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rming　themselves；　were　greatly　amazed；　for　they　had　fallen　in　with　an　enemy　when　they　expected　no　opposition。　Hydarnes；　alarmed　at　the　sight；　and　fearing　lest　the　Phocians　might　be　Lacedaemonians；　inquired　of　Ephialtes　to　what　nation　these　troops　belonged。　Ephialtes　told　him　the　exact　truth；　whereupon　he　arrayed　his　Persians　for　battle。　The　Phocians；　galled　by　the　showers　of　arrows　to　which　they　were　exposed；　and　imagining　themselves　the　special　object　of　the　Persian　attack；　fled　hastily　to　the　crest　of　the　mountain；　and　there　made　ready　to　meet　death；　but　while　their　mistake　continued；　the　Persians；　with　Ephialtes　and　Hydarnes；　not　thinking　it　worth　their　while　to　delay　on　account　of　Phocians；　passed　on　and　descended　the　mountain　with　all　possible　speed。　　　　　The　Greeks　at　Thermopylae　received　the　first　warning　of　the　destruction　which　the　dawn　would　bring　on　them　from　the　seer　Megistias；　who　read　their　fate　in　the　victims　as　he　was　sacrificing。　After　this　deserters　came　in；　and　brought　the　news　that　the　Persians　were　marching　round　by　the　hills：　it　was　still　night　when　these　men　arrived。　Last　of　all；　the　scouts　came　running　down　from　the　heights；　and　brought　in　the　same　accounts；　when　the　day　was　just　beginning　to　break。　Then　the　Greeks　held　a　council　to　consider　what　they　should　do；　and　here　opinions　were　divided：　some　were　strong　against　quitting　their　post；　while　others　contended　to　the　contrary。　So　when　the　council　had　broken　up；　part　of　the　troops　departed　and　went　their　ways　homeward　to　their　several　states；　part　however　resolved　to　remain；　and　to　stand　by　Leonidas　to　the　last。　　　　　It　is　said　that　Leonidas　himself　sent　away　the　troops　who　departed；　because　he　tendered　their　safety；　but　thought　it　unseemly　that　either　he　or　his　Spartans　should　quit　the　post　which　they　had　been　especially　sent　to　guard。　For　my　own　part；　I　incline　to　think　that　Leonidas　gave　the　order；　because　he　perceived　the　allies　to　be　out　of　heart　and　unwilling　to　encounter　the　danger　to　which　his　own　mind　was　made　up。　He　therefore　commanded　them　to　retreat；　but　said　that　he　himself　could　not　draw　back　with　honour；　knowing　that；　if　he　stayed；　glory　awaited　him；　and　that　Sparta　in　that　case　would　not　lose　her　prosperity。　For　when　the　Spartans；　at　the　very　beginning　of　the　war；　sent　to　consult　the　oracle　concerning　it；　the　answer　which　they　received　from　the　Pythoness　was　〃that　either　Sparta　must　be　overthrown　by　the　barbarians；　or　one　of　her　kings　must　perish。〃　The　prophecy　was　delivered　in　hexameter　verse；　and　ran　thus：…

　　　　O　ye　men　who　dwell　in　the　streets　of　broad　Lacedaemon！　　　　　Either　your　glorious　town　shall　be　sacked　by　the　children　of　　　　　　　Perseus；　　　　　Or；　in　exchange；　must　all　through　the　whole　Laconian　country　　　　　Mourn　for　the　loss　of　a　king；　descendant　of　great　Heracles。　　　　　He　cannot　be　withstood　by　the　courage　of　bulls　nor　of　lions；　　　　　Strive　as　they　may；　he　is　mighty　as　Jove；　there　is　nought　that　　　　　　　shall　stay　him；　　　　　Till　he　have　got　for　his　prey　your　king；　or　your　glorious　city。

The　remembrance　of　this　answer；　I　think；　and　the　wish　to　secure　the　whole　glory　for　the　Spartans；　caused　Leonidas　to　send　the　allies　away。　This　is　more　likely　than　that　they　quarrelled　with　him；　and　took　their　departure　in　such　unruly　fashion。　　　　　To　me　it　seems　no　small　argument　in　favour　of　this　view；　that　the　seer　also　who　accompanied　the　army；　Megistias；　the　Acarnanian…　said　to　have　been　of　the　blood　of　Melampus；　and　the　same　who　was　led　by　the　appearance　of　the　victims　to　warn　the　Greeks　of　the　danger　which　threatened　them…　received　orders　to　retire　（as　it　is　certain　he　did）　from　Leonidas；　that　he　might　escape　the　coming　destruction。　Megistias；　however；　though　bidden　to　depart；　refused；　and　stayed　with　the　army；　but　he　had　an　only　son　present　with　the　expedition；　whom　he　now　sent　away。　　　　　So　the　allies；　when　Leonidas　ordered　them　to　retire；　obeyed　him　and　forthwith　departed。　Only　the　Thespians　and　the　Thebans　remained　with　the　Spartans；　and　of　these　the　Thebans　were　kept　back　by　Leonidas　as　hostages；　very　much　against　their　will。　The　Thespians；　on　the　contrary；　stayed　entirely　of　their　own　accord；　refusing　to　retreat；　and　declaring　that　they　would　not　forsake　Leonidas　and　his　followers。　So　they　abode　with　the　Spartans；　and　died　with　them。　Their　leader　was　Demophilus；　the　son　of　Diadromes。　　　　　At　sunrise　Xerxes　made　libations；　after　which　he　waited　until　the　time　when　the　forum　is　wont　to　fill；　and　then　began　his　advance。　Ephialtes　had　instructed　him　thus；　as　the　descent　of　the　mountain　is　much　quicker；　and　the　distance　much　shorter；　than　the　way　round　the　hills；　and　the　ascent。　So　the　barbarians　under　Xerxes　began　to　draw　nigh；　and　the　Greeks　under　Leonidas；　as　they　now　went　forth　determined　to　die；　advanced　much　further　than　on　previous　days；　until　they　reached　the　more　open　portion　of　the　pass。　Hitherto　they　had　held　their　station　within　the　wall；　and　from　this　had　gone　forth　to　fight　at　the　point　where　the　pass　was　the　narrowest。　Now　they　joined　battle　beyond　the　defile；　and　carried　slaughter　among　the　barbarians；　who　fell　in　heaps。　Behind　them　the　captains　of　the　squadrons；　armed　with　whips；　urged　their　men　forward　with　continual　blows。　Many　were　thrust　into　the　sea；　and　there　perished；　a　still　greater　number　were　trampled　to　death　by　their　own　soldiers；　no　one　heeded　the　dying。　For　the　Greeks；　reckless　of　their　own　safety　and　desperate；　since　they　knew　that；　as　the　mountain　had　been　crossed；　their　destruction　was　nigh　at　hand；　exerted　themselves　with　the　most　furious　valour　against　the　barbarians。　　　　　By　this　time　the　spears　of　the　greater　number　were　all　shivered；　and　with　their　swords　they　hewed　down　the　ranks　of　the　Persians；　and　here；　as　they　strove；　Leonidas　fell　fighting　bravely；　together　with　many　other　famous　Spartans；　whose　names　I　have　taken　care　to　learn　on　account　of　their　great　worthiness；　as　indeed　I　have　those　of　all　the　three　hundred。　There　fell　too　at　the　same　time　very　many　famous　Persians：　among　them；　two　sons　of　Darius；　Abrocomes　and　Hyperanthes；　his　children　by　Phratagune；　the　daughter　of　Artanes。　Artanes　was　brother　of　King　Darius；　being　a　son　of　Hystaspes；　the　son　of　Arsames；　and　when　he　gave　his　daughter　to　the　king；　he　made　him　heir　likewise　of　all　his　substance；　for　she　was　his　only　child。　　　　　Thus　two　brothers　of　Xerxes　here　fought　and　fell。　And　now　there　arose　a　fierce　struggle　between　the　Persians　and　the　Lacedaemonians　over　the　body　of　Leonidas；　in　which　the　Greeks　four　times　drove　back　the　enemy；　and　at　last　by　their　great　bravery　succeeded　in　bearing　off　the　body。　This　combat　was　scarcely　ended　when　the　Persians　with　Ephialtes　approached；　and　the　Greeks；　informed　that　they　drew　nigh；　made　a　change　in　the　manner　of　their　fighting。　Drawing　back　into　the　narrowest　part　of　the　pass；　and　retreating　even　behind　the　cross　wall；　they　posted　themselves　upon　a　hillock；　where　they　stood　all　drawn　up　together　in　one　close　body；　except　only　the　Thebans。　The　hillock　whereof　I　speak　is　at　the　entrance　of　the　straits；　where　the　stone　lion　stands　which　was　set　up　in　honour　of　Leonidas。　Here　they　defended　themselves　to　the　last；　such　as　still　had　swords　using　them；　and　the　others　resisting　with　their　hands　and　teeth；　till　the　barbarians；　who　in　part　had　pulled　down　the　wall　and　attacked　them　in　front；　in　part　had　gone　round　and　now　encircled　them　upon　every　side；　overwhelmed　and　buried　the　remnant　which　was　left　beneath　showers　of　missile　weapons。　　　　　Thus　nobly　did　the　whole　body　of　Lacedaemonians　and　Thespians　behave；　but　nevertheless　one　man　is　said　to　have　distinguished　himself　above　all　the　rest；　to　wit；　Dieneces　the　Spartan。　A　speech　which　he　made　before　the　Greeks　engaged　the　Medes；　remains　on　record。　One　of　the　Trachinians　told　him；　〃Such　was　the　number　of　the　barbarians；　that　when　they　shot　forth　their　arrows　the　sun　would　be　darkened　by　their　multitude。〃　Dieneces；　not　at　all　frightened　at　these　words；　but　making　light　of　the　Median　numbers；　answered　〃Our　Trachinian　friend　brings　us　excellent　tidings。　If　the　Medes　darken　the　sun；　we　shall　have　our　fight　in　the　shade。〃　Other　sayings　too　of　a　like　nature　are　reported　to　have　been　left　on　record　by　this　same　person。　　　　　Next　to　him　two　brothers；　Lacedaemonians；　are　reputed　to