A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

1028 THEMISTOCLES. THEMISTOCLES.
and thus the Greeks were hemmed in. (Herod. viii. victory of Salamis, however, wvhich was due to
76.) Themistocles, established his reputation among the
The Greek commanders were disputing in coun- Greeks; and it was only jealousy among the conlcil, not yet being aware that their retreat was cut manders which caused him to receive at the Isthoff. Aristides, who was still in exile, crossed over nims the second prize of merit instead of the first.
from Aegina to Salamis, and sending for Themis- (Herod. viii. 123.) But on his visiting Sparta, he
tocles out of the council, told him that it was use- was received with extraordinary honours by the
less to discuss the matter of retreat any longer, for Spartans, who gave Eurybiades the palm of brahe had seen the enemy's fleet, and the Greeks very, and to Themistocles the palm of wisdom and
were completely blockaded. Themistocles commu- skill, with a crown of olive, and the best chariot
nicated to Aristides what he had done to bring that Sparta possessed. When he returned home,
this about, and asked him to inform the council of three hundred select Spartan horsemen accompanied
what he had seen. Though Aristides assured the him as far as the borders of Tegea. (Herod. viii.
council that retreat was now impossible, and urged 124; Plut. Titemist. 17.)
them to prepare for battle, many of the commanders In the battle of Plataea, B. c. 479, in which
would not believe the intelligence until it was Mardonius was defeated, Aristides, now no longer
confirmed by a Tenian galley which had deserted an exile, commanded the Athenians. (Herod. viii.
from the Persians. In the morning the battle 28; Plut. Arist. 11.) The name of Themistocles is
took place, in which the Greeks had the advantage not mentioned on this occasion by Herodotus or by
of their position over the Persian fleet, which was Plutarch; nor on the occasion of the fight at Mycrowded in too narrow a space. The battle was cale, which took place on the same day. Neither
fought chiefly in the eastern strait. The Greeks does it appear clearly what he was doing all this
gained a signal victory, in which the Aeginetae time, except so far as may be collected from Plumost distinguished themselves, and next to them tarch's vague narrative. (Plut. Tlhesnist. 18.) It
the Athenians. Aristides did good service by seems probable that his political influence declined
landing on Psyttaleia with some soldiers from Sa- very speedily after the affair which raised his relamis, and cutting to pieces the Persians who were putation to the greatest height; and that his conon this islet. Xerxes, who watched the battle duct to the Spartans on two several occasions confrom the shore of the mainland, saw his mighty tributed to his final downfal.
armament defeated aied dispersed in the autumn The Athenians began to restore their ruined city
of B. c. 480. The fleet of the Persians was pur- after the barbarians had left the country, and Thesued by the Greeks as far as Andros, and as they mistocles advised them to rebuild the walls, and to
did not come up with it there, a council was held, make them stronger than before. The Spartans sent
in which Themistocles advised that they should an embassy to Athens to dissuade them from fortipursue the enemy through the Aegean, and sail to fying their city, for which we can assign no motive,
the Hellespont to destroy the bridge of boats by except a miserable jealousy. Themistocles, accordwhich Xerxes had passed over. Eurybiades more ing to Theopompus, quoted by Plutarch, got over
prudently suggested that they should allow the this opposition by bribing the Ephori, which is
inlmense armny of Xerxes to move off as quick as probable enough, and not inconsistent with the
they could, and should leave the bridge standing; story told circumstantially by Thucydides of his
and this advice was approved by the other Pelo- deceiving the Spartans. He prevailed on the Atheponnesian commanders. (Herod. viii. 107; com- nians to dismiss the Spartan ambassadors, and to
pare Piut. Arislid. 9, Tlsemist. 16.) Themisto- send him and others to Sparta on the matter of
cles pacified the Athenians, who were most eager the fortifications. Tllemistocles went first, after
to follow the Persians, by urging plausible argu- advising the Athenians not to send his colleagues
ments against the pursuit at present, and saying till the walls were far enough advanced to be in a
that in the following spring they might sail to the state of defence. In the mean time he amused
HJellespont and to Ionia. Herodotus attributes to the Spartans with lies, and pretended that he was
Themistocles a treacherous motive in the affiair, waiting for his colleagues in order to be enabled to
and says that his object was to secure a retreat to enter on the business on which he was sent; and
Persia, if any thing should befal him at Athens when the report of the progress of the walls was
(IHerod. viii. 109); and accordingly he sent some confirmed by fresh intelligence, Themistocles told
conlfidential persons to Xerxes, and among them the Spartans to send trusty persons to Athens
the faithful Sicinnus, to tell him that Themistocles to inquire, and not to trust to rumours. The
had prevented the Greeks from pursuing the Per- Spartans despatched their agents, and Themistocles
sian fleet, and destroying the bridge over the Hel- at the same time sent instructions to Athens, to
lespont, and he advised the king to move off. detain the Spartans until he and his colleagues
Xerxes, retreated with his army, and left Mardo- should return in safety, for his colleagues had now
nius with a large force behind him. joined him. When he was informed that the
While the Greek fleet was among the islands walls of Athens were in a fit state for defence, he
of the Aegean, Themeistocles attempted to levy came before the Spartans, and told them plainly
contributions on the islanders. The people of An- that Athens could nlow protect herself. The Spardros were called upon to pay money inc the name tans dissembled their resentment, and the ambasof two powerful deities, Persuasion and Necessity, sadors respectively returned from Athens and
but they answered, as other people may answer Sparta. (Thucyd. i. 90, &c.) It was also on
to the collector of imposts, that they possessed two the advice of Themistocles that the Athenians
invincible antagonist deities, Poverty and Want of finished the fortifications of the port of Peiraeeus,
means, whose powerlessness no power could van- which they had commenced during his archonship
quish. Themistocles, however, got money from (Thucyd. i. 93; Diod. xi. 41); the position was
the Carystians and Parians (Herod. viii. 111, exceedingly favourable, possessing three natural
&c.); and probably he filled his own pockets. -The harbours, and as the Athenians had been made a