back
to Ephesos, he called Mardonios and bade him choose of the army whom he
would, and make his deeds, if possible, correspond to his words. During
this day then things went so far; and in the night on the command of
the king the leaders of the fleet began to withdraw their ships from
Phaleron to the Hellespont, as quickly as they might each one, to guard
the bridges for the king to pass over. And when the Barbarians were
near Zoster as they sailed, then seeing the small points of rock which
stretch out to sea from this part of the mainland, they thought
that these were ships and fled for a good distance. In time however,
perceiving that they were not ships but points of rock, they assembled
together again and continued on their voyage.

108. When day dawned, the Hellenes, seeing that the land-army was
staying still in its place, supposed that the ships also were about
Phaleron; and thinking that they would fight another sea-battle, they
made preparations to repel them. When however they were informed that
the ships had departed, forthwith upon this they thought it good to
pursue after them. They pursued therefore as far as Andros, but did not
get a sight of the fleet of Xerxes; and when they had come to Andros,
they deliberated what they should do. Themistocles then declared as
his opinion that they should take their course through the islands and
pursue after the ships, and afterwards sail straight to the Hellespont
to break up the bridges; but Eurybiades expressed the opposite opinion
to this, saying that if they should break up the floating-bridges, they
would therein do 73 the greatest possible evil to Hellas: for if the
Persian should be cut off and compelled to remain in Europe, he would
endeavour not to remain still, since if he remained still, neither
could any of his affairs go forward, nor would any way of returning
home appear; but his army would perish of hunger: whereas if he made the
attempt and persevered in it, all Europe might be brought over to
him, city by city and nation by nation, the inhabitants being either
conquered 74 or surrendering on terms before they were conquered:
moreover they would have for food the crops of the Hellenes which grew
year by year. He thought however that conquered in the sea-fight the
Persian would not stay in Europe, and therefore he might be allowed to
flee until in his flight he came to his own land. Then after that they
might begin the contest for the land which belo