"It now rests with you, Callimachus, either to enslave Athens,
or, by assuring her freedom, to win yourself an immortality of
fame, such as not even Harmodius and Aristogeiton have acquired.
For never, since the Athenians were a people, were they in such
danger as they are in at this moment. If they bow the knee to
these Medes, they are to be given up to Hippias, and you know
what they then will have to suffer. But if Athens comes
victorious out of this contest, she has it in her to become the
first city of Greece. Your vote is to decide whether we are to
join battle or not. If we do not bring on a battle presently,
some factious intrigue will disunite the Athenians, and the city
will be betrayed to the Medes. But if we fight, before there is
anything rotten in the state of Athens, I believe that, provided
the Gods will give fair play and no favour, we are able to get
the best of it in the engagement." [Herodotus, lib. vi. sec.
209. The 116th section is to my mind clear proof that Herodotus
had personally conversed with Epizelus, one of the veterans of
Marathon. The substance of the speech of Miltiades would
naturally become known by the report of some of his colleagues.]

The vote of the brave War-Ruler was gained; the council
determined to give battle; and such was the ascendancy and
military eminence of Miltiades, that his brother-generals, one
and all, gave up their days of command to him, and cheerfully
acted under his orders. Fearful, however, of creating any
jealousy, and of so failing to obtain the co-operation of all
parts of his small army, Miltiades waited till the day when the
chief command would have come round to him in regular rotation,
before he led the troops against the enemy.