VII.99: Of the other lower officers I shall make no mention, since no necessity
is laid on me; but I must speak of a certain leader named Artemisia, whose participation
in the attack upon Hellas, notwithstanding that she was a woman, moves my special wonder.
She had obtained the sovereign power after the death of her husband; and, though she had
now a son grown up, yet her brave spirit and manly daring sent her forth to the war, when
no need required her to adventure. Her name, as I said, was Artemisia, and she was the
daughter of Lygdamis; by race she was on his side a Halicarnassian, though by her mother a
Cretan. She ruled over the Halicarnassians, the men of Cos, of Nisyrus, and of Calydna;
and the five triremes which she furnished to the Persians were, next to the Sidonian, the
most famous ships in the fleet. She likewise gave to Xerxes sounder counsel than any of
his other allies. Now the cities over which I have mentioned that she bore sway were one
and all Dorian; for the Halicarnassians were colonists from Troizen, while the remainder
were from Epidauros. Thus much concerning the sea-force.
VIII.68: Mardonius accordingly went round the entire assemblage, beginning with
the Sidonian monarch, and asked this question; to which all gave the same answer, advising
to engage the Hellenes, except only Artemisia, who spoke as follows:
"Say to the king, Mardonius, that these are my words to him: I was not the least
brave of those who fought at Euboia, nor were my achievements there among the meanest; it
is my right, therefore, O my lord, to tell you plainly what I think to be most for your
advantage now. This then is my advice:
"Spare your ships, and do not risk a battle; for these people are as much superior
to your people in seamanship, as men to women. What so great need is there for you to
incur hazard at sea? Are you not master of Athens, for which you did undertake your
expedition? Is not Hellas subject to you? Not a soul now resists your advance. They who
once resisted, were handled even as they deserved. Now learn how I expect that affairs
will go with your adversaries. If you are not over-hasty to engage with them by sea, but
will keep your fleet near the land, then whether you stay as you are, or march forward
towards the Peloponnesos, you will easily accomplish all for which you are come here. The
Hellenes cannot hold out against you very long; you will soon part them asunder, and
scatter them to their several homes. In the island where they lie, I hear they have no
food in store; nor is it likely, if your land force begins its march towards the
Peloponnesos, that they will remain quietly where they are---at least such as come from
that region. Of a surety they will not greatly trouble themselves to give battle on behalf
of the Athenians. On the other hand, if you are hasty to fight, I tremble lest the defeat
of your sea force bring harm likewise to your land army. This, too, you should remember, O
king; good masters are apt to have bad servants, and bad masters good ones. Now, as you
are the best of men, your servants must needs be a sorry set. These Egyptians, Cyprians,
Cilicians, and Pamphylians, who are counted in the number of your subject-allies, of how
little service are they to you!"
VIII.69: As Artemisia spoke, they who wished her well were greatly troubled
concerning her words, thinking that she would suffer some hurt at the king's hands,
because she exhorted him not to risk a battle; they, on the other hand, who disliked and
envied her, favored as she was by the king above all the rest of the allies, rejoiced at
her declaration, expecting that her life would be the forfeit. But Xerxes, when the words
of the several speakers were reported to him, was pleased beyond all others with the reply
of Artemisia; and whereas, even before this, he had always esteemed her much, he now
praised her more than ever. Nevertheless, he gave orders that the advice of the greater
number should be followed; for he thought that at Euboia the fleet had not done its best,
because he himself was not there to see---whereas this time he resolved that he would be
an eye-witness of the combat.
VIII.87: What part the several nations, whether Hellene or barbarian, took in
the combat, I am not able to say for certain; Artemisia, however, I know, distinguished
herself in such a way as raised her even higher than she stood before in the esteem of the
king. For after confusion had spread throughout the whole of the king's fleet, and her
ship was closely pursued by an Athenian trireme, she, having no way to fly, since in front
of her were a number of friendly vessels, and she was nearest of all the Persians to the
enemy, resolved on a measure which in fact proved her safety. Pressed by the Athenian
pursuer, she bore straight against one of the ships of her own party, a Calyndian, which
had Damasiyourmus, the Calyndian king, himself on board. I cannot say whether she had had
any quarrel with the man while the fleet was at the Hellespont, or no---neither can I
decide whether she of set purpose attacked his vessel, or whether it merely chanced that
the Calyndian ship came in her way---but certain it is that she bore down upon his vessel
and sank it, and that thereby she had the good fortune to procure herself a double
advantage. For the commander of the Athenian trireme, when he saw her bear down on one of
the enemy's fleet, thought immediately that her vessel was a Hellene, or else had deserted
from the Persians, and was now fighting on the Hellene side; he therefore gave up the
chase, and turned away to attack others.
VIII.88: Thus in the first place she saved her life by the action, and was
enabled to get clear off from the battle; while further, it fell out that in the very act
of doing the king an injury she raised herself to a greater height than ever in his
esteem. For as Xerxes beheld the fight, he remarked (it is said) the destruction of the
vessel, whereupon the bystanders observed to him--- "See, master, how well Artemisia
fights, and how she has just sunk a ship of the enemy?" Then Xerxes asked if it were
really Artemisia's doing; and they answered, "Certainly; for they knew her
ensign"---while all made sure that the sunken vessel belonged to the opposite side.
Everything, it is said, conspired to prosper the queen---it was especially fortunate for
her that not one of those on board the Calyndian ship survived to become her accuser.
Xerxes, they say, in reply to the remarks made to him, observed: "My men have behaved
like women, my women like men!"
