red considerable losses in men
and vessels, but they had forced the passage, and Central Greece now
lay at their mercy. Xerxes received the submission of the Thebans, the
Phocaeans, the Locrians, the Dorians, and of all who appealed to his
clemency; then, having razed to the ground Plataea and Thespisae, the only
two towns which refused to come to terms with him, he penetrated into
Attica by the gorges of the Cithssron. The population had taken refuge
in Salamis, AEgina, and Troezen. The few fanatics who refused to desist
in their defence of the Acropolis, soon perished behind their ramparts;
Xerxes destroyed the temple of Pallas by fire to avenge the burning of
Sardes, and then entrenched his troops on the approaches to the isthmus,
stationing his squadrons in the ports of Munychia, Phalerum, and the
Piraeus, and suspended all hostilities while waiting to see what policy
the Greeks would pursue. It is possible that he hoped that a certain
number of them would intreat for mercy, and others being encouraged
by their example to submit, no further serious battle would have to be
fought. When he found that no such request was proffered, he determined
to take advantage of the superiority of his numbers, and, if possible,
destroy at one blow the whole of the Greek naval reserve; he therefore
gave orders to his admirals to assume the offensive. The Greek fleet lay
at anchor across the bay of Salamis. The left squadron of the Persians,
leaving Munychia in the middle of the night, made for the promontory of
Cynosura, landing some troops as it passed on the island of Psyttalia,
on which it was proposed to fall back in case of accident, while
the right division, sailing close to the coast of Attica, closed
the entrance to the straits in the direction of Eleusis; this double
movement was all but completed, when the Greeks were informed by
fugitives of what was taking place, and the engagement was inevitable.
They accepted it fearlessly. Xerxes, enthroned with his Immortals on the
slopes of AEgialeos, could, from his exalted position, see the Athenians
attack his left squadron: the rest of the allies followed them, and
from afar these words were borne upon the breeze: "Go, sons of Greece,
deliver your country, deliver your children, your wives, and the temples
of the gods of your fathers and the tombs of your ancestors. A single
battle will decide the fate of all you possess." The Persians fought
with their accustomed bravery, "but be