The histories of Herodotus;

234-236] DEMARATUS ADVISES XERXES 441
great, and their cities are many ; but I shall inform you of that
which you desire to know. In Laconia is Sparta, a city containing
about eight thousand men ; all these are equal to those
who have fought here; the rest of the Lacedaemonians, however,
are not equal to these, though brave." To this Xerxes
said : " Demaratus, in what way can we conquer these men
with the least trouble, come tell me; for you must be acquainted
with the course of their counsels, since you have been
their king."
He replied : " O king, since you ask my advice so earnestly,
it is right that I should tell you what is best. You
should, then, despatch three hundred ships of your naval
force to the Laconian coast. Off that coast there lies an island
called Cythera, which Chilon, the wisest man among us, said
would be more advantageous to the Spartans if sunk to the
bottom of the sea than if it remained above water; always
apprehending that some such thing would come from it, as I
am going to propose ; not that he foresaw the arrival of your
fleet, but fearing equally every naval force. Sallying from
this island, then, let them alarm the Lacedaemonians ; and
when they have a war of their own near home, they will no
longer give you cause to fear, lest they should succour the
rest of Greece, while it is being taken by your land forces.
But when the rest of Greece is subdued, the Laconian territory,
being left alone, will be feeble. If you will not act in
this manner, you may expect that this will happen : There
is in Peloponnesus a narrow isthmus ; in this place, all the
Peloponnesians being combined against you, expect to meet
more violent struggles than the past ; whereas, if you do as
I advise, both this isthmus and the cities will submit to you
without a battle." After him spoke Achaemenes, who was
brother of Xerxes, and commander of the naval forces, having
been present at the conversation, and fearing lest Xerxes
might be induced to adopt that plan : " O king, I perceive you
listening to the suggestions of a man who envies your prosperity,
or would betray your cause. For the Greeks are commonly
of that character ; they envy success, and hate superior
power. If, therefore, in the present state of our affairs, after
four hundred ships have been wrecked, you should detach
three hundred more from the fleet to sail round Peloponnesus,
our enemies may fight us upon equal terms ; but if our fleet
is kept together, it becomes invincible, and they will be unable
to fight with us at all : moreover, the whole fleet will assist
the land forces, and the land forces the fleet, by advancing
together ; but if you separate them, neither will they be useful