ms and come to this wing of the army, and
that we should go to the left wing." In answer to this the Athenians
spoke as follows: "To ourselves also long ago at the very first, when we
saw that the Persians were being ranged opposite to you, it occurred to
us to say these very things, which ye now bring forward before we have
uttered them; but we feared lest these words might not be pleasing to
you. Since however ye yourselves have made mention of this, know that
your words have caused us pleasure, and that we are ready to do this
which ye say.".

47. Both then were content to do this, and as dawn appeared they began
to change their positions with one another: and the Boeotians perceiving
that which was being done reported it to Mardonios, who, when he heard
it, forthwith himself also endeavoured to change positions, bringing the
Persians along so as to be against the Lacedemonians: and when
Pausanias learnt that this was being done, he perceived that he was not
unobserved, and he led the Spartans back again to the right wing; and
just so also did Mardonios upon his left.

48. When they had been thus brought to their former positions, Mardonios
sent a herald to the Spartans and said as follows: "Lacedemonians, ye
are said forsooth by those who are here to be very good men, and they
have admiration for you because ye do not flee in war nor leave
your post, but stay there and either destroy your enemies or perish
yourselves. In this however, as it now appears, there is no truth; for
before we engaged battle and came to hand-to-hand conflict we saw you
already flee and leave your station, desiring to make the trial with
the Athenians first, while ye ranged yourselves opposite to our slaves.
These are not at all the deeds of good men in war, but we were deceived
in you very greatly; for we expected by reason of your renown that ye
would send a herald to us, challenging us and desiring to fight with the
Persians alone; but though we on our part were ready to do this, we did
not find that ye said anything of this kind, but rather that ye cowered
with fear. Now therefore since ye were not the first to say this, we
are the first. Why do we not forthwith fight, 52 ye on behalf of the
Hellenes, since ye have the reputation of being the best, and we on
behalf of the Barbarians, with equal numbers on both sides? and if we
think it good that the others should fight also, then let them fight
afterwards; and if on the other hand we sh