the history-第117章

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lamis。　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　but　barely　escaped　the　blockading　vessels…　the　Greek　fleet　was　entirely　inclosed　by　the　ships　of　Xerxes…　and　he　advised　them　to　get　themselves　in　readiness　to　resist　the　foe。　Having　said　so　much；　he　withdrew。　And　now　another　contest　arose；　for　the　greater　part　of　the　captains　would　not　believe　the　tidings。　　　　　But　while　they　still　doubted；　a　Tenian　trireme；　commanded　by　Panaetius　the　son　of　Sosimenes；　deserted　from　the　Persians　and　joined　the　Greeks；　bringing　full　intelligence。　For　this　reason　the　Tenians　were　inscribed　upon　the　tripod　at　Delphi　among　those　who　overthrew　the　barbarians。　With　this　ship；　which　deserted　to　their　side　at　Salamis；　and　the　Lemnian　vessel　which　came　over　before　at　Artemisium；　the　Greek　fleet　was　brought　to　the　full　number　of　380　ships；　otherwise　it　fell　short　by　two　of　that　amount。　　　　　The　Greeks　now；　not　doubting　what　the　Tenians　told　them；　made　ready　for　the　coming　fight。　At　the　dawn　of　day；　all　the　men…at…arms　were　assembled　together；　and　speeches　were　made　to　them；　of　which　the　best　was　that　of　Themistocles；　who　throughout　contrasted　what　was　noble　with　what　was　base；　and　bade　them；　in　all　that　came　within　the　range　of　man's　nature　and　constitution；　always　to　make　choice　of　the　nobler　part。　Having　thus　wound　up　his　discourse；　he　told　them　to　go　at　once　on　board　their　ships；　which　they　accordingly　did；　and　about　his　time　the　trireme；　that　had　been　sent　to　Egina　for　the　Aeacidae；　returned；　whereupon　the　Greeks　put　to　sea　with　all　their　fleet。　　　　　The　fleet　had　scarce　left　the　land　when　they　were　attacked　by　the　barbarians。　At　once　most　of　the　Greeks　began　to　back　water；　and　were　about　touching　the　shore；　when　Ameinias　of　Palline；　one　of　the　Athenian　captains；　darted　forth　in　front　of　the　line；　and　charged　a　ship　of　the　enemy。　The　two　vessels　became　entangled；　and　could　not　separate；　whereupon　the　rest　of　the　fleet　came　up　to　help　Ameinias；　and　engaged　with　the　Persians。　Such　is　the　account　which　the　Athenians　give　of　the　way　in　which　the　battle　began；　but　the　Eginetans　maintain　that　the　vessel　which　had　been　to　Egina　for　the　Aeacidae；　was　the　one　that　brought　on　the　fight。　It　is　also　reported；　that　a　phantom　in　the　form　of　a　woman　appeared　to　the　Greeks；　and；　in　a　voice　that　was　heard　from　end　to　end　of　the　fleet；　cheered　them　on　to　the　fight；　first；　however；　rebuking　them；　and　saying…　〃Strange　men；　how　long　are　ye　going　to　back　water？〃　　　　　Against　the　Athenians；　who　held　the　western　extremity　of　the　line　towards　Eleusis；　were　placed　the　Phoenicians；　against　the　Lacedaemonians；　whose　station　was　eastward　towards　the　Piraeus；　the　Ionians。　Of　these　last　a　few　only　followed　the　advice　of　Themistocles；　to　fight　backwardly；　the　greater　number　did　far　otherwise。　I　could　mention　here　the　names　of　many　trierarchs　who　took　vessels　from　the　Greeks；　but　I　shall　pass　over　all　excepting　Theomestor；　the　son　of　Androdamas；　and　Phylacus；　the　son　of　Histiaeus；　both　Samians。　I　show　this　preference　to　them；　inasmuch　as　for　this　service　Theomestor　was　made　tyrant　of　Samos　by　the　Persians；　which　Phylacus　was　enrolled　among　the　king's　benefactors；　and　presented　with　a　large　estate　in　land。　In　the　Persian　tongue　the　king's　benefactors　are　called　Orosangs。　　　　　Far　the　greater　number　of　the　Persian　ships　engaged　in　this　battle　were　disabled；　either　by　the　Athenians　or　by　the　Eginetans。　For　as　the　Greeks　fought　in　order　and　kept　their　line；　while　the　barbarians　were　in　confusion　and　had　no　plan　in　anything　that　they　did；　the　issue　of　the　battle　could　scarce　be　other　than　it　was。　Yet　the　Persians　fought　far　more　bravely　here　than　at　Euboea；　and　indeed　surpassed　themselves；　each　did　his　utmost　through　fear　of　Xerxes；　for　each　thought　that　the　king's　eye　was　upon　himself。　　　　　What　part　the　several　nations；　whether　Greek　or　barbarian；　took　in　the　combat；　I　am　not　able　to　say　for　certain；　Artemisia；　however；　I　know；　distinguished　herself　in　such　a　way　as　raised　her　even　higher　than　she　stood　before　in　the　esteem　of　the　king。　For　after　confusion　had　spread　throughout　the　whole　of　the　king's　fleet；　and　her　ship　was　closely　pursued　by　an　Athenian　trireme；　she；　having　no　way　to　fly；　since　in　front　of　her　were　a　number　of　friendly　vessels；　and　she　was　nearest　of　all　the　Persians　to　the　enemy；　resolved　on　a　measure　which　in　fact　proved　her　safety。　Pressed　by　the　Athenian　pursuer；　she　bore　straight　against　one　of　the　ships　of　her　own　party；　a　Calyndian；　which　had　Damasithymus；　the　Calyndian　king；　himself　on　board。　I　cannot　say　whether　she　had　had　any　quarrel　with　the　man　while　the　fleet　was　at　the　Hellespont；　or　no…　neither　can　I　decide　whether　she　of　set　purpose　attacked　his　vessel；　or　whether　it　merely　chanced　that　the　Calyndian　ship　came　in　her　way…　but　certain　it　is　that　she　bore　down　upon　his　vessel　and　sank　it；　and　that　thereby　she　had　the　good　fortune　to　procure　herself　a　double　advantage。　For　the　commander　of　the　Athenian　trireme；　when　he　saw　her　bear　down　on　one　of　the　enemy's　fleet；　thought　immediately　that　her　vessel　was　a　Greek；　or　else　had　deserted　from　the　Persians；　and　was　now　fighting　on　the　Greek　side；　he　therefore　gave　up　the　chase；　and　turned　away　to　attack　others。　　　　　Thus　in　the　first　place　she　saved　her　life　by　the　action；　and　was　enabled　to　get　clear　off　from　the　battle；　while　further；　it　fell　out　that　in　the　very　act　of　doing　the　king　an　injury　she　raised　herself　to　a　greater　height　than　ever　in　his　esteem。　For　as　Xerxes　beheld　the　fight；　he　remarked　（it　is　said）　the　destruction　of　the　vessel；　whereupon　the　bystanders　observed　to　him…　〃Seest　thou；　master；　how　well　Artemisia　fights；　and　how　she　has　just　sunk　a　ship　of　the　enemy？〃　Then　Xerxes　asked　if　it　were　really　Artemisia's　doing；　and　they　answered；　〃Certainly；　for　they　knew　her　ensign〃：　while　all　made　sure　that　the　sunken　vessel　belonged　to　the　opposite　side。　Everything；　it　is　said；　conspired　to　prosper　the　queen…　it　was　especially　fortunate　for　her　that　not　one　of　those　on　board　the　Calyndian　ship　survived　to　become　her　accuser。　Xerxes；　they　say；　in　reply　to　the　remarks　made　to　him；　observed…　〃My　men　have　behaved　like　women；　my　women　like　men！〃　　　　　There　fell　in　this　combat　Ariabignes；　one　of　the　chief　commanders　of　the　fleet；　who　was　son　of　Darius　and　brother　of　Xerxes；　and　with　him　perished　a　vast　number　of　men　of　high　repute；　Persians；　Medes；　and　allies。　Of　the　Greeks　there　died　only　a　few；　for；　as　they　were　able　to　swim；　all　those　that　were　not　slain　outright　by　the　enemy　escaped　from　the　sinking　vessels　and　swam　across　to　Salamis。　But　on　the　side　of　the　barbarians　more　perished　by　drowning　than　in　any　other　way；　since　they　did　not　know　how　to　swim。　The　great　destruction　took　place　when　the　ships　which　had　been　first　engaged　began　to　fly；　for　they　who　were　stationed　in　the　rear；　anxious　to　display　their　valour　before　the　eyes　of　the　king；　made　every　effort　to　force　their　way　to　the　front；　and　thus　became　entangled　with　such　of　their　own　vessels　as　were　retreating。　　　　　In　this　confusion　the　following　event　occurred：　certain　Phoenicians　belonging　to　the　ships　which　had　thus　perished　made　their　appearance　before　the　king；　and　laid　the　blame　of　their　loss　on　the　Ionians；　declaring　that　they　were　traitors；　and　had　wilfully　destroyed　the　vessels。　But　the　upshot　of　this　complaint　was　that　the　Ionian　captains　escaped　the　death　which　threatened　them；　while　their　Phoenician　accusers　received　death　as　their　reward。　For　it　happened　that；　exactly　as　they　spoke；　a　Samothracian　vessel　bore　down　on　an　Athenian　and　sank　it；　but　was　attacked　and　crippled　immediately　by　one　of　the　Eginetan　squadron。　Now　the　Samothracians　were　expert　with　the　javelin；　and　aimed　their　weapons　so　well；　that　they　cleared　the　deck　of　the　vessel　which　had　disabled　their　own；　after　which　they　sprang　on　board；　and　took　it。　This　saved　the　Ionians。　Xerxes；　when　he　saw　the　exploit；　turned　fiercely　on　the　Phoenicians…　（he　was　ready；　in　his　extreme　vexation；　to　find　fault　with　any　one）…　and　ordered　their　heads　to　be　cut　off；　to　prevent　them；　he　said；　from　casting　the　blame　of　their　own　misconduct　upon　braver　men。　During　the　whole　time　of　the　battle　Xerxes　sate　at　the　base　of　the　hill　called　Aegaleos；　over　against　Salamis；　and　whenever　he　saw　any　of　his　own　captains　perform　any　worthy　exploit　he　inquired　concerning　him；　and　the　man's　name　was　taken　down　by　his　scribes；　together　with　the　names　of　his　father　and　his　city。　Ariaramnes　too；　a　Persian；　who　was　a　friend　of　the　Ionians；　and　present　at　the　time　whereof　I　speak；　had　a　share　in　bringing　about　the　punishment　of　the　Phoenicians。　　　　　When　the　rout　of　the　barbarians　began；　and　they　sought　to　make　their　escape　to　Phalerum；　the　Eginetans；　awaiting　them　in　the　channel；　performed　exploits　worthy　to　be　recorded。　Through　the　whole　of　the　confused　struggle　the　Athenians　employed　themselves　in　destroying　such　ships　as　either　made　resistance　or　fled　to　shore；　while　the　Eginetans　dealt　with　those　which　endeavoured　to　escape　down　the　strait；　so　that　the　Persian　vessels　were　no　sooner　clear　of　the　Athenians　than　forthwith　they　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Eginetan　squadron。　　　　　It　chanced　here　that　there　was　a　meeting　between　the　ship　of　Themistocles；　which　was　hasting　in　pursuit