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VII.99: Of
the other lower officers I shall make no mention, since no necessity
is laid on me; but I must speak of a certain leader named Artemisia,
whose participation in the attack upon Hellas, notwithstanding that
she was a woman, moves my special wonder. She had obtained the sovereign
power after the death of her husband; and, though she had now a
son grown up, yet her brave spirit and manly daring sent her forth
to the war, when no need required her to adventure. Her name, as
I said, was Artemisia, and she was the daughter of Lygdamis; by
race she was on his side a Halicarnassian, though by her mother
a Cretan. She ruled over the Halicarnassians, the men of Cos, of
Nisyrus, and of Calydna; and the five triremes which she furnished
to the Persians were, next to the Sidonian, the most famous ships
in the fleet. She likewise gave to Xerxes sounder counsel than any
of his other allies. Now the cities over which I have mentioned
that she bore sway were one and all Dorian; for the Halicarnassians
were colonists from Troizen, while the remainder were from Epidauros.
Thus much concerning the sea-force.
VIII.68: Mardonius
accordingly went round the entire assemblage, beginning with the
Sidonian monarch, and asked this question; to which all gave the
same answer, advising to engage the Hellenes, except only Artemisia,
who spoke as follows:
"Say to
the king, Mardonius, that these are my words to him: I was not the
least brave of those who fought at Euboia, nor were my achievements
there among the meanest; it is my right, therefore, O my lord, to
tell you plainly what I think to be most for your advantage now.
This then is my advice:
"Spare
your ships, and do not risk a battle; for these people are as much
superior to your people in seamanship, as men to women. What so
great need is there for you to incur hazard at sea? Are you not
master of Athens, for which you did undertake your expedition? Is
not Hellas subject to you? Not a soul now resists your advance.
They who once resisted, were handled even as they deserved. Now
learn how I expect that affairs will go with your adversaries. If
you are not over-hasty to engage with them by sea, but will keep
your fleet near the land, then whether you stay as you are, or march
forward towards the Peloponnesos, you will easily accomplish all
for which you are come here. The Hellenes cannot hold out against
you very long; you will soon part them asunder, and scatter them
to their several homes. In the island where they lie, I hear they
have no food in store; nor is it likely, if your land force begins
its march towards the Peloponnesos, that they will remain quietly
where they are---at least such as come from that region. Of a surety
they will not greatly trouble themselves to give battle on behalf
of the Athenians. On the other hand, if you are hasty to fight,
I tremble lest the defeat of your sea force bring harm likewise
to your land army. This, too, you should remember, O king; good
masters are apt to have bad servants, and bad masters good ones.
Now, as you are the best of men, your servants must needs be a sorry
set. These Egyptians, Cyprians, Cilicians, and Pamphylians, who
are counted in the number of your subject-allies, of how little
service are they to you!"
VIII.69: As
Artemisia spoke, they who wished her well were greatly troubled
concerning her words, thinking that she would suffer some hurt at
the king's hands, because she exhorted him not to risk a battle;
they, on the other hand, who disliked and envied her, favored as
she was by the king above all the rest of the allies, rejoiced at
her declaration, expecting that her life would be the forfeit. But
Xerxes, when the words of the several speakers were reported to
him, was pleased beyond all others with the reply of Artemisia;
and whereas, even before this, he had always esteemed her much,
he now praised her more than ever. Nevertheless, he gave orders
that the advice of the greater number should be followed; for he
thought that at Euboia the fleet had not done its best, because
he himself was not there to see---whereas this time he resolved
that he would be an eye-witness of the combat.
VIII.87: What
part the several nations, whether Hellene or barbarian, took in
the combat, I am not able to say for certain; Artemisia, however,
I know, distinguished herself in such a way as raised her even higher
than she stood before in the esteem of the king. For after confusion
had spread throughout the whole of the king's fleet, and her ship
was closely pursued by an Athenian trireme, she, having no way to
fly, since in front of her were a number of friendly vessels, and
she was nearest of all the Persians to the enemy, resolved on a
measure which in fact proved her safety. Pressed by the Athenian
pursuer, she bore straight against one of the ships of her own party,
a Calyndian, which had Damasiyourmus, the Calyndian king, himself
on board. I cannot say whether she had had any quarrel with the
man while the fleet was at the Hellespont, or no---neither can I
decide whether she of set purpose attacked his vessel, or whether
it merely chanced that the Calyndian ship came in her way---but
certain it is that she bore down upon his vessel and sank it, and
that thereby she had the good fortune to procure herself a double
advantage. For the commander of the Athenian trireme, when he saw
her bear down on one of the enemy's fleet, thought immediately that
her vessel was a Hellene, or else had deserted from the Persians,
and was now fighting on the Hellene side; he therefore gave up the
chase, and turned away to attack others.
VIII.88: Thus
in the first place she saved her life by the action, and was enabled
to get clear off from the battle; while further, it fell out that
in the very act of doing the king an injury she raised herself to
a greater height than ever in his esteem. For as Xerxes beheld the
fight, he remarked (it is said) the destruction of the vessel, whereupon
the bystanders observed to him--- "See, master, how well Artemisia
fights, and how she has just sunk a ship of the enemy?" Then
Xerxes asked if it were really Artemisia's doing; and they answered,
"Certainly; for they knew her ensign"---while all made
sure that the sunken vessel belonged to the opposite side. Everything,
it is said, conspired to prosper the queen---it was especially fortunate
for her that not one of those on board the Calyndian ship survived
to become her accuser. Xerxes, they say, in reply to the remarks
made to him, observed: "My men have behaved like women, my
women like men!"
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