a smaller history of greece-第13章

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at　their　arrows　would　conceal　the　sun：〃　〃So　much　the　better〃　（he　replied）；　〃we　shall　then　fight　in　the　shade。〃

At　length；　upon　the　fifth　day；　Xerxes　ordered　a　chosen　body　of　Medes　to　advance　against　the　presumptuous　foes　and　bring　them　into　his　presence。　　But　their　superior　numbers　were　of　no　avail　in　such　a　narrow　space；　and　they　were　kept　at　bay　by　the　long　spears　and　steady　ranks　of　the　Greeks。　　After　the　combat　had　lasted　a　long　time　with　heavy　loss　to　the　Medes；　Xerxes　ordered　his　ten　thousand　〃Immortals；〃　the　flower　of　the　Persian　army；　to　advance。　　But　they　were　as　unsuccessful　as　the　Medes。　　Xerxes　beheld　the　repulse　of　his　troops　from　a　lofty　throne　which　had　been　provided　for　him；　and　was　seen　to　leap　thrice　from　his　seat　in　an　agony　of　fear　or　rage。

On　the　following　day　the　attack　was　renewed；　but　with　no　better　success：　　and　Xerxes　was　beginning　to　despair　of　forcing　his　way　through　the　pass；　when　a　Malian；　of　the　name　of　Ephialtes；　betrayed　to　the　Persian　king　that　there　was　an　unfrequented　path　across　Mount　OEta；　ascending　on　the　northern　side　of　the　mountain　and　descending　on　the　southern　side　near　the　termination　of　the　pass。　　Overjoyed　at　this　discovery；　a　strong　detachment　of　Persians　was　ordered　to　follow　the　traitor。　　Meantime　Leonidas　and　his　troops　had　received　ample　notice　of　the　impending　danger。　During　the　night　deserters　from　the　enemy　had　brought　him　the　news；　and　their　intelligence　was　confirmed　by　his　own　scouts　on　the　hills。　　His　resolution　was　at　once　taken。　　As　a　Spartan　he　was　bound　to　conquer　or　to　die　in　the　post　assigned　to　him；　and　he　was　the　more　ready　to　sacrifice　his　life；　since　an　oracle　had　declared　that　either　Sparta　itself　or　a　Spartan　king　must　perish　by　the　Persian　arms。　　His　three　hundred　comrades　were　fully　equal　to　the　same　heroism　which　actuated　their　King；　and　the　seven　hundred　Thespians　resolved　to　share　the　fate　of　this　gallant　band。　　He　allowed　the；　rest　of　the　allies　to　retire；　with　the　exception　of　four　hundred　Boeotians；　whom　he　retained　as　hostages。　　Xerxes　delayed　his　attack　till　the　middle　of　the　day；　when　it　was　expected　that　the　detachment　sent　across　the　mountain　would　arrive　at　the　rear　of　the　pass。　　But　Leonidas　and　his　comrades；　only　anxious　to　sell　their　lives　as　dearly　as　possible；　did　not　wait　to　receive　the　attack　of　the　Persians；　but　advanced　into　the　open　space　in　front　of　the　pass；　and　charged　the　enemy　with　desperate　valour。　　Numbers　of　the　Persians　were　slain；　many　were　driven　into　the　neighbouring　sea；　and　others　again　were　trampled　to　death　by　the　vast　hosts　behind　them。　　As　long　as　the　Greeks　could　maintain　their　ranks　they　repelled　every　attack；　but　when　their　spears　were　broken；　and　they　had　only　their　swords　left；　the　enemy　began　to　press　in　between　them。　　Leonidas　was　one　of　the　first　that　fell；　and　around　his　body　the　battle　raged　fiercer　than　ever。　　The　Persians　made　the　greatest　efforts　to　obtain　possession　of　it；　but　four　times　they　were　driven　back　by　the　Greeks　with　great　slaughter。　　At　length；　thinned　in　numbers；　and　exhausted　by　fatigue　and　wounds；　this　noble　band　retired　within　the　pass；　and　seated　themselves　on　a　hillock。　　Meanwhile　the　Persian　detachment；　which　had　been　sent　across　the　mountains；　began　to　enter　the　pass　from　the　south。　　The　Spartan　heroes　were　now　surrounded　on　every　side；　overwhelmed　with　a　shower　of　missiles；　and　killed　to　a　man。

On　the　hillock；　where　the　Greeks　made　their　last　stand；　a　marble　lion　was　set　up　in　honour　of　Leonidas。　　Another　monument；　erected　near　the　spot；　contained　the　memorable　inscription：

　　〃Go；　tell　the　Spartans；　thou　that　passest　by；　　　That　here　obedient　to　their　laws　we　lie。〃

While　Leonidas　had　been　fighting　at　Thermopylae；　the　Greek　fleet　had　also　been　engaged　with　the　Persians　at　Artemisium。　　The　Persian　fleet　set　sail　from　the　gulf　of　Therma；　and　arrived　in　one　day　at　almost　the　southern　corner　of　Magnesia。　　In　this　position　they　were　overtaken　by　a　sudden　hurricane；　which　blew　upon　the　shore　with　irresistible　fury。　　For　three　days　and　three　nights　the　tempest　raged　without　intermission；　and　when　calm　at　length　returned；　the　shore　was　seen　strewed　for　many　miles　with　wrecks　and　corpses。　　At　least　four　hundred　ships　of　war　were　destroyed；　together　with　a　countless　number　of　transports；　stores；　and　treasures。　　The　Greek　fleet　had　been　seized　with　a　panic　terror　at　the　approach　of　the　Persians；　and　retreated　to　Chalcis　in　the　narrowest　part　of　the　Euboean　straits；　but　upon　hearing　of　the　disaster　of　the　Persian　fleet；　they　took　courage；　and　sailed　back　with　the　utmost　speed　to　their　former　station　at　Artemisium。　　Being　now　encouraged　to　attack　the　enemy；　they　gained　some　success。　　On　the　following　night　another　terrific　storm　burst　upon　the　Persians。　　All　night　long　it　blew　upon　the　Thessalian　coast　at　Aphetae；　where　the　Persian　ships　were　stationed；　thus　causing　little　inconvenience　to　the　Greeks　upon　the　opposite　shore。　　Notwithstanding　these　losses；　the　Persian　fleet　still　had　a　vast　superiority　of　numbers；　and　determined　to　offer　battle　to　the　Greeks。　　Quitting　the　Thessalian　coast；　they　sailed　towards　Artemisium　in　the　form　of　a　crescent。　　The　Greeks　kept　near　the　shore；　to　prevent　the　Persians　from　bringing　their　whole　fleet　into　action。　　The　battle　raged　furiously　the　whole　day；　and　each　side　fought　with　determined　valour。　　Both　parties　suffered　severely；　and　though　the　Persians　lost　a　greater　number　of　ships　and　men；　yet　so　many　of　the　Greek　vessels　were　disabled　that　they　found　it　would　be　impossible　to　renew　the　combat。　Under　these　circumstances　the　Greek　commanders　saw　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　retreat；　and　their　determination　was　hastened　by　the　news　which　they　now　received；　that　Leonidas　and　his　companions　had　fallen；　and　that　Xerxes　was　master　of　the　pass　of　Thermopylae。　　Having　sailed　through　the　Euboean　strait；　the　fleet　doubled　the　promontory　of　Sunium；　and　did　not　stop　till　it　reached　the　island　of　Salamis。

Meanwhile　the　Peloponnesians　had　abandoned　Attica　and　the　adjoining　states　to　their　fate；　whilst　they　strained　every　nerve　to　secure　themselves　by　fortifying　the　isthmus　of　Corinth。　　The　Athenians；　relying　upon　the　march　of　a　Peloponnesian　army　into　Boeotia；　had　taken　no　measures　for　the　security　of　their　families　and　property；　and　beheld　with　terror　and　dismay　the　barbarian　host　in　full　march　towards　their　city。　　In　six　days　it　was　calculated　Xerxes　would　be　at　Athensa　short　space　to　remove　the　population　of　a　whole　city：　　but　fear　and　necessity　work　wonders。　Before　the　six　days　had　elapsed；　all　who　were　willing　to　abandon　their　homes　had　been　safely　transported；　some　to　AEgina；　and　others　to　Troezen　in　Peloponnesus；　but　many　could　not　be　induced　to　proceed　farther　than　Salamis。　　It　was　necessary　for　Themistocles　to　use　all　his　art　and　all　his　eloquence　on　this　occasion。　　The　oracle　at　Delphi　had　told　the　Athenians　that　〃the　divine　Salamis　would　make　women　childless；〃yet；　〃when　all　was　lost；　a　wooden　wall　should　still　shelter　the　Athenians。〃　Themistocles　told　his　countrymen　that　these　words　clearly　indicated　a　fleet　and　a　naval　victory　as　the　only　means　of　safety。　　Some　however　gave　to　the　words　another　meaning；　and　a　few；　especially　among　the　aged　and　the　poor；　resolved　to　shut　themselves　up　in　the　Acropolis；　and　to　fortify　its　accessible　or　western　front　with　barricades　of　timber。

On　his　march　towards　Athens；　Xerxes　sent　a　detachment　of　his　army　to　take　and　plunder　Delphi。　　But　this　attempt　proved　unsuccessful。　　The　god　of　the　most　renowned　oracle　of　the　Grecian　world　vindicated　at　once　the　majesty　of　his　sanctuary　and　the　truth　of　his　predictions。　　As　the　Persians　climbed　the　rugged　path　at　the　foot　of　Mount　Parnassus；　leading　up　to　the　shrine；　thunder　was　heard　to　roll；　and　two　crags；　suddenly　detaching　themselves　from　the　mountain；　rolled　down　upon　the　Persians；　and　spread　dismay　and　destruction　in　their　ranks；　Seized　with　a　sudden　panic；　they　turned　and　fled；　pursued；　as　they　said；　by　two　warriors　of　superhuman　size　and　prowess；　who　had　assisted　the　Delphians　in　defending　their　temple。

On　arriving　before　Athens；　Xerxes　found　the　Acropolis　occupied　by　a　handful　of　desperate　citizens；　who　made　a　brave　resistance；　but　they　were　overpowered　and　put　to　the　sword。　　The　temples　and　houses　on　the　Acropolis　were　pillaged　and　burnt；　and　Xerxes　thus　became　undisputed　master　of　Athens。

About　the　same　time　the　Persian　fleet　arrived　in　the　bay　of　Phalerum。　　Its　strength　is　not　accurately　known；　but　it　must　have　exceeded　1000　vessels。　　The　combined　Grecian　fleet　at　Salamis　consisted　of　366　ships；　of　which　200　were　Athenian。

At　this　critical　juncture　dissension　reigned　in　the　Grecian　fleet。　　In　the　council　of　war　which　had　been　summoned　by　Eurybiades　the　Spartan　commander；　Themistocles　urged　the　assembled　chiefs　to　remain　at　Salamis；　and　give　battle　to　the　Persians　in　the　narrow　straits；　where　the　superior　numbers　of　the　Persians　would　be　of　less　consequence。　　The　Peloponnesian　commanders；　on　the　other　hand；　were　anxious　that　the　fleet　should　be　removed　to　the　isthmus　of　Corinth；　and　thus　be　put　in　communication　with　their　land…forces。　　The　council　came　to　a　vote　in　favour　of　retreat；　but　Themistocles　prevailed　upon　Eurybiades　to　convene　another　assembly　upon　the　following　day。　　When　the　council　met；　the　Peloponnesian　commanders　loudly　expressed　their　dissatisfaction　at　seeing　a　debate　re…opened　which　they　had　deemed　concluded。　　Adimantus；　the　Corinthian　admiral　broke　out　into　open　rebukes　and　menaces。　　〃Themistocles；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃those　who　rise　at　the　public　games　before　the　signal　are　whipped。〃　　〃True；〃　replied　Themistocles；　〃but　they　who　lag　behind　it　never　win　a　crown。〃　　Another　incident　in　this　discussion　has　been　immortalized　by　Plutarch。　　Eurybiades；　incensed　by　the　language　of　Themistocles；　lifted　up　his　stick　to　strike　him；　whereupon　the　Athenian　exclaimed；　〃Strike；　but　hear　me！〃　Themistocles　repeated　his　arguments　and　entreaties；　and　at　length　threatened　that　he　and　the　Athenians　would　sail　away　to　Italy　and　there　found　a　new　city；　if　the　Peloponnesians　still　determined　to　retreat。　　Eurybiades　now　gave　way　and　issued　orders　for　the　fleet　to　remain　and　fight　at　Salamis；　but　the　Peloponnesians　obeyed　the　order　with　reluctance。　　A　third　council　was　summoned　and　Themistocles；　perceiving　that　the　decision　of　the　assembly　would　be　against　him；　determined　to　effect　his　object　by　stratagem。　　He　secretly　despatched　a　trusty　slave　with　a　message　to　Xerxes；　representing　the　dissensions　which　prevailed　in　the　Grecian　fleet；　and　how　easy　a　matter　it　would　be　to　surround　and　vanquish　an　armament　both　small　and　disunited。　　Xerxes　readily　adopted　the　suggestion；　and　ordered　his　captains　to　close　up　the　straits　of　Salamis　at　both　ends　during　the　night。　　On　the　council　assembling　in　the　morning；　Aristides　arrived　with　the　news　that　the　Grecian　fleet　was　completely　surrounded　by　that　of　the　Persians；　and　that　retreat　was　no　longer　possible。　　As　the　veil　of　night　rolled　gradually　away；　the　Persian　fleet　was　discovered　stretching　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach　along　the　coast　of　Attica。　　The　Grecian　fleet；　being　concentrated　in　the　harbour　of　Salamis；　was　thus　surrounded　by　the　Persians。　　Xerxes　had　caused　a　lofty　throne　to　be　erected　upon　one　of　the　projecting　declivities　of