A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

164 The War Between Greece and Persia
Ancient
World, 137.
march was Callimachus of the deme of Aphidnae, to him
came Miltiades and said as follows: "With thee now it
rests, Callimachus, either to bring Athens into slavery, or
by making her free to leave behind thee for all the time
that men shall live a memorial such as not even Harmodius
and Aristogeiton have left.
For now the Athenians
have come to a danger the greatest to which they have
ever come since they were a people; and on the one hand,
if they submit to the Medes, it is determined what they
shall suffer, being delivered over to Hippias, while on the
other hand, if this city shall gain the victory it may become
the first of the cities of Hellas. How this may happen and
how it comes to thee of all men to have the decision of
Of us the generals,
these matters, I am now about to tell.
who are ten in number, the opinions are divided, the one
party urging that we fight a battle and the others that we
do not fight. Now if we do not, I expect that some great
spirit of discord will fall upon the minds of the Athenians
and so shake them that they shall go over to the Medes;
but if we fight a battle before any unsoundness appear
in any part of the Athenian people, then we are able to
gain the victory in the fight, if the gods grant equal conditions.
These things then all belong to thee, and depend
upon thee; for if thou attach thyself to my opinion, thou
hast both a fatherland which is free and a native city
The generals
resolve
to fight.
Hdt. vi. no.
which shall be the first among the cities of Hellas; but if
thou choose the opinion of those who are earnest against
fighting, thou shalt have the opposite of those good things
of which I have told thee."
Thus speaking Miltiades gained Callimachus to his
side; and the opinion of the polemarch being added, it was
thus determined to fight a battle. After this, those generals
whose opinion was in favor of lighting, as the turn