Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/370

 352 HISTORY OF GREECE. of Phalerum, but the partisans of Hippias had been dismayed by the rapid return of the Marathonian army, and he did not therefore find those aids and facilities which he had anticipated for a fresh disembarkation in the immediate neighborhood of Athens. Though too late, however, it seems that he was not much too late : the Marathonian army had only just completed their forced return-march. A little less quickness on the part of Miltiades in deciphering the treasonable signal and giving the in- stant order of march, a little less energy on the part of the Athenian citizens in superadding a fatiguing march to a no less fatiguing combat, and the Persians, with the partisans of Hip- pias, might have been found in possession of Athens. As the facts turned out, Datis, finding at Phalerum no friendly move- ment to encourage him, but, on the contrary, the unexpected pres- ence of the soldiers who had already vanquished him at Mara- thon, made no attempt again to disembark in Attica, and sailed away, after a short delay, to the Cyclades. Thus was Athens rescued, for this time at least, from a danger not less terrible than imminent. Nothing could have rescued her except that decisive and instantaneous attack which Miltiades so emphatically urged. The running step on the field of Marathon might cause sor^e disorder in the ranks of the hoplites ; but extreme haste in bringing on the combat was the only means o preventing disunion and distraction in the minds of the citizens. Imperfect as the account is which Herodotus gives of this most interesting crisis, we see plainly that the partisans of Hippias had actually organized a conspiracy, and that it only failed by coming a little too late. The bright shield uplifted on Mount Pentelikus, apprizing the Persians that matters were prepared for them at Athens, was intended to have come to their view before any action had taken place at Marathon, and while the Athenian army were yet detained there; L-O that Datis might have sent a portion of his fleet round to Phalerum, retaining the ?rpiv TI roi)f /SapfSupovf f/Ketv, Kal earpaTOTretievaavTO inriyfievoi 1.$ 'HpaxXr/tov rov tv Mpa$<jvt /f u2.Xo 'Hpa/cA^tov rd iv Vivvoaupyei. Plutarch (Bellone an Pace clariores fuerint Athenicnses, c. 8, p. 350) represents Miltiades as returning to Athens on the day after the battle: it most have been on the same afternoon, according to tht account of Herod- tns.