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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 Greeks, except only Artemisia,
who spake 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 Euboea, nor were my
achievements there among the meanest; it is my right, therefore, O
my lord, to tell thee plainly what I think to be most for thy
advantage now. This then is my advice. Spare thy ships, and do not
risk a battle; for these people are as much superior to thy people in
seamanship, as men to women. What so great need is there for thee to
incur hazard at sea? Art thou not master of Athens, for which thou
didst undertake thy expedition? Is not Greece subject to thee? Not
a soul now resists thy advance. They who once resisted, were handled
even as they deserved. Now learn how I expect that affairs will go
with thy adversaries. If thou art not over-hasty to engage with them
by sea, but wilt keep thy fleet near the land, then whether thou
abidest as thou art, or marchest forward towards the Peloponnese,
thou wilt easily accomplish all for which thou art come hither. The
Greeks cannot hold out against thee very long; thou wilt 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 thy land force begins its march towards the Peloponnese, 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 thou art
hasty to fight, I tremble lest the defeat of thy sea force bring harm
likewise to thy land army. This, too, thou shouldst remember, O
king; good masters are apt to have bad servants, and bad masters good
ones. Now, as thou art the best of men, thy servants must needs be a
sorry set. These Egyptians, Cyprians, Cilicians, and
Pamphylians, who are counted in the number of thy subject-allies, of
how little service are they to thee!"
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