Today's Passage
This passage describes Themistocles' final years in exile at the Persian court after his ostracism from Athens around 471 BCE.
Crawley Translation (1910)
It is said that the King approved his intention, and told him to do as he said. He employed the interval in making what progress he could in the study of the Persian tongue, and of the customs of the country. Arrived at court at the end of the year, he attained to very high consideration there, such as no Hellene has ever possessed before or since; partly from his splendid antecedents, partly from the hopes which he held out of effecting for him the subjugation of Hellas, but principally by the proof which experience daily gave of his capacity. For Themistocles was a man who exhibited the most indubitable signs of genius; indeed, in this particular he has a claim on our admiration quite extraordinary and unparalleled. By his own native capacity, alike unformed and unsupplemented by study, he was at once the best judge in those sudden crises which admit of little or of no deliberation, and the best prophet of the future, even to its most distant possibilities. An able theoretical expositor of all that came within the sphere of his practice, he was not without the power of passing an adequate judgment in matters in which he had no experience. He could also excellently divine the good and evil which lay hid in the unseen future. In fine, whether we consider the extent of his natural powers, or the slightness of his application, this extraordinary man must be allowed to have surpassed all others in the faculty of intuitively meeting an emergency. Disease was the real cause of his death; though there is a story of his having ended his life by poison, on finding himself unable to fulfil his promises to the king. However this may be, there is a monument to him in the marketplace of Asiatic Magnesia. He was governor of the district, the King having given him Magnesia, which brought in fifty talents a year, for bread, Lampsacus, which was considered to be the richest wine country, for wine, and Myos for other provisions. His bones, it is said, were conveyed home by his relatives in accordance with his wishes, and interred in Attic ground. This was done without the knowledge of the Athenians; as it is against the law to bury in Attica an outlaw for treason. So ends the history of Pausanias and Themistocles, the Lacedaemonian and the Athenian, the most famous men of their time in Hellas.
Modern Translation
It is reported that the King approved of Themistocles' proposal and instructed him to proceed accordingly. During the intervening period, Themistocles devoted himself to learning the Persian language and familiarizing himself with the country's customs. When he arrived at the royal court after a year's journey, he achieved a position of extraordinary influence—greater than any Greek had enjoyed before or has since. This remarkable status stemmed partly from his distinguished reputation, partly from his promises to help the King subjugate Greece, but primarily from the daily evidence of his exceptional abilities. For Themistocles possessed the most unmistakable marks of genius; indeed, in this respect he commands our admiration to an extraordinary and unparalleled degree. Through his natural intelligence alone, without formal education or supplementary training, he excelled both as a decision-maker in sudden crises that allowed little time for deliberation and as a prophet of future events, even their most remote consequences. While brilliantly capable of explaining theoretical aspects of his practical experience, he could also form sound judgments about matters entirely outside his expertise. He possessed an uncanny ability to discern the advantages and disadvantages hidden in an uncertain future. In summary, considering either the scope of his natural abilities or the minimal formal training he received, this remarkable man must be acknowledged as surpassing all others in his intuitive capacity to handle emergencies. He died from illness, though some claim he poisoned himself when he realized he could not fulfill his promises to the King. Regardless, a monument stands to him in the marketplace of Magnesia in Asia Minor. He governed this district, as the King had granted him Magnesia (yielding fifty talents annually) for his bread, Lampsacus (renowned for its excellent wine) for his wine, and Myos for other provisions. His remains, according to reports, were secretly transported home by his relatives as he had requested and buried in Attic soil. This was done covertly, since Athenian law forbade the burial of anyone outlawed for treason within Attica. Thus concludes the account of Pausanias and Themistocles, the Spartan and the Athenian, the most celebrated Greeks of their era.
Historical Context
This passage describes Themistocles' final years in exile at the Persian court after his ostracism from Athens around 471 BCE. Having fled Greece under suspicion of medizing (collaborating with Persia), Themistocles sought refuge with King Artaxerxes I. The passage serves as Thucydides' eulogy for one of Athens' greatest statesmen, who had orchestrated the Greek naval victory at Salamis in 480 BCE. Thucydides uses this moment to reflect on Themistocles' exceptional political genius and intuitive leadership abilities. The historian contrasts Themistocles' fate—dying in Persian exile despite his crucial role in defeating Persia—with his enduring reputation. This section concludes Thucydides' digression about both Pausanias and Themistocles, illustrating how even the greatest Greek leaders could fall victim to political intrigue and end up serving their former enemies.
Key Themes
Annotations & References
Ostracism in Athens
Ostracism was an Athenian democratic procedure where citizens could vote to exile prominent individuals for ten years. Themistocles was ostracized around 471 BCE, reflecting the volatile nature of Athenian politics where yesterday's heroes could become today's threats to democratic stability.
Learn more →Persian Satrapy System
The Persian Empire was divided into satrapies (provinces) governed by satraps. Themistocles' governorship of Magnesia, Lampsacus, and Myos represents the Persian practice of granting Greek exiles control over Asian Greek cities, both as reward and to utilize their expertise.
Learn more →Themistocles' Naval Strategy
Themistocles championed Athens' transformation into a naval power, convincing Athenians to use silver from Laurion mines to build a fleet. His strategic vision proved decisive at Salamis (480 BCE), where the Greek fleet defeated the Persians.
Learn more →Ancient Greek Burial Laws
Greek cities had strict laws about burial rights. Denying burial within city territory was a severe punishment for traitors. The secret repatriation of Themistocles' remains shows how families might circumvent such laws to honor their dead.
Learn more →Parallel Ancient Sources
Plutarch: Life of Themistocles (31-32)
Plutarch provides a more detailed account of Themistocles' death, including various theories about his suicide and the dramatic story of his descendants secretly returning his bones to Athens.
Read passage →Herodotus: Histories (8.109-110)
Herodotus describes Themistocles' earlier interactions with Persians after Salamis, showing his pragmatic willingness to maintain communications with former enemies, foreshadowing his later exile.
Read passage →Diodorus Siculus: Library of History (11.58)
Diodorus offers an alternative version of Themistocles' reception at the Persian court, emphasizing his dramatic arrival and the king's initial suspicion before accepting him.
Read passage →Discussion Questions
- How does Thucydides' portrait of Themistocles as an intuitive genius relate to his views on the role of individual leadership versus systemic forces in history?
- What does Themistocles' fate suggest about the relationship between democratic politics and exceptional individuals in classical Athens?
- How should we interpret the irony of Greece's savior from Persian invasion dying as a Persian governor? What does this say about political loyalty and survival?
- Why might Thucydides emphasize Themistocles' lack of formal education while praising his natural abilities? What does this suggest about different types of political knowledge?