158 HISTORICAL TALES,

The almost unanimous decision of this council,
over which ruled the will of an autocratic king, was
very different from that which was reached by the
Greeks, in whose council all who spoke had equal
authority. The fleet had come to Salamis to aid the
flight of the Athenians. This done, it was necessary
to decide where it was best to meet the Persian
fleet. Only the Athenians, under the leadership of
Themistocles, favored remaining where they were.
The others perceived that if they were defeated
here, escape would be impossible. Most of them
wished to sail to the isthmus of Corinth, to aid the
land army of the Peloponnesians, while various other
plans were urged.

While the chiefs thus debated news came that
Athens and the Acropolis were in flames. At once
some of the captains left the council in alarm, and
began hastily to hoist sail for flight. Those that re-
mained voted to remove to the isthmus, but not to
start till the morning of the next day.

Themistocles, who had done his utmost to prevent
this fatal decision, which he knew would end in the
dispersal of the fleet and the triumph of Persia, re-
turned to his own ship sad of heart. Many of the
women and children of Athens were on the island
of Salamis, and if the fleet sailed they, too, must be
removed.

“What has the council decided?” asked his friend
Mnesiphilus.

Themistocles gloomily told him.

“This will be ruinous!” burst out Mnesiphilus.
“Soon there will be no allied fleet, nor any cause or