Histories

Slander is a terrible business; there are two in it who do wrong and one who suffers wrong. The slanderer wrongs another by accusing an absent man, and the other does wrong in that he is persuaded before he has learned the whole truth; the absent man does not hear what is said of him and suffers wrong in the matter, being maligned by the one and condemned by the other.

If an army must by all means be sent against these Greeks, hear me now: let the king himself remain in the Persian land, and let us two stake our children's lives upon it; you lead out the army, choosing whatever men you wish and taking as great an army as you desire.

If the king's fortunes fare as you say, let my sons be slain, and myself with them; but if it turns out as I foretell, let your sons be so treated, and you likewise, if you return.

But if you are unwilling to submit to this and will at all hazards lead your army overseas to Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas, then I think that those left behind in this place will hear that Mardonius has done great harm to Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia, and has been torn apart by dogs and birds in the land of Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus)Athens or of Sparta [22.416,37.83] (inhabited place), Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Lacedaemon, if not even before that on the way there; and that you have learned what kind of men you persuade the king to attack.”