§11.42.1ταῦτʼ οὖν διαλογισάμενος ἔκρινε φανερῶς μὲν τὴν ἐπιβολὴν μὴ λέγειν, ἀκριβῶς γινώσκων τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους κωλύσοντας, ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ δὲ διελέχθη τοῖς πολίταις ὅτι μεγάλων πραγμάτων καὶ συμφερόντων τῇ πόλει βούλεται γενέσθαι σύμβουλός τε καὶ εἰσηγητής, ταῦτα δὲ φανερῶς μὲν λέγειν μὴ συμφέρειν, διʼ ὀλίγων δὲ ἀνδρῶν ἐπιτελεῖν προσήκειν· διόπερ ἠξίου τὸν δῆμον δύο ἄνδρας προχειρισάμενον οἷς ἂν μάλιστα πιστεύσῃ, τούτοις ἐπιτρέπειν περὶ τοῦ πράγματος.
Having, therefore, reasoned thus, he decided not to speak of his design openly, knowing accurately that the Lacedaemonians would prevent it, but in the assembly he addressed the citizens, saying that he wished to become an adviser and proposer of great matters and things advantageous to the city, but that it was not advantageous to speak of these things openly, but it was proper to carry them out through a few men; therefore he requested the people to select two men in whom they had the greatest trust, and to entrust the matter to them.
§11.42.2πεισθέντος δὲ τοῦ πλήθους, ὁ δῆμος εἵλετο δύο ἄνδρας, Ἀριστείδην καὶ Ξάνθιππον, οὐ μόνον κατʼ ἀρετὴν προκρίνας αὐτούς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὸν Θεμιστοκλέα τούτους ὁρῶν ἁμιλλωμένους περὶ δόξης καὶ πρωτείων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀλλοτρίως ἔχοντας πρὸς αὐτόν.
When the multitude was persuaded, the people chose two men, Aristeides and Xanthippus, preferring them not only on account of their virtue but also because they saw that these men competed with Themistocles for glory and primacy, and for this reason were hostilely disposed toward him.
§11.42.3οὗτοι δὲ κατʼ ἰδίαν ἀκούσαντες τοῦ Θεμιστοκλέους τὴν ἐπιβολήν, ἐδήλωσαν τῷ δήμῳ διότι καὶ μεγάλα καὶ συμφέροντα τῇ πόλει καὶ δυνατὰ καθέστηκε τὰ λεγόμενα ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεμιστοκλέους.
And these, having heard Themistocles' design in private, declared to the people that what was said by Themistocles was indeed great, advantageous to the city, and possible.
§11.42.4τοῦδὲ δήμου θαυμάσαντος ἅμα τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ ὑποπτεύσαντος μήποτε τυραννίδα τινὰ κατασκευασόμενος ἑαυτῷ τηλικαύταις καὶ τοιαύταις ἐπιβολαῖς ἐγχειρῇ, φανερῶς αὐτὸν ἐκέλευον ἀποφαίνεσθαι τὰ δεδογμένα.
While the people at once admired the man and suspected lest, with the aim of establishing some tyranny for himself, he was embarking on such great and such kinds of designs, they ordered him to declare openly what had been decided.
ὁ δὲ πάλιν ἔφησε μὴ συμφέρειν τῷ δήμῳ φανερῶς δηλοῦσθαι περὶ τῶν ἐπινοηθέντων.
But he said again that it was not advantageous for the people that disclosure should be made openly concerning what had been conceived.
§11.42.5πολλῷ δὲ μᾶλλον θαυμάσαντος τοῦ δήμου τὴν δεινότητα καὶ μεγαλοφροσύνην τἀνδρός, ἐκέλευον ἐν ἀπορρήτοις εἰπεῖν τῇ βουλῇ τὰ δεδογμένα· κἂν αὕτη κρίνῃ τὰ δυνατὰ λέγειν καὶ συμφέροντα, τότε ὡς ἂν συμβουλεύσῃ πρὸς τὸ τέλος ἄξειν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπιβολήν.
And when the people admired much more the cleverness and high-mindedness of the man, they ordered him to tell the council in secret what had been decided; and if this should judge that he spoke of things possible and advantageous, then they would bring his design to completion in accordance with whatever it might advise.
§11.42.6διόπερ τῆς βουλῆς πυθομένης τὰ κατὰ μέρος, καὶ κρινάσης λέγειν αὐτὸν τὰ συμφέροντα τῇ πόλει καὶ δυνατά, τὸ λοιπὸν ἤδη συγχωρήσαντος τοῦ δήμου μετὰ τῆς βουλῆς ἔλαβε τὴν ἐξουσίαν πράττειν ὅ,τι βούλεται.
Therefore, when the council had learned the details and had judged that he spoke of things advantageous to the city and possible, thenceforth, the people having now consented together with the council, he received the authority to do whatever he wished.
ἕκαστος δʼ ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐχωρίζετο θαυμάζων μὲν τὴν ἀρετὴν τἀνδρός, μετέωρος δʼ ὢν καὶ καραδοκῶν τὸ τέλος τῆς ἐπιβολῆς.
And each person departed from the assembly, on the one hand admiring the virtue of the man, and on the other hand being in suspense and eagerly waiting for the outcome of the design.