Histories

When they had done so, the whole of the Persian cavalry appeared, and presently word was spread through all of the Greek army which was with Mardonius, and likewise among the Phocians themselves, that Mardonius would shoot them to death with javelins.

Then their general Harmocydes exhorted them: “Men of +Phocis (department), Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Phocis,” he said, “seeing that death at these fellows' hands is staring us in the face (we being, as I surmise, maligned by the Thessalians), it is now time for every one of you to be noble; for it is better to end our lives in action and fighting than tamely to suffer a shameful death. No, rather we will teach them that they whose slaying they have devised are men of Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas.” Thus he exhorted them.

But when the horsemen had encircled the Phocians, they rode at them as if to slay them, and drew their bows to shoot; it is likely too that some did in fact shoot. The Phocians opposed them in every possible way, drawing in together and closing their ranks to the best of their power. At this the horsemen wheeled about and rode back and away.

Now I cannot with exactness say whether they came at the Thessalians' desire to slay the Phocians, but when they saw the men preparing to defend themselves, they feared lest they themselves should suffer some hurt, and so rode away (for such was Mardonius' command),—or if Mardonius wanted to test the Phocians' mettle.

When the horsemen had ridden away, Mardonius sent a herald, with this message: “Men of +Phocis (department), Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Phocis, be of good courage, for you have shown yourselves to be valiant men, and not as it was reported to me. Now push this war zealously forward, for you will outdo neither myself nor the king in the rendering of service.”[*](That is, serve us and we will serve you.) This is how the matter of the Phocians turned out.

As for the Lacedaemonians, when they had come to the Isthmus, they encamped there. When the rest of the Peloponnesians who chose the better cause heard that, seeing the Spartans setting forth to war, they thought that they should not lag behind the Lacedaemonians in so doing.

Accordingly, they all marched from the Isthmus (the omens of sacrifice being favorable) and came to +Eleusis [23.5583,38.0417] (Perseus) Eleusis. When they had offered sacrifice there also and the omens were favorable, they continued their march, having now the Athenians with them, who had crossed over from Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis and joined with them at +Eleusis [23.5583,38.0417] (Perseus) Eleusis.