At Xerxes Thermopylis expugnatis protinus accessit astu idque nullis defendentibus , interfectis sacerdotibus , quos in arce invenerat , incendio delevit . 2 Cuius flamma perterriti classiarii , cum manere non auderent et plurimi hortarentur , ut domos suas discederent moenibusque se defenderent , Themistocles unus restitit et universos pares esse posse aiebat , dispersos testabatur perituros idque Eurybiadi , regi Lacedaemoniorum , qui tum summae imperii praeerat , fore affirmabat . 3 Quem cum minus , quam vellet , moveret , noctu de servis suis , quem habuit fidelissimum , ad regem misit , ut ei nuntiaret suis verbis adversarios eius in fuga esse : 4 qui si discessissent , maiore cum labore et longinquiore tempore bellum confecturum , cum singulos consectari cogeretur ; quos si statim aggrederetur , brevi universos oppressurum . Hoc eo valebat , ut ingratis ad depugnandum omnes cogerentur . 5 Hac re audita barbarus , nihil doli subesse credens , postridie alienissimo sibi loco , contra opportunissimo hostibus , adeo angusto mari conflixit , ut eius multitudo navium explicari non potuerit . Victus ergo est magis etiam consilio Themistocli quam armis Graeciae .

[ 5 ] Hic etsi male rem gesserat , tamen tantas habebat reliquias copiarum , ut etiam tum his opprimere posset hostes . Iterum ab eodem gradu depulsus est . Nam Themistocles verens , ne bellare perseveraret , certiorem eum fecit id agi , ut pons , quem ille in Hellesponto fecerat , dissolveretur ac reditu in Asiam excluderetur , idque ei persuasit . 2 Itaque qua sex mensibus iter fecerat , eadem minus diebus XXX in Asiam reversus est seque a Themistocle non superatum , sed conservatum iudicavit . 3 Sic unius viri prudentia Graecia liberata est Europaeque succubuit Asia . Haec altera victoria , quae cum Marathonio possit comparari tropaeo . Nam pari modo apud Salamina parvo numero navium maxima post hominum memoriam classis est devicta .

Xerxes , having been forced through a passage in Thermopylae , depart at once to the city , and as no one was defending it , destroyed it by fire , killing the priests that were found in the citadel . Those who were in the naval fleet , alarmed by of this catastrophe , did not dare to remain where they were , and most of them gave their opinion that they should return to their respective homes , and defend themselves within their walls , Themistocles alone opposed it , saying that united they would be a match for the enemy , but declaring that if they separated they would be destroyed . That this would be the case he assured by Eurybiades , king of the Lacedaemonians , who served as supreme commander , but making a lesser impression on him than he wished to , Sent the most trustworthy slave that he owned , to Xerxes during the night , to tell him in his own specific words , that " the enemies are fleeing , and that if they get away , it would take more work and more time to end the war , they would have to pursue them individually , if they were to attack immediately , he might destroy them all at once . " The goal of them communicating was to force the Greeks to fight against their will . The barbarian , receiving this communication , not believing any trickery to be hidden under , engaged the next day , in the place that was most unfavorable for himself , and most favorable for the enemy , the strait was so small that the naval fleet could not bring bodies into action . He was defeated by the strategy of Themistocles not , by the arms of Greece .

Although Xerses had disordered affairs , he had a great army left that he overpowered his opposition with the amount of force he had left . His position was driven out by the same leader . But for Themistocles , afraid that he would carry out the contest , being notified that the bridge made over Hellespont should be broken up ; and should not return to Asia ; and was convinced that it was the truth . In short of thirty days Xerses went back into Asia of the consequence in which he planned six months in coming , he thought of himself as saved from Themistocles . So one man under a policy delivered Greece back and Asia gave into Europe . This is another victory similar to the triumph at Marathon ; as a great fleet was overtaken in Salamis by a small group .

Xerxes , having forced a passage through Thermopylae marched at once to the city , and as none defended it , destroyed it by fire , putting to death the priests that he found in the citadel . As those on board the fleet , alarmed at the report of this catastrophe , did not dare to remain where they were , and most of them gave their opinion that they should return to their respective homes , and defend themselves within their walls , Themistocles alone opposed it , saying that united they would be a match for the enemy , but declaring that if they separated they would be destroyed . That this would be the case he assured Eurybiades , king of the Lacedaemonians , who then held the chief command , but making less impression on him than he wished , he sent one of his slaves , the most trustworthy that he had , to Xerxes in the night , to tell him in his own precise words , that " his enemies were retreating , and that , if they should make off , he would require more labour and longer time to finish the war , as he would have to pursue |318 those singly , whom , if he attacked them immediately , he might destroy in a body and at once . " The object of this communication was , that all the Greeks should be forced to fight even against their will . The barbarian , receiving this intimation , and not suspecting any guile to be hidden under it , engaged , the day after , in a place most unfavourable for himself , and most advantageous for the enemy , the strait being so confined30 that the body of his fleet could not be brought into action . He was defeated in consequence rather by the stratagem of Themistocles than by the arms of Greece .

V . Though Xerxes had thus mismanaged his affairs , he had yet so vast a force left , that even with this he might have overpowered his enemies . But in the meanwhile 31 he was driven from his position by the same leader . For Themistocles , fearing that he would persist in protracting the contest , sent him notice that it was in contemplation that the bridge , which he had made over the Hellespont , should be broken up , and that he should thus be prevented from returning into Asia ; and he convinced him that such was the fact . In consequence Xerxes returned into Asia in less than thirty days , by the same way by which he had spent six months in coming , and considered himself not conquered , but saved , by Themistocles . Thus Greece was delivered by the policy of one man , and Asia succumbed to Europe . This is a second victory that may be compared with the triumph at Marathon ; for the greatest fleet in the memory of man was conquered in like manner 32 at Salamis by a small number of ships