The Good Book_ A Secular Bible - A. C. Grayling [176]
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,