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So, the generals are arguing (again!) about what to do, and in order to make sure they can’t just all run off like wacky disorganized independents, Themistocles was very very sneaky and made sure they’d be surrounded by the Persian fleet and have to fight. His worst enemy (what the dude is doing out here so far from Athens, I do not know) saw the enemy fleet circling, and came to the Tent Of Arguments to tell Themistocles, look, we do not like each other, but be aware our side is surrounded by their side, and go tell these morons to pay attention.
Or something like that.
We pick up with Themistocles responding to this.
Herodotus, VIII.80
And he responded with the following: “You’re suggesting very useful things, and you’ve delivered the message well; for I need these things to happen, with you being here as an eyewitness. So know that these things are being done by the Medes on account of my action.* For it was necessary--since the Greeks did not willingly go into a battle and station themselves here--that they defend themselves unwillingly.
“But since you have coming bringing a useful message, give them the message yourself.** For if I say these things, I will seem to be lying and I won’t persuade them how these things are of the barbarians’ doing. But you go in and point out to them how it holds. And since you’re pointing it out, if they listen to you, these will be the best results, and if these claims aren’t trustworthy to them, it’s all the same to us; for they won’t run yet, if we’re surrounded on all sides, as you say.”
Herodotus, VIII.81
Aristeides, having gone inside, said these things, saying he had come from Aigina and had barely been able to sail away undetected by the ships moored there; for the whole Greek fleet was surrounded by Xerxes’ ships; and he recommended preparing to defend themselves. And although he had changed his words, the argument occurred again from the words; for the majority of the generals were not heeding the warning.
Herodotus, VIII.82
Though they didn’t believe these things, a trireme of Tenien men arrived, deserting [the Persian army], of which the captain was the man Panatenius son of Sosimenes, and it brought the whole truth. On account of this deed, the Teniens were engraved on the tripod at Delphi among those who defeated the barbarians. With this ship that deserted at Salamis and the Lemein one before at Artemisium, the Greeks’ fleet was filled up to 380 ships; for it had been lacking two ships of that number.
Herodotus VIII.83
And as what was said by the Teniens was trustworthy to the Greeks, they prepared to fight a sea battle. Dawn broke, and they made a council of the fighting men, and Themistocles held forth before them, speaking the best of all. And the whole speech was on the stronger things opposing weaker things, which were so great in the nature of station of man; recommending that they choose the stronger, and finishing his speech, he urged them to board their ships. And they boarded the ships, and a trireme came from Aigina, which had gone abroad for the Aekedeans.*** Then all the Greeks boarded their ships. And as soon as they set sail, the barbarians attacked.
[Then there is an epic sea battle! But my reading doesn’t cover it, because we’re here to study Themistocles, not this war. So the next English reading picks up where the Greeks, having won the sea battle, settle down for yet another damn council as to what to do next. Sigh. Less talky talky, folks. More fighty fighty.]
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* Or more literally, “out of my [thing]”, which would sound deeply awkward in English.
** I’m making it sound like the noun “message” is appearing all over the place in this text. But it’s actually that they’re using the verb that means “to deliver a message,” and I’m doing my best to account for subsequent adjectives and the like accordingly.
*** Remember them? The gods of Salamis and Aegina, grandsons of Zeus, which... nah, I didn’t remember them either.
Or something like that.
We pick up with Themistocles responding to this.
Herodotus, VIII.80
And he responded with the following: “You’re suggesting very useful things, and you’ve delivered the message well; for I need these things to happen, with you being here as an eyewitness. So know that these things are being done by the Medes on account of my action.* For it was necessary--since the Greeks did not willingly go into a battle and station themselves here--that they defend themselves unwillingly.
“But since you have coming bringing a useful message, give them the message yourself.** For if I say these things, I will seem to be lying and I won’t persuade them how these things are of the barbarians’ doing. But you go in and point out to them how it holds. And since you’re pointing it out, if they listen to you, these will be the best results, and if these claims aren’t trustworthy to them, it’s all the same to us; for they won’t run yet, if we’re surrounded on all sides, as you say.”
Herodotus, VIII.81
Aristeides, having gone inside, said these things, saying he had come from Aigina and had barely been able to sail away undetected by the ships moored there; for the whole Greek fleet was surrounded by Xerxes’ ships; and he recommended preparing to defend themselves. And although he had changed his words, the argument occurred again from the words; for the majority of the generals were not heeding the warning.
Herodotus, VIII.82
Though they didn’t believe these things, a trireme of Tenien men arrived, deserting [the Persian army], of which the captain was the man Panatenius son of Sosimenes, and it brought the whole truth. On account of this deed, the Teniens were engraved on the tripod at Delphi among those who defeated the barbarians. With this ship that deserted at Salamis and the Lemein one before at Artemisium, the Greeks’ fleet was filled up to 380 ships; for it had been lacking two ships of that number.
Herodotus VIII.83
And as what was said by the Teniens was trustworthy to the Greeks, they prepared to fight a sea battle. Dawn broke, and they made a council of the fighting men, and Themistocles held forth before them, speaking the best of all. And the whole speech was on the stronger things opposing weaker things, which were so great in the nature of station of man; recommending that they choose the stronger, and finishing his speech, he urged them to board their ships. And they boarded the ships, and a trireme came from Aigina, which had gone abroad for the Aekedeans.*** Then all the Greeks boarded their ships. And as soon as they set sail, the barbarians attacked.
[Then there is an epic sea battle! But my reading doesn’t cover it, because we’re here to study Themistocles, not this war. So the next English reading picks up where the Greeks, having won the sea battle, settle down for yet another damn council as to what to do next. Sigh. Less talky talky, folks. More fighty fighty.]
---
* Or more literally, “out of my [thing]”, which would sound deeply awkward in English.
** I’m making it sound like the noun “message” is appearing all over the place in this text. But it’s actually that they’re using the verb that means “to deliver a message,” and I’m doing my best to account for subsequent adjectives and the like accordingly.
*** Remember them? The gods of Salamis and Aegina, grandsons of Zeus, which... nah, I didn’t remember them either.