Page:History of Greece Vol V.djvu/146

122 fflSTORY OF GREECE. this melancholy resolution full upon his mind, and with the neces- sity of providing for removal of the expatriated Athenian fami- lies in the island as well as for that of the squadron, — he found an Athenian friend named Mnesiphilus, who asked him what the synod of chiefs had determined. Concerning this Mnesiphilus, who is mentioned generally as a sagacious practical politician, we unfortunately have no particulars : but it must have been no common man whom fame selected, truly or falsely, as the inspir- ing genius of Themistokles. On learning what had been resolved, Mnesiphilus burst out into remonstrance on the utter ruin which its execution would entail : there would presently be neither any united fleet to fight, nor any aggregate cause and country to fight for.i He vehemently urged Themistokles again to open the question, and to press by every means in his power for a recall of the vote for retreat, as well as for a resolution to stay and fight at Salamis. Themistokles had already in A^ain tried to enforce the same view : but disheartened as he was by ill-success, the remonstrances of a respected friend struck him so forcibly as to induce him to renew his efforts. He went instantly to the ship of Eurybiades, asked permission to speak with him, and being invited aboard, reopened with him alone the whole subject of the past discussion, enforcing his own views as emphatically as he could. In this private communication, all the arguments bearing upon the case Avere more unsparingly laid open than it had been possible to do in an assembly of the chiefs, who Avould have been insulted if openly told that they were likely to desert the fleet Avhen once removed from Salamis. Speaking thus freely and confidentially, and speaking to Eurybiades alone, Themistokles was enabled to bring him partially round, and even prevailed upon him to convene a fresh synod. So soon as this synod had assembled, even before Eurybiades had explained the object and formally opened the discussion, Themistokles addressed himself to each of the chiefs separately, pouring forth at large his fears and anxiety as to the abandonment of Salamis : inso- much that the Corinthian Adeimantus rebuked him by saying ' Herodot. viii. 57. Ovrot upa ^v uTzaipuai tuc v^ag and 'ZalafilvoQ, nep) ov6e/M7}c £Ti Ti-arpidog vavfiax'/asig' Kara yap ■ko'Klz luaaToi rpiipovTai, etc Compare vii, 139, and Thucyd. i, 78.