‘Can he block it?’ Themistocles said sharply. ‘The only pass there is the path along the coast. I know it well. It is a little wider than I would have liked, but if the Spartan army has chosen to hold there, perhaps it will serve. Have they sent word to Aristides and the hoplites marching out of Athens?’

To their surprise, the Spartan did not reply immediately. Eurybiades looked irritated and chewed one side of his lip in a manner less certain than Xanthippus had seen in him before.

‘According to the messenger, King Leonidas does not have the full army with him. He has only his personal guard and some thousands of … others, allies and helots.’

There was a beat of silence before Themistocles asked the question.

‘Why?’

‘The army cannot march during the feast of Apollo.’

‘We celebrated that feast a week ago, in Athens,’ Themistocles said, his voice higher than usual. ‘But your king has taken just a few thousand against the entire Persian army?’

‘He gave his word,’ Eurybiades said. ‘If Leonidas had to stand there alone, he would. I wish I could be there with him, if my duty didn’t hold me here! My king!’

He rubbed a hand roughly over his face, so hard he left pale marks.

‘The army will come out when the festival ends in three days. It is the will of the gods.’

Eurybiades glared round as if expecting them to argue. No one said a word and he subsided.

‘We did well today. I think we sank or boarded as many as eighty ships. We have lost around forty of our own, with all their crews. I kept my triremes in the heart of the fighting and I saw four of them rammed and sunk as a result. Men I called friends and brothers. A quarter of Sparta’s fleet.’

‘And we will do as well again tomorrow,’ Cimon said suddenly.

The young man seemed to be frowning at the Spartan. Xanthippus looked from one to the other, unsure what was going on.

‘No,’ Eurybiades said firmly. ‘The numbers – the losses are too great. If we hold them here, if we do just as well as we did today, we will be worn down to nothing – and they will still have hundreds of ships. Have you ever seen so many?’

‘I never thought I would see the day when a Spartan counselled turning his back on an enemy,’ Cimon said softly.

Themistocles was close enough at the table to lay a hand on the younger man’s arm, stilling any further words from him. Eurybiades froze. His fist clenched on the table before him so that the muscles of his right arm swelled.

‘If you knew a little more of war,’ Eurybiades said, ‘you would know a leader may withdraw when the odds are against him – without stain on his honour. He may pull back in good order, to fight again where the odds favour him rather more. Where the land is better or his reinforcements have come. You are a young man and too wet behind the ears to know how to address me. I suggest you note well how Themistocles tapped you on the arm then. Rein yourself in, boy.’