The Athenians, however, got possession of seven vessels. Of the Persians, there fell in the hattle of Marathon ahout 6,400; but of the Athenians, 192.
A supernatural combatant.
203.Now there happened a wonderful thing of this sort. Epizelus, an Athenian citizen, standiiig in line of battle, and fighting bravely, was deprived of the use of his eyes, (though) neither wounded in any part of his body at close quarters, nor struck from a distance; and from that time he remained blind for the rest of his life. Moreover, they relate that he himself told this about this loss: ‘That it seemed to him that an armed man stood opposite to him, whose beard covered the whole of his shield: but that this spectre passed by him and slew the man next him.’ I have heard that Epizelus was wont to tell this story.
The Persians attempt to surprise Athens.
204.But the barbarians sailed round Sunium with the rest of their ships, desiring to reach the city before the Athenians should have returned. But while the Persians are sailing to Sunium, the Athenians, running back to the city as fast as they could, reached it before the Persians came. But the barbarians, after keeping their fleet at sea for some time before Phalerum, which was a harbour belonging to the Athenians, sailed back to Asia. So the barbarians were again disappointed while trying to get possession of Greece.
XVII.THE LAST DAYS OF MILTIADES.
Miltiades attacks Paros.
205.After the defeat inflicted on the Persians at Marathon, Miltiades, although he was already highly esteemed among the Athenians, was even more powerful (lit. was of even greater authority). So, after demanding seventy ships and an army, though he was unwilling to say against what country he intended to lead them, yet said that he would enrich them if they followed him, the Athenians, excited by this hope, gave him
