§8.100.1καὶ περὶ Πέρσας μὲν ἦν ταῦτα τὸν πάντα μεταξὺ χρόνον γενόμενον, μέχρι οὗ Ξέρξης αὐτός σφεας ἀπικόμενος ἔπαυσε.
Now these things were going on among the Persians in Susa during all the intervening time, until Xerxes himself arrived and put an end to them.
Μαρδόνιος δὲ ὁρῶν μὲν Ξέρξην συμφορὴν μεγάλην ἐκ τῆς ναυμαχίης ποιεύμενον, ὑποπτεύων δὲ αὐτὸν δρησμὸν βουλεύειν ἐκ τῶν Ἀθηνέων, φροντίσας πρὸς ἑωυτὸν ὡς δώσει δίκην ἀναγνώσας βασιλέα στρατεύεσθαι ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα, καί οἱ κρέσσον εἴη ἀνακινδυνεῦσαι ἢ κατεργάσασθαι τὴν Ἑλλάδα ἢ αὐτὸν καλῶς τελευτῆσαι τὸν βίον ὑπὲρ μεγάλων αἰωρηθέντα· πλέον μέντοι ἔφερέ οἱ ἡ γνώμη κατεργάσασθαι τὴν Ἑλλάδα·
Meanwhile, Mardonius, seeing that Xerxes took the naval battle as a great calamity, and suspecting that he was planning a flight from Athens, reflected within himself that he would have to pay the penalty for having persuaded the king to campaign against Greece, and that it would be better for him to run the risk either of subduing Greece or of ending his life honorably while striving for great goals; however, his opinion inclined rather toward subduing Greece.
λογισάμενος ὦν ταῦτα προσέφερε τὸν λόγον τόνδε.
Therefore, having calculated these things, he addressed the following words to the king.
§8.100.2δέσποτα, μήτε λυπέο μήτε συμφορὴν μηδεμίαν μεγάλην ποιεῦ τοῦδε τοῦ γεγονότος εἵνεκα πρήγματος.
"Master, neither grieve nor make any great calamity out of this thing that has happened.
οὐ γὰρ ξύλων ἀγὼν ὁ τὸ πᾶν φέρων ἐστὶ ἡμῖν, ἀλλʼ ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ ἵππων.
For our struggle is not one of timber that decides the whole, but of men and horses.
σοὶ δὲ οὔτε τις τούτων τῶν τὸ πᾶν σφίσι ἤδη δοκεόντων κατεργάσθαι ἀποβὰς ἀπὸ τῶν νεῶν πειρήσεται ἀντιωθῆναι οὔτʼ ἐκ τῆς ἠπείρου τῆσδε· οἵ τε ἡμῖν ἠντιώθησαν, ἔδοσαν δίκας.
Nor will any of those who now think they have achieved everything attempt to disembark from their ships and oppose you, nor anyone from this continent; those who did oppose us have paid the penalty.
§8.100.3εἰ μέν νυν δοκέει, αὐτίκα πειρώμεθα τῆς Πελοποννήσου· εἰ δὲ καὶ δοκέει ἐπισχεῖν, παρέχει ποιέειν ταῦτα.
If, then, it seems good to you, let us at once make an attempt on the Peloponnese; but if it seems good to wait, you have the leisure to do so.
μηδὲ δυσθύμεε· οὐ γὰρ ἔστι Ἕλλησι οὐδεμία ἔκδυσις μὴ οὐ δόντας λόγον τῶν ἐποίησαν νῦν τε καὶ πρότερον εἶναι σοὺς δούλους.
Do not lose heart, for there is no escape for the Greeks from giving an account of what they have done now and in the past, and from becoming your slaves.
μάλιστα μέν νυν ταῦτα ποίεε· εἰ δʼ ἄρα τοι βεβούλευται αὐτὸν ἀπελαύνοντα ἀπάγειν τὴν στρατιήν, ἄλλην ἔχω καὶ ἐκ τῶνδε βουλήν.
By all means do this; but if you have resolved to march back yourself and lead the army away, I have another plan to offer based on these circumstances.
§8.100.4σὺ Πέρσας, βασιλεῦ, μὴ ποιήσῃς καταγελάστους γενέσθαι Ἕλλησι· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν Πέρσῃσί τοί τι δεδήληται τῶν πρηγμάτων, οὐδʼ ἐρέεις ὅκου ἐγενόμεθα ἄνδρες κακοί.
Do not, O King, make the Persians a laughing-stock to the Greeks; for no part of our affairs has been ruined by the Persians, nor can you point to any place where we have played the coward.
εἰ δὲ Φοίνικές τε καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι καὶ Κύπριοί τε καὶ Κίλικες κακοὶ ἐγένοντο, οὐδὲν πρὸς Πέρσας τοῦτο προσήκει τὸ πάθος.
If the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Cyprians, and Cilicians have proved to be cowards, this misfortune in no way touches the Persians.
§8.100.5ἤδη ὦν, ἐπειδὴ οὐ Πέρσαι τοι αἴτιοι ἐισί, ἐμοὶ πείθεο· εἴ τοι δέδοκται μὴ παραμένειν, σὺ μὲν ἐς ἤθεα τὰ σεωυτοῦ ἀπέλαυνε τῆς στρατιῆς ἀπάγων τὸ πολλόν, ἐμὲ δὲ σοὶ χρὴ τὴν Ἑλλάδα παρασχεῖν δεδουλωμένην, τριήκοντα μυριάδας τοῦ στρατοῦ ἀπολεξάμενον.
Now therefore, since the Persians are not to blame, listen to me: if you have decided not to remain, do you march away to your own home, leading back the bulk of the army, and let it be my duty to deliver Greece to you in servitude, after I have selected three hundred thousand from the host."