Histories

These are the forces which came to +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium for battle, and I have now shown how they individually furnished the whole sum. The number of ships mustered at +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium was two hundred and seventy-one, besides the fifty-oared barks.

The Spartans, however, provided the admiral who had the chief command, Eurybiades, son of Euryclides, for the allies said that if the Laconian were not their leader, they would rather make an end of the fleet that was assembling than be led by the Athenians.

In the first days, before the sending to Sicily [14,37.5] (region), Italy, Europe Sicily for alliance, there had been talk of entrusting the command at sea to the Athenians. However, when the allies resisted, the Athenians waived their claim, considering the safety of Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas of prime importance and seeing that if they quarrelled over the leadership, Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas must perish. In this they judged rightly, for civil strife is as much worse than united war as war is worse than peace.