‘Agariste,’ he said more firmly, ‘if the fleet fails, if the army cannot stop the Persians on the land, Athens is gone. They are coming to make an example of us, do you understand? There will be nothing left. If you see Persian soldiers marching from the north, or their ships in the port, you must gather the boys and Eleni and just go. Promise me you will. I cannot leave otherwise.’

‘That is a lie,’ she said, smiling through tears. She raised herself on her toes and kissed him. He smiled, flushing. Agariste gestured at the crowds around them. ‘You will go out with the ships,’ she said, ‘because the people ask you to. Because you love them.’

He might have argued, but she kissed him again, stopping up whatever he was trying to say.

At the base of the hill, the fleet crews were embracing their own families and setting off to the port in a great stream. They walked with heads high and Xanthippus saw Epikleos shifting from foot to foot, impatient to join them. Xanthippus wiped a tear from his wife’s cheek and kissed her once more. She held him with her head buried in his shoulder, as the children came around, seeking the reassurance of closeness.

Xanthippus found himself chuckling, though tears stung him. One by one, he embraced his sons and daughter.

‘How proud you make me!’ he told them. His daughter blinked her own tears away and hugged him so hard it stole his breath. ‘How beautiful you are, how perfect! You must be good for your mother now. Keep her safe, so that I don’t have to worry about you.’

‘You will worry anyway,’ Agariste said. ‘But I will keep them safe.’

‘Thank you,’ he said, breathing deeply. ‘I’ll come back, Aggie, if I can.’

Epikleos put an arm around his shoulders and guided him away down the road to the port.

‘There is a fleet waiting for you, old friend,’ Epikleos said. He still seemed moved. ‘They are a fine family. You must truly be very proud of them.’

Xanthippus looked at the younger man, seeing the pain in him.

‘They are your family as well. You know that, of course?’

Epikleos could not reply as they broke into a jog with thousands of others, heading towards the fleet. After a time, he patted Xanthippus on the back, a gesture that said all that was needed.

When they reached the port, every fishing boat and merchant had been pressed into service to take crews out to the triremes. Xanthippus caught sight of Themistocles on another one, heading to his flagship. For once, Themistocles looked stern with all that lay ahead. He seemed to sense Xanthippus watching and grinned when he recognised him. Both men acknowledged one another before they were out of sight.

‘There is a part of me that relishes this,’ Epikleos said.

Xanthippus shook his head.

‘Please. Please don’t anger the gods today.’

Epikleos chuckled, acquiescing. The trireme that would carry them to battle lay ahead, long and grey in the morning light.