whole scheme of defence, by laying open the rear of the army at Thermopylæ to the operations of the Persian fleet. But that which the Greeks did not do for themselves was more than compensated by the beneficent intervention of their gods, who opposed to the invader the more terrible arms of storm and hurricane. He was allowed to bring his overwhelming host, land-force as well as naval, to the brink of Thermopylas and to the coast of Thessaly, without hindrance or damage ; but the time had now arrived when the gods appeared determined to humble him, and especially to strike a series of blows at his fleet which should reduce it to a number not beyond what the Greeks could contend with.[1] Amidst the general terror which pervaded Greece, the Delphians were the first to earn the gratitude of their countrymen by announcing that divine succor was at hand.[2] On entreating advice from their own oracle, they were directed to pray to the "Winds, who would render powerful aid to Greece. Moreover, the Athenian seamen, in their retreat at Chalkis, recollecting that Boreas was the husband of the Attic princess or heroine Oreithyia, daughter of their ancient king Erechtheus, addressed fervent prayers to their son-in-law for his help in need. Never was help more effective, or more opportune, than the de- structive storm, presently to be recounted, on the coast of Mag- nesia, for which grateful thanks and annual solemnities were stiU rendered even in the time of Herodotus, at Athens as well as at
Delphi.[3]
- ↑ Herodot. rii, 184. (
Greek characters) etc. —
viii, 13. (Greek characters) Compare viii, 109; and Diodor. xi, 13.
- ↑ Herodot. vii, 178. (Greek characters)
- ↑ Herodot. vii, 189. The language of the historian in this chapter is remarkable: his incredulous reason rather gets the better of religious acquiescence. Clemens Alexandrinas, reciting this incident together, with some other miracles of Ækus, Aristaius, Empedokles, etc., reproves his pagan opponents for their inconsistency, while believing these, in rejecting the miracles of Moses and the prophets (Stromat. vi, pp. 629, 630).
