Am I a fool or crazed for wishing to save my land
from the fate of Media, Lydia, Babylonia, Egypt, Ionia? Has dark Atropos
decreed that the Persians should conquer forever? Then, O Zeus, or
whatever be thy name, O Power of Powers, look to thine empire! Xerxes is
not a king, but a god; he will besiege Olympus, even thy throne."

He crossed the cabin with hard strides.

"How can I?" he cried half-aloud, beating his forehead. "How can I make
these Hellenes fight?"

His hand tightened over his sword-hilt.

"This is the only place where we can fight to advantage. Here in the
strait betwixt Salamis and Attica we have space to deploy all our ships,
while the Barbarians will be crowded by numbers. And if we once
retreat?--Let Adeimantus and the rest prate about--'The wall, the wall
across the Isthmus! The king can never storm it.' Nor will he try to,
unless his councillors are turned stark mad. Will he not have command of
the sea? can he not land his army behind the wall, wherever he wills? Have
I not dinned that argument in those doltish Peloponnesians' ears until I
have grown hoarse? Earth and gods! suffer me rather to convince a stone
statue than a Dorian. The task is less hard. Yet they call themselves
reasoning beings."

A knock upon the cabin door. Simonides reentered.

"You do not come on deck, Themistocles? The men ask for you. Ameinias's
cook has prepared a noble supper--anchovies and tunny--will you not join the
other officers and drink a cup to Tyche, Lady Fortune, that she prosper us
in the morning?"

"I am at odds with Tyche, Simonides. I cannot come with you."

"The case is bad, then?"

"Ay, bad. But keep a brave face before the men. There's no call to pawn
our last chance."

"Has it come to that?" quoth the little poet, in curiosity and concern.

"Leave me!" ordered Themistocles, with a sweep of the hand, and Simonides
was wise enough to obey.

Themistocles took a pen from the table, but instead of writing on the
outspread sheet of papyrus, thrust the reed between his teeth and bit it
fiercely.

"How can I? How can I make these Hellenes fight? Tell that, King Zeus,
tell that!"

Then quickly his eager brain ran from expedient to expedient.

"Another oracle, some lucky prediction that we shall conquer? But I have
shaken the oracle books till there is only chaff in them. Or a bribe to
Adeimantus and his fellows? But gold can buy only souls, not courage. Or
another brave speech and convincing argu