Calliope   

which we claim it as our heritage, deserved by our unchanging bravery,
to be preferred above Arcadians. In the first place, then, those
very Heraclidae, whose leader they boast to have slain at the Isthmus,
and whom the other Greeks would not receive when they asked a refuge
from the bondage wherewith they were threatened by the people of
Mycinae, were given a shelter by us; and we brought down the insolence
of Eurystheus, and helped to gain the victory over those who were at
that time lords of the Peloponnese. Again, when the Argives led
their troops with Polynices against Thebes, and were slain and refused
burial, it is our boast that we went out against the Cadmeians,
recovered the bodies, and buried them at Eleusis in our own territory.
Another noble deed of ours was that against the Amazons, when they
came from their seats upon the Thermodon, and poured their hosts
into Attica; and in the Trojan war too we were not a whit behind any
of the Greeks. But what boots it to speak of these ancient matters?
A nation which was brave in those days might have grown cowardly
since, and a nation of cowards then might now be valiant. Enough
therefore of our ancient achievements. Had we performed no other
exploit than that at Marathon- though in truth we have performed
exploits as many and as noble as any of the Greeks- yet had we
performed no other, we should deserve this privilege, and many a one
beside. There we stood alone, and singly fought with the Persians;
nay, and venturing on so dangerous a cast, we overcame the enemy,
and conquered on that day forty and six nations! Does not this one
achievement suffice to make good our title to the post we claim?
Nevertheless, Lacedaemonians, as to strive concerning place at such
a time as this is not right, we are ready to do as ye command, and
to take our station at whatever part of the line, and face whatever
nation ye think most expedient. Wheresoever ye place us, 'twill be our
endeavour to behave as brave men. Only declare your will, and we shall
at once obey you."
Such was the reply of the Athenians; and forthwith all the
Lacedaemonian troops cried out with one voice, that the Athenians were
worthier to have the left wing than the Arcadians. In this way were
the Tegeans overcome; and the post was assigned to the Athenians.
When this matter had been arranged, the Greek army, which was in
part composed of those who came at the first, in part of such as had
flocked in from day to day, drew up in the following order:- Ten
thousand Lacedaemonian troops held the right wing, five thousand of
whom were Spartans; and these five thousand were attended by a body of
thirty-five thousand Helots, who were only lightly armed- seven Helots
to each Spartan. The place next to themselves the Spartans gave to the
Tegeans, on account of their courage and of the esteem in which they
held them. They were all fully armed, and numbered fifteen hundred
men. Next in order came the Corinthians, five thousand strong; and
with them Pausanias had placed, at their request, the band of three
hundred which had come from Potidaea in Pallene. The Arcadians of
Orchomenus, in number six hundred, came next; then the Sicyonians,
three thousand; then the Epidaurians, eight hundred; then the
Troezenians, one thousand; then the Lepreats, two hundred; the
Mycenaeans and Tirynthians, four hundred; the Phliasians, one
thousand; the Hermionians, three hundred; the Eretrians and
Styreans, six hundred; the Chalcideans, four hundred; and the
Ambraciots, five hundred. After these came the Leucadians and
Anactorians, who numbered eight hundred; the Paleans of Cephallenia,
two hundred; the Eginetans, five hundred; the Megarians, three
thousand; and the Plataeans, six hundred. Last of all, but first at
their extremity of the line, were the Athenians, who, to the number of
eight thousand, occupied the left wing, under the command of
Aristides, the son of Lysimachus.
All these, except the Helots- seven of whom, as I said, attended
each Spartan- were heavy-armed troops; and they amounted to
thirty-eight thousand seven hundred men. This was the number of
Hoplites, or heavy-armed soldiers, which was together against the