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at　strait；　and　knew　not　how　he　should　deal　with　the　emergency；　Ephialtes；　the　son　of　Eurydemus；　a　man　of　Malis；　came　to　him　and　was　admitted　to　a　conference。　Stirred　by　the　hope　of　receiving　a　rich　reward　at　the　king's　hands；　he　had　come　to　tell　him　of　the　pathway　which　led　across　the　mountain　to　Thermopylae；　by　which　disclosure　he　brought　destruction　on　the　band　of　Greeks　who　had　there　withstood　the　barbarians。　This　Ephialtes　afterwards；　from　fear　of　the　Lacedaemonians；　fled　into　Thessaly；　and　during　his　exile；　in　an　assembly　of　the　Amphictyons　held　at　Pylae；　a　price　was　set　upon　his　head　by　the　Pylagorae。　When　some　time　had　gone　by；　he　returned　from　exile；　and　went　to　Anticyra；　where　he　was　slain　by　Athenades；　a　native　of　Trachis。　Athenades　did　not　slay　him　for　his　treachery；　but　for　another　reason；　which　I　shall　mention　in　a　later　part　of　my　history：　yet　still　the　Lacedaemonians　honoured　him　none　the　less。　Thus　then　did　Ephialtes　perish　a　long　time　afterwards。　　　　　Besides　this　there　is　another　story　told；　which　I　do　not　at　all　believe…　to　wit；　that　Onetas　the　son　of　Phanagoras；　a　native　of　Carystus；　and　Corydallus；　a　man　of　Anticyra；　were　the　persons　who　spoke　on　this　matter　to　the　king；　and　took　the　Persians　across　the　mountain。　One　may　guess　which　story　is　true；　from　the　fact　that　the　deputies　of　the　Greeks；　the　Pylagorae；　who　must　have　had　the　best　means　of　ascertaining　the　truth；　did　not　offer　the　reward　for　the　heads　of　Onetas　and　Corydallus；　but　for　that　of　Ephialtes　of　Trachis；　and　again　from　the　flight　of　Ephialtes；　which　we　know　to　have　been　on　this　account。　Onetas；　I　allow；　although　he　was　not　a　Malian；　might　have　been　acquainted　with　the　path；　if　he　had　lived　much　in　that　part　of　the　country；　but　as　Ephialtes　was　the　person　who　actually　led　the　Persians　round　the　mountain　by　the　pathway；　I　leave　his　name　on　record　as　that　of　the　man　who　did　the　deed。　　　　　Great　was　the　joy　of　Xerxes　on　this　occasion；　and　as　he　approved　highly　of　the　enterprise　which　Ephialtes　undertook　to　accomplish；　he　forthwith　sent　upon　the　errand　Hydarnes；　and　the　Persians　under　him。　The　troops　left　the　camp　about　the　time　of　the　lighting　of　the　lamps。　The　pathway　along　which　they　went　was　first　discovered　by　the　Malians　of　these　parts；　who　soon　afterwards　led　the　Thessalians　by　it　to　attack　the　Phocians；　at　the　time　when　the　Phocians　fortified　the　pass　with　a　wall；　and　so　put　themselves　under　covert　from　danger。　And　ever　since；　the　path　has　always　been　put　to　an　ill　use　by　the　Malians。　　　　　The　course　which　it　takes　is　the　following：…　Beginning　at　the　Asopus；　where　that　stream　flows　through　the　cleft　in　the　hills；　it　runs　along　the　ridge　of　the　mountain　（which　is　called；　like　the　pathway　over　it；　Anopaea）；　and　ends　at　the　city　of　Alpenus…　the　first　Locrian　town　as　you　come　from　Malis…　by　the　stone　called　Melampygus　and　the　seats　of　the　Cercopians。　Here　it　is　as　narrow　as　at　any　other　point。　　　　　The　Persians　took　this　path；　and；　crossing　the　Asopus；　continued　their　march　through　the　whole　of　the　night；　having　the　mountains　of　Oeta　on　their　right　hand；　and　on　their　left　those　of　Trachis。　At　dawn　of　day　they　found　themselves　close　to　the　summit。　Now　the　hill　was　guarded；　as　I　have　already　said；　by　a　thousand　Phocian　men…at…arms；　who　were　placed　there　to　defend　the　pathway；　and　at　the　same　time　to　secure　their　own　country。　They　had　been　given　the　guard　of　the　mountain　path；　while　the　other　Greeks　defended　the　pass　below；　because　they　had　volunteered　for　the　service；　and　had　pledged　themselves　to　Leonidas　to　maintain　the　post。　　　　　The　ascent　of　the　Persians　became　known　to　the　Phocians　in　the　following　manner：…　During　all　the　time　that　they　were　making　their　way　up；　the　Greeks　remained　unconscious　of　it；　inasmuch　as　the　whole　mountain　was　covered　with　groves　of　oak；　but　it　happened　that　the　air　was　very　still；　and　the　leaves　which　the　Persians　stirred　with　their　feet　made；　as　it　was　likely　they　would；　a　loud　rustling；　whereupon　the　Phocians　jumped　up　and　flew　to　seize　their　arms。　In　a　moment　the　barbarians　came　in　sight；　and；　perceiving　men　arming　themselves；　were　greatly　amazed；　for　they　had　fallen　in　with　an　enemy　when　they　expected　no　opposition。　Hydarnes；　alarmed　at　the　sight；　and　fearing　lest　the　Phocians　might　be　Lacedaemonians；　inquired　of　Ephialtes　to　what　nation　these　troops　belonged。　Ephialtes　told　him　the　exact　truth；　whereupon　he　arrayed　his　Persians　for　battle。　The　Phocians；　galled　by　the　showers　of　arrows　to　which　they　were　exposed；　and　imagining　themselves　the　special　object　of　the　Persian　attack；　fled　hastily　to　the　crest　of　the　mountain；　and　there　made　ready　to　meet　death；　but　while　their　mistake　continued；　the　Persians；　with　Ephialtes　and　Hydarnes；　not　thinking　it　worth　their　while　to　delay　on　account　of　Phocians；　passed　on　and　descended　the　mountain　with　all　possible　speed。　　　　　The　Greeks　at　Thermopylae　received　the　first　warning　of　the　destruction　which　the　dawn　would　bring　on　them　from　the　seer　Megistias；　who　read　their　fate　in　the　victims　as　he　was　sacrificing。　After　this　deserters　came　in；　and　brought　the　news　that　the　Persians　were　marching　round　by　the　hills：　it　was　still　night　when　these　men　arrived。　Last　of　all；　the　scouts　came　running　down　from　the　heights；　and　brought　in　the　same　accounts；　when　the　day　was　just　beginning　to　break。　Then　the　Greeks　held　a　council　to　consider　what　they　should　do；　and　here　opinions　were　divided：　some　were　strong　against　quitting　their　post；　while　others　contended　to　the　contrary。　So　when　the　council　had　broken　up；　part　of　the　troops　departed　and　went　their　ways　homeward　to　their　several　states；　part　however　resolved　to　remain；　and　to　stand　by　Leonidas　to　the　last。　　　　　It　is　said　that　Leonidas　himself　sent　away　the　troops　who　departed；　because　he　tendered　their　safety；　but　thought　it　unseemly　that　either　he　or　his　Spartans　should　quit　the　post　which　they　had　been　especially　sent　to　guard。　For　my　own　part；　I　incline　to　think　that　Leonidas　gave　the　order；　because　he　perceived　the　allies　to　be　out　of　heart　and　unwilling　to　encounter　the　danger　to　which　his　own　mind　was　made　up。　He　therefore　commanded　them　to　retreat；　but　said　that　he　himself　could　not　draw　back　with　honour；　knowing　that；　if　he　stayed；　glory　awaited　him；　and　that　Sparta　in　that　case　would　not　lose　her　prosperity。　For　when　the　Spartans；　at　the　very　beginning　of　the　war；　sent　to　consult　the　oracle　concerning　it；　the　answer　which　they　received　from　the　Pythoness　was　〃that　either　Sparta　must　be　overthrown　by　the　barbarians；　or　one　of　her　kings　must　perish。〃　The　prophecy　was　delivered　in　hexameter　verse；　and　ran　thus：…

　　　　O　ye　men　who　dwell　in　the　streets　of　broad　Lacedaemon！　　　　　Either　your　glorious　town　shall　be　sacked　by　the　children　of　　　　　　　Perseus；　　　　　Or；　in　exchange；　must　all　through　the　whole　Laconian　country　　　　　Mourn　for　the　loss　of　a　king；　descendant　of　great　Heracles。　　　　　He　cannot　be　withstood　by　the　courage　of　bulls　nor　of　lions；　　　　　Strive　as　they　may；　he　is　mighty　as　Jove；　there　is　nought　that　　　　　　　shall　stay　him；　　　　　Till　he　have　got　for　his　prey　your　king；　or　your　glorious　city。

The　remembrance　of　this　answer；　I　think；　and　the　wish　to　secure　the　whole　glory　for　the　Spartans；　caused　Leonidas　to　send　the　allies　away。　This　is　more　likely　than　that　they　quarrelled　with　him；　and　took　their　departure　in　such　unruly　fashion。　　　　　To　me　it　seems　no　small　argument　in　favour　of　this　view；　that　the　seer　also　who　accompanied　the　army；　Megistias；　the　Acarnanian…　said　to　have　been　of　the　blood　of　Melampus；　and　the　same　who　was　led　by　the　appearance　of　the　victims　to　warn　the　Greeks　of　the　danger　which　threatened　them…　received　orders　to　retire　（as　it　is　certain　he　did）　from　Leonidas；　that　he　might　escape　the　coming　destruction。　Megistias；　however；　though　bidden　to　depart；　refused；　and　stayed　with　the　army；　but　he　had　an　only　son　present　with　the　expedition；　whom　he　now　sent　away。　　　　　So　the　allies；　when　Leonidas　ordered　them　to　retire；　obeyed　him　and　forthwith　departed。　Only　the　Thespians　and　the　Thebans　remained　with　the　Spartans；　and　of　these　the　Thebans　were　kept　back　by　Leonidas　as　hostages；　very　much　against　their　will。　The　Thespians；　on　the　contrary；　stayed　entirely　of　their　own　accord；　refusing　to　retreat；　and　declaring　that　they　would　not　forsake　Leonidas　and　his　followers。　So　they　abode　with　the　Spartans；　and　died　with　them。　Their　leader　was　Demophilus；　the　son　of　Diadromes。　　　　　At　sunrise　Xerxes　made　libations；　after　which　he　waited　until　the　time　when　the　forum　is　wont　to　fill；　and　then　began　his　advance。　Ephialtes　had　instructed　him　thus；　as　the　descent　of　the　mountain　is　much　quicker；　and　the　distance　much　shorter；　than　the　way　round　the　hills；　and　the　ascent。　So　the　barbarians　under　Xerxes　began　to　draw　nigh；　and　the　Greeks　under　Leonidas；　as　they　now　went　forth　determined　to　die；　advanced　much　further　than　on　previous　days；　until　they　reached　the　more　open　portion　of　the　pass。　Hitherto　they　had　held　their　station　within　the　wall；　and　from　this　had　gone　forth　to　fight　at　the　point　where　the　pass　was　the　narrowest。　Now　they　joined　battle　beyond　the　defile；　and　carried　slaughter　among　the　barbarians；　who　fell　in　heaps。　Behind　them　the　captains　of　the　squadrons；　armed　with　whips；　urged　their　men　forward　with　continual　blow