ed on the summit of the mountain, to defend the pass. The Persians, experiencing a repetition of the same treatment, a second time retired.

While the King was exceedingly perplexed, what con duct to pursue, in the present emergence, Ephialtes, the son of Eurydemus, a Melian,* demanded an audience. He expected to receive some great recompense, for showing him the path, which led over the mountain to Thermopyla; and he, indeed, it was, who thus rendered ineffectual the valor of those Greeks, who perished on this station. This man, through fear of the Lacedæmonians, fled, afterwards, into Thessaly; but the Pylagoræ, calling a council of the Amphictyons, at Pylæa, for this express purpose, set a price on his head, and he was afterward slain by Athenades, a Trachinian, at Anticyra, to which place he had returned. Athenades was induc

ed to put him to death, for some other reason, which I shall afterwards explain; he nevertheless received the reward offered by the Lacedæmonians. This, however, was the end of Ephialtes.

On this subject, there is also a different report; for it is said, that Onetes, son of Phanagoras, a Carystian, and Corydalus, of Anticyra, were the men who informed the King of this path, and conducted the Persians round the mountain. This, with me, obtains no credit; for, nothing is better known, than that the Pylagoræ did not set a price on the heads of Onetes or Corydalus, but on that of Ephialtes, the Trachinian, after, as may be presumed, a due investigation of the matter. It is also certain, that Ephialtes, conscious of his crime, endeavored to save himself by flight. Onetes, being a Melian, might, perhaps, if tolerably acquainted with the country, have known this passage; but Ephialtes was the man, who showed the path over the mountain, and him I write down as the wicked one.

The intelligence of Ephialtes, gave the King infinite satisfaction, and he instantly detached Hydarnes, with the forces under his command, to avail himself of it. They

* Ephialtes is, in the next paragraph, called a Trachinian. Trachinia was a part of Melis.

left the camp at the first approach of evening. The Melians, the natives of the country, discovered this path, and by it conducted the Thessalians against the Phoceans, who had defended it by an intrenchment, and deemed themselves secure. It had never, however, proved of any advantage to the Melians.

The path, of which we are speaking, commences at the river Asopus. This stream flows through an aperture of the mountain, called Anopæ, which is also the name of the path. This is continued, through the whole length of the mountain, and terminates near the town of Alpenus. This is the first city of the Locrians, on the side next the Melians, near the rock called Melampygus, by the residence of the Cercopes.* It is narrowest at

this point.

Following this track, which I have described, the Persians passed the Asopus, and marched all night, keeping the Etean mountains on the right, and the Trachinian on the left. At the dawn of morning, they found themselves at the summit, where, as I have before described, a band of a thousand Phoceans, in arms, were stationed, both to defend their own country and this pass. The passage, beneath, was defended by those whom I have mentioned. Of this, above, the Phoceans had voluntarily promised Leonidas, to undertake the charge.

The approach of the Persians was discovered to the Phoceans, in this manner. While they were ascending the mountain, they were totally concealed by the thick groves of oak; but, from the stillness of the air, they were discovered, by the noise they made by trampling on the leaves; a thing which might naturally happen. The Phoceans ran to arms; and, in a moment, the Barbarians appeared, who, seeing a number of men, precipitately arming themselves, were at first struck with astonishment. They did not expect an adversary, and they had fallen in among armed troops. Hydarnes, apprehending that the Phoceans might prove to be Lacedæmonians, inquired of Ephialtes who they were. When he was

nese people were robbers.

informed, he drew up the Persians in order of battle. The Phoceans, not able to sustain the heavy flight of arrows, retreated up the mountain, imagining themselves the objects of this attack, and expecting certain destruction. But the troops with Hydarnes and Ephialtes did not think it worth their while to pursue them, and descended rapidly the opposite side of the mountain.

To those Greeks stationed in the Straits of Thermopylæ, Megistias, the soothsayer, had previously, from inspection of the entrails,* predicted that death awaited them in the morning. Some deserters had also informed them of the circuit the Persians had taken; and this intelligence was, in the course of the night, circulated through the camp. All this was confirmed by their sentinels, who, early in the morning, fled down the sides of the mountain. In this predicament, the Greeks called a council, who were greatly divided in their opinions. Some were for remaining on their stations, others advised a retreat. In consequence of their not agreeing, many of them dispersed to their respective cities; a part resolved to continue with Leonidas.

It is said, that those who retired, only did so in compliance with the wishes of Leonidas, who was desirous to preserve them but he thought that he, himself, with his Spartans, could not, without the greatest ignominy, forsake the post they had come to defend. I am myself inclined to believe, that Leonidas, seeing his allies not only reluctant, but totally averse, to resist the danger which menaced them, consented to their retreat. His own return, he considered as dishonorable, while he was convinced, that his defending his post would equally secure his own fame, and the good of Sparta. In the very beginning of these disturbances, the Spartans, having consulted the oracle, were informed, that either their King must die, or Sparta be vanquished by the Barbarians. The oracle was communicated in hexameter verses, and was to this effect:

*The ancient heathens had several modes of divination, one of which was, by the entrails of animals killed for sacrifice.

"To you who dwell in Sparta's ample walls,
Behold, a dire alternative befalls;

Your glorious city must in ruins lie,

Or, slain by Persian arms, a king must die;
A king, descended from-Herculean blood.
For, lo he comes, and cannot be withstood;
Nor bulls nor lions can dispute the field,

"Tis Jove's own force, and this or that must yield."

I am unwilling to presume of the allies that departed, that, differing in opinion from their leader, they dishonorably deserted. I should also suppose, that the conduct of Leonidas was the result of his revolving the oracle in his mind, and of his great desire to secure to the Spartans, alone, the glory of this memorable action.

To me, it is no small testimony of the truth of the above, that, among those whom Leonidas dismissed, was Megistias himself. He was of Acarnania, and, as some affirm, descended from Melampus. He accompanied Leonidas on this expedition, and, from the entrails, had predicted what would happen: he refused, however, to leave his friends, and satisfied himself with sending away his only son, who had followed his father on this occasion.

Obedient to the direction of their leader, the confederates retired. The Thespians and Thebans alone remained with the Spartans: the Thebans, indeed, very reluctantly; but they were detained by Leonidas, as hostages. The Thespians were very zealous in the cause, and, refusing to abandon their friends, perished with them. The leader of the Thespians was Demophilus, son of Diodromas.

Xerxes, early in the morning, offered a solemn libation, then, waiting till that period of the day, when the forum is fullest of people,* he advanced from his camp. To the above measure, he had been advised by Ephialtes. The descent from the mountain is of much shorter extent, than the circuitous ascent. The Barbarians, with Xerxes, approached. Leonidas and his Greeks proceeded, as to inevitable death, a much greater space from the defile than he had yet done. Till now, they had defended

* About nine o'clock in the morning.

themselves behind their intrenchment, fighting in the most contracted part of the passage; but, on this day, they engaged on a wider space, and a multitude of their opponents fell. Behind each troop, officers were stationed, with whips in their hands, compelling, with blows, their men to advance. Many of them fell into the sea, where they perished; many were trodden under foot by their own troops, without exciting the smallest pity or regard. The Greeks, conscious that their destruction was at hand, from those who had taken the circuit of the mountain, exerted themselves, with the most desperate valor, against the Barbarian assailants.

Their spears being broken in pieces, they had recourse to their swords. Leonidas fell in the engagement, having greatly signalized himself; and with him, many Spartans of distinction, as well as others, of inferior note. I am acquainted with the names of all the three hundred. Many illustrious Persians, also, were slain, among whom, were Abrocomes and Hyperanthes, sons of Darius, by Phrataguna, the daughter of Artanes. Artanes was the brother of Darius, the son of Hystaspes, and grandson of Arsamis. Having married his daughter to Darius, as she was an only child, all his wealth went with her.

These two brothers of Xerxes fell, as they were contending for the body of Leonidas. Here the conflict was the most severe; till, at length, the Greeks, by their superior valor, four times repelled the Persians, and drew aside the body of their prince. In this situation, they continued, till Ephialtes and his party approached. As soon as the Greeks perceived them at hand, the scene was changed, and they retreated to the narrowest part of the pass. Having repassed their intrenchment, they posted themselves, all except the Thebans, in a compact body, on a hill which is at the entrance of the Straits, and where a lion of stone* has been erected, in honor of Le

* Two epigrams on this subject may be found in the Analecta Veterum Poet. Græc. vol. i. 132, vol. ii. 162. The bones of Leonidas were carried back to Sparta, by Pausanias, forty years after his death; they were placed in a monument, opposite the theatre. Every year they pronounced, in this place, a funeral oration, and celebrated games, at which Spartans only were suffered to contend.