Herodotus - The Histories.pdf

The Histories–Book Nine V 99
These latter, however, no sooner heard of the
approach of the Greeks, than, dismissing the
Phoenician ships, they sailed away with the
remainder to the mainland. For it had been
resolved in council not to risk a battle, since the
Persian fleet was thought to be no match for that
of the enemy. They fled, therefore, to the main, to
be under the protection of their land army, which
now lay at Mycale, and consisted of the troops
left behind by Xerxes to keep guard over Ionia.
This was an army of sixty thousand men, under
the command of Tigranes, a Persian of more than
common beauty and stature. The captains
resolved therefore to betake themselves to these
troops for defence, to drag their ships ashore, and
to build a rampart around them, which might at
once protect the fleet, and serve likewise as a
place of refuge for themselves.
Having so resolved, the commanders put out to
sea; and passing the temple of the Eumenides,
arrived at Gaeson and Scolopoeis, which are in
the territory of Mycale. Here is a temple of
Eleusinian Ceres, built by Philistus the son of