Short essay from Introduce to phycology

H ero dotu s: M ara th on

th en ag ain .in fo

/C la sse s/S ourc e s/H ero dotu s-M ara th on.h tm l

Hero dotu s

( 4 84-4 25 B C ) is c o nsid ere d b y m any to b e th e fo under o f h is to ry a s

philo so phic a l d is cip lin e. In th is e xce rp t fr o m h is g re ate st w ork , th e P ers ia n W ars , h e

describ es th e c ru cia l b attle o f M ara th on b etw een th e G re eks a nd th e P ers ia ns.

Chro nolo gie s

Pers ia n

Wars

T he b arb aria ns w ere c o nducte d to M ara th on b y H ip pia s, th e s o n o f P is is tr a tu s, w ho th e n ig ht b efo re h ad s e en a

s tr a nge v is io n in h is s le ep. H e d re am t o f ly in g in h is m oth er's a rm s, a nd c o nje ctu re d th e d re am to m ean th at h e

w ould b e r e sto re d to A th ens, r e co ve r th e p ow er w hic h h e h ad lo st, a nd a fte rw ard s liv e to a g ood o ld a ge in h is n ativ e

c o untr y . S uch w as th e s e nse in w hic h h e in te rp re te d th e v is io n. H e n ow p ro ce eded to a ct a s g uid e to th e P ers ia ns,

a nd, in th e fir s t p la ce , h e la nded th e p ris o ners ta ke n fr o m E re tr ia u pon th e is la nd th at is c a lle d A egile ia , a tr a ct

b elo ngin g to th e S ty re ans, a fte r w hic h h e b ro ught th e fle et to a nch or o ff M ara th on a nd m ars h alle d th e b ands o f th e

b arb aria ns a s th ey d is e m bark e d. A s h e w as th us e m plo ye d, it c h ance d th at h e s n eeze d a nd a t th e s a m e tim e

c o ughed w it h m ore v io le nce th an w as h is w ont. N ow , a s h e w as a m an a dva nce d in y e ars , a nd th e g re ate r n um ber

o f h is te eth w ere lo ose , it s o h appened th at o ne o f th em w as d riv e n o ut w it h th e fo rc e o f th e c o ugh, a nd fe ll d ow n

i n to th e s a nd. H ip pia s to ok a ll th e p ain s h e c o uld to fin d it , b ut th e to oth w as n ow here to b e s e en, w here upon h e

f e tc h ed a d eep s ig h, a nd s a id to th e b ysta nders ,1 " A fte r a ll, th e la nd is n ot o urs , a nd w e s h all n eve r b e a ble to b rin g

i t u nder. A ll m y s h are in it is th e p ortio n o f w hic h m y to oth h as p osse ssio n."

S o H ip pia s b elie ve d th at in th is w ay h is d re am w as fu lf ille d.

T he A th enia ns w ere d ra w n u p in o rd er o f b attle in a s a cre d c lo se b elo ngin g to H erc u le s w hen th ey w ere jo in ed b y

t h e P la ta eans, w ho c a m e in fu ll fo rc e to th eir a id . S om e tim e b efo re , th e P la ta eans h ad p ut th em se lv e s u nder th e

r u le o f th e A th enia ns, a nd th ese la st h ad a lr e ady u nderta ke n m any la bours o n th eir b ehalf . T he o cca sio n o f th e

s u rre nder w as th e fo llo w in g. T he P la ta eans s u ffe re d g rie vo us th in gs a t th e h ands o f th e m en o f T hebes; s o , a s it

c h ance d th at C le om enes, th e s o n o f A naxa ndrid as, a nd th e L ace daem onia ns w ere in th eir n eig hbourh ood, th ey fir s t

o f a ll o ffe re d to s u rre nder th em se lv e s to th em . B ut th e L ace daem onia ns r e fu se d to r e ce iv e th em , a nd s a id , " W e

d w ell to o fa r o ff fr o m y o u, a nd o urs w ould b e b ut c h ill s u cco ur. Y e m ig ht o fte ntim es b e c a rrie d in to s la ve ry b efo re o ne

o f u s h eard o f it . W e c o unse l y o u r a th er to g iv e y o urs e lv e s u p to th e A th enia ns, w ho a re y o ur n ext n eig hbours , a nd

w ell a ble to s h elt e r y o u."

T his th ey s a id , n ot s o m uch o ut o f g ood w ill to w ard s th e P la ta eans a s b eca use th ey w is h ed to in vo lv e th e A th enia ns

i n tr o uble b y e ngagin g th em in w ars w it h th e B oeotia ns. T he P la ta eans, h ow eve r, w hen th e L ace daem onia ns g ave

t h em th is c o unse l, c o m plie d a t o nce , a nd w hen th e s a crif ic e to th e T w elv e G ods w as b ein g o ffe re d a t A th ens, th ey

c a m e a nd s a t a s s u pplia nts a bout th e a lt a r a nd g ave th em se lv e s u p to th e A th enia ns. T he T hebans n o s o oner le arn t

w hat th e P la ta eans h ad d one th an in sta ntly th ey m arc h ed o ut a gain st th em , w hile th e A th enia ns s e nt tr o ops to th eir

a id . A s th e tw o a rm ie s w ere a bout to jo in b attle , th e C orin th ia ns, w ho c h ance d to b e a t h and, w ould n ot a llo w th em to

e ngage; b oth s id es c o nse nte d to ta ke th em fo r a rb it r a to rs , w here upon th ey m ade u p th e q uarre l, a nd fix e d th e

b oundary -lin e b etw een th e tw o s ta te s u pon th is c o ndit io n: to w it , th at if a ny o f th e B oeotia ns w is h ed n o lo nger to

b elo ng to B oeotia , th e T hebans s h ould a llo w th em to fo llo w th eir o w n in clin atio ns. T he C orin th ia ns, w hen th ey h ad

t h us d ecre ed, fo rth w it h d eparte d to th eir h om es. T he A th enia ns lik e w is e s e t o ff o n th eir r e tu rn ; b ut th e B oeotia ns fe ll

u pon th em d urin g th e m arc h , a nd a b attle w as fo ught w here in th ey w ere w ors te d b y th e A th enia ns. H ere upon th ese

l a st w ould n ot b e b ound b y th e lin e w hic h th e C orin th ia ns h ad fix e d, b ut a dva nce d b eyo nd th ose lim it s a nd m ade th e

A so pus th e b oundary -lin e b etw een th e c o untr y o f th e T hebans a nd th at o f th e P la ta eans a nd H ysia ns. U nder s u ch

c ir c u m sta nce s d id th e P la ta eans g iv e th em se lv e s u p to A th ens, a nd n ow th ey w ere c o m e to M ara th on to b ear th e

1/3

A th enia ns a id .

T he A th enia n g enera ls w ere d iv id ed in th eir o pin io ns, a nd s o m e a dvis e d n ot to r is k a b attle , b eca use th ey w ere to o

f e w to e ngage s u ch a h ost a s th at o f th e M edes, w hile o th ers w ere fo r fig htin g a t o nce , a nd a m ong th ese la st w as

M ilt ia des. H e th ere fo re , s e ein g th at o pin io ns w ere th us d iv id ed, a nd th at th e le ss w orth y c o unse l a ppeare d lik e ly to

p re va il, r e so lv e d to g o to th e P ole m arc h , a nd h ave a c o nfe re nce w it h h im . F or th e m an o n w hom th e lo t fe ll to b e

P ole m arc h a t A th ens w as e ntit le d to g iv e h is v o te w it h th e te n g enera ls , s in ce a ncie ntly th e A th enia ns a llo w ed h im a n

e qual r ig ht o f v o tin g w it h th em . T he P ole m arc h a t th is ju nctu re w as C allim ach us o f A phid nae; to h im th ere fo re

M ilt ia des w ent, a nd s a id :

" W it h th ee it r e sts C allim ach us, e it h er to b rin g A th ens to s la ve ry , o r, b y s e cu rin g h er fr e edom , to le ave b ehin d th ee to

a ll fu tu re g enera tio ns a m em ory b eyo nd e ve n H arm odiu s a nd A ris to geit o n. F or n eve r s in ce th e tim e th at th e

A th enia ns b eca m e a p eople w ere th ey in s o g re at a d anger a s n ow . If th ey b ow th eir n ecks b eneath th e y o ke o f th e

M edes, th e w oes w hic h th ey w ill h ave to s u ffe r w hen g iv e n in to th e p ow er o f H ip pia s a re a lr e ady d ete rm in ed o n. If,

o n th e o th er h and, th ey fig ht a nd o ve rc o m e, A th ens m ay r is e to b e th e v e ry fir s t c it y in G re ece . H ow it c o m es to p ass

t h at th ese th in gs a re lik e ly to h appen, a nd h ow th e d ete rm in in g o f th em in s o m e s o rt r e sts w it h th ee, I w ill n ow

p ro ce ed to m ake c le ar. W e g enera ls a re te n in n um ber, a nd o ur v o te s a re d iv id ed; h alf o f u s w is h to e ngage, h alf to

a vo id a c o m bat. N ow , if w e d o n ot fig ht, I lo ok to s e e a g re at d is tu rb ance a t A th ens w hic h w ill s h ake m en's

r e so lu tio ns, a nd th en I fe ar th ey w ill s u bm it th em se lv e s, b ut if w e fig ht th e b attle b efo re a ny u nso undness s h ow it s e lf

a m ong o ur c it iz e ns, le t th e g ods b ut g iv e u s fa ir p la y, a nd w e a re w ell a ble to o ve rc o m e th e e nem y. O n th ee

t h ere fo re w e d epend in th is m atte r, w hic h lie s w holly in th in e o w n p ow er. T hou h ast o nly to a dd th y v o te to m y s id e

a nd th y c o untr y w ill b e fr e e, a nd n ot fr e e o nly , b ut th e fir s t s ta te in G re ece . O r, if th ou p re fe rre st to g iv e th y v o te to

t h em w ho w ould d eclin e th e c o m bat, th en th e r e ve rs e w ill fo llo w ."

M ilt ia des b y th ese w ord s g ain ed C allim ach us; a nd th e a ddit io n o f th e P ole m arc h 's v o te c a use d th e d ecis io n to b e in

f a vo r o f fig htin g. H ere upon a ll th ose g enera ls w ho h ad b een d esir o us o f h aza rd in g a b attle , w hen th eir tu rn c a m e to

c o m mand th e a rm y, g ave u p th eir r ig ht to M ilt ia des. H e h ow eve r, th ough h e a cce pte d th eir o ffe rs , n eve rth ele ss

w ait e d, a nd w ould n ot fig ht u ntil h is o w n d ay o f c o m mand a rriv e d in d ue c o urs e . T hen a t le ngth , w hen h is o w n tu rn

w as c o m e, th e A th enia n b attle w as s e t in a rra y, a nd th is w as th e o rd er o f it . C allim ach us th e P ole m arc h le d th e r ig ht

w in g, fo r it w as a t th at tim e a r u le w it h th e A th enia ns to g iv e th e r ig ht w in g to th e P ole m arc h . A fte r th is fo llo w ed th e

t r ib es, a cco rd in g a s th ey w ere n um bere d, in a n u nbro ke n lin e; w hile la st o f a ll c a m e th e P la ta eans, fo rm in g th e le ft

w in g. A nd e ve r s in ce th at d ay it h as b een a c u sto m w it h th e A th enia ns, in th e s a crif ic e s a nd a sse m blie s h eld e ach

f if th y e ar a t A th ens, fo r th e A th enia n h era ld to im plo re th e b le ssin g o f th e g ods o n th e P la ta eans c o njo in tly w it h th e

A th enia ns. N ow , a s th ey m ars h alle d th e h ost u pon th e fie ld o f M ara th on, in o rd er th at th e A th enia n fr o nt m ig ht h e o f

e qual le ngth w it h th e M edia n, th e r a nks o f th e c e ntr e w ere d im in is h ed, a nd it b eca m e th e w eake st p art o f th e lin e,

w hile th e w in gs w ere b oth m ade s tr o ng w it h a d epth o f m any r a nks.

S o w hen th e b attle w as s e t in a rra y, a nd th e v ic tim s s h ow ed th em se lv e s fa vo ura ble , in sta ntly th e A th enia ns, s o s o on

a s th ey w ere le t g o, c h arg ed th e b arb aria ns a t a . N ow th e d is ta nce b etw een th e tw o a rm ie s w as lit tle s h ort o f e ig ht

f u rlo ngs. T he P ers ia ns, th ere fo re , w hen th ey s a w th e G re eks c o m in g o n a t s p eed, m ade r e ady to r e ce iv e th em ,

a lt h ough it s e em ed to th em th at th e A th enia ns w ere b ere ft o f th eir s e nse s, a nd b ent u pon th eir o w n d estr u ctio n; fo r

t h ey s a w a m ere h andfu l o f m en c o m in g o n a t a r u n w it h out e it h er h ors e m en o r a rc h ers . S uch w as th e o pin io n o f th e

b arb aria ns, b ut th e A th enia ns in c lo se a rra y fe ll u pon th em , a nd fo ught in a m anner w orth y o f b ein g r e co rd ed. T hey

w ere th e fir s t o f th e G re eks, s o fa r a s I k n ow , w ho in tr o duce d th e c u sto m o f c h arg in g th e e nem y a t a r u n, a nd th ey

w ere lik e w is e th e fir s t w ho d are d to lo ok u pon th e M edia n g arb a nd to fa ce m en c la d in th at fa sh io n. U ntil th is tim e

t h e v e ry n am e o f th e M edes h ad b een a te rro r to th e G re eks to h ear.

T he tw o a rm ie s fo ught to geth er o n th e p la in o f M ara th on fo r a le ngth o f tim e, a nd in th e m id b attle , w here th e

P ers ia ns th em se lv e s a nd th e S aca e h ad th eir p la ce , th e b arb aria ns w ere v ic to rio us a nd b ro ke a nd p urs u ed th e

G re eks in to th e in ner c o untr y , b ut o n th e tw o w in gs th e A th enia ns a nd th e P la ta eans d efe ate d th e e nem y. H avin g s o

d one, th ey s u ffe re d th e r o ute d b arb aria ns to fly a t th eir e ase , a nd jo in in g th e tw o w in gs in o ne, fe ll u pon th ose w ho

2/3

h ad b ro ke n th eir o w n c e ntr e , a nd fo ught a nd c o nquere d th em . T hese lik e w is e fle d, a nd n ow th e A th enia ns h ung

u pon th e r u naw ays a nd c u t th em d ow n, c h asin g th em a ll th e w ay to th e s h ore , o n r e ach in g w hic h th ey la id h old o f

t h e s h ip s a nd c a lle d a lo ud fo r fir e .

I t w as in th e s tr u ggle h ere th at C allim ach us th e P ole m arc h , a fte r g re atly d is tin guis h in g h im se lf , lo st h is lif e ;

S te sila us to o, th e s o n o f T hra sila us, o ne o f th e g enera ls , w as s la in ; a nd C yn aegir u s, th e s o n o f E uphorio n, h avin g

s e iz e d o n a v e sse l o f th e e nem y's b y th e o rn am ent a t th e s te rn , h ad h is h and c u t o ff b y th e b lo w o f a n a xe , a nd s o

p eris h ed; a s lik e w is e d id m any o th er A th enia ns o f n ote a nd n am e.

N eve rth ele ss, th e A th enia ns s e cu re d in th is w ay s e ve n o f th e v e sse ls ; w hile w it h th e r e m ain der th e b arb aria ns

p ush ed o ff, a nd ta kin g a board th eir E re tr ia n p ris o ners fr o m th e is la nd w here th ey h ad le ft th em , d ouble d C ape

S uniu m , h opin g to r e ach A th ens b efo re th e r e tu rn o f th e A th enia ns. T he A lc m aeonid ae w ere a ccu se d b y th eir

c o untr y m en o f s u ggestin g th is c o urs e to th em ; th ey h ad, it w as s a id , a n u nders ta ndin g w it h th e P ers ia ns, a nd m ade

a s ig nal to th em , b y r a is in g a s h ie ld , a fte r th ey w ere e m bark e d in th eir s h ip s. T he P ers ia ns a cco rd in gly s a ile d r o und

S uniu m . B ut th e A th enia ns w it h a ll p ossib le s p eed m arc h ed a w ay to th e d efe nce o f th eir c it y , a nd s u cce eded in

r e ach in g A th ens b efo re th e a ppeara nce o f th e b arb aria ns, a nd a s th eir c a m p a t M ara th on h ad b een p it c h ed in a

p re cin ct o f H erc u le s, s o n ow th ey e nca m ped in a noth er p re cin ct o f th e s a m e g od a t C yn osa rg es. T he b arb aria n fle et

a rriv e d, a nd la y to o ff P hale ru m , w hic h w as a t th at tim e th e h ave n o f A th ens; b ut a fte r r e stin g a w hile u pon th eir o ars ,

t h ey d eparte d a nd s a ile d a w ay to A sia .

T here fe ll in th is b attle o f M ara th on, o n th e s id e o f th e b arb aria ns, a bout s ix th ousa nd a nd fo ur h undre d m en; o n th at

o f th e A th enia ns, o ne h undre d a nd n in ety -tw o. S uch w as th e n um ber o f th e s la in o n th e o ne s id e a nd th e o th er. A

s tr a nge p ro dig y lik e w is e h appened a t th is fig ht. E piz e lu s, th e s o n o f C uphagora s, a n A th enia n, w as in th e th ic k o f

t h e fr a y, a nd b ehavin g h im se lf a s a b ra ve m an s h ould , w hen s u ddenly h e w as s tr ic ke n w it h b lin dness, w it h out b lo w

o f s w ord o r d art; a nd th is b lin dness c o ntin ued th ence fo rth d urin g th e w hole o f h is a fte r lif e . T he fo llo w in g is th e

a cco unt w hic h h e h im se lf , a s I h ave h eard , g ave o f th e m atte r: h e s a id th at a g ig antic w arrio r, w it h a h uge b eard ,

w hic h s h aded a ll h is s h ie ld , s to od o ve r a gain st h im , b ut th e g hostly s e m bla nce p asse d h im b y, a nd s le w th e m an a t

h is s id e. S uch , a s I u nders ta nd, w as th e ta le w hic h E piz e lu s to ld .

Fro m :

The H is to rie s o f H ero dotu s

tr a nsla te d b y G eorg e R aw lin so n. O rig in al e le ctr o nic v e rs io n fr o m

th e

In te rn et C la ssic s A rc h iv e

, m odif ie d fo r c la ssro om u se .

C opyrig ht 2 005-2 016 b y T henA gain

All r ig hts r e se rv e d.

3/3