Histories

So tell me: will the Greeks offer battle and oppose me? I think that even if all the Greeks and all the men of the western lands were assembled together, they are not powerful enough to withstand my attack, unless they are united.

Still I want to hear from you what you say of them.” To this question Demaratus answered, “O king, should I speak the truth or try to please you?” Xerxes bade him speak the truth and said that it would be no more unpleasant for him than before.

Demaratus heard this and said, “O King, since you bid me by all means to speak the whole truth, and to say what you will not later prove to be false, in Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas poverty is always endemic, but courage is acquired as the fruit of wisdom and strong law; by use of this courage Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas defends herself from poverty and tyranny.

Now I praise all the Greeks who dwell in those Dorian lands, yet I am not going to speak these words about all of them, but only about the Lacedaemonians. First, they will never accept conditions from you that bring slavery upon Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas; and second, they will meet you in battle even if all the other Greeks are on your side.

Do not ask me how many these men are who can do this; they will fight with you whether they have an army of a thousand men, or more than that, or less.”