violence (of the cough). And since it had fallen on to the sand, he showed great eagerness to find it But after the tooth was nowhere seen, uttering a groan, he said : ‘This land is not ours, nor shall we be able to reduce it under our power; for whatever of it belonged to me, that my tooth is holding.’
The Greeks hold a council of war.
198.Meanwhile the Plataeans came as an assistance to the Athenians. On a council being summoned, the opinions of the generals were divided in two ways; some being unwilling that a battle should be fought (lit. that it should be fought in a battle): but others, and among these Miltiades, thinking that they ought to fight. So when ten generals had spoken, the eleventh remained to vote, he who had been chosen polemarch. Now Callimachus was then polemarch, and Miltiades addressed him as follows.
The speech of Miltiades.
199.‘It lies (lit is situated) with you now, Callimachus, whether you wish to reduce Athens to slavery, or to leave a memorial of thyself for all ages, by freeing your native land. For we have never been brought into such peril. If we shall be defeated by the Persians, it has been decided what we shall have to suffer after being delivered up to Hippias; but if this state shall have come off successful, I assert that it will be the first of Grecian states. So I shall now tell you how this can be done. The opinions of us generals, who are ten (in number), are divided into two parts: some thinking we should fight, others that we should not. If you be added to my opinion, you will have a free country, and the first state of all Greece; but if you vote for those who advise against battle, you will have the opposite to those advantages which I have mentioned.’
Preparations for the conflict.
200.Having said this Miltiades won over Callimachus to his opinion; and the vote of the polemarch being added it was agreed that a battle should be fought. Then each of those who
