Today's Passage
This passage describes Themistocles' dramatic flight from Greece after being implicated in the same pro-Persian conspiracy as the Spartan regent Pausanias.
Crawley Translation (1910)
To return to the Medism of Pausanias. Matter was found in the course of the inquiry to implicate Themistocles; and the Lacedaemonians accordingly sent envoys to the Athenians and required them to punish him as they had punished Pausanias. The Athenians consented to do so. But he had, as it happened, been ostracized, and, with a residence at Argos, was in the habit of visiting other parts of Peloponnese. So they sent with the Lacedaemonians, who were ready to join in the pursuit, persons with instructions to take him wherever they found him. But Themistocles got scent of their intentions, and fled from Peloponnese to Corcyra, which was under obligations towards him. But the Corcyraeans alleged that they could not venture to shelter him at the cost of offending Athens and Lacedaemon, and they conveyed him over to the continent opposite. Pursued by the officers who hung on the report of his movements, at a loss where to turn, he was compelled to stop at the house of Admetus, the Molossian king, though they were not on friendly terms. Admetus happened not to be indoors, but his wife, to whom he made himself a suppliant, instructed him to take their child in his arms and sit down by the hearth. Soon afterwards Admetus came in, and Themistocles told him who he was, and begged him not to revenge on Themistocles in exile any opposition which his requests might have experienced from Themistocles at Athens. Indeed, he was now far too low for his revenge; retaliation was only honourable between equals. Besides, his opposition to the king had only affected the success of a request, not the safety of his person; if the king were to give him up to the pursuers that he mentioned, and the fate which they intended for him, he would just be consigning him to certain death.
The King listened to him and raised him up with his son, as he was sitting with him in his arms after the most effectual method of supplication, and on the arrival of the Lacedaemonians not long afterwards, refused to give him up for anything they could say, but sent him off by land to the other sea to Pydna in Alexander’s dominions, as he wished to go to the Persian king. There he met with a merchantman on the point of starting for Ionia. Going on board, he was carried by a storm to the Athenian squadron which was blockading Naxos. In his alarm—he was luckily unknown to the people in the vessel—he told the master who he was and what he was flying for, and said that, if he refused to save him, he would declare that he was taking him for a bribe. Meanwhile their safety consisted in letting no one leave the ship until a favourable time for sailing should arise. If he complied with his wishes, he promised him a proper recompense. The master acted as he desired, and, after lying to for a day and a night out of reach of the squadron, at length arrived at Ephesus.
Modern Translation
To return to Pausanias's collaboration with the Persians: during the investigation, evidence emerged that also implicated Themistocles. The Spartans therefore sent ambassadors to Athens demanding that the Athenians punish Themistocles just as they had dealt with Pausanias. The Athenians agreed to this request. However, Themistocles had already been ostracized and was living in Argos, from where he regularly traveled to other parts of the Peloponnese. So the Athenians dispatched agents along with the Spartans, who were eager to join the hunt, with orders to arrest him wherever they might find him. But Themistocles caught wind of their plans and fled the Peloponnese for Corcyra, whose people owed him a debt of gratitude. The Corcyraeans, however, claimed they could not risk sheltering him and thereby antagonizing both Athens and Sparta, so they transported him to the mainland opposite their island. With his pursuers tracking his every move through informants, and uncertain where to turn next, he was forced to seek refuge at the home of Admetus, king of the Molossians, despite their previous unfriendly relations. Admetus was not at home, but his wife, to whom Themistocles presented himself as a suppliant, advised him to take their child in his arms and sit by the hearth. When Admetus returned shortly after, Themistocles revealed his identity and pleaded with the king not to take revenge for any opposition Themistocles might have shown to his requests when he held power in Athens. He argued that he was now too powerless to merit such revenge, and that true retaliation was only honorable between equals. Moreover, his earlier opposition had merely concerned the success of diplomatic requests, not threats to the king's safety. If Admetus were to surrender him to his pursuers and the fate they planned, he would essentially be sentencing him to death.
The king heard him out and, moved by this most powerful form of supplication—seeing Themistocles seated with his child—raised him up. When the Spartans arrived soon after, Admetus refused to hand him over despite all their arguments. Instead, he sent Themistocles overland to the opposite coast, to Pydna in Alexander's kingdom, since Themistocles wished to reach the Persian king. There he found a merchant ship about to sail for Ionia. After boarding, a storm drove the vessel straight toward the Athenian fleet that was blockading Naxos. Terrified—though fortunately unknown to the crew—Themistocles revealed his identity to the ship's captain and explained why he was fleeing. He warned that if the captain refused to help him, he would claim the captain had accepted bribes to transport him. Their mutual safety, he argued, depended on preventing anyone from leaving the ship until conditions were favorable for sailing. If the captain cooperated, he promised appropriate compensation. The captain did as requested, and after riding at anchor for a day and night beyond the fleet's reach, they finally reached Ephesus.
Historical Context
This passage describes Themistocles' dramatic flight from Greece after being implicated in the same pro-Persian conspiracy as the Spartan regent Pausanias. Following his ostracism from Athens around 471 BCE, Themistocles had been living in Argos when both Athens and Sparta moved to arrest him on charges of Medism (collaborating with Persia). The narrative showcases the precarious position of even the most celebrated Greek leaders—Themistocles had been the architect of Athens' naval victory at Salamis—and illustrates the complex web of interstate relations, personal obligations, and ritualized customs like supplication that characterized the Greek world. His eventual flight to Persia represents one of history's great ironies: the hero of Greek resistance against Persia seeking refuge with the very power he had helped defeat.
Annotations & References
Supplication Ritual
The scene with Admetus illustrates the sacred Greek custom of hikesia (supplication). By holding the king's child and sitting at the hearth—the sacred center of the household—Themistocles invoked powerful religious protections that made it sacrilegious for Admetus to harm him.
Learn more →Ostracism
Themistocles had been ostracized—a uniquely Athenian democratic procedure where citizens could vote to exile prominent individuals for ten years to prevent tyranny. Ironically, this democratic safeguard forced Athens' greatest naval strategist to flee to Persia.
Learn more →Medism
The charge of 'Medism' (collaborating with the Medes/Persians) was extremely serious in post-Persian War Greece. Even unproven accusations could destroy careers, as seen with both Pausanias and Themistocles, reflecting Greek anxieties about Persian influence.
Learn more →Corcyra
Corcyra (modern Corfu) was a strategic island state that Themistocles had apparently aided previously. Their refusal to shelter him demonstrates how smaller states navigated between major powers, prioritizing survival over personal obligations.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Themistocles (23-31)
Plutarch provides a more detailed and dramatic account of Themistocles' flight, including additional anecdotes about his time with Admetus and his eventual reception at the Persian court.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (11.54-59)
Diodorus offers a condensed version of these events, providing different details about the charges against Themistocles and the political climate that led to his exile.
Read passage →Cornelius Nepos: Life of Themistocles (7-9)
Nepos gives a Roman perspective on Themistocles' exile and flight, emphasizing the tragic irony of the Greek hero finding refuge with former enemies.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does the ritual of supplication function as both religious practice and political tool in this passage? What does this tell us about the intersection of religion and politics in ancient Greece?
- Consider the irony of Themistocles, victor over the Persians at Salamis, fleeing to Persia. What does this reversal suggest about the nature of political power and loyalty in the Greek world?
- Analyze the various moral claims Themistocles makes to Admetus. How does he construct an argument for mercy, and what does this reveal about Greek concepts of justice and reciprocity?
- What role do personal relationships and obligations play in this narrative compared to state interests? How do different characters balance these competing claims?