‘…troops from all over the states hurried to the Isthmus, where they took up their position…they began to build a wall over the Isthmus.’
The hurried construction of this wall shows the fear and the insecurity they possess in their own ability to win the battle of Salamis.
Herodotus also builds up the tension by describing the details of the preparations made by the Athenians for the battle of Salamis, such as the evacuation of the city of Athens. This heightens the tension, since the reader realises that the situation is so serious that the Athenians are prepared to leave their city since they do not feel that they can defend it, and that they have a greater chance of succeeding if they leave their home city. It seems to be a final desperate attempt to save themselves from total destruction.
Herodotus also tries to build up the mounting tension towards the battle of Salamis through the detailing of omens and religious events, which occurred around the time of the battle along with the historic events. An example of this technique being applied by Herodotus can be seen in chapter 55 where details are given of the Acropolis being stripped of its possessions, and burnt. Along with the Acropolis, a tree supposedly sacred to Athene was burnt as well, but despite the tree being thoroughly damaged, a shoot had sprung from the charred remains of the tree.
‘…on the very next day, when the Athenians, who were ordered by the King to sacrifice, went up to that sacred place, they saw that a new shoot eighteen inches long had grown from the stump.’
This supernatural event to a degree signifies to the reader the fact that the gods are on the side of the Greeks, and that the Persians cannot destroy them as the tree of Athene had been. Another example of a religious event, which appears to show that the gods are on the side of the Greeks, can be seen in chapter 37. At Delphi there were weapons sacred to the gods, which could not be touched by human hands, yet they mysteriously appeared from within their temple and were seen outside the temple. This event was interpreted by Herodotus once again as a sign of the gods support for the Greeks.
‘…they were the sacred weapons which no human hands may touch, and they had been brought out from the place within.’
Another event occurred at Delphi, which Herodotus interpreted in a similar way to other supernatural religious occurrences. According to Herodotus at Delphi, thunderbolts fell from the sky, and a battle cry was heard from within the shrine along with pinnacles of rock collapsing all at the same time. These omens and portents described are a very effective method employed by Herodotus as they act as a digression from the battle and give the impression of a god willed Greek victory over the numerically overwhelming Persian armies. Another supernatural event leading up to the battle of Salamis was an earthquake.
‘…the shock of an earthquake was felt both on land and at sea…’
Herodotus builds up to the battle of Salamis in a very similar manner to the way that he built up to the battle of Thermopylae, through comparing the Greek and Persian forces in both, showing the sheer overwhelming figures acting as a means of building up the overwhelming odds stacked against the Greeks. Herodotus also details where the battles are taking place, and for what reasons for example, Thermopylae was chosen due to the ease of defending the narrow passage despite the vast numbers of the Persian army, and this gave the Greeks the best chance of success. Herodotus also depicts the main characters on both sides in both Thermopylae and Salamis. At Thermopylae Leonidas, the leader of the Spartan contingent is characterised alongside the Persian leader Xerxes. At Sparta, a similar comparison is made between Themistocles, the leader of the Athenians, with the Persian leader Xerxes once again. Also the Greeks are shown as being very religious and zealous, when compared to the less religiously concerned Persians.
‘…the people of Delphi applied to the oracle for advice…’
It is evident from Herodotus’ style of writing that although many of the events which he refers to are possibly shrouded in myth whilst some seem more factual, that throughout the account he attempts to engage and captivate the reader by using writing methods in order to build up tension and anxiety when important events loom. His effective use of these techniques means that he is successful in creating the build up and tension to properly captivate his readers and enhance the significance of certain events such as the battle of Salamis.