CHAPTER XXVIII
BEFORE THE DEATH GRAPPLE
For the fourth time the subaltern who stood at Eurybiades's elbow turnedthe water-glass that marked the passing of the hours. The lamps in thelow-ceiled cabin were flickering dimly. Men glared on one another acrossthe narrow table with drawn and heated faces. Adeimantus of Corinth wasrising to reply to the last appeal of the Athenian.
"We have had enough, Eurybiades, of Themistocles's wordy folly. Becausethe Athenian admiral is resolved to lead all Hellas to destruction, is noreason that we should follow. As for his threat that he will desert uswith his ships if we refuse to fight, I fling it in his face that he darenot make it good. Why go all over the well-threshed straw again? Is notthe fleet of the king overwhelming? Were we not saved by a miracle fromoverthrow at Artemisium? Do not the scouts tell us the Persians areadvancing beyond Eleusis toward Megara and the Isthmus? Is not our bestfighting blood here in the fleet? Then if the Isthmus is threatened, ourbusiness is to defend it and save the Peloponnesus, the last remnant ofHellas unconquered. Now then, headstrong son of Neocles, answer that!"
The Corinthian, a tall domineering man, threw back his shoulders like aboxer awaiting battle. Themistocles did not answer, but only smiled up athim from his seat opposite.
"I have silenced you, grinning babbler, at last," thundered Adeimantus,"and I demand of you, O Eurybiades, that we end this tedious debate. If weare to retreat, let us retreat. A vote, I say, a vote!"
Eurybiades rose at the head of the table. He was a heavy, floridindividual with more than the average Spartan's slowness of tongue andintellect. Physically he was no coward, but he dreaded responsibility.
"Much has been said," he announced ponderously, "many opinions offered. Itwould seem the majority of the council favour the decision to retireforthwith. Has Themistocles anything more to say why the vote should notbe taken?"
"Nothing," rejoined the Athenian, with an equanimity that made Adeimantussnap his teeth.
"We will therefore take the vote city by city," went on Eurybiades. "Doyou, Phlegon of Seriphos, give your vote."
Seriphos--wretched islet--sent only one ship, but thanks to the Greek maniafor "equality" Phlegon's vote had equal weight with that of Themistocles.
"Salamis is not defensible," announced the Seriphian, shortly. "Retreat."
"And you, Charmides of Melos?"
"Retreat."
"And you, Phoibodas of Troezene?"
"Retreat, by all the gods."
"And you, Hippocrates of AEgina?"
"Stay and fight. If you go back to the Isthmus, AEgina must be abandoned tothe Barbarians. I am with Themistocles."
"Record his vote," shouted Adeimantus, ill-naturedly, "he is but oneagainst twenty. But I warn you, Eurybiades, do not call for Themistocles'svote, or the rest of us will be angry. The man whose city is under thepower of the Barbarian has no vote in this council, however much wecondescend to listen to his chatterings."
The Athenian sprang from his seat, his aspect as threatening as Apollodescending Olympus in wrath.
"Where is my country, Adeimantus? Yonder!" he pointed out the openport-hole, "there rides the array of our Athenian ships. What other statein Hellas sends so many and sets better men within them? Athens stilllives, though her Acropolis be wrapped in flames. 'Strong-hearted men andnaught else are warp and woof of a city.' Do you forget Alcaeus's word sosoon, O Boaster from Corinth? Yes, by Athena Promachos, Mistress ofBattles, while those nine score ships ride on the deep, I have a cityfairer, braver, than yours. And will you still deny me equal voice andvote with this noble trierarch from Siphinos with his one, or with hiscomrade from Melos with his twain?"
Themistocles's voice rang like a trumpet. Adeimantus winced. Eurybiadesbroke in with soothing tones.
"No one intends to deny your right to vote, Themistocles. The excellentCorinthian did but jest."
"A fitting hour for jesting!" muttered the Athenian, sinking back into hisseat.
"The vote, the vote!" urged the Sicyonian chief, from Adeimantus's elbow,and the voting went on. Of more than twenty voices onlythree--Themistocles's and those of the AEginetan and Megarian admirals--werein favour of abiding the onset. Yet even when Eurybiades arose to announcethe decision, the son of Neocles sat with his hands sprawling on thetable, his face set in an inscrutable smile as he looked on Adeimantus.
"It is the plain opinion,"--Eurybiades hemmed and hawed with hiswords,--"the plain opinion, I say, of this council that the allied fleetretire at once to the Isthmus. Therefore, I, as admiral-in-chief, do ordereach commander to proceed to his own flag-ship and prepare his triremes toretire at dawn."
"Well said," shouted Adeimantus, already on his feet; "now to obey."
But with him rose Themistocles. He stood tall and calm, his thumbs thrustin his girdle. His smile was a little broader, his head held a littlehigher, than of wont.
"Good Eurybiades, I grieve to blast the wisdom of all these valiantgentlemen, but they cannot retire if they wish."
"Explain!" a dozen shouted.
"Very simply. I have had good reason to know that the king has movedforward the western horn of his fleet, so as to enclose our anchorage atSalamis. It is impossible to retire save through the Persian line ofbattle."
Perseus upholding the Gorgon's head before Polydectes's guests and turningthem to stone wrought hardly more of a miracle than this calm announcementof Themistocles. Men stared at him vacantly, stunned by the tidings, thenAdeimantus's frightened wrath broke loose.
"Fox!(10) Was this your doing?"
"I did not ask you to thank me, _philotate_," was the easy answer. "It is,however, urgent to consider whether you wish to be taken unresisting inthe morning."
The Corinthian shook his fist across the table.
"Liar, as a last device to ruin us, you invent this folly."
"It is easy to see if I lie," rejoined Themistocles; "send out a pinnaceand note where the Persians anchor. It will not take long."
For an instant swords seemed about to leap from their scabbards, and theenraged Peloponnesians to sheathe them in the Athenian's breast. He stoodunflinching, smiling, while a volley of curses flew over him. Then anorderly summoned him on deck, while Adeimantus and his fellows foamed andcontended below. Under the battle lantern Themistocles saw a man who washis elder in years, rugged in feature, with massive forehead and wise grayeyes. This was Aristeides the Just, the admiral's enemy, but their feudhad died when Xerxes drew near to Athens.
Hands clasped heartily as the twain stood face to face.
"Our rivalry forever more shall be a rivalry which of us can do most toprofit Athens," spoke the returning exile; then Aristeides told how he hadeven now come from AEgina, how he had heard of the clamours to retreat, howretreat was impossible, for the Persians were pressing in. A laugh fromThemistocles interrupted.
"My handiwork! Come to the council. They will not believe me, no, not myoath."
Aristeides told his story, and how his vessel to Salamis had scarceescaped the Egyptian triremes, and how by this time all entrance and exitwas surely closed. But even now many an angry captain called him "liar."The strife of words was at white heat when Eurybiades himself silenced thefiercest doubter.
"Captains of Hellas, a trireme of Teos has deserted from the Barbarian tous. Her navarch sends word that all is even as Themistocles and Aristeidestell. The Egyptians hold the passage to Eleusis. Infantry are disembarkedon Psyttaleia. The Phoenicians and Ionians enclose us on the easternstrait. We are hemmed in."
* * * * * * *
Once more the orderly turned the water-clock. It was past midnight. Theclouds had blown apart before the rising wind. The debate must end.Eurybiades stood again to take the votes of the wearied, tense-strung men.
"In view of the report of the Teans, what is your voice and vote?"
Before all the rest up leaped Adeimantus. He was no craven at heart,though an evil genius had pos
sessed him.
"You have your will, Themistocles," he made the concession sullenly yetfirmly, "you have your will. May Poseidon prove you in the right. If it isbattle or slavery at dawn, the choice is quick. Battle!"
"Battle!" shouted the twenty, arising together, and Eurybiades had no needto declare the vote. The commanders scattered to their flag-ships, to giveorders to be ready to fight at dawn. Themistocles went to his pinnacelast. He walked proudly. He knew that whatever glory he might gain on themorrow, he could never win a fairer victory than he had won that night.When his barge came alongside, his boat crew knew that his eyes weredancing, that his whole mien was of a man in love with his fortune. Manytimes, as Glaucon sat beside him, he heard the son of Neocles repeating asin ecstasy:--
"They must fight. They must fight."
* * * * * * *
Glaucon sat mutely in the pinnace which had headed not for the _Nausicaae_,but toward the shore, where a few faint beacons were burning.
"I must confer with the strategi as to the morning," Themistocles declaredafter a long interval, at which Sicinnus broke in anxiously:--
"You will not sleep, _kyrie_?"
"Sleep?" laughed the admiral, as at an excellent jest, "I have forgottenthere was such a god as Hypnos." Then, ignoring Sicinnus, he addressed theoutlaw.
"I am grateful to you, my friend," he did not call Glaucon by name beforethe others, "you have saved me, and I have saved Hellas. You brought me anew plan when I seemed at the last resource. How can the son of Neoclesreward you?"
"Give me a part to play to-morrow."
"Thermopylae was not brisk enough fighting, ha? Can you still fling ajavelin?"
"I can try."
"_Euge!_ Try you shall." He let his voice drop. "Do not forget your namehenceforth is Critias. The _Nausicaae's_ crew are mostly from Sunium andthe Mesogia. They'd hardly recognize you under that beard; still Sicinnusmust alter you."
"Command me, _kyrie_," said the Asiatic.
"A strange time and place, but you must do it. Find some dark dye for thisman's hair to-night, and at dawn have him aboard the flag-ship."
"The thing can be done, _kyrie_."
"After that, lie down and sleep. Because Themistocles is awake, is nocause for others' star-gazing. Sleep sound. Pray Apollo and Hephaestus tomake your eye sure, your hand strong. Then awake to see the glory ofHellas."
Confidence, yes, power came through the tones of the admiral's voice.Themistocles went away to the belated council. Sicinnus led his chargethrough the crooked streets of the town of Salamis. Sailors were sleepingin the open night, and they stumbled over them. At last they found a smalltavern where a dozen shipmen sprawled on the earthen floor, and a gapinghost was just quenching his last lamp. Sicinnus, however, seemed to knowhim. There was much protesting and headshaking, at last ended by the glintof a daric. The man grumbled, departed, returned after a tedious intervalwith a pot of ointment, found Hermes knew where. By a rush-candle'sflicker Sicinnus applied the dark dye with a practised hand.
"You know the art well," observed the outlaw.
"Assuredly; the agent of Themistocles must be a Proteus with hisdisguises."
Sicinnus laid down his pot and brushes. They had no mirror, but Glauconknew that he was transformed. The host got his daric. Again they went outinto the night and forsaking the crowded town sought the seaside. Thestrand was broad, the sand soft and cool, the circling stars gave threehours yet of night, and they lay down to rest. The sea and the shorestretched away, a magic vista with a thousand mystic shapes springing outof the charmed darkness, made and unmade as overwrought fancy summonedthem. As from an unreal world Glaucon--whilst he lay--saw the lights of thescattered ships, heard the clank of chains, the rattling of tacklings.Nature slept. Only man was waking.
"The mountain brows, the rocks, the peaks are sleeping, Uplands and gorges hush! The thousand moorland things are silence keeping, The beasts under each bush Crouch, and the hived bees Rest in their honeyed ease; In the purple sea fish lie as they were dead, And each bird folds his wing over his head."
The school-learned lines of Alcman, with a thousand other trivial things,swarmed back through the head of Glaucon the Alcmaeonid. How much he hadlived through that night, how much he would live through,--if indeed he wasto live,--upon the morrow! The thought was benumbing in its greatness. Hishead swam with confused memories. Then at last all things dimmed. Oncemore he dreamed. He was with Hermione gathering red poppies on the hillabove Eleusis. She had filled her basket full. He called to her to waitfor him. She ran away. He chased, she fled with laughter and sparklingeyes. He could hear the wavings of her dress, the little cries she flungback over her shoulder. Then by the sacred well near the temple he caughther. He felt her struggling gayly. He felt her warm breath upon his face,her hair was touching his forehead. Rejoicing in his strength, he wasbending her head toward his--but here he wakened. Sicinnus had disappeared.A bar of gray gold hung over the water in the east.
"This was the day. _This was the day!_"
Some moments he lay trying to realize the fact in its full moment. A thinmist rested on the black water waiting to be dispelled by the sun. Fromafar came sounds not of seamen's trumpets, but horns, harps, kettledrums,from the hidden mainland across the strait, as of a host advancing alongthe shore. "Xerxes goes down to the marge with his myriads," Glaucon toldhimself. "Have not all his captains bowed and smiled, 'Your Eternity'svictory is certain. Come and behold.' " But here the Athenian shut histeeth.
People at length were passing up and down the strand. The coast waswaking. The gray bar was becoming silver. Friends passed, deep intalk,--perchance for the last time. Glaucon lay still a moment longer, andas he rested caught a voice so familiar he felt all the blood surge to hisforehead,--Democrates's voice.
"I tell you, Hiram,--I told you before,--I have no part in the ordering ofthe fleet. Were I to interfere with ever so good a heart, it would onlybreed trouble for us all."
So close were the twain, the orator's trailing chiton almost fell onGlaucon's face. The latter marvelled that his own heart did not springfrom its prison in his breast, so fierce were its beatings.
"If my Lord would go to Adeimantus and suggest,"--the other's Greek camewith a marked Oriental accent.
"Harpy! Adeimantus is no Medizer. He is pushed to bay now, and is sure tofight. Have you Barbarians no confidence? Has not the king two triremes toour one? Only fools can demand more. Tell Lycon, your master, I have longsince done my uttermost to serve him."
"Yet remember, Excellency."
"Begone, scoundrel. Don't threaten again. If I know your power over me, Ican also promise you not to go down to Orchus alone, but take excellentpains to have fair company."
"I am sorry to bear such tidings to Lycon, Excellency."
"Away with you!"
"Do not raise your voice, _kyrie_," spoke Hiram, never more blandly, "hereis a man asleep."
The hint sent Democrates from the spot almost on a run. Hiram disappearedin the opposite direction. Glaucon rose, shook the sand from his cloak,and stood an instant with his head whirling. The voice of his boyhoodfriend, of the man who had ruined him because of a suspicion oftreason--and now deep in compromising talk with the agent of the chief ofthe peace party at Sparta! And wherefore had Mardonius spoken thosemysterious words at their parting, "Beware of Democrates"? For an instantthe problems evoked made him forget even the coming battle.
A clear trumpet-blast down the strand gave a truce to questioning.Sicinnus reappeared, and led Glaucon to one of the great fires roaring onthe beach, where the provident Greek sailors were breakfasting on barleyporridge and meat broth before dining on spears and arrow-heads. A silentcompany, no laughter, no jesting. All knew another sun for them mightnever rise. Glaucon ate not because he hungered, but because duty orderedit. As the light strengthened, the strand grew alive with thousands of menat toil. The triremes drawn on shore went down into the sea on theirrollers. More trum
pet-blasts sent the rowers aboard their ships. But lastof all, before thrusting out to do or die, the Greeks must feast theirears as well as their stomachs. On the sloping beach gathered the officersand the armoured marines,--eighteen from each trireme,--and heard onestirring harangue after another. The old feuds were forgotten. Adeimantusand Eurybiades both spoke bravely. The seers announced that every bird andcloud gave good omen. Prayer was offered to Ajax of Salamis that the heroshould fight for his people. Last of all Themistocles spoke, and never tofairer purpose. No boasts, no lip courage, a painting of the noble and thebase, the glory of dying as freemen, the infamy of existing as slaves. Hetold of Marathon, of Thermopylae, and asked if Leonidas had died as died afool. He drew tears. He drew vows of vengeance. He never drew applause.Men were too strained for that. At last he sent the thousands forth.
"Go, then. Quit yourselves as Hellenes. That is all the task. And I say toyou, in the after days this shall be your joy, to hear the greatestdeclare of you, 'Reverence this man, for he saved us all at Salamis.' "
The company dispersed, each man to his ship. Themistocles went to hispinnace, and a cheer uprose from sea and land as the boat shot out to the_Nausicaae_. Eurybiades might be chief in name; who did not know thatThemistocles was the surest bulwark of Hellas?
The son of Neocles, standing in the boat, uplifted his face to the nowgolden east.
"Be witness, Helios," he cried aloud, "be witness when thou comest, I havedone all things possible. And do thou and thy fellow-gods on brightOlympus rule our battle now; the lot is in your hands!"