A Victor of Salamis

ng Thrasian plain, richest in Attica. Behind the plain the encircling mountain wall fades away into a purple haze. One can look southward toward Salamis; then to the left rises the rounded slop

ards, darker olive groves. The stony hill-slopes are painted red by countless poppies. One hears the tinkling of the bells of roving goats. Thus the more distant view; while at t

2]fourth side, facing the sea, the dusty road wound east toward Megara. Here, by the gate, were gathered a rustic company: brown-faced village lads and lasses, toothless graybeards, cackling old wives. Above the barred gate swung a fes

wung back to suffer two ladies to peer forth. Ladies, in the truth, for the twain had

r! How would you, Praxin?, l

but your Hermas w

e veil; I'm glad she's handsome. S

wined the younger brushed aside her veil. The gossips were right. The robe and the crown hid all but the face and tress of the lustrous brown hair,-but that face! Had not King Heph?stos wrought every line of clear Ph?nician glass, then touched them with snow and rose, and shot through all the ichor of life?

adies,-Conon, father of the victor. He had ended his life-feud with Hermippus the night the message flashed from Corinth. Then a third runner; this time in his hand a triumphant pa

herdsmen's reed flutes, cymbals, and tambours, all made melody and noise together. An

f eye, graceful of movement,-twirling long chains of ivy, laurel, and myrtle in time to the music. Palm branches were everywhere. The procession moved down the road; but even as it left the court a crash of cymbals through the olive groves answered its uproar. Deep now and sonorous sounded manly v

sited the Isthmia. The necks of the four horses were wreathed with flowers; flowers hid the reins and bridles, the chariot, and even its wheels. The victor stood aloft, his scarlet cloak flung back, displaying his godlike form. An unhealed scar marred his forehead-Lycon's handiwo

heeks, each trying to outblow his fellow. Then after them sped the maidens. They ringed the chariot round with a maze of flowers chains. As the car moved, they accompanied it with a dance

he parsley-wreat

g it out on each

hed, our own,

l the myr

e swift, has

has proved s

o him, to h

and all A

et, run t

st are not

with raptur

and with tw

,-throw flowe

y and lily

r, gay pip

d music thro

and ours flies

the Sun-K

wn with laurel an

rown him with olive,

, he shines i

is face the

n us all his

s shed on hi

as, our gray-e

and his fame

eech of formal congratulation and enjoyed his opportunity. Glaucon's eyes still roved and questioned, yet the demarch rolled out his windy sentences. But there was something unexpected. Even as the magistrate took breath after reciting the victor's noble ancestry, there was a cry, a parting of the crowd, and Glaucon the Alcm?

beautiful! The gods reward wel

and would have forgiven far gr

* *

; and he obeyed it. His banquet was elegant without gluttony. The Syracusan cook had prepared a lordly turbot. The wine was choice old Chian but well diluted. There was no vulgar gorging with mea

nd wife seldom left each other; their tongues flew fast; they never saw how Democrates hardly took his gaze from the face of Hermione. Simonides, who reclined beside Themistocles,-having struck a firm friendship with that statesman on very brief acquaintance,-was overrunning with humour and anecdote. The grea

e tale, Simonides?" began Themis

ty, rise at once and sing a song

esman, with a self-complacency he never concea

rged the poet, "at least you

it; but not all the company were destined to hear him. A slave-boy

save you?" demanded

, I return in a moment. An agent of mine is back from Asia, sur

alk with Sicinnus,-nominally the tutor of his sons, actually a trusted spy. The first glance at the Asiatic's keen face and eyes was di

Themistocles had been

tain that Xerxes begins

hat Helios will

re have you been since I sent you

er loved to do the lion's share of

abylon, Susa, Per

l the rumours we hear from the East well foun

ing built across the Hellespont. The king will have twelve hundred war triremes, besides countless transports. The cavalry are be

, never confounded, urged on his questions. "So be it. But is Xerxes the

chs and women; nevertheles

where

s the wisdom and valour of Cyrus and Darius together. Name him, and you name

him, of

,' said he, 'hates the details of camps; leaving the preparation to o

" The exclamation came not fro

sought the Prince in every city I visited; they always told me, 'He is in another.' He was not at the

th an anxiety his voice seldom betrayed. "Sicinnus is right; the p

ot unde

in preparing for war, the hesitancy of Corcyra in joining us. Thebes is Medizing, Crete is Medizing, so is Argos. Thessaly is wavering. I can almost name the princes and great nobles over Hell

e?" questioned the younger man; "the

e is one spot-blessed be Athena-" Themistocles's hands went up in easy piety-"where, let him come if

com[pg 60]mission I give to you. You are my most trusted lieutenant; I can risk no other. Keep watch, hire spies, scatter bribe-money. Rest not day nor night to fin

poke Democrates,

complish. Are we not co-worke

ble. The younger Athenian thought they wer

l enough the meaning as each face flashed back the beauty of the other. And his mind wandered back darkly to the day when Glaucon had come to him, more radiant than even his wont, and cried, "Give me joy, dear comrade, joy! Hermippus has promised me the fairest maiden in Athe

a wise thing in keeping still; if

es; "and less water in it. I

ith cavalry and torches and half of the city trailing at their heels. Twenty cubits of the city wall were pulled down to make a gate for the triumphal entry. There was another great feast at the government house. The purse of an hundred drachm?, due by law to Isthmian victo

g