Kitap 7
Thereupon Gelon, seeing how unfriendly Syagrus' words were, for the last time declared his opinion to them: “My Spartan friend, the hard words that a man hears are likely to arouse his anger; but for all the arrogant tenor of your speech you will not move me to make an unseemly answer.
When you set such store by the command, it is but reasonable that it should be still more important to me since I am the leader of an army many times greater than yours and more ships by far. But seeing that your response to me is so haughty, we will make some concession in our original condition. It might be that you should command the army, and I the fleet; or if it is your pleasure to lead by sea, then I am ready to take charge of the army. With that you will surely be content, unless you want depart from here without such allies as we are.”
Such was Gelon's offer, and the Athenian envoy answered him before the Lacedaemonian could speak. “King of the Syracusans,” he said, “Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas sends us to you to ask not for a leader but for an army. You however, say no word of sending an army without the condition of your being the leader of Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas; it is the command alone that you desire.
Now as long as you sought the leadership of the whole force, we Athenians were content to hold our peace, knowing that the Laconian was well able to answer for both of us; but since, failing to win the whole, you would gladly command the fleet, we want to let you know how the matter stands. Even if the Laconian should permit you to command it, we would not do so, for the command of the fleet, which the Lacedaemonians do not desire for themselves, is ours. If they should desire to lead it, we will not withstand them, but we will not allow anyone else to be admiral.
It would be for nothing, then, that we possess the greatest number of seafaring men in Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas, if we Athenians yield our command to Syracusans,—we who can demonstrate the longest lineage of all and who alone among the Greeks have never changed our place of habitation;Most Greek populations had traditionally immigrated into their present localities from elsewhere; but the Athenians had no such tradition; their writers often dwell on the fact with pride. of our stock too was the man of whom the poet Homer says that of all who came to +Troy [26.25,39.95] (deserted settlement), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Ilion, he was the best man in ordering and marshalling armies. Menestheus: Hom. Il. 2.552. We accordingly cannot be reproached for what we now say. ”
“My Athenian friend,” Gelon answered, “it would seem that you have many who lead, but none who will follow. Since, then, you will waive no claim but must have the whole, it is high time that you hasten home and tell your Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas that her year has lost its spring.”
The significance of this statement was that Gelon's army was the most notable part of the Greek army, just as the spring is the best part of the year. He accordingly compared Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas deprived of alliance with him to a year bereft of its spring.According to Aristotle (Aristot. Rh. 1.7 and Aristot. Rh. 3.10) Pericles used the same simile in a funeral oration, referring to the State's loss of its young men.
After such dealings with Gelon the Greek envoys sailed away. Gelon, however, feared that the Greeks would not be able to overcome the barbarian, while believing it dreadful and intolerable that he, the tyrant of Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily, should go to the +Peloponnese [22,37.5] (region), Greece, Europe Peloponnese to be at the beck and call of Lacedaemonians. For this reason he took no more thought of this plan but followed another instead.
As soon as he was informed that the Persian had crossed the Canakkale Bogazi (strait), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Hellespont, he sent Cadmus son of Scythes,Probably the expelled ruler of +Zancle [15.5667,38.1833] (Perseus) Zancle; cp. the following chapter, and Hdt. 6.23. a man of Kos City [27.3,36.8917] (Perseus)Cos, to Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi with three fifty-oared ships, bringing them money and messages of friendship. Cadmus was to observe the outcome of the battle, and if the barbarian should be victorious, he was to give him both the money, and earth and water on behalf of Gelon's dominions. If, however, the Greeks were victorious, he was to bring everything back again.
This Cadmus had previously inherited from his father the tyranny of Cos. Although the tyranny was well established, he nevertheless handed the government over to the whole body of Coans of his own free will. This he did under no constraint of danger, but out of a sense of justice, and he then went to Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily, where he was given by the Samians the city of +Zancle [15.5667,38.1833] (Perseus) Zancle which he colonized and changed its name to +Messene [21.9333,37.175] (Perseus) Messene.
This is how Cadmus had come, and it was he whom Gelon now sent because of his sense of justice. What I will now relate was not the least of the many just acts of Cadmus' life; he had in his possession great wealth entrusted to him by Gelon and might have kept it. He nevertheless would not do so, but when the Greeks had prevailed in the sea-fight and Xerxes had headed home, Cadmus returned to Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily with all that money.
There is, however, another story told by the Sicilians: even though he was to be under Lacedaemonian authority, Gelon would still have aided the Greeks had it not been for Terillus son of Crinippus, the tyrant of Himera. This man, who had been expelled from Himera by Theron son of Aenesidemus, sovereign ruler of +Agrigento [13.566,37.316] (inhabited place), Agrigento, Sicily, Italy, Europe Acragas, at this very time brought against Gelon three hundred thousand Phoenicians, Libyans, Iberians, Ligyes, Elisyci, Sardinians, and Cyrnians,The Carthaginians invaded Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily with a force drawn from Africa (continent)Africa and the western Mediterranean Sea [30,31.5] (sea)Mediterranean. The Ligyes are Ligureians, the Cyrnians Corsicans; the Elisyci an Iberian people living on the coast between the +Pyrenees [1,42.666] (mountain range), Europe Pyrenees and the +Rhone [4.833,43.333] (river), Europe Rhone. According to a statement quoted from the historian Ephorus, this Carthaginian expedition was part of a concerted plan, whereby the Greek world was to be attacked by the Carthaginians in the west and the Persians in the east simultaneously. led by Amilcas son of Annon, the king of the Carchedonians. Terillus had induced him to do this partly through the prerogative of personal friendship, but mainly through the efforts of Anaxilaus son of Cretines, tyrant of +Reggio di Calabria [15.65,38.1] (inhabited place), Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy, Europe Rhegium. He had handed over his own children as hostages to Amilcas, and brought him into Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily to the help of his father-in-law; for Anaxilaus had as his wife Terillus' daughter Cydippe. Accordingly Gelon sent the money to Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi, because he could not aid the Greeks.
They add this tale too—that Gelon and Theron won a victory over Amilcas the Carchedonian in Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily on the same day that the Greeks defeated the Persian at Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis. This Amilcas was, on his father's side, a Carchedonian, and a Syracusan on his mother's and had been made king of Carchedon for his virtue. When the armies met and he was defeated in the battle, it is said that he vanished from sight, for Gelon looked for him everywhere but was not able to find him anywhere on earth, dead or alive.
The story told by the Carchedonians themselves seems to have some element of truth. They say that the barbarians fought with the Greeks in Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily from dawn until late evening (so long, it is said, the battle was drawn out), during which time Amilcas stayed in his camp offering sacrifice and striving to obtain favorable omens by burning whole bodies on a great pyre. When he saw his army routed, he cast himself into the fire where he was pouring libations on the sacrifice; he was consumed by this and was not seen any more.
Whether he vanished as the Phoenicians say, or in the manner related by the Carchedonians and Syracusans, sacrifice is offered to him, and monuments have been set up in all the colonists' cities, the greatest of which is in Carchedon itself.
This is how the campaign in Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily fell out. As for the Corcyraeans, their answer to the envoys and their acts were as I will show. The men who had gone to Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily sought their aid too, using the same arguments which they had used with Gelon. The Corcyraeans straightaway promised to send help and protection, declaring that they would not allow Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas to perish, for if she should fall, the very next day would certainly see them also enslaved. They would accordingly have to help to the best of their ability.
Now this answer seemed fair enough, but when the time came for sending help, their minds changed. They manned sixty ships and put out to sea, making for the coast of the +Peloponnese [22,37.5] (region), Greece, Europe Peloponnese. There, however, they anchored off Pylos [21.7083,36.9167] (Perseus) Pylos and Taenarus in the Lacedaemonian territory, waiting like the others to see which way the war should incline. They had no hope that the Greeks would prevail, but thought that the Persian would win a great victory and be lord of all Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas.
Their course of action, therefore, had been planned with a view to being able to say to the Persian, “O king, we whose power is as great as any and who could have furnished as many ships as any state save Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus)Athens,—we, when the Greeks attempted to gain our aid in this war, would not resist you nor do anything displeasing to you.” This plea, they hoped, would win them some advantage more than ordinary; and so, I believe, it would have been.
They were, however, also ready with an excuse which they could make to the Greeks, and in the end they made it; when the Greeks blamed them for sending no help, they said that they had manned sixty triremes, but that they could not round Malea because of the Etesian winds. It was for this reason, they said, that they could not arrive at Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis; it was not cowardliness which made them late for the sea-fight. With such a plea they put the Greeks off.
But the Cretans, when the Greeks appointed to deal with them were trying to gain their aid, acted as I will show. They sent messengers to Delphi [22.5167,38.4917] (Perseus) Delphi, inquiring if it would be to their advantage to help the Greeks.
The Pythia answered them, “Foolish men, was not the grief enough which Minos sent upon your people for the help given to Menelaus, out of anger that those othersThat is, the Greeks would not help the Cretans to avenge the death of Minos; yet afterwards the Cretans helped the Greeks to avenge the carrying off of Helen. would not help to avenge his death at Camicus, while you helped them to avenge the stealing of that woman from Sparta [22.4417,37.0667] (Perseus) Sparta by a barbarian?” When this was brought to the ears of the Cretans, they would have nothing to do with aiding the Greeks.
Now Minos, it is said, went to Sicania, which is now called Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily, in search for Daedalus, and perished there by a violent death. Presently all the Cretans except the men of Polichne and Praesus were bidden by a god to go with a great host to Sicania. Here they besieged the town of Camicus, where in my day the men of +Agrigento [13.566,37.316] (inhabited place), Agrigento, Sicily, Italy, Europe Acragas dwelt, for five years.
Presently, since they could neither take it nor remain there because of the famine which afflicted them, they departed. However, when they were at sea off Iapygia, a great storm caught and drove them ashore. Because their ships had been wrecked and there was no way left of returning to +Crete [25,35.166] (region), Greece, Europe Crete, they founded there the town of +Hyria [23.8,38.3167] (Perseus) Hyria, and made this their dwelling place, accordingly changing from Cretans to Messapians of Iapygia, and from islanders to dwellers on the mainland.
From +Hyria [23.8,38.3167] (Perseus) Hyria they made settlements in those other towns which a very long time afterwards the Tarentines attempted to destroy, thereby suffering great disaster. The result was that no one has ever heard of so great a slaughter of Greeks as that of the Tarentines and Rhegians; three thousand townsmen of the latter, men who had been coerced by Micythus son of Choerus to come and help the Tarentines, were killed, and no count was kept of the Tarentine slain.
Micythus was a servant of Anaxilaus and had been left in charge of +Reggio di Calabria [15.65,38.1] (inhabited place), Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy, Europe Rhegium; it was he who was banished from +Reggio di Calabria [15.65,38.1] (inhabited place), Reggio di Calabria, Calabria, Italy, Europe Rhegium and settled in Tegea [22.4,37.5] (Perseus) Tegea of +Arcadia [22.25,37.583] (department), Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Arcadia, and who set up those many statues at Olympia [21.6333,37.65] (Perseus)Olympia.
In relating the matter of the Rhegians and Tarentines, however, I digress from the main thread of my history. The Praesians say that when +Crete [25,35.166] (region), Greece, Europe Crete was left desolate, it was populated especially by Greeks, among other peoples. Then, in the third generation after Minos, the events surrounding the Trojan War, in which the Cretans bore themselves as bravely as any in the cause of Menelaus, took place.
After this, when they returned from +Troy [26.2833,39.9167] (Perseus) Troy, they and their flocks and herds were afflicted by famine and pestilence, until +Crete [25,35.166] (region), Greece, Europe Crete was once more left desolate. Then came a third influx of Cretans, and it is they who, with those that were left, now dwell there. It was this that the priestess bade them remember, and so prevented them from aiding the Greeks as they were previously inclined.
The Thessalians had at first sided with the Persians, not willingly but of necessity. This their acts revealed, because they disliked the plans of the Aleuadae; as soon as they heard that the Persian was about to cross over into Europe (continent)Europe, they sent messengers to the Isthmus, where men chosen from the cities which were best disposed towards Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas were assembled in council for the Greek cause.
To these the Thessalian messengers came and said, “Men of Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas, the pass of +Olympus (mountain), Nomos Larisis, Thessaly, Greece, Europe Olympus must be guarded so that +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly and all Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas may be sheltered from the war. Now we are ready to guard it with you, but you too must send a great force. If you will not send it, be assured that we will make terms with the Persian, for it is not right that we should be left to stand guard alone and so perish for your sakes.
If you will not send help, there is nothing you can do to constrain us, for no necessity can prevail over lack of ability. As for us, we will attempt to find some means of deliverance for ourselves.” These are the words of the men of +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly.
Thereupon the Greeks resolved that they would send a land army to +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly by sea to guard the pass. When the forces had assembled, they passed through the Euripus and came to Alus in +Achaea [21.75,38.25] (department), Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Achaea, where they disembarked and took the road for +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly, leaving their ships where they were. They then came to the pass of Tempe, which runs from the lowerAs opposed to the hill country further inland. Macedonia (region (general)), EuropeMacedonia into +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly along the river Peneus, between the mountains +Olympus (mountain), Nomos Larisis, Thessaly, Greece, Europe Olympus and Ossa.
There the Greeks were encamped, about ten thousand men-at-arms altogether, and the cavalry was there as well. The general of the Lacedaemonians was Euaenetus son of Carenus, chosen from among the Polemarchs, yet not of the royal house, and Themistocles son of Neocles was the general of the Athenians.
They remained there for only a few days, for messengers came from Alexander son of Amyntas, the Macedonian. These, pointing out the size of the army and the great number of ships, advised them to depart and not remain there to be trodden under foot by the invading host. When they had received this advice from the messengers (as they thought their advice was sound and that the Macedonian meant well by them), the Greeks followed their counsel.
To my thinking, however, what persuaded them was fear, since they had found out that there was another pass leading into +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly by the hill country of Macedonia (region (general)), EuropeMacedonia through the country of the Perrhaebi, near the town of Gonnus; this was indeed the way by which Xerxes' army descended on +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly. The Greeks accordingly went down to their ships and made their way back to the Isthmus.
This was the course of their expedition into +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly, while the king was planning to cross into Europe (continent)Europe from Asia (continent)Asia and was already at Abydus [26.416,40.2] (deserted settlement), Canakkale, Marmara, Turkey, Asia Abydos. The Thessalians, now bereft of their allies, sided with the Persian wholeheartedly and unequivocally. As a result of this they, in their acts, proved themselves to be most useful to the king.
When they had come to the Isthmus, the Greeks, taking into account what was said by Alexander, deliberated as a body how and where they should stand to fight. It was decided that they should guard the pass of +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae, for they saw that it was narrower than the pass into +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly and nearer home.
The pass, then, which brought about the fall of those Greeks who fell at +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae, was unknown to them until they came to +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae and learned of it from the men of +Trachis [22.55,38.8] (Perseus) Trachis. This pass they were resolved to guard and so stay the barbarian's passage into Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas, while their fleet should sail to +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium in the territory of Histiaea. These places are near to each other, and each force could therefore be informed of the other's doings. As for the places themselves, their nature is as follows.
+Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium is where the wide Thracian sea contracts until the passage between the island of Sciathus and the mainland of Nomos Magnisias [22.75,39.25] (department), Thessaly, Greece, EuropeMagnesia is but narrow. This strait leads next to +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium, which is a beach on the coast of +Euboea [23.833,38.566] (island), Nomos Evvoias, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Euboea, on which stands a temple of Artemis.
The pass through +Trachis [22.55,38.8] (Perseus) Trachis into Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas in the narrower sense, not including +Thessaly [22.25,39.5] (region), Greece, Europe Thessaly. is fifty feet wide at its narrowest point. It is not here, however, but elsewhere that the way is narrowest, namely, in front of +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae and behind it; at Alpeni, which lies behind, it is only the breadth of a cart-way, and it is the same at the Phoenix stream, near the town of Anthele.
To the west Herodotus' points of the compass are wrong throughout in his description of +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae; the road runs east and west, not north and south as he supposes; so “west” here should be “south” and “east” “north.” “In front” and “behind” are equivalent to “west” and “east” respectively. of +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae rises a high mountain, inaccessible and precipitous, a spur of Oeta; to the east of the road there is nothing but marshes and sea. In this pass are warm springs for bathing, called the Basins by the people of the country, and an altar of Heracles stands nearby. Across this entry a wall had been built, and formerly there was a gate in it.