§4.1Darius autem, cum ex Europa in Asiam redisset, hortantibus amicis, ut Graeciam redigeret in suam potestatem, classem quingentarum navium comparavit eique Datim praefecit et Artaphernem iisque ducenta peditum, decem equitum milia dedit, causam interserens se hostem esse Atheniensibus, quod eorum auxilio Iones Sardis expugnassent suaque praesidia interfecissent.
Meanwhile Darius, when he had returned from Europe into Asia, at the instigation of his friends to bring Greece under his power, prepared a fleet of five hundred ships, and placed Datis and Artaphernes in command of it, giving them two hundred thousand infantry and ten thousand cavalry, alleging as a pretext that he was an enemy to the Athenians because, with their help, the Ionians had captured Sardis and slain his garrisons.
§4.2illi praefecti regii classe ad Euboeam appulsa celeriter Eretriam ceperunt omnesque eius gentis cives abreptos in Asiam ad regem miserunt.
These royal commanders, having brought their fleet to Euboea, quickly captured Eretria, and sent all the citizens of that state, whom they carried off, into Asia to the king.
inde ad Atticam accesserunt ac suas copias in campum Marathona deduxerunt.
From there they approached Attica and led their forces into the plain of Marathon.
is abest ab oppido circiter milia passuum decem.
This is about ten miles distant from the city.
§4.3hoc tumultu Athenienses tam propinquo tamque magno permoti auxilium nusquam nisi a Lacedaemoniis petiverunt Phidippumque cursorem eius generis, qui hemerodromoe vocantur, Lacedaemonem miserunt, ut nuntiaret quam celerrimo opus esse auxilio.
The Athenians, thoroughly alarmed by this so near and so great danger, sought assistance nowhere but from the Lacedaemonians, and dispatched Phidippus, a courier of that class who are called 'hemerodromoi', to Lacedaemon, to report that there was need of the speediest possible help.
§4.4domi autem creant decem praetores, qui exercitui praeessent, in eis Miltiadem.
At home, moreover, they appointed ten generals to command the army, Miltiades being among them.
inter quos magna fuit contentio, utrum moenibus se defenderent an obviam irent hostibus acieque decernerent.
Among these there was a great dispute, whether they should defend themselves by their walls, or march out to meet the enemy and decide the contest in a pitched battle.
§4.5unus Miltiades maxime nitebatur, ut primo quoque tempore castra fierent: id si factum esset, et civibus animum accessurum, cum viderent de eorum virtute non desperari, et hostes eadem re fore tardiores, si animadverterent auderi adversus se tam exiguis copiis dimicari.
Miltiades alone most strongly urged that a camp should be formed at the very first opportunity; because, if that were done, both the citizens would gain courage when they saw that their valor was not despaired of, and the enemy would be rendered more hesitant by that very circumstance, if they perceived that the Athenians dared to fight against them with so small forces.