Histories, 8.44

Herodotus  translated by G. C. Macaulay

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44These were the Peloponnesians who joined the fleet, and those of the mainland outside the Peloponnese were as follows:—the Athenians, furnishing a number larger than all the rest,[29] namely one hundred and eighty ships, and serving alone, since the Plataians did not take part with the Athenians in the sea-fight at Salamis, because when the Hellenes were departing from Artemision and come near Chalkis, the Plataians disembarked on the opposite shore of Boeotia and proceeded to the removal of their households. So being engaged in saving these, they had been left behind. As for the Athenians, in the time when the Pelasgians occupied that which is now called Hellas, they were Pelasgians, being named Cranaoi, and in the time of king Kecrops they came to be called Kecropidai; then when Erechtheus had succeeded to his power, they had their name changed to Athenians; and after Ion the son of Xuthos became commander[30] of the Athenians, they got the name from him of Ionians.

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Notes

  • [29] {pros pantas tous allous}, "in comparison with all the rest," cp. iii. 94.

  • [30] {stratarkheo}: a vague expression, because being introduced after Kecrops he could not have the title of king.