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When the army reached Boeotia, the Thebans sought to induce
Mardonius to make a halt: "He would not," they told him, "find
anywhere a more convenient place in which to pitch his camp; and their
advice to him was, that he should go no further, but fix himself
there, and thence take measures to subdue all Greece without striking
a blow. If the Greeks, who had held together hitherto, still
continued united among themselves, it would be difficult for the whole
world to overcome them by force of arms. But if thou wilt do as we
advise," they went on to say, "thou mayest easily obtain the
direction of all their counsels. Send presents to the men of most
weight in the several states, and by so doing thou wilt sow division
among them. After that, it will be a light task, with the help of
such as side with thee, to bring under all thy adversaries."
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