A VICTOR OF SALAMIS
The MM Co.
A VICTOR OF SALAMIS
_A TALE OF THE DAYS OF XERXES, LEONIDAS AND THEMISTOCLES_
BY
WILLIAM STEARNS DAVIS
AUTHOR OF "A FRIEND OF CAESAR," "GOD WILLS IT," "BELSHAZZAR," ETC.
"... On the AEgean shore a city stands, Built nobly, pure the air and light the soil, Athens, the eye of Greece."
*New York* THE MACMILLAN COMPANY LONDON: MACMILLAN & CO., LTD. 1907 _All rights reserved_
COPYRIGHT, 1907, BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY.
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Set up and electrotyped. Published April, 1907.
*Norwood Press* J. S. Cushing & Co.--Berwick & Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
The invasion of Greece by Xerxes, with its battles of Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea, forms one of the most dramatic events in history. Had Athens and Sparta succumbed to this attack of Oriental superstition and despotism, the Parthenon, the Attic Theatre, the Dialogues of Plato, would have been almost as impossible as if Phidias, Sophocles, and the philosophers had never lived. Because this contest and its heroes--Leonidas and Themistocles--cast their abiding shadows across our world of to-day, I have attempted this piece of historical fiction.
Many of the scenes were conceived on the fields of action themselves during a recent visit to Greece, and I have tried to give some glimpse of the natural beauty of "The Land of the Hellene,"--a beauty that will remain when Themistocles and his peers fade away still further into the backgrounds of history.
W. S. D.
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE THE ISTHMIAN GAMES NEAR CORINTH
CHAPTER PAGE I. GLAUCON THE BEAUTIFUL 3 II. THE ATHLETE 10 III. THE HAND OF PERSIA 21 IV. THE PENTATHLON 31
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Victor of Salamis by William Stearns Davis
- 2: Democrates surrenders 333 xxxii
- 3: Thirty drachmae to place on Lycon
- 4: Simonides the most noted poet in Hellas
- 5: Simonides swelled with delight
- 6: If Xerxes has trouble in provisioning his army
- 7: The Sicyonian jumped quickly at his conclusion
- 8: Castor and Pollux it's Glaucon the Beautiful
- 9: Poetry doesn't win the pentathlon
- 10: Lingered a moment to greet Simonides
- 11: With another gracious nod to Simonides
- 12: Were touched by the red glow dying behind Acro Corinthus
- 13: Democrates walked briskly out of the glare of the torches
- 14: Lycon tilted back against the table
- 15: Democrates spilled the cup as he started
- 16: Lycon shrugged his huge shoulders
- 17: Even victory wrested from Lycon
- 18: Glaucon heard the derisive hootings
- 19: Scolus the Thasian youngest of the six was pale
- 20: Moerocles of Mantinea sprang last and badly
- 21: Moerocles of Mantinea is second
- 22: But at the upper turn Lycon still held advantage
- 23: Even as Lycon seemed to have won his end
- 24: Lycon had turned to his final resource
- 25: Conon had forgotten how he had disowned his son
- 26: The house of Hermippus the Eumolpid
- 27: The demarch bawled long for silence
- 28: Who reclined beside Themistocles
- 29: A Magian in Ecbatana told me a strange story
- 30: When Democrates returned to the hall
- 31: Stood the shop of Clearchus the potter
- 32: In wisdom Agis gave a whistle
- 33: The thrill of horror went around the Pnyx
- 34: Xenagoras the Cerycid is present
- 35: And poured out his rustic wisdom from the Bema
- 36: Forsake even well loved Attica
- 37: Hyperphon the beggarly hunchback
- 38: That closely wrapped man is Glaucon the Alcmaeonid
- 39: But the Cyprian bade him be seated
- 40: I was a fool to meet Lycon at Corinth
- 41: Why did Democrates feel his forehead turn to flame
- 42: Had no workers in marble or bronze
- 43: Followed as they crossed the Agora
- 44: Till the hill Munychia rose steep before them
- 45: Now they row to another trireme
- 46: But not in jest men will remember Themistocles
- 47: Where he said he expected Sicinnus
- 48: But rolls of closely written papyri
- 49: Democrates turned away his face
- 50: What proof have I of this Mydon
- 51: No real harm then would come to Hellas
- 52: Mazda has given us empire without limit
- 53: Sicinnus has been watching the quarter
- 54: Democrates was testing it upon wax
- 55: I can throw Sicinnus off the scent
- 56: Bias opened eyes and mouth in wonder
- 57: And flowers under foot when one crossed the Agora
- 58: Our dear Polus has a vast sense of his own importance
- 59: Three hundred of the noblest youths of Attica
- 60: Hermione lifted her glance to Areopagus
- 61: Cimon was overrunning with puns and jests
- 62: I can vouch for Seuthes an excellent Corinthian
- 63: Seizing the snivelling Seuthes
- 64: Rightly for knowing Glaucon as I did
- 65: Groaned Glaucon through his teeth
- 66: Charitable Hermippus began Dear Glaucon
- 67: Again Democrates pointed to the sword
- 68: Democrates clamoured frantically
- 69: The kyrios has something on his mind
- 70: Phormio continued to act promptly
- 71: Another howl from Lampaxo decided him
- 72: As Phormio guided his half dazed companion into the street
- 73: Phormio delivered his admonitions rapidly
- 74: Glaucon saw all in clear relief
- 75: Brasidas stood in the bow of the pinnace
- 76: The memory of the fearful hour at Colonus
- 77: Glaucon dragged him roughly to his feet
- 78: Glaucon laid his mouth to the man's ear
- 79: Glaucon spoke the words in horror
- 80: As at a signal the flutes grew louder
- 81: Glaucon passed his fingers before his face
- 82: Mardonius knows all that passes in Athens
- 83: For were not his teachers Artazostra and Roxana
- 84: Artazostra shook her shining head
- 85: Glaucon could scarce have looked for a greater
- 86: While Spitames passed the wine
- 87: The smile of Xerxes had spread
- 88: And you saved the lives of Mardonius and Artazostra
- 89: Thrice hail to the Lord Prexaspes
- 90: The Carian told of a new honour for Democrates
- 91: Roxana always called him by his new name now
- 92: Glaucon grew even more despondent
- 93: And at last Artazostra could endure it no more
- 94: To become body and soul Prexaspes the Persian
- 95: Once she overheard Cleopis talking with another maid
- 96: But Cleopis mustered a bold front and a ready lie Ei
- 97: Democrates was proud and sanguine
- 98: Democrates would rather have taken fire
- 99: Democrates had brought the proper sacrifices two black rams
- 100: Democrates seemed buried in the rock
- 101: Mardonius is always praising you
- 102: This was not done without foreknowledge by Mardonius
- 103: There is the young Prince Zophyrus
- 104: No doubt Hermione was the wife of Democrates
- 105: Spoke those nearest to Mardonius
- 106: Hydarnes approached and prostrated himself
- 107: Mardonius was full of recourses
- 108: But Artazostra feared the worst
- 109: The words of Hydarnes are good
- 110: Artazostra and Roxana came to meet him
- 111: Glaucon knew that she was Athena Polias
- 112: They were Artazostra and Roxana
- 113: Glaucon held up his right hand
- 114: Hydarnes and the guard are almost over it
- 115: Cried the incredulous Corinthian leader
- 116: The Thespians closed up behind
- 117: Hydarnes had reached his goal at Alpeni
- 118: Snofru and his helpers resumed their toil
- 119: But Mardonius could divine what had happened
- 120: Mardonius was not astonished now
- 121: But Mardonius answered without trace of anger
- 122: Hermippus had come down to his city house from Eleusis
- 123: Hermippus was at the quay in Peiraeus
- 124: Hermippus and Lysistra were not pleased
- 125: Phormio refused the drachma brusquely
- 126: The fleets are fighting at Artemisium
- 127: Soon the direful wailing from the Agora ceased
- 128: To the fertile farm land by Eleusis
- 129: Themistocles had never been more hopeful
- 130: And every day Mardonius told him
- 131: And the king had taken his abode by the Agora
- 132: Glaucon almost dropped the torch
- 133: Roxana had never been lovelier
- 134: Faithful body servants of Mardonius
- 135: Then Eurybiades had haltingly given orders for battle
- 136: And shook a few grains of frankincense upon the tripod
- 137: Would those doltish Dorians listen
- 138: Themistocles laughed almost lightly
- 139: Simonides and Themistocles saw a young
- 140: Do you repeat those oaths you swore at Colonus
- 141: Themistocles touched a bronze gong
- 142: Sicinnus had come down the ladder
- 143: Trusting the orders of Sicinnus to steer him aright
- 144: Sicinnus stood upright in the skiff
- 145: Eurybiades rose at the head of the table
- 146: Seriphos wretched islet sent only one ship
- 147: Then Aristeides told how he had even now come from AEgina
- 148: At which Sicinnus broke in anxiously You will not sleep
- 149: Sicinnus laid down his pot and brushes
- 150: Adeimantus and Eurybiades both spoke bravely
- 151: On the forecastle commanded the proreus
- 152: And tossing each trireme merrily
- 153: Had crept halfway from Psyttaleia toward them
- 154: Themistocles nodded to Ameinias
- 155: She headed toward the Nausicaae
- 156: But her captain is the admiral Ariamenes
- 157: But here Ameinias gripped Themistocles's arm
- 158: Ariamenes gave a toss of his princely head
- 159: And Themistocles saw his brows knitting
- 160: Hermippus at least was convinced of this
- 161: Democrates himself crossed the city Agora
- 162: Lycon grinned over his shoulder
- 163: Democrates charged desperately
- 164: Of your interviews with Lampaxo and Archias
- 165: Lycon chose his words and answered slowly
- 166: 'A little longer' and Jocasta has Procles
- 167: And the grandfather is that Hermippus Hermippus
- 168: He went down the Agora at a run
- 169: Democrates was to accompany Aristeides as general adjutant
- 170: Hermippus and Aristeides were gone
- 171: Democrates was marvellously at his ease despite her frowns
- 172: But remember I am a woman and alone save for Cleopis
- 173: That she should tell nothing amiss to Lysistra
- 174: Lampaxo looked down and fumbled her dirty chiton
- 175: What trust is in men if Phormio the Athenian has Medized
- 176: Democrates gripped his arm chair
- 177: Democrates heard the retiring footsteps
- 178: Democrates stood an instant looking down
- 179: Hasdrubal will take you to Carthage
- 180: The Bozra was bearing forth into the AEgean
- 181: While the Bozra rocked at anchor
- 182: Phormio tugged vainly at his feet in the stocks
- 183: They were heading straight after the Bozra
- 184: Her navarch leaving the tiring chase to the penteconter
- 185: She bawled toward the penteconter
- 186: The penteconter is four furlongs away
- 187: Lure that dear penteconter a little nearer
- 188: Listening to the report of his proreus
- 189: The navarch turned over the packet curiously
- 190: Again the navarch was startled
- 191: Themistocles stood before them
- 192: Democrates the Athenian to Tigranes
- 193: Now as the penteconter was casting off
- 194: The keleustes smote his gavel upon the sounding board
- 195: They were betwixt Paros and Naxos at last
- 196: But Themistocles ever turned his face eastward
- 197: The trireme rounded the last promontory
- 198: Glaucon gave his right hand to Themistocles
- 199: The long mountain over against Attica
- 200: Glaucon put out his hand before answering
- 201: On the long brown ridge of Helicon far to west
- 202: And Roxana singing of the magic Oxus
- 203: And to Aristeides take it with speed
- 204: Artabazus rose again and showed his teeth
- 205: Artazostra understood his sinister smile
- 206: And away went Lycon into the dark
- 207: Mardonius's cimeter swung high
- 208: Then a tug on the bridle sent the Nisaean on his haunches
- 209: Mardonius drew the turban lower over his eyes
- 210: Since for the honour of Eran and the king I ride this day
- 211: Was not Mazda turning against them
- 212: Artabazus is coward or traitor
- 213: Democrates lies fettered by Aristeides's tents
- 214: And know all your correspondence with Lycon
- 215: Democrates howled with animal fear
- 216: Themistocles the Friend is dead
- 217: And even as Hermione crossed the Agora she heard a shouting
- 218: Only Hermione and Glaucon kept silence
- 219: The maid called Falaise of the Blessed Voice
- 220: Churchill has ever achieved before
- 221: Of interest alike to men and women
- 222: 50The Romance of John BainbridgeBy HENRY GEORGE
- 223: Maelstrom changed to maelstrom page 327
