Histories

This time Themistocles said many things against him and the Corinthians, declaring that so long as they had two hundred manned ships, the Athenians had both a city and a land greater than theirs, and that none of the Hellenes could repel them if they attacked.

Next he turned his argument to Eurybiades, saying more vehemently than before, “If you remain here, you will be an noble man. If not, you will ruin Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas. All our strength for war is in our ships, so listen to me.

If you do not do this, we will immediately gather up our households and travel to +Siris [15.6333,40.0667] (Perseus) Siris in Italy [12.833,42.833] (nation), Europe Italy, which has been ours since ancient times, and the prophecies say we must found a colony there. You will remember these words when you are without such allies.”

When Themistocles said this, Eurybiades changed his mind. I think he did so chiefly out of fear that the Athenians might desert them if they set sail for the Isthmus. If the Athenians left, the rest would be no match for the enemy, so he made the choice to remain there and fight.

After this skirmish of words, since Eurybiades had so resolved, the men at Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis prepared to fight where they were. At sunrise on the next day there was an earthquake on land and sea,

and they resolved to pray to the gods and summon the sons of Aeacus as allies. When they had so resolved, they did as follows: they prayed to all the gods, called Ajax and Telamon to come straight from Salamis (island), Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, EuropeSalamis, and sent a ship to +Aegina [23.433,37.75] (inhabited place), Aegina, Attica, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Aegina for Aeacus and his sons.