. The eastern nations and Greece. lear-sighted enough toperceive that that battle was only the beginning of a tremendousstruggle between Hellas and Persia, and the signal for still anotherand more formidable invasion of Greece by the barbarians. Hencehe labored incessantly to persuade the Athenians to strengthen their 220] OSTRACISM OF ARISTIDES 197 navy, which they had begun to build after the fall of Miletus, as theonly reliable defense of Hellas against subjection to the Persian Aristides Opposes the Policy of Themistocles and is Ostracized(483 ). Themistocles was opposed in
. The eastern nations and Greece. lear-sighted enough toperceive that that battle was only the beginning of a tremendousstruggle between Hellas and Persia, and the signal for still anotherand more formidable invasion of Greece by the barbarians. Hencehe labored incessantly to persuade the Athenians to strengthen their 220] OSTRACISM OF ARISTIDES 197 navy, which they had begun to build after the fall of Miletus, as theonly reliable defense of Hellas against subjection to the Persian Aristides Opposes the Policy of Themistocles and is Ostracized(483 ). Themistocles was opposed in this policy by Aristides, calledthe Just, a man of the most scrupulous integrity, who feared thatAthens would make a serious mistake if she converted her land forceinto a naval armament. This seemed to him a wide departure fromthe traditions of the fathers. The contention grew so sharp betweenthe two that ostracism was called into use to decide the matter. Sixthousand votes were cast against Aristides, and he was sent into Fig. ioi. Ostrakon with Nam»of Themistocles. (British Museum) This recently discovered ostrakon (potsherd) is probably one that was cast againstThemistocles at the time Aristides was ostracized It is related that while the vote that ostracized him was being takenin the assembly, an illiterate peasant, who was a stranger to Aristides,asked him to write the name of Aristides upon his tablet. As heplaced the name upon the shell, the statesman asked the man whatwrong Aristides had ever done him. None, replied the voter; I donot even know him; but I am tired of hearing him called the Just. After the banishment of Aristides, Themistocles was free to carryout his naval policy, and soon Athens had the largest fleet of anyGreek city, with a splendid harbor at Piraeus.^ These ships, as weshall learn soon, were the salvation of Athens and of Greece. 1 Circumstances happily concurred in the advancement of Themistocles plans. Justat this time there was a large su
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