Histories

They were anxious to get everything out safely because they wished to obey the oracle, and also not least because of this: the Athenians say that a great snake lives in the sacred precinct guarding the acropolis. They say this and even put out monthly offerings for it as if it really existed. The monthly offering is a honey-cake.

In all the time before this the honey-cake had been consumed, but this time it was untouched. When the priestess interpreted the significance of this, the Athenians were all the more eager to abandon the city since the goddess had deserted the acropolis. When they had removed everything to safety, they returned to the camp.

When those from +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium had put in at Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis, the rest of the Hellenic fleet learned of this and streamed in from Troizen [23.375,37.5] (Perseus)Troezen, for they had been commanded to assemble at Pogon, the harbor of Troizen [23.375,37.5] (Perseus)Troezen. Many more ships assembled now than had fought at +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium, and from more cities.

The admiral was the same as at +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium, Eurybiades son of Euryclides, a Spartan but not of royal descent. The ships provided by the Athenians were by far the most numerous and the most seaworthy.