But if you make haste to give them
a naval battle, I fear lest your fleets receiving damage may prove
also very prejudicial to your land-forces." (Ibid. viii. 68.) Certainly
Herodotus wanted nothing but verses to make Artemisia another Sibyl, so
exactly prophesying of things to come. Therefore Xerxes also delivered
his sons to her to be carried to Ephesus for he had (it seems) forgot to
bring women with him from Susa, if indeed the children wanted a train of
female attendants.

But it is not our design to search into the lies of Herodotus; we only
make inquiry into those which he invented to detract from the glory
of others. He says: "It is reported by the Athenians that Adimantus,
captain of the Corinthians, when the enemies were now ready to join
battle, was struck with such fear and astonishment that he fled; not
thrusting his ship backward by the stern, or leisurely retreating
through those that were engaged, but openly hoisting up his sails, and
turning the heads of all his vessels. And about the farther part of the
Salaminian coast, he was met by a pinnace, out of which one spake thus
to him: Thou indeed, Adimantus, fliest, having betrayed the Grecians;
yet they overcome, and according to their desires have the better of
their enemies." (Herodotus, viii. 94.) This pinnace was certainly let
down from heaven. For what should hinder him from erecting a tragical
machine, who by his boasting excelled the tragedians in all other
things? Adimantus then crediting him (he adds) "returned to the fleet,
when the business was already done." "This report," says he, "is
believed by the Athenians; but the Corinthians deny it, and say, they
were the first at the sea-fight, for which they have the testimony of
all the other Greeks." Such is this man in many other places. He spreads
different calumnies and accusations of different men, that he may not
fail of making some one appear altogether wicked. And it has succeeded
well with him in this place; for if the calumny is believed, the
Corinthians--if it is not, the Athenians--are rendered infamous. But in
reality the Athenians did not belie the Corinthians, but he hath belied
them both. Certainly Thucydides, bringing in an Athenian ambassador
contesting with a Corinthian at Sparta, and gloriously boasting of many
things about the Persian war and the sea-fight at Salamis, charges not
the Corinthians with any crime of treachery or leaving their station.
Nor was it likely the Athenian