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went on board their ships. Thereupon Mnesiphilus, an Athenian, inquired of Themistocles, on his return to his ship, what had been determined on by them. And being informed by him that it was resolved to conduct the ships to the isthmus, and to come to an engagement before the Peloponnesus, he said: "If they remove the ships from Salamis, you will no longer fight for any country; for they will each betake themselves to their cities; and neither will Eurybiades nor any one else be able to detain them, so that the fleet should not be dispersed; and Greece will perish through want of counsel. But, if there is any possible contrivance, go and endeavour to annul the decree, if by any means you can induce Eurybiades to alter his determination, so as to remain here." The suggestion pleased Themistocles exceedingly; and without giving any answer he went to the ship of Eurybiades; and on reaching it he said that he wished to confer with him on public business. He desired him to come on board his ship, and say what he wished. Thereupon Themistocles, seating himself by him, repeated all that he had heard from Mnesiphilus, making it his own, and adding much more, until he prevailed on him, by entreaty, to leave his ship, and assemble the commanders in council. When they were assembled, before Eurybiades brought forward the subject on account of which he had convened the commanders, Themistocles spoke much, as being very earnest; and as he was speaking, the Corinthian general Adimantus, son of Ocytus, said, "O Themistocles, in the games those who start before the time are beaten with stripes." But he, excusing himself, answered, "But they who are left behind are not crowned."

At that time he answered the Corinthian mildly. But to Eurybiades he said not a word of what he had before mentioned, that if they should remove from Salamis they would disperse themselves; for when the allies were present it would be by no means becoming in him to accuse any one; he therefore made use of another argument, speaking as follows: "It rests now with you to save Greece, if you will listen to me, and, remaining here, give battle, and not attend to those who advise you to remove the fleet to the isthmus. For hear and compare each opinion. In engaging near the isthmus you will fight in the open sea, where it is least advantageous to us, who have heavier ships and fewer in number. Besides, you will lose Salamis, and Megara, and Ægina, even if we succeed in other respects: for the land forces will follow close upon their navy; thus you will yourself lead them to the Peloponnesus, and expose all Greece to danger. But

if you should do what I advise, you will find the following advantages in it: First of all, by engaging in a narrow space with few ships against many, if the probable results of war happen, we shall be much superior. For to fight in a narrow space is advantageous to us; but in a wide space, to them. Again: Salamis is preserved, in which our children and wives are deposited. Moreover, there is advantage in the plan I advise, for which, too, you are very anxious: by remaining here, you will fight for the Peloponnesus just as much as at the isthmus; nor, if you are wise, will you lead them to the Peloponnesus. But if what I hope should happen, and we conquer with our fleet, neither will the barbarians come to you at the isthmus nor will they advance farther than Attica, but will retreat in disorder, and we shall gain by saving Megara, and Ægina, and Salamis, where it is announced by an oracle we shall be superior to our enemies. To men who determine on what is reasonable, corresponding results are for the most part wont to follow; but to those who do not determine on what is reasonable, the deity is not wont to further human designs." When Themistocles had spoken thus, Adimantus the Corinthian again attacked him, bidding him who had no country be silent, and urging Eurybiades not to go to the vote for a man who had no city; for when Themistocles showed a city, then he would allow him to give his suffrage. He threw out this against him, because Athens had been taken and was in the possession of the enemy. Then, at length, Themistocles spoke with much severity of Adimantus and the Corinthians; and showed by his speech that the Athenians themselves had a city and a territory greater than they, so long as they had two hundred ships fully manned; for that none of the Greeks could repel their attack. Having intimated this, he transferred his discourse to Eurybiades, saying with greater earnestness: "If you remain here, by remaining you will show yourself a brave man-if not, you will subvert Greece: for the whole success of the war depends on our fleet; therefore yield to my advice. But if you will not do so, we, as we are, will take our families on board and remove to Siris in Italy, which is an ancient possession of ours, and oracles say it is fated to be founded by us. And you, when bereft of such allies, will remember my words." When Themistocles had spoken thus, Eurybiades changed his opinion in my opinion, he changed his opinion chiefly from a dread of the Athenians, lest they should desert them if he took the fleet to the isthmus. For if the Athenians deserted them, the rest would no longer be a match for the

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