Kitap 3
2.13
Again, when Xerxes at a later time gathered together that countlessHerodotus (Hdt. 7.185) puts the whole number of fighting men in Xerxes’ armament at 2,641,610. host and came against Greece, then too our forefathers were victorious, both by land and by sea,By sea at Salamis (480 B.C.) and by land at Plataea (479 B.C.). over the forefathers of our enemies. As tokens of these victories we may, indeed, still behold the trophies, but the strongest witness to them is the freedom of the states in which you were born and bred; for to no human creature do you pay homage as master, but to the gods alone.
2.14
It is from such ancestors, then, that you are sprung.Now I am far from intending to say that you disgrace them; in fact, not many days ago you set yourselves in array against these descendants of those ancient Persians and were victorious, with the aid of the gods, over many times your own numbers.
2.15
And then, mark you, it was in Cyrus’ contest for the throne that you proved yourselves brave men; but now, when the struggle is for your own safety, it is surely fitting that you should be far braver and more zealous.
