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Meanwhile the Eretrians, understanding that the Persian armament was
coming against them, besought the Athenians for assistance. Nor did
the Athenians refuse their aid, but assigned to them as auxiliaries
the four thousand landholders to whom they had allotted the estates of
the Chalcidean Hippobatae. At Eretria, however, things were in no
healthy state; for though they had called in the aid of the
Athenians, yet they were not agreed among themselves how they should
act; some of them were minded to leave the city and to take refuge in
the heights of Euboea, while others, who looked to receiving a reward
from the Persians, were making ready to betray their country. So
when these things came to the ears of Aeschines, the son of Nothon,
one of the first men in Eretria, he made known the whole state of
affairs to the Athenians who were already arrived, and besought them
to return home to their own land, and not perish with his countrymen.
And the Athenians hearkened to his counsel, and, crossing over to
Oropus, in this way escaped the danger.
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