the history-第166章
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he most beautiful chariot that could be found in Sparta； and after receiving abundant praises； was； upon his departure； escorted as far as the borders of Tegea； by the three hundred picked Spartans； who are called the Knights。 Never was it known； either before or since； that the Spartans escorted a man out of their city。 On the return of Themistocles to Athens； Timodemus of Aphidnae； who was one of his enemies； but otherwise a man of no repute； became so maddened with envy that he openly railed against him； and； reproaching him with his journey to Sparta； said… 〃'Twas not his own merit that had won him honour from the men of Lacedaemon； but the fame of Athens； his country。〃 Then Themistocles； seeing that Timodemus repeated this phrase unceasingly； replied… 〃Thus stands the case； friend。 I had never got this honour from the Spartans； had I been a Belbinite… nor thou； hadst thou been an Athenian！〃 Artabazus； the son of Pharnaces； a man whom the Persians had always held in much esteem； but who； after the affair of Plataea； rose still higher in their opinion； escorted King Xerxes as far as the strait； with sixty thousand of the chosen troops of Mardonius。 When the king was safe in Asia； Artabazus set out upon his return； and on arriving near Palline； and finding that Mardonius had gone into winter…quarters in Thessaly and Macedonia； and was in no hurry for him to join the camp； he thought it his bounden duty； as the Potidaeans had just revolted； to occupy himself in reducing them to slavery。 For as soon as the king had passed beyond their territory； and the Persian fleet had made its hasty flight from Salamis； the Potidaeans revolted from the barbarians openly； as likewise did all the other inhabitants of that peninsula。 Artabazus； therefore； laid siege to Potidaea； and having a suspicion that the Olynthians were likely to revolt shortly； he besieged their city also。 Now Olynthus was at that time held by the Bottiaeans； who had been driven from the parts about the Thermaic Gulf by the Macedonians。 Artabazus took the city； and； having so done； led out all the inhabitants to a marsh in the neighbourhood； and there slew them。 After this he delivered the place into the hands of the people called Chalcideans； having first appointed Critobulus of Torone to be governor。 Such was the way in which the Chalcideans got Olynthus。 When this town had fallen； Artabazus pressed the siege of Potidaea all the more unremittingly； and was pushing his operations with vigour； when Timoxenus； captain of the Scionaeans； entered into a plot to betray the town to him。 How the matter was managed at first； I cannot pretend to say； for no account has come down to us： but at the last this is what happened。 Whenever Timoxenus wished to send a letter to Artabazus； or Artabazus to send one to Timoxenus； the letter was written on a strip of paper； and rolled round the notched end of an arrow…shaft； the feathers were then put on over the paper； and the arrow thus prepared was shot to some place agreed upon。 But after a while the plot of Timoxenus to betray Potidaea was discovered in this way。 Artabazus； on one occasion； shot off his arrow； intending to send it to the accustomed place； but； missing his mark； hit one of the Potidaeans in the shoulder。 A crowd gathered about the wounded man； as commonly happens in war； and when the arrow was pulled out； they noticed the paper； and straightway carried it to the captains who were present from the various cities of the peninsula。 The captains read the letter； and； finding who the traitor was； nevertheless resolved； out of regard for the city of Scione； that as they did not wish the Scionaeans to be thenceforth branded with the name of traitors； they would not bring against him any charge of treachery。 Such accordingly was the mode in which this plot was discovered。 After Artabazus had continued the siege by the space of three months； it happened that there was an unusual ebb of the tide； which lasted a long while。 So when the barbarians saw that what had been sea was now no more than a swamp； they determined to push across it into Pallene； And now the troops had already made good two…fifths of their passage； and three…fifths still remained before they could reach Palline； when the tide came in with a very high flood； higher than had ever been seen before； as the inhabitants of those parts declare； though high floods are by no means uncommon。 All who were not able to swim perished immediately； the rest were slain by the Potidaeans； who bore down upon them in their sailing vessels。 The Potidaeans say that what caused this swell and flood； and so brought about the disaster of the Persians which ensued therefrom； was the profanation； by the very men now destroyed in the sea； of the temple and image of Neptune； situated in their suburb。 And in this they seem to me to say well。 Artabazus afterwards led away the remainder of his army； and joined Mardonius in Thessaly。 Thus fared it with the Persians who escorted the king to the strait。 As for that part of the fleet of Xerxes which had survived the battle； when it had made good its escape from Salamis to the coast of Asia； and conveyed the king with his army across the strait from the Chersonese to Abydos； it passed the winter at Cyme。 On the first approach of spring； there was an early muster of the ships at Samos； where some of them indeed had remained throughout the winter。 Most of the men…at…arms who served on board were Persians； or else Medes； and the command of the fleet had been taken by Mardontes； the son of Bagaeus； and Artayntes； the son of Artachaeus； while there was likewise a third commander； Ithamitres； the nephew of Artayntes； whom his uncle had advanced to the post。 Further west than Samos； however； they did not venture to proceed； for they remembered what a defeat they had suffered； and there was no one to compel them to approach any nearer to Greece。 They therefore remained at Samos； and kept watch over Ionia； to hinder it from breaking into revolt。 The whole number of their ships； including those furnished by the Ionians； was three hundred。 It did not enter into their thoughts that the Greeks would proceed against Ionia； on the contrary； they supposed that the defence of their own country would content them； more especially as they had not pursued the Persian fleet when it fled from Salamis； but had so readily given up the chase。 They despaired； however； altogether of gaining any success by sea themselves； though by land they thought that Mardonius was quite sure of victory。 So they remained at Samos； and took counsel together； if by any means they might harass the enemy； at the same time that they waited eagerly to hear how matters would proceed with Mardonius。 The approach of spring； and the knowledge that Mardonius was in Thessaly； roused the Greeks from inaction。 Their land force indeed was not yet come together； but the fleet； consisting of one hundred and ten ships； proceeded to Egina； under the command of Leotychides。 This Leotychides； who was both general and admiral； was the son of Menares； the son of Agesilaus； the son of Hippocratides； the son of Leotychides； the son of Anaxilaus； the son of Archidamus； the son of Anaxandrides； the son of Theopompus； the son of Nicander； the son of Charillus； the son of Eunomus； the son of Polydectes； the son of Prytanis； the son of Euryphon； the son of Procles； the son of Aristodemus； the son of Aristomachus； the son of Cleodaeus； the son of Hyllus； the son of Hercules。 He belonged to the younger branch of the royal house。 All his ancestors； except the two next in the above list to himself； had been kings of Sparta。 The Athenian vessels were commanded by Xanthippus； the son of Ariphron。 When the whole fleet was collected together at Egina； ambassadors from Ionia arrived at the Greek station； they had but just come from paying a visit to Sparta； where they had been intreating the Lacedaemonians to undertake the deliverance of their native land。 One of these ambassadors was Herodotus； the son of Basileides。 Originally they were seven in number； and the whole seven had conspired to slay Strattis the tyrant of Chios； one； however； of those engaged in the plot betrayed the enterprise； and th
