Ten Great Events in History | Page 5

from other
ports of Greece. Among the Greeks there were divided counsels; some
were for giving immediate battle, and some were for flying from the
thousand Persian ships now advancing upon them. Themistocles saw
that to retreat would be ruin, and he by stratagem kept every ship in its
place. He sent secret word to the Persians that the Greek fleet would
soon be in full retreat, and the Persian admiral sent two hundred vessels
to blockade the farther extremity of the strait, so that flight was
impossible.
[Illustration: BATTLE OF SALAMIS (Map)]
24. When everything was in readiness, Xerxes, from a throne built for
him on the shore so that he might be a spectator of the fight, gave the
signal to advance. At once all the long banks of oars in the thousand
ships flashed in the light and dipped in the water. But here, as at
Marathon, the way was narrow, and there was no chance for the display
of the full power of the Persian fleet. In a hand-to-hand conflict they
stood no chance with the Greeks, and Xerxes, with despair in his heart,

saw two hundred of his best ships sunk or captured and many more
seriously disabled, while the Greeks had suffered little loss.
25. Themistocles remained all night at his anchorage, ready to renew
the conflict on the morrow, but Xerxes, fearful for the fate of his bridge
across the Hellespont, ordered the eight hundred remaining ships to sail
for its protection, while he and his whole army marched as rapidly as
possible for the same point. The number assembled to pass back into
Asia was greatly diminished from the hosts which a few months before
had so proudly marched to assured victory. Besides those lost in battle,
thousands had perished through disease and famine. But the hope of
final success was not entirely abandoned, and the Persian general,
Mardonius, with three hundred thousand of the best soldiers of the
invading army, were left to complete the conquest.
26. With the retreat of Xerxes, the Athenians returned to their city,
finding their temples destroyed, and their homes desolated, but they
immediately commenced the work of rebuilding, and, amid rejoicings
and renewed hopes, the city arose from its ashes. The clash of arms
gave place to the din of industry, and the fighting soldier was replaced
by the peaceable citizen.
27. In the mean time, Mardonius went into winter quarters in the
northern provinces, and during the winter he endeavored to effect by
negotiation and bribery what he had failed to accomplish by arms. He
succeeded in exciting the jealousy of several of the cities toward each
other, so that it was difficult to bring about concert of action, and he
succeeded in detaching Thebes entirely from the confederacy, and
arraying it against Athens. The Theban force which joined his army
became one of the most formidable foes which the allied Greek had to
meet.
28. The negotiations continued through the spring, but as summer
approached the army of Mardonius was on the move. Sparta was not
ready to meet the invader, and the Athenians once more took refuge on
their ships, ten months after their return. Mardonius took possession of
the city, and this time effectually destroyed it; but as nothing was to be
gained by a further stay, he marched his army to Thebes, which became

his headquarters. The Spartans were at length ready to march. They saw
their city menaced, and their own safety demanded that the forces of
Mardonius should be broken.
29. With the aid of their allies they put into the field an army, the
largest that the Greeks ever mustered, variously reported as numbering
one hundred thousand to one hundred and ten thousand men. These
were under the command of the Spartan king, Pausanias. In September
they set out for Thebes, and in a few days came up to the Persian army,
which was stationed at Plataea, a short distance from Thebes. Here
Mardonius had established a fortified camp to which he might retreat if
defeated on the field. For eleven days the two armies confronted each
other, neither anxious to strike the first blow. Then the supply of water
for the Greek camp gave out, and Pausanias fell back to a better
position.
30. This movement threw the Greek army into disorder, and the three
main divisions became separated from one another. Perceiving this the
next morning, Mardonius hastened with his Persians toward the higher
ground, where the Spartan troops might be seen winding along under
the hillside, for from the river-banks he could not catch sight of the
Athenians, who were hidden among the low hills which rose from the
level plain.
31. The last momentous strife had now begun. It was the custom of the
Spartans