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314 314 HERODOTUS

THE BATTLE OF MARATHON ^

The Athenians were drawn up in order of battle in a sacred close belonging• to Hercules, when they were joined by the Plataeans, who came in full force to their aid. . ..

The Athenian generals were divided in their opin- ions ; and some advised not to risk a battle, because they were too few to engage such a host as that of the Medes ; while others were for fighting at once, and among these last was Miltiades. He therefore, see- ing that opinions were thus divided, and that the less worthy counsel appeared likely to prevail, resolved to go to the polemarch, and have a conference with him. For the man on whom the lot fell to be polemarch at Athens was entitled to give his vote Avith the ten gen- erals, since anciently the Athenians allowed him an equal right of voting with them. The polemarch at this juncture was Callimachus of Aphidnae ; to him therefore Miltiades went, and said : —

" AVith thee it rests, Callimachus, either to bring Athens to slavery, or, by securing her freedom, to leave behind thee to all future generations a memory beyond even Harmodius and Aristogeiton.^ For never since the time that Athenians became a people were they in so great a danger as now. If they bow their necks beneath the yoke of the Medes, the woes which they will have to suffer when given into the power of Hippias^ are already determined on ; if, on the other hand, they fight and overcome, Athens may rise to be

1 490 B. c. '^ See pa^e 50.

^ After his expxilsion from Athens in 510 B. c. the tyrant Hippias retired to the court of Darius in Asia Minor. He conducted this sec- ond Persian expedition against the Greeks.