Histories

Now this was how the Athenians had crossed over to Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis. As long as they expected that the Peloponnesian army would come to their aid, they remained in Attica [23.5,38.83] (department), Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Attica. But when the Peloponnesians took longer and longer to act and the invader was said to be in Boeotia (department), Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Boeotia already, they then conveyed all their goods out of harms way and themselves crossed over to Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis. They also sent envoys to Sparta [22.416,37.83] (inhabited place), Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Lacedaemon, who were to upbraid the Lacedaemonians for permitting the barbarian to invade Attica [23.5,38.83] (department), Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Attica and not helping the Athenians to meet him in Boeotia (department), Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Boeotia; and who were to remind the Lacedaemonians of the promises which the Persian had made to Athens [23.7333,37.9667] (Perseus)Athens if she would change sides, and warn them that the Athenians would devise some means of salvation for themselves if the Lacedaemonians sent them no help.

The Lacedaemonians were at this time celebrating the festival of Hyacinthus,[*](A festival said to be of pre-Dorian origin, commemorating the killing of Hyacinthus by Apollo.) and their chief concern was to give the god his due; moreover, the wall which they were building on the Isthmus was by now getting its battlements. When the Athenian envoys arrived in Sparta [22.416,37.83] (inhabited place), Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Lacedaemon, bringing with them envoys from +Megara [23.35,38] (Perseus) Megara and Plataea [23.2667,38.2] (Perseus) Plataea, they came before the ephors and said:

“The Athenians have sent us with this message: the king of the Medes is ready to give us back our country, and to make us his confederates, equal in right and standing, in all honor and honesty, and to give us whatever land we ourselves may choose besides our own.