the history-第157章

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en　of　good　report；　who　was　at　that　time　captain　of　a　trireme。　The　Naxians　are　Ionians；　of　the　Athenian　stock。　The　Styreans　served　with　the　same　ships　as　before；　the　Cythnians　contributed　one；　and　likewise　a　penteconter…　these　two　nations　are　Dryopians：　the　Seriphians；　Siphnians；　and　Melians；　also　served；　they　were　the　only　islanders　who　had　not　given　earth　and　water　to　the　barbarian。　　　　　All　these　nations　dwelt　inside　the　river　Acheron　and　the　country　inhabited　by　the　Thesprotians；　for　that　people　borders　on　the　Ambraciots　and　Leucadians；　who　are　the　most　remote　of　all　those　by　whom　the　fleet　was　furnished。　From　the　countries　beyond；　there　was　only　one　people　which　gave　help　to　the　Greeks　in　their　danger。　This　was　the　people　of　Crotona；　who　contributed　a　single　ship；　under　the　command　of　Phayllus；　a　man　who　had　thrice　carried　off　the　prize　at　the　Pythian　Games。　The　Crotoniats　are；　by　descent；　Achaeans。　　　　　Most　of　the　allies　came　with　triremes；　but　the　Melians；　Siphnians；　and　Seriphians；　brought　penteconters。　The　Melians；　who　draw　their　race　from　Lacedaemon；　furnished　two；　the　Siphnians　and　Seriphians；　who　are　Ionians　of　the　Athenian　stock；　one　each。　The　whole　number　of　the　ships；　without　counting　the　penteconters；　was　three　hundred　and　seventy…eight。　　　　　When　the　captains　from　these　various　nations　were　come　together　at　Salamis；　a　council　of　war　was　summoned；　and　Eurybiades　proposed　that　any　one　who　liked　to　advise；　should　say　which　place　seemed　to　him　the　fittest；　among　those　still　in　the　possession　of　the　Greeks；　to　be　the　scene　of　a　naval　combat。　Attica；　he　said；　was　not　to　be　thought　of　now；　but　he　desired　their　counsel　as　to　the　remainder。　The　speakers　mostly　advised　that　the　fleet　should　sail　away　to　the　Isthmus；　and　there　give　battle　in　defence　of　the　Peloponnese；　and　they　urged　as　a　reason　for　this；　that　if　they　were　worsted　in　a　sea…fight　at　Salamis；　they　would　be　shut　up　in　an　island　where　they　could　get　no　help；　but　if　they　were　beaten　near　the　Isthmus；　they　could　escape　to　their　homes。　　　　　As　the　captains　from　the　Peloponnese　were　thus　advising；　there　came　an　Athenian　to　the　camp；　who　brought　word　that　the　barbarians　had　entered　Attica；　and　were　ravaging　and　burning　everything。　For　the　division　of　the　army　under　Xerxes　was　just　arrived　at　Athens　from　its　march　through　Boeotia；　where　it　had　burnt　Thespiae　and　Plataea…　both　which　cities　were　forsaken　by　their　inhabitants；　who　had　fled　to　the　Peloponnese…　and　now　it　was　laying　waste　all　the　possessions　of　the　Athenians。　Thespiae　and　Plataea　had　been　burnt　by　the　Persians；　because　they　knew　from　the　Thebans　that　neither　of　those　cities　had　espoused　their　side。　　　　　Since　the　passage　of　the　Hellespont　and　the　commencement　of　the　march　upon　Greece；　a　space　of　four　months　had　gone　by；　one；　while　the　army　made　the　crossing；　and　delayed　about　the　region　of　the　Hellespont；　and　three　while　they　proceeded　thence　to　Attica；　which　they　entered　in　the　archonship　of　Calliades。　They　found　the　city　forsaken；　a　few　people　only　remained　in　the　temple；　either　keepers　of　the　treasures；　or　men　of　the　poorer　sort。　These　persons　having　fortified　the　citadel　with　planks　and　boards；　held　out　against　the　enemy。　It　was　in　some　measure　their　poverty　which　had　prevented　them　from　seeking　shelter　in　Salamis；　but　there　was　likewise　another　reason　which　in　part　induced　them　to　remain。　They　imagined　themselves　to　have　discovered　the　true　meaning　of　the　oracle　uttered　by　the　Pythoness；　which　promised　that　〃the　wooden　wall〃　should　never　be　taken…　the　wooden　wall；　they　thought；　did　not　mean　the　ships；　but　the　place　where　they　had　taken　refuge。　　　　　The　Persians　encamped　upon　the　hill　over　against　the　citadel；　which　is　called　Mars'　hill　by　the　Athenians；　and　began　the　siege　of　the　place；　attacking　the　Greeks　with　arrows　whereto　pieces　of　lighted　tow　were　attached；　which　they　shot　at　the　barricade。　And　now　those　who　were　within　the　citadel　found　themselves　in　a　most　woeful　case；　for　their　wooden　rampart　betrayed　them；　still；　however；　they　continued　to　resist。　It　was　in　vain　that　the　Pisistratidae　came　to　them　and　offered　terms　of　surrender…　they　stoutly　refused　all　parley；　and　among　their　other　modes　of　defence；　rolled　down　huge　masses　of　stone　upon　the　barbarians　as　they　were　mounting　up　to　the　gates：　so　that　Xerxes　was　for　a　long　time　very　greatly　perplexed；　and　could　not　contrive　any　way　to　take　them。　　　　　At　last；　however；　in　the　midst　of　these　many　difficulties；　the　barbarians　made　discovery　of　an　access。　For　verily　the　oracle　had　spoken　truth；　and　it　was　fated　that　the　whole　mainland　of　Attica　should　fall　beneath　the　sway　of　the　Persians。　Right　in　front　of　the　citadel；　but　behind　the　gates　and　the　common　ascent…　where　no　watch　was　kept；　and　no　one　would　have　thought　it　possible　that　any　foot　of　man　could　climb…　a　few　soldiers　mounted　from　the　sanctuary　of　Aglaurus；　Cecrops'　daughter；　notwithstanding　the　steepness　of　the　precipice。　As　soon　as　the　Athenians　saw　them　upon　the　summit；　some　threw　themselves　headlong　from　the　wall；　and　so　perished；　while　others　fled　for　refuge　to　the　inner　part　of　the　temple。　The　Persians　rushed　to　the　gates　and　opened　them；　after　which　they　massacred　the　suppliants；　When　all　were　slain；　they　plundered　the　temple；　and　fired　every　part　of　the　citadel。　　　　　Xerxes；　thus　completely　master　of　Athens；　despatched　a　horseman　to　Susa；　with　a　message　to　Artabanus；　informing　him　of　his　success　hitherto。　The　day　after；　he　collected　together　all　the　Athenian　exiles　who　had　come　into　Greece　in　his　train；　and　bade　them　go　up　into　the　citadel；　and　there　offer　sacrifice　after　their　own　fashion。　I　know　not　whether　he　had　had　a　dream　which　made　him　give　this　order；　or　whether　he　felt　some　remorse　on　account　of　having　set　the　temple　on　fire。　However　this　may　have　been；　the　exiles　were　not　slow　to　obey　the　command　given　them。　　　　　I　will　now　explain　why　I　have　made　mention　of　this　circumstance：　there　is　a　temple　of　Erechtheus　the　Earth…born；　as　he　is　called；　in　this　citadel；　containing　within　it　an　olive…tree　and　a　sea。　The　tale　goes　among　the　Athenians；　that　they　were　placed　there　as　witnesses　by　Neptune　and　Minerva；　when　they　had　their　contention　about　the　country。　Now　this　olive…tree　had　been　burnt　with　the　rest　of　the　temple　when　the　barbarians　took　the　place。　But　when　the　Athenians；　whom　the　king　had　commanded　to　offer　sacrifice；　went　up　into　the　temple　for　the　purpose；　they　found　a　fresh　shoot；　as　much　as　a　cubit　in　length；　thrown　out　from　the　old　trunk。　Such　at　least　was　the　account　which　these　persons　gave。　　　　　Meanwhile；　at　Salamis；　the　Greeks　no　sooner　heard　what　had　befallen　the　Athenian　citadel；　than　they　fell　into　such　alarm　that　some　of　the　captains　did　not　even　wait　for　the　council　to　come　to　a　vote；　but　embarked　hastily　on　board　their　vessels；　and　hoisted　sail　as　though　they　would　take　to　flight　immediately。　The　rest；　who　stayed　at　the　council　board；　came　to　a　vote　that　the　fleet　should　give　battle　at　the　Isthmus。　Night　now　drew　on；　and　the　captains；　dispersing　from　the　meeting；　proceeded　on　board　their　respective　ships。　　　　　Themistocles；　as　he　entered　his　own　vessel；　was　met　by　Mnesiphilus；　an　Athenian；　who　asked　him　what　the　council　had　resolved　to　do。　On　learning　that　the　resolve　was　to　stand　away　for　the　Isthmus；　and　there　give　battle　on　behalf　of　the　Peloponnese；　Mnesiphilus　exclaimed：…　　　　　〃If　these　men　sail　away　from　Salamis；　thou　wilt　have　no　fight　at　all　for　the　one　fatherland；　for　they　will　all　scatter　themselves　to　their　own　homes；　and　neither　Eurybiades　nor　any　one　else　will　be　able　to　hinder　them；　nor　to　stop　the　breaking　up　of　the　armament。　Thus　will　Greece　be　brought　to　ruin　through　evil　counsels。　But　haste　thee　now；　and；　if　there　be　any　possible　way；　seek　to　unsettle　these　resolves…　mayhap　thou　mightest　persuade　Eurybiades　to　change　his　mind；　and　continue　here。〃　　　　　The　suggestion　greatly　pleased　Themistocles；　and　without　answering　a　word；　he　went　straight　to　the　vessel　of　Eurybiades。　Arrived　there；　he　let　him　know　that　he　wanted　to　speak　with　him　on　a　matter　touching　the　public　service。　So　Eurybiades　bade　him　come　on　board；　and　say　whatever　he　wished。　Then　Themistocles；　seating　himself　at　his　side；　went　over　all　the　arguments　which　he　had　heard　from　Mnesiphilus；　pretend