PART IV.] THE THIRD INVASION OF GREECE. 83
Greeks, many of them fell, to whom others succeeded; these suffered the same loss; and it was clear to any one, and especially to the king himself, that there were indeed many human beings, but few men. To these succeeded the Persians, whom the king used to call the Immortals. These having joined battle had the same fate; for they fought in a defile, where their numbers could not deploy, and they used spears shorter (than those of) the Greeks.
Repulse of the invaders.
241.But after that the Persians could in no way prevail, at last these also retreated. The Spartans truly became renowned through that fight: for in other things also they showed themselves skilled in warfare, and while fiying and suddenly turning on the pursuing enemy they assailed them. Thus an innumerable multitude of the Persians were slain. They relate that meanwhile Xerxes, since he was not far off for the sake of seeing (the fight), leaped three times from his throne, fearing, I suppose, for his army. For three successive days they fought: the result of the fight was the same.
Treachery.
242.Then Ephialtes, a deserter, came to the king, hoping to obtain a great reward from him, and pointed out to him a path over the mountains leading to Thermopylae. Xerxes, being greatly rejoiced, sent forces at nightfall to surround the Greeks. But to the Greeks who were at Thermopylae, a seer, having inspected the victims, had foretold that death was imminent at daybreak; then messengers announce that the Persians had come round the mountain by that path.
The devotion of the Spartans.
243.Now they say that when this was announced Leonidas dismissed the allies, saying ‘that it did not become him and the Spartans to desert the station which they had been sent to guard.’ And I, moreover, am of this opinion (namely), that Leonidas, seeing that the allies were by no means resolute, dismissed them; but that he considered it dishonourable for him
