplications to the Gods, and to
call the sons of Æacus to their help. And this they did, for they put
up prayers, and sent a ship to Salamis to fetch Æacus and his children.
A certain Dicæus, an exile of Athens and a man of repute among the
barbarians, told this tale of what he saw about this time. He chanced
to be with Demaratus the Spartan in the plain of Thria, the land of
Attica having been by this time laid waste by the army of Xerxes,
and he saw coming from Eleusis a great cloud of dust, such as a host
of thirty thousand men might make in their march. And while the two
marveled who these could be that could cause such dust, he heard
voices and the sound, as it seemed to him, of the hymn to Bacchus.
Now Demaratus heard the voices, and asked what they were saying, for
he knew nothing of the mysteries of Eleusis. Then said Dicæus, “O
Demaratus, of a truth, some great trouble will overtake the army of the
King. For seeing that Attica is void of inhabitants, these that sing
are surely gods, and they come from Eleusis to help the Athenians and
their allies. If therefore this that we see turn to the Peloponnese,
there will be peril to the King and to his army, but if to Salamis,
then there will be peril to the fleet. For know that year by year the
Athenians keep a feast to the Mother and Daughter, and the voices which
thou heardst were singing the hymn of the feast.” Then said Demaratus,
“See that thou tell the matter to no man. For if the King hear it, thou
wilt surely perish. Hold thou thy peace therefore; the Gods will order
as they please with the army of the King.”
By this time the ships of the barbarians were come to Phalerum, which
is a haven of Athens. And it seemed good to Xerxes to learn the
judgment of them that had command in the fleet. Wherefore he went on
board and sat on a seat of honor, and all the kings and the captains
sat before him, each in his place, after the pleasure of the King. The
King of Sidon sat in the first place, and in the second the King of
Tyre. Then Xerxes sent Mardonius, bidding him ask each in his order
what he counseled, whether they should fight or no. To this all made
answer in the same words that they should fight, save Artemisia of
Halicarnassus only, who spake after this fashion, “Say to the King, O
Mardonius, what I now say to thee. Seeing that I bare myself not less
bravely than the others in the battles at the island of Eubœa. I have
the right to speak what I judge to be most for thy advantage. I say
then spare thy ships and fight not. These men are better than thine
upon the sea, even as men are better than women. Art thou not master
of Athens, for which thou camest hither? Doth any man resist thee? Or
if thou art not yet satisfied, thou canst easily accomplish all that
is in thine heart to do. These men will not long abide in their place,
and indeed they have, I fear, no store of food in the island; and if
thou goest forward toward the Peloponnese, they will be scattered each
to his own city, for the men of the Peloponnese will not care to fight
for the Athenians. But I fear me much that some great evil will befall
thee, if thou art resolved to join battle with the Greeks by sea. For
remember that good masters have ever evil servants, and evil masters
good servants; thou indeed art the best of men, but thy servants are
evil. For these thy allies, as they are called, these men of Egypt and
of Cyprus and of Cilicia and of Pamphylia, are of no account.”
When Artemisia spake these words all that wished her well were much
troubled, for they thought that she would surely be cruelly dealt with
by the King, because she counseled him not to give battle; but all that
were enemies to her rejoiced, and they that envied her for the honor
which the King had done to her beyond all the allies, thinking that she
would perish. Nevertheless Xerxes, when the words of all the kings and
the captains were told to him, was not pleased with any so much as with
the words of Artemisia. Nevertheless it seemed good to him to follow
the counsel of the greater number, and to give battle; for he thought
that the ships had not done their best at Eubœa because he himself had
been absent, and was minded to see the battle that should now be fought
with his own eyes.
So the ships of the barbarians sailed to Salamis and took their places,
as they had been commanded, no man hindering them; for the Greeks,
especially the men of the Peloponnese, were greatly troubled, fearing
lest they should be shut up in Salamis while their own country was left
without defense.
The same night the army of the barbarians went forwards to the
Peloponnese. There indeed all things had been done that the Persians
might not be able to come into the country. For so soon as there came
the tidings how that Leonidas and his companions had fallen at the
Pass, straightway the inhabitants assembled from their cities and
pitched their camp at the Isthmus, their commander being Cleombrotus,
who was brother to Leonidas. First they blocked up the way of Susa,
that leads from Magara to Corinth; and afterwards they built a wall
across the Isthmus. This work they wrought in a few days only, for
there were many thousands of men, and they worked without ceasing
either by night or by day. Now the nations that were gathered at
the Isthmus were these: the Lacedæmonians, all the Arcadians, the
Corinthians, the men of Elis, the men of Sicyon, and of Epidaurus, and
of Phlius, and of Trœzen, and of Hermione. But the other nations, as
the Achæans and the Argives, came not to the Isthmus, nor gave help to
the Greeks, but rather, if the truth is to be told, gave help to the
Persians.