Chapter 8: Mercy of Persia

The Battle of Salamis was a decisive victory. It seems to have struck a nerve on Xerxes. He is afraid. He feared we might burn down the pontoon bridge at the Hellespont and trap him in Greece. I can think of a few things worse than being trapped in Greece – like being trapped in Persia, for example. Xerxes retreated and took most of the army with him, leaving behind his general, Mardonius with a hand-picked army and 1000 immortals.

For a long time, he did nothing. He just stood there, occupying Athens. He wouldn't attack the Corinthian position. Problem is, the Peloponnesians aren't fighting. They're not going to march out and liberate us. They have betrayed us.

When I return home after debating with the generals and urge them to march out and honour the alliance, a messenger from Mardonius approaches me and speaks, "Great Themistocles, Mardonius would like to make peace with you."

I sit down and offer him some wine, which he accepts. I encourage him to continue, "Speak his terms, messenger and I shall send another one, should I accept."

"Mardonius says that in exchange for a truce, he will return Attica to you and the Athenians and shall even help to rebuild. He also asks you to fight the Peloponnesians, who have betrayed you."

"So, you're saying that he wants to be my ally?" I try to clarify.

The messenger nods, "Yes, he wants an alliance with the Athenians."

I stand up and shake his hand, "Go back to Mardonius, tell him that I shall consider his generous offer. Tell him that I shall send another messenger once I've made my decision."

With that, the messenger leaves. This is too perfect.

I confront the leaders of Corinth and Sparta, the two other most powerful nations in the alliance. I walk up to them menacingly, "Well, you'll never believe who just visited me. Anyone fancy a guess."

They respond to me with silence. I carry on, "A messenger on behalf of Mardonius. Anyone know what he wanted? He wanted an alliance. He offered to give back Attica to the Athenians and to help rebuild it. He wanted me to turn on you and fight you."

"Would you," the Spartan speaks up in a grizzled voice, "would you betray us?"

I circle around them and occasionally make eye contact. "Well, it depends," I say, "if you betray us, we shall betray you. Wait, you have betrayed us. Now, we won't turn on you, but we may leave the alliance and take our ships with us."

The Corinthian tries to call my supposed bluff, "You wouldn't."

"Oh, are you so sure?" I goad him, "Athens never expected this betrayal, not from Sparta and Corinth."

"Fine," says the Spartan.

"Pardon?" I respond.

"We shall send men to Platea and liberate Athens. Just keep your fleet involved, otherwise, no deal."

We also agree on a naval battle at Mycale to destroy the Persian fleet. This one will be lead by Athenian generals.

Surely enough, the Battle of Platea is a success and Mardonius is killed in battle. The battle of Mycale is also a decisive victory.

The war is still not over, however. The Persians still occupy the city of Byzantium [modern day Constantinople/İstanbul], Cyprus and Sestos. Twenty years after the Battle of Thermopylae, Athens will be the only Greek state still fighting the Persians. It will invade Egypt and succeed for some time, only to retreat back to Greece. They may loose, but they have glory.

The same cannot be said for me, however. I shall suffer a very different fate, one chosen by the Spartans, Corinthians and my enemies in Athens.

There is an ugly side to Democracy. Ostracism is frequently practised. When people get too powerful, too big, too important and influential, the people can vote to have them removed. War and politics are very similar. In war, as in politics, you can start with nothing, you can be the bottom of the bottom. Through experience and service, you can rise through the ranks and become great. That's where the similarities end. In war, if you serve your nation to the greatest possible ability, you become a general and receive countless honours. If you do the same in politics, you are abandoned, expelled from the nation to which you dedicated your life.

After the war was over and Athens was no longer under threat, I was ostracised. I was accused of treason and my property was confiscated. I had to get out. I couldn't stay in Greece, any city-state would turn me in. With help from friends, I managed to escape to the other side of the Aegean - Persia. I presented myself before their new king, Artaxerxes I and pledged to him my service. He accepted and granted me a year to learn the Persian language and customs. Being the skilled politician that I am, I quickly gained favour within the Emperor's court. I was made the governor of Magnesia and given the revenues of many regions, allowing me to live a life of luxury.

I became the first Greek to go on hunting trips with a Persian Emperor. Artaxerxes appointed me as the advisor for Greek affairs. I can't help but regret leaving Athens and siding with the enemy, but I'm afraid I had no choice. I would either die in Greece or live in Persia. Besides, there was always a chance for a political comeback.

Alas, I am too old. I am now 65 years of age and well past my prime. I still have pride, remembering the old days of Marathon and Salamis. For so long in my life, I was in charge of the navy, the top politician in Athens and the greatest general of all time. With both my genius and my cunning, I united the Greeks and came out at the top. Things came crashing down on me eventually, but now I'm back on my feet, albeit, serving a different nation. Athens is no longer my state, but it I can still see something special in it. Something lacking here in Persia, in Sparta, Corinth and Thebes. Something that would have been lost from the world if Persia won. Persia and the others mentioned are cultured, but only Athens is truly civilised. My actions may seem insignificant, saving a few tiny cities from a giant empire, but I know that Athens will change the world.

Now comes bad news. The Athenian general and son of Miltiades has invaded the province of Egypt. Artaxerxes demands I fulfil promise to deal with the Greeks. I can't bring myself to do it. I do not hate the Athenians for what they have done. Politics is politics. Although Cimon was the one responsible for my demise, I see no sense in fighting him. Regardless, I am too old to fight. I excuse myself to my room.

I am still a Greek. I shall die as a Greek, not a traitor. I take a drink of bull's blood and it kills me.

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