The Good Book

by A. C. Grayling

  8. Overpowered by the force of the gale, they were driven onto rocks, and were entirely lost.

  9. In the days following, the Persians and Greeks fought each other repeatedly off Artemisium, the latter making greater slaughter among the former than the other way round.

  10. But then news reached the Greek fleet of the defeat at Thermopylae, and after its captains discussed what to do, it was decided to retreat further down the coast of Greece.

  11. As the fleet made its escape by night from the anchorage at Artemisium, Themistocles sent some of his swifter boats to watering places along the coast,

  12. With instructions to the sailors to cut messages in the rocks to the Ionians who were with the Persian fleet, saying,

  13. ‘Men of Ionia, you do wrong to fight against your own fathers, and to give your help to enslave Greece.

  14. ‘Come over, if possible, to our side: if you cannot, then stand aloof from the contest, and persuade the Carians to do likewise.

  15. ‘If neither of these things be possible, and you are hindered, by a force too strong to resist, from venturing upon desertion,

  16. ‘At least when we come to blows fight backwardly, remembering that you are sprung from us,

  17. ‘And that it was through you we first provoked the hatred of the barbarian.’

  18. Themistocles had a twofold plan in this: he considered that either the Ionians would by moved by his words, or Xerxes would begin to suspect their loyalty, and keep them from sea battles.

  19. When the Persians saw that the Greeks had gone, they advanced to Artemisium, and then along the coast to Histiaea, which they easily captured.

  20. There they heard of the victory at Thermopylae, and Xerxes invited as many as wished to see the battlefield to visit it.

  21. Huge numbers hastened to see it, and there saw the four thousand dead Greeks, and a mere one thousand dead Persians,

  22. For Xerxes had ordered that a trench be dug and the great mass of his slaughtered troops be buried in it.

  23. No one was fooled by this; but there was rejoicing at the victory nevertheless.

  24. At this time there came a few deserters from Arcadia to join the Persians, poor men who had nothing to live on, and needed employment.

  25. The Persians brought them to the king, who asked what the Greeks were doing? The Arcadians answered,

  26. ‘They are holding the Olympic Games, seeing the athletic sports and the chariot races.’

  27. ‘And what,’ said the king, ‘is the prize for which they contend?’ ‘An olive wreath,’ returned the others.

  28. On hearing this, Tritantaechmes, the son of Artabanus, said, ‘What! What manner of men are these against whom we have come to fight?

  29. ‘Men who contend with one another, not for money, but for honour!’

  Chapter 77

  1. The army of Xerxes now advanced into the land of the Phocians, and wasted it with fire and sword,

  2. Plundering and then burning the cities of Drymus, Charadra, Erochus, Tethronium, Amphicaea, Neon, Pedieis, Triteis, Elateia, Hyampolis and Parapotamii.

  3. Their citizens had fled into the mountains, and therefore escaped the fate of their homes;

  4. But at Abae the Persians captured a number of them, and killed some of their women by repeatedly raping them, before stripping the city of its goods and setting it alight.

  5. Now Xerxes set himself to march towards Athens, entering Boeotia by the country of the Orchomenians.

  6. The Boeotians had one and all embraced the cause of the Persians, and their towns were in the possession of Macedonian garrisons,

  7. Whom Alexander had sent there, to make it manifest to Xerxes that the Boeotians were on his side.

  8. Meanwhile, the Greek fleet, which had left Artemisium, proceeded to Salamis at the request of the Athenians, and there cast anchor.

  9. The Athenians had requested them to take up this position, in order that they might carry their women and children out of Attica, and plan what course to follow thereafter.

  10. They had hoped to see the Peloponnesians drawn up in full force to resist the enemy in Boeotia, but that did not happen;

  11. On the contrary, they learnt that the Greeks of those parts, only concerning themselves about their own safety, were building a wall across the Isthmus,

  12. And intended to guard the Peloponnese, and let the rest of Greece take its chance.

  13. It was this news that made Athens request that the combined fleet should anchor at Salamis.

  14. So while the rest of the fleet lay off this island, the Athenians cast anchor along their own coast.

  15. Immediately on their arrival a proclamation was issued that every Athenian should save his family and household as he best could;

  16. Whereupon some sent their families to Egina, some to Salamis, but the greater number to Troezen. This removal was made with all possible haste.

  17. And now the remainder of the Grecian sea force, hearing that the fleet which had been at Artemisium was come to Salamis,

  18. Joined it at that island from Troezen, orders having been issued previously that the ships should muster at Pogon, the port of the Troezenians.

  19. The vessels collected were many more in number than those which had fought at Artemisium, and were supplied by more cities.

  20. The admiral was the same who had commanded before, namely Eurybiades the Spartan.

  21. The city which sent by far the greatest number of ships, and the best sailors, was Athens. There were three hundred and seventy eight ships in all, most of them triremes.

  Chapter 78

  1. As the captains of the fleet were discussing their strategy, some advising that they should withdraw to the Isthmus so that, if they were defeated, they could return to their homes,

  2. Word came that the Persians had entered Attica, and were ravaging and burning everything.

  3. For the army under Xerxes had just arrived at Athens from its march through Boeotia, where it had burnt Thespiae and Plataea,

  4. Both of which cities were forsaken by their inhabitants, who had fled to the Peloponnese;

  5. And now it was laying waste all the possessions of the Athenians.

  6. Thespiae and Plataea had been burnt by the Persians, because they knew from the Thebans that neither of those cities had espoused their side.

  7. Since the Persians had crossed the Hellespont and begun their march on Greece, four months had gone by;

  8. One, while the army made the crossing and delayed about the region of the Hellespont; and three while they proceeded from there to Attica, which they entered in the archonship of Calliades.

  9. They found Athens empty; a few people only remained in the citadel, either keepers of the treasures, or men of the poorer sort.

  10. These persons having fortified the citadel with planks and boards, held out against the enemy.

  11. The Persians camped on the hill opposite the citadel, which is called Mars’ Hill by the Athenians, and began the siege of the place,

  12. Attacking the Greeks with arrows to which rags of flaming tow were attached.

  13. Those within the citadel found themselves in a woeful case, for their wooden rampart betrayed them, catching fire; but still they resisted.

  14. It was in vain that the Pisistratidae came and offered terms of surrender – the defenders stoutly refused all parley,

  15. And among their other modes of defence, rolled down masses of stone on the barbarians as they were climbing up to the gates:

  16. So that Xerxes was for a long time perplexed, and could not contrive any way to take them.

  17. At last some Persians found a secret way up a steep part of the precipice behind the citadel, and forced an entry.

  18. They opened the gates to the main force, which rushed in and killed all those who did not throw themselves to their deaths from the walls.

  19. Then they pillaged the citadel and set it alight. Xerxes, thus completely master of Athens, dispatched a horseman
to Susa, with a message to Artabanus, informing him of his success.

  20. Meanwhile, at Salamis, the Greeks no sooner heard what had befallen the Athenian citadel,

  21. Than they fell into such alarm that some of the captains did not wait for the council to come to a vote,

  22. But hastily boarded their vessels, and set sail as though they would take to flight immediately.

  Chapter 79

  1. The rest, who stayed at the council board, voted that the fleet should sail from Salamis and give battle at the Isthmus.

  2. Night now drew on; and the captains, dispersing from the meeting, proceeded on board their respective ships.

  3. Themistocles, as he entered his own vessel, was met by Mnesiphilus, an Athenian, who asked him what the council had decided to do.

  4. On learning that the idea was to sail to the Isthmus, and there give battle on behalf of the Peloponnese, Mnesiphilus exclaimed:

  5. ‘If these men sail away from Salamis, you will have no fight at all for our one fatherland;

  6. ‘They will all scatter to their own homes, and neither Eurybiades nor anyone else will be able to stop them. Greece will be brought to ruin by this bad counsel.

  7. ‘Make haste, and see if there is any possible way to persuade Eurybiades to change his mind, and stay here.’

  8. Themistocles managed to persuade Eurybiades to reconvene the council of captains,

  9. And when they had gathered, he quickly and eagerly began to speak, as men tend to do when they are anxious.

  10. The Corinthian captain, Adeimantus son of Ocytus, said, ‘Themistocles, at the Games they who start too soon are scourged.’

  11. ‘True,’ Themistocles replied, ‘but they who wait too late are not crowned.’

  12. Then instead of using the arguments he had beforehand given to Eurybiades about the risk of the allies all going their separate ways, since this might offend those present,

  13. He used a different argument. ‘Eurybiades,’ he said, ‘it rests with you to save Greece if you will listen to my advice.

  14. ‘If we withdraw to the Isthmus we will be at a disadvantage, having to fight in the open sea against the greater numbers of the enemy.

  15. ‘Moreover we will thereby already have lost Salamis, Megara and Egina. The land and sea force of the Persians will advance together,

  16. ‘And our retreat will only draw them towards the Peloponnese, and so bring all Greece into peril.

  17. ‘If we stay here we will fight in a narrow sea with few ships against many, and that will give us a great victory;

  18. ‘A narrow sea is favourable to us, a wide sea favourable to them. Salamis will be preserved, where we have placed our wives and children.

  19. ‘And indeed, the very point on which we set most store, namely defending the Peloponnese, is secured as much by this course as by the other;

  20. ‘For whether we fight here or at the Isthmus, we achieve the same end.’

  21. When Themistocles had spoken, Adeimantus the Corinthian again attacked him, and told him to be silent, since he was a man without a city or a country,

  22. Because Athens had been taken, and was in the hands of the barbarians; and he urged that Themistocles should show of what state he was envoy, before he gave his voice with the rest.

  23. Themistocles bitterly reproached Adeimantus, and reminded the captains that with two hundred ships at his command, all fully manned for battle,

  24. He had both city and territory as good as theirs; since there was no Grecian state which could resist his men at sea.

  25. Then he turned to Eurybiades, and addressing him with still greater warmth and earnestness, said,

  26. ‘If you stay here, and behave like a brave man, all will be well; if not, Greece will fall to ruin. For the whole fortune of the war depends on our ships.

  27. ‘But if you are not persuaded by my words, we Athenians will take our families on board, and go, just as we are, to Siris, in Italy, which is ours from of old.

  28. ‘You then, when you have lost allies like us, will hereafter call to mind what I have now said.’

  29. At these words, Eurybiades changed his mind, because he feared that if he withdrew the fleet to the Isthmus the Athenians would sail away,

  30. And he knew that without the Athenians the rest of their ships would be no match for the enemy fleet.

  31. He therefore decided to remain, and give battle at Salamis.

  Chapter 80

  1. The men belonging to Xerxes’ fleet, after they had seen the Spartan dead at Thermopylae,

  2. And crossed the channel from Trachis to Histiaea, waited there for three days,

  3. And then sailed down through the Euripus, in three more days reaching Phalerum.

  4. The Persian forces both by land and sea when they invaded Attica were not less numerous than they had been on their arrival at Sepias and Thermopylae,

  5. Despite their losses in the storm and at Thermopylae, and again in the sea fights off Artemisium.

  6. For various nations had since joined the king: the Malians, the Dorians, the Locrians and the Boeotians,

  7. Each serving in full force in his army except the last, who did not number in their ranks either the Thespians or the Plataeans;

  8. And together with these, the Carystians, the Andrians, the Tenians and the other people of the islands, who all fought on this side except the five states already mentioned.

  9. For as the Persians penetrated further into Greece, they were joined continually by fresh nations.

  10. Reinforced by the contingents of all these various states, the barbarians reached Athens.

  11. The rest of the sea forces came safe to Phalerum, where they were visited by Xerxes, who had conceived a desire to go aboard and learn the wishes of the fleet.

  12. So he came and sat in a seat of honour, and the sovereigns of the nations and the captains of the ships were sent to appear before him,

  13. And as they arrived took their seats according to the rank assigned them by the king.

  14. In the first seat sat the king of Sidon; after him, the king of Tyre; then the rest in their order.

  15. When the whole company had taken their places, one after another, and were set down in orderly array, Xerxes, to try them, sent Mardonius and questioned each, whether a sea fight should be risked or not.

  16. All said that the Greeks should be given battle at sea, all except Artemisia, who said, ‘Spare the ships, and do not risk a sea battle;

  17. ‘These people are far superior to yours in seamanship. Anyway what need is there to risk it? You are master of Athens, which is the purpose of your invasion;

  18. ‘And the whole of Greece lies subject at your feet. If you keep the fleet close and march on the Peloponnese, you will easily accomplish all your aims.

  19. ‘But if you fight at sea and lose, I tremble to think of the danger to your land army.’

  20. The friends of Artemisia were anxious for her, in case her words offended the king,

  21. And her enemies rejoiced, that having been in such favour with Xerxes she might now even forfeit her life.

  22. But he was pleased beyond all others with the reply of Artemisia; and whereas, even before this, he had always esteemed her, he now praised her more than ever.

  23. Nevertheless, he gave orders that the advice of the majority should be followed; for he thought that at Euboea the fleet had not done its best, because he himself was not there to see its work;

  24. Whereas this time he resolved that he would be an eyewitness of the combat.

  25. Orders were now given to the Persian fleet to stand out to sea; and the ships proceeded towards Salamis, and took up the stations to which they were directed, without hindrance from the Greeks.

  26. The day, however, was too far spent for them to begin the battle, so they prepared to engage on the morrow.

  27. The Greeks, meanwhile, were in great distress and alarm, more especially those of the Peloponnese, who were troubled that t
hey had been kept at Salamis to fight on behalf of the Athenian territory,

  28. And feared that, if they should suffer defeat, they would be besieged in an island, while their own country was left unprotected.

  29. The same night the land army of the barbarians began its march towards the Peloponnese, where, however, all that was possible had been done to prevent the enemy from forcing an entrance by land.

  30. As soon as news reached the Peloponnese of the death of Leonidas and his companions at Thermopylae, the inhabitants flocked together from the various cities,

  31. And encamped at the Isthmus, under the command of Cleombrotus, son of Anaxandridas, and brother of Leonidas.

  32. Here their first care was to block up the Scironian Way; after which it was decided to build a wall across the Isthmus.

  33. The number assembled amounted to many tens of thousands, and there was not one who did not give himself eagerly to the work, bringing stones, bricks, timber and baskets filled with sand.

  34. Not a moment was lost therefore, and the work was soon finished.

  Chapter 81

  1. The Greeks at Salamis, on the other hand, when they heard that Xerxes was marching towards the Isthmus, were greatly alarmed for the Peloponnese.

  2. At first they murmured together in low voices, each with his fellow, secretly, and marvelled at the folly shown by Eurybiades;

  3. But presently the smothered feeling broke out, and another assembly was held, at which the former debate was resumed,

  4. One side maintaining that it was best to sail to the Peloponnese and risk battle there, instead of abiding at Salamis and fighting for a land already taken by the enemy;

  5. While the other, which consisted of the Athenians, Eginetans, and Megarians, was urgent to remain and have the battle fought where they were.

  6. Themistocles, when he saw that the Peloponnesians would carry the vote against him,

  7. Went out secretly from the council, and, instructing a certain man in what to say, sent him on board a merchant ship to the Persian fleet.

  8. This man was Sicinnus, one of Themistocles’ household slaves, who had served as tutor to his sons;

  9. In after times, when the Thespians were admitting persons to citizenship, Themistocles made him a Thespian, and rich.