At Xerxes, Thermopylis expugnatis, protinus accessit astu idque nullis defendentibus, interfectis sacerdotibus quos in arce invenerat, incendio delevit. Cuius flamma perterriti classiarii cum manere non auderent et plurimi hortarentur ut domos suas discederent moenibusque se defenderent, Themistocles unus restitit et universos pares esse posse aiebat, dispersos testabatur perituros, idque Eurybiadi, regi Lacedaemoniorum, qui tum summae imperii praeerat, fore adfirmabat.
Now Xerxes, having forced the pass at Thermopylae, at once marched upon Athens, and since it was without defenders, he massacred the priests whom he found on the citadel and destroyed the city by fire. The flames of the burning town so terrified the soldiers on the fleet, that they did not dare to hold their position, but the greater number recommended withdrawing to their homes and taking refuge within their walls. Themistocles alone objected, saying that united they could be a match for the Persians, but insisting that if they should separate, they would all be lost; and he assured Eurybiades, king of the Lacedaemonians, who held the chief command at the time, that what he said was true.
final_alignments\Cornelius_Nepos_Themistocles.json