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suffer　defeat；　they　would　be　pent　up　and　besieged　in　an　island；　while　their　own　country　was　left　unprotected。　　　　　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。　As　soon　as　ever　news　reached　the　Peloponnese　of　the　death　of　Leonidas　and　his　companions　at　Thermopylae；　the　inhabitants　flocked　together　from　the　various　cities；　and　encamped　at　the　Isthmus；　under　the　command　of　Cleombrotus；　son　of　Anaxandridas；　and　brother　of　Leonidas。　Here　their　first　care　was　to　block　up　the　Scironian　Way；　after　which　it　was　determined　in　council　to　build　a　wall　across　the　Isthmus。　As　the　number　assembled　amounted　to　many　tens　of　thousands；　and　there　was　not　one　who　did　not　give　himself　to　the　work；　it　was　soon　finished。　Stones；　bricks；　timber；　baskets　filled　full　of　sand；　were　used　in　the　building；　and　not　a　moment　was　lost　by　those　who　gave　their　aid；　for　they　laboured　without　ceasing　either　by　night　or　day。　　　　　Now　the　nations　who　gave　their　aid；　and　who　had　flocked　in　full　force　to　the　Isthmus；　were　the　following：　the　Lacedaemonians；　all　the　tribes　of　the　Arcadians；　the　Eleans；　the　Corinthians；　the　Sicyonians；　the　Epidaurians；　the　Phliasians；　the　Troezenians；　and　the　Hermionians。　These　all　gave　their　aid；　being　greatly　alarmed　at　the　danger　which　threatened　Greece。　But　the　other　inhabitants　of　the　Peloponnese　took　no　part　in　the　matter；　though　the　Olympic　and　Carneian　festivals　were　now　over。　　　　　Seven　nations　inhabit　the　Peloponnese。　Two　of　them　are　aboriginal；　and　still　continue　in　the　regions　where　they　dwelt　at　the　first…　to　wit；　the　Arcadians　and　the　Cynurians。　A　third；　that　of　the　Achaeans；　has　never　left　the　Peloponnese；　but　has　been　dislodged　from　its　own　proper　country；　and　inhabits　a　district　which　once　belonged　to　others。　The　remaining　nations；　four　out　of　the　seven；　are　all　immigrants…　namely；　the　Dorians；　the　Aetolians；　the　Dryopians；　and　the　Lemnians。　To　the　Dorians　belong　several　very　famous　cities；　to　the　Aetolians　one　only；　that　is；　Elis；　to　the　Dryopians；　Hermione　and　that　Asine　which　lies　over　against　Cardamyle　in　Laconia；　to　the　Lemnians；　all　the　towns　of　the　Paroreats。　The　aboriginal　Cynurians　alone　seem　to　be　Ionians；　even　they；　however；　have；　in　course　of　time；　grown　to　be　Dorians；　under　the　government　of　the　Argives；　whose　Orneats　and　vassals　they　were。　All　the　cities　of　these　seven　nations；　except　those　mentioned　above；　stood　aloof　from　the　war；　and　by　so　doing；　if　I　may　speak　freely；　they　in　fact　took　part　with　the　Medes。　　　　　So　the　Greeks　at　the　Isthmus　toiled　unceasingly；　as　though　in　the　greatest　peril；　since　they　never　imagined　that　any　great　success　would　be　gained　by　the　fleet。　The　Greeks　at　Salamis；　on　the　other　hand；　when　they　heard　what　the　rest　were　about；　felt　greatly　alarmed；　but　their　fear　was　not　so　much　for　themselves　as　for　the　Peloponnese。　At　first　they　conversed　together　in　low　tones；　each　man　with　his　fellow；　secretly；　and　marvelled　at　the　folly　shown　by　Eurybiades；　but　presently　the　smothered　feeling　broke　out；　and　another　assembly　was　held；　whereat　the　old　subjects　provoked　much　talk　from　the　speakers；　one　side　maintaining　that　it　was　best　to　sail　to　the　Peloponnese　and　risk　battle　for　that；　instead　of　abiding　at　Salamis　and　fighting　for　a　land　already　taken　by　the　enemy；　while　the　other；　which　consisted　of　the　Athenians；　Eginetans；　and　Megarians；　was　urgent　to　remain　and　have　the　battle　fought　where　they　were。　　　　　Then　Themistocles；　when　he　saw　that　the　Peloponnesians　would　carry　the　vote　against　him；　went　out　secretly　from　the　council；　and；　instructing　a　certain　man　what　he　should　say；　sent　him　on　board　a　merchant　ship　to　the　fleet　of　the　Medes。　The　man's　name　was　Sicinnus；　he　was　one　of　Themistocles'　household　slaves；　and　acted　as　tutor　to　his　sons；　in　after　times；　when　the　Thespians　were　admitting　persons　to　citizenship；　Themistocles　made　him　a　Thespian；　and　a　rich　man　to　boot。　The　ship　brought　Sicinnus　to　the　Persian　fleet；　and　there　he　delivered　his　message　to　the　leaders　in　these　words：…　　　　　〃The　Athenian　commander　has　sent　me　to　you　privily；　without　the　knowledge　of　the　other　Greeks。　He　is　a　well…wisher　to　the　king's　cause；　and　would　rather　success　should　attend　on　you　than　on　his　countrymen；　wherefore　he　bids　me　tell　you　that　fear　has　seized　the　Greeks　and　they　are　meditating　a　hasty　flight。　Now　then　it　is　open　to　you　to　achieve　the　best　work　that　ever　ye　wrought；　if　only　ye　will　hinder　their　escaping。　They　no　longer　agree　among　themselves；　so　that　they　will　not　now　make　any　resistance…　nay；　'tis　likely　ye　may　see　a　fight　already　begun　between　such　as　favour　and　such　as　oppose　your　cause。〃　The　messenger；　when　he　had　thus　expressed　himself；　departed　and　was　seen　no　more。　　　　　Then　the　captains；　believing　all　that　the　messenger　had　said；　proceeded　to　land　a　large　body　of　Persian　troops　on　the　islet　of　Psyttaleia；　which　lies　between　Salamis　and　the　mainland；　after　which；　about　the　hour　of　midnight；　they　advanced　their　western　wing　towards　Salamis；　so　as　to　inclose　the　Greeks。　At　the　same　time　the　force　stationed　about　Ceos　and　Cynosura　moved　forward；　and　filled　the　whole　strait　as　far　as　Munychia　with　their　ships。　This　advance　was　made　to　prevent　the　Greeks　from　escaping　by　flight；　and　to　block　them　up　in　Salamis；　where　it　was　thought　that　vengeance　might　be　taken　upon　them　for　the　battles　fought　near　Artemisium。　The　Persian　troops　were　landed　on　the　islet　of　Psyttaleia；　because；　as　soon　as　the　battle　began；　the　men　and　wrecks　were　likely　to　be　drifted　thither；　as　the　isle　lay　in　the　very　path　of　the　coming　fight…　and　they　would　thus　be　able　to　save　their　own　men　and　destroy　those　of　the　enemy。　All　these　movements　were　made　in　silence；　that　the　Greeks　might　have　no　knowledge　of　them；　and　they　occupied　the　whole　night；　so　that　the　men　had　no　time　to　get　their　sleep。　　　　　I　cannot　say　that　there　is　no　truth　in　prophecies；　or　feel　inclined　to　call　in　question　those　which　speak　with　clearness；　when　I　think　of　the　following：…

　　　　When　they　shall　bridge　with　their　ships　to　the　sacred　strand　of　　　　　　　Diana　　　　　Girt　with　the　golden　falchion；　and　eke　to　marine　Cynosura；　　　　　Mad　hope　swelling　their　hearts　at　the　downfall　of　beautiful　　　　　　　Athens　　　　　Then　shall　godlike　Right　extinguish　haughty　Presumption；　　　　　Insult's　furious　offspring；　who　thinketh　to　overthrow　all　things。　　　　　Brass　with　brass　shall　mingle；　and　Mars　with　blood　shall　empurple　　　　　Ocean's　waves。　Then…　then　shall　the　day　of　Grecia's　freedom　　　　　Come　from　Victory　fair；　and　Saturn's　son　all…seeing。

When　I　look　to　this；　and　perceive　how　clearly　Bacis　spoke；　neither　venture　myself　to　say　anything　against　prophecies；　nor　do　approve　of　others　impugning　them。　　　　　Meanwhile；　among　the　captains　at　Salamis；　the　strife　of　words　grew　fierce。　As　yet　they　did　not　know　that　they　were　encompassed；　but　imagined　that　the　barbarians　remained　in　the　same　places　where　they　had　seen　them　the　day　before。　　　　　In　the　midst　of　their　contention；　Aristides；　the　son　of　Lysimachus；　who　had　crossed　from　Egina；　arrived　in　Salamis。　He　was　an　Athenian；　and　had　been　ostracised　by　the　commonalty；　yet　I　believe；　from　what　I　have　heard　concerning　his　character；　that　there　was　not　in　all　Athens　a　man　so　worthy　or　so　just　as　he。　He　now　came　to　the　council；　and；　standing　outside；　called　for　Themistocles。　Now　Themistocles　was　not　his　friend；　but　his　most　determined　enemy。　However；　under　the　pressure　of　the　great　dangers　impending；　Aristides　forgot　their　feud；　and　called　Themistocles　out　of　the　council；　since　he　wished　to　confer　with　him。　He　had　heard　before　his　arrival　of　the　impatience　of　the　Peloponnesians　to　withdraw　the　fleet　to　the　Isthmus。　As　soon　therefore　as　Themistocles　came　forth；　Aristides　addressed　him　in　these　words：…　　　　　〃Our　rivalry　at　all　times；　and　especially　at　the　present　season；　ought　to　be　a　struggle；　which　of　us　shall　most　advantage　our　country。　Let　me　then　say　to　thee；　that　so　far　as　regards　the　departure　of　the　Peloponnesians　from　this　place；　much　talk　and　little　will　be　found　precisely　alike。　I　have　seen　with　my　own　eyes　that　which　I　now　report：　that；　however　much　the　Corinthians　or　Eurybiades　himself　may　wish　it；　they　cannot　now　retreat；　for　we　are　enclosed　on　every　side　by　the　enemy。　Go　in　to　them；　and　make　this　known。〃　　　　　〃Thy　advice　is　excellent；〃　answered　the　other；　〃and　thy　tidings　are　also　good。　That　which　I　earnestly　desired　to　happen；　thine　eyes　have　beheld　accomplished。　Know　that　what　the　Medes　have　now　done　was　at　my　instance；　for　it　was　necessary；　as　our　men　would　not　fight　here　of　their　own　free　will；　to　make　them　fight　whether　they　would　or　no。　But　come　now；　as　thou　hast　brought　the　good　news；　go　in　and　tell　it。　For　if　I　speak　to　them；　they　will　think　it　a　feigned　tale；　and　will　not　believe　that　the　barbarians　have　inclosed　us　around。　Therefore　do　thou　go　to　them；　and　inform　them　how　matters　stand。　If　they　believe　thee；　'twill　be　for　the　best；　but　if　otherwise；　it　will　not　harm。　For　it　is　impossible　that　they　should　now　flee　away；　if　we　are　indeed　shut　in　on　all　sides；　as　thou　sayest。〃　　　　　Then　Aristides　entered　the　assembly；　and　spoke　to　the　captains：　he　had　come；　he　told　them；　from　Egina；　and　had　bu