a smaller history of greece-第17章

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he　Hellenic　race　no　assistance　was　obtained。　　Gelon；　the　ruler　of　Syracuse；　offered　to　send　a　powerful　armament；　provided　the　command　of　the　allied　forces　was　intrusted　to　him；　but　the　envoys　did　not　venture　to　accept　a　proposal　which　would　have　placed　both　Sparta　and　Athens　under　the　control　of　a　Sicilian　tyrant。

The　desertion　of　the　cause　of　Grecian　independence　by　so　many　of　the　Greeks　did　not　shake　the　resolution　of　Sparta　and　of　Athens。　The　Athenians；　especially；　set　a　noble　example　of　an　enlarged　patriotism。　　They　became　reconciled　to　the　AEginetans；　and　thus　gained　for　the　common　cause　the　powerful　navy　of　their　rival。　They　readily　granted　to　the　Spartans　the　supreme　command　of　the　forces　by　sea　as　well　as　by　land；　although　they　furnished　two…　thirds　of　the　vessels　of　the　entire　fleet。　　Their　illustrious　citizen　Themistocles　was　the　soul　of　the　congress。　　He　sought　to　enkindle　in　the　other　Greeks　some　portion　of　the　ardour　and　energy　which　he　had　succeeded　in　breathing　into　the　Athenians。

The　Greeks　determined　to　make　a　stand　at　the　pass　of　Thermopylae；　which　forms　the　entrance　from　northern　into　southern　Greece。　This　pass　lies　between　Mount　OEta　and　the　sea。　　It　is　about　a　mile　in　length。　　At　each　of　its　extremities　the　mountains　approach　so　near　the　sea　as　to　leave　barely　room　for　the　passage　of　a　single　carriage。　　The　northern；　or；　to　speak　more　properly；　the　western　Gate；　was　close　to　the　town　of　Anthela；　where　the　Amphictyonic　council　held　its　autumnal　meetings；　while　the　southern；　or　the　eastern　Gate；　was　near　the　Locrian　town　of　Alpeni。　　These　narrow　entrances　were　called　Pylae；　or　the　Gates。　The　space　between　the　gates　was　wider　and　more　open；　and　was　distinguished　by　its　hot　springs；　from　which　the　pass　derived　the　name　of　Thermopylae；　or　the　〃Hot…Gates。〃　　The　island　of　Euboea　is　here　separated　from　the　mainland　by　a　narrow　strait；　which　in　one　part　is　only　two　miles　and　a　half　in　breadth；　and　accordingly　it　is　easy；　by　defending　this　part　of　the　sea　with　a　fleet；　to　prevent　an　enemy　from　landing　troops　at　the　southern　end　of　the　pass。

The　Grecian　fleet；　under　the　command　of　the　Spartan　Eurybiades；　took　up　its　station　off　that　portion　of　the　northern　coast　of　Euboea　which　faces　Magnesia　and　the　entrance　to　the　Thessalian　gulf　and　which　was　called　Artemisium；　from　a　neighbouring　temple　of　Artemis　（Diana）。　　It　was；　however；　only　a　small　land…force　that　was　sent　to　the　defence　of　Thermopylae。　　When　the　arrival　of　Xerxes　at　Therma　became　known；　the　Greeks　were　upon　the　point　of　celebrating　the　Olympic　games；　and　the　festival　of　the　Carnean　Apollo；　which　was　observed　with　great　solemnity　at　Sparta　and　in　other　Doric　states。　　The　Peloponnesians　therefore　sent　forward　only　300　Spartans　and　3000　hoplites　from　other　Peloponnesian　states；　under　the　command　of　the　Spartan　king　Leonidas；　a　force　which　they　thought　would　be　sufficient　to　maintain　the　pass　till　the　festivals　were　over。　　In　his　march　northwards　Leonidas　received　additions　from　the　Thespians；　Phocians；　and　Locrians；　so　that　he　had　under　his　command　at　Thermopylae　about　7000　men。

Meanwhile　Xerxes　had　arrived　within　sight　of　Thermopylae。　　He　had　heard　that　a　handful　of　desperate　men；　commanded　by　a　Spartan；　had　determined　to　dispute　his　passage；　but　he　refused　to　believe　the　news。　　He　was　still　more　astonished　when　a　horseman；　whom　he　had　sent　to　reconnoitre；　brought　back　word　that　he　had　seen　several　Spartans　outside　the　wall　in　front　of　the　pass；　some　amusing　themselves　with　gymnastic　exercises；　and　others　combing　their　long　hair。　　In　great　perplexity；　he　sent　for　the　exiled　Spartan　king　Demaratus；　who　had　accompanied　him　from　Persia；　and　asked　him　the　meaning　of　such　madness。　　Demaratus　replied；　that　the　Spartans　would　defend　the　pass　to　the　death；　and　that　it　was　their　practice　to　dress　their　heads　with　peculiar　care　when　they　were　going　to　battle。　　Later　writers　relate　that　Xerxes　sent　to　them　to　deliver　up　their　arms。　　Leonidas　desired　him　〃to　come　and　take　them。〃　　One　of　the　Spartans　being　told　that　〃the　Persian　host　was　so　prodigious　that　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