Eurybiades clenched his jaw, a slow flush spreading.

‘I have not been spoken to in such a way …’ he started.

Xanthippus was the one who broke in then, trying to deflect both men’s rising anger before it overwhelmed them.

‘The island of Salamis is closest to Athens – by the port of Piraeus,’ Xanthippus said, speaking in a rattle of words. ‘With every ship and boat running back and forth, we could get all the people out. If we give ourselves a night’s start, we think we can do it – before the Persians reach that part of the coast.’

‘Our crews will be exhausted by then,’ one of the other commanders pointed out.

‘So will the Persian fleet, having chased us,’ Xanthippus replied. ‘We’ll face them again at sea – and we have their measure now.’

‘Athens will be destroyed,’ Cimon said in a low voice, almost to himself. The young man’s face showed grief, but Themistocles chose to hear him.

‘A city is not houses, or even temples. All that matters are the women and children we left. If we can get them out, we can rebuild – anywhere.’

‘Why the island of Salamis?’ one of the other captains asked. ‘The people you land won’t have ships of their own. They’ll be trapped there, won’t they?’

Themistocles was watching Eurybiades as he answered, waiting for the man to agree the plan. If he did not, Themistocles was seriously considering throwing him overboard in his armour.

‘It is close to the port of Piraeus,’ Themistocles said. ‘And large enough to take them all. In the time we have, there is nowhere else.’ He took a deep breath, his eyes fierce. ‘I don’t need to tell you that my crews will not just sit by and watch Athens burn. We are the heart of this fleet – and you cannot stand against Persia without us at sea. All that matters now is that we keep our people safe. We’ll do it with you – and call you friends – or we’ll do it alone, and then face the enemy fleet again. What other choice is there?’

He was looking at Eurybiades and it was the Spartan who replied.

‘Are you saying the decision is mine?’ he asked.

The answer was in the faces of the men looking back at him. Eurybiades nodded wearily, sick of the world outside Sparta. At home, he had always known where he stood. Here, the damned Athenians would argue every point to death and think they had accomplished something.

‘I held the fleet here while King Leonidas fought,’ Themistocles said. ‘We gave him hope, as he gave us hope. Now he is gone, I must think of all those others who look to us for their lives. Take my hand, Eurybiades. There is only one right choice here.’

The Spartan breathed out slowly, making his decision. If he withdrew the remaining Spartan ships, he would lose the aid of all the rest. He didn’t care if the Persians took Athens, not particularly. The city had been a competitor and thorn in the side of Sparta for hundreds of years. He needed their fleet, however.