CHAPTER XXXVIII
THE COUNCIL OF MARDONIUS
Never since Salamis had Persian hopes been higher than that night. What ifthe Spartans were in the field at last, and the incessant skirmishing hadbeen partly to Pausanias's advantage? Secure in his fortified camp by theAsopus, Mardonius could confidently wait the turn of the tide. His lightTartar cavalry had cut to pieces the convoys bringing provisions to theHellenes. Rumour told that Pausanias's army was ill fed, and his captainswere at loggerheads. Time was fighting for Mardonius. A joyful letter hehad sent to Sardis the preceding morning: "Let the king have patience. Inforty days I shall be banqueting even in Sparta."
In the evening the Prince sat at council with his commanders. Xerxes hadleft behind his own war pavilion, and here the Persians met. Mardonius saton the high seat of the dais. Gold, purple, a hundred torches, made thescene worthy of the monarch himself. Beside the general stood a youngpage,--beautiful as Armaiti, fairest of the archangels. All looked on thepage, but discreetly kept their thoughts to whispers, though many hadguessed the secret of Mardonius's companion.
The debate was long and vehement. Especially Artabazus, general of therear-guard, was loud in asserting no battle should be risked. He was acrafty man, who, the Prince suspected, was his personal enemy, but hisopinion was worth respecting.
"I repeat what I said before. The Hellenes showed how they could fight atThermopylae. Let us retire to Thebes."
"Bravely said, valiant general," sneered Mardonius, none too civilly.
"It is mine to speak, yours to follow my opinion as you list. I say we canconquer these Hellenes with folded hands. Retreat to Thebes; money isplentiful with us; we can melt our gold cups into coin. Sprinkle bribesamong the hostile chiefs. We know their weakness. Not steel but gold willunlock the way to Sparta."
The generalissimo stood up proudly.
"Bribes and stealth? Did Cyrus and Darius win us empire with these? No, bythe Fiend-Smiter, it was sharp steel and the song of the bow-string thatmade Eran to prosper, and prosper to this day. But lest Artabazus thinkthat in putting on the lion I have forgotten the fox, let the strangersnow come to us stand forth, that he and every other may know how I havedone all things for the glory of my master and the Persian name."
He smote with his commander's mace upon the bronze ewer on the table.Instantly there appeared two soldiers, between them two men, one ofslight, one of gigantic, stature, but both in Grecian dress. Artabazussprang to his feet.
"Who are these men--Thebans?"
"From greater cities than Thebes. You see two new servants of the king,therefore friends of us all. Behold Lycon of Sparta and Democrates, friendof Themistocles."
His speech was Persian, but the newcomers both understood when he namedthem. The tall Laconian straightened his bull neck, as in defiance. TheAthenian flushed. His head seemed sinking betwixt his shoulders. Muchwormwood had he drunk of late, but none bitterer than this,--to be welcomedat the councils of the Barbarian. Artabazus salaamed to his superior halfmockingly.
"Verily, son of Gobryas, I was wrong. You are guileful as a Greek. Therecan be no higher praise."
The Prince's nostrils twitched. Perhaps he was not saying all he felt.
"Let your praise await the issue," he rejoined coldly. "Suffice it thatthese friends were long convinced of the wisdom of aiding his Eternity,and to-night come from the camp of the Hellenes to tell all that haspassed and why we should make ready for battle at the dawning." He turnedto the Greeks, ordering in their own tongue, "Speak forth, I aminterpreter for the council."
An awkward instant followed. Lycon looked on Democrates.
"You are an Athenian, your tongue is readiest," he whispered.
"And you the first to Medize. Finish your handiwork," the retort.
"We are waiting," prompted Mardonius, and Lycon held up his great head andbegan in short sentences which the general deftly turned into Persian.
"Your cavalry has made our position by the Asopus intolerable. All thesprings are exposed. We have to fight every time we try to draw water.To-day was a meeting of the commanders, many opinions, much wrangling, butall said we must retire. The town of Plataea is best. It is strong, withplenty of water. You cannot attack it. To-night our camp has been struck.The troops begin to retire, but in disorder. The contingent of each citymarches by itself. The Athenians, thanks to Democrates, delay retreating;the Spartans I have delayed also. I have persuaded Amompharetus, mycousin, who leads the Pitanate _mora_,(15) and who was not at the council,that it is cowardly for a Spartan to retreat. He is a sheep-skulled fooland has believed me. Consequently, he and his men are holding back. Theother Spartans wait for them. At dawn you will find the Athenians andSpartans alone near their old camping ground, their allies straggling inthe rear. Attack boldly. When the onset joins, Democrates and I will orderour own divisions to retire. The phalanxes will be broken up. With yourcavalry you will have them at mercy, for once the spear-hedge isshattered, they are lost. The battle will not cost you twenty men."
Artabazus rose again and showed his teeth.
"A faithful servant of the king, Mardonius,--and so well is all provided,do we brave Aryans need even to string our bows?"
The Prince winced at the sarcasm.
"I am serving the king, not my own pleasure," he retorted stiffly. "Theson of Gobryas is too well known to have slurs cast on his courage. Andnow what questions would my captains ask these Greeks? Promptly--they mustbe again in their own lines, or they are missed."
An officer here or there threw an interrogation. Lycon answered briefly.Democrates kept sullen silence. He was clearly present more to prove thegood faith of his Medizing than for anything he might say. Mardonius smotethe ewer again. The soldiers escorted the two Hellenes forth. As thecurtains closed behind them, the curious saw that the features of thebeautiful page by the general's side were contracted with disgust.Mardonius himself spat violently.
"Dogs, and sons of dogs, let Angra-Mainyu wither them forever. Bearwitness, men of Persia, how, for the sake of our Lord the King, I holdconverse even with these vilest of the vile!"
Soon the council was broken up. The final commands were given. Everyofficer knew his task. The cavalry was to be ready to charge across theAsopus at gray dawn. With Lycon and Democrates playing their part theissue was certain, too certain for many a grizzled captain who loved thering of steel. In his own tent Mardonius held in his arms the beautifulpage--Artazostra! Her wonderful face had never shone up at his morebrightly than on that night, as he drew back his lips from a long fondkiss.
"To-morrow--the triumph. You will be conqueror of Hellas. Xerxes will makeyou satrap. I wish we could conquer in fairer fight, but what wrong tovanquish these Hellenes with their own sly weapons? Do you remember whatGlaucon said?"
"What thing?"
"That Zeus and Athena were greater than Mazda the Pure and gloriousMithra? To-morrow will prove him wrong. I wonder whether he yetlives,--whether he will ever confess that Persia is irresistible."
"I do not know. From the evening we parted at Phaleron he has faded fromour world."
"He was fair as the Amesha-Spentas, was he not? Poor Roxana--she is againin Sardis now. I hope she has ceased to eat her heart out with vainlonging for her lover. He was noble minded and spoke the truth. How rarein a Hellene. But what will you do with these two gold-bought traitors,'friends of the king' indeed?"
Mardonius's face grew stern.
"I have promised them the lordships of Athens and of Sparta. The pledgeshall be fulfilled, but after that,"--Artazostra understood his sinistersmile,--"there are many ways of removing an unwelcome vassal prince, if Ibe the satrap of Hellas."
"And you are that in the morning."
"For your sake," was his cry, as again he kissed her, "I would I were notsatrap of Hellas only, but lord of all the world, that I might give it toyou, O daughter of Darius and Atossa."
"I am mistress of the world," she answered, "for my world is Ma
rdonius.To-morrow the battle, the glory, and then what next--Sicily, Carthage,Italy? For Mazda will give us all things."
* * * * * * *
Otherwise talked Democrates and Lycon as they quitted the Persian picketsand made their way across the black plain, back to the lines of theHellenes.
"You should be happy to-night," said the Athenian.
"Assuredly. I draw up my net and find it very full of mullets quite to myliking."
"Take care it be not so full that it break."
"Dear Democrates,"--Lycon slapped his paw on the other's shoulder,--"whyalways imagine evil? Hermes is a very safe guide. I only hope our victorywill be so complete Sparta will submit without fighting. It will beawkward to rule a plundered city."
"I shudder at the thought of being amongst even conquered Athenians; Ishall see a tyrannicide in every boy in the Agora."
"A stout Persian garrison in your Acropolis is the surest physic againstthat."
"By the dog, Lycon, you speak like a Scythian. Hellene you surely arenot."
"Hellene I am, and show my native wisdom in seeing that Persia mustconquer and trimming sail accordingly."
"Persia is not irresistible. With a fair battle--"
"It will not be a fair battle. What can save Pausanias? Nothing--except amiracle sent from Zeus."
"Such as what?"
"As merciful Hiram's relenting and releasing your dear Glaucon." Lycon'schuckle was loud.
"Never, as you hope me to be anything save your mortal enemy, mention thatname again."
"As you like it--it's no very pretty tale, I grant, even amongst Medizers.Yet it was most imprudent to let him live."
"You have never heard the Furies, Lycon." Democrates's voice was so graveas to dry up the Spartan's banter. "But I shall never see him again, and Ishall possess Hermione."
"A pretty consolation. _Eu!_ here are our outposts. We must pass forofficers reconnoitring the enemy. You know your part to-morrow. At thefirst charge bid your division 'wheel to rear.' Three words, and the thingis done."
Lycon gave the watchword promptly to one of Pausanias's outposts. The mansaluted his officers, and said that the Greeks of the lesser states hadretreated far to the rear, that Amompharetus still refused to move hisdivision, that the Spartans waited for him, and the Athenians for theSpartans.
"Noble tidings," whispered the giant, as the two stood an instant, beforeeach went to his own men. "Behold how Hermes helps us--a great deity."
"Sometimes I think Nemesis is greater," said Democrates, once againrefusing Lycon's proffered hand.
"By noon you'll laugh at Nemesis, _philotate_, when we both drink Helbonwine in Xerxes's tent!" and away went Lycon into the dark.
Democrates went his own way also. Soon he was in the fallow-field, whereunder the warm night the Athenians were stretched, each man in armour, hishelmet for a pillow. A few torches were moving. From a distance came thehum from a group of officers in excited conversation. As the orator pickedhis way among the sleeping men, a locharch with a lantern accosted himsuddenly.
"You are Democrates the strategus?"
"Certainly."
"Aristeides summons you at once. Come."
There was no reason for refusing. Democrates followed.
A Victor of Salamis Page 41