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nd　them　the　captains　of　the　squadrons；　armed　with　whips；　urged　their　men　forward　with　continual　blows。　Many　were　thrust　into　the　sea；　and　there　perished；　a　still　greater　number　were　trampled　to　death　by　their　own　soldiers；　no　one　heeded　the　dying。　For　the　Greeks；　reckless　of　their　own　safety　and　desperate；　since　they　knew　that；　as　the　mountain　had　been　crossed；　their　destruction　was　nigh　at　hand；　exerted　themselves　with　the　most　furious　valour　against　the　barbarians。　　　　　By　this　time　the　spears　of　the　greater　number　were　all　shivered；　and　with　their　swords　they　hewed　down　the　ranks　of　the　Persians；　and　here；　as　they　strove；　Leonidas　fell　fighting　bravely；　together　with　many　other　famous　Spartans；　whose　names　I　have　taken　care　to　learn　on　account　of　their　great　worthiness；　as　indeed　I　have　those　of　all　the　three　hundred。　There　fell　too　at　the　same　time　very　many　famous　Persians：　among　them；　two　sons　of　Darius；　Abrocomes　and　Hyperanthes；　his　children　by　Phratagune；　the　daughter　of　Artanes。　Artanes　was　brother　of　King　Darius；　being　a　son　of　Hystaspes；　the　son　of　Arsames；　and　when　he　gave　his　daughter　to　the　king；　he　made　him　heir　likewise　of　all　his　substance；　for　she　was　his　only　child。　　　　　Thus　two　brothers　of　Xerxes　here　fought　and　fell。　And　now　there　arose　a　fierce　struggle　between　the　Persians　and　the　Lacedaemonians　over　the　body　of　Leonidas；　in　which　the　Greeks　four　times　drove　back　the　enemy；　and　at　last　by　their　great　bravery　succeeded　in　bearing　off　the　body。　This　combat　was　scarcely　ended　when　the　Persians　with　Ephialtes　approached；　and　the　Greeks；　informed　that　they　drew　nigh；　made　a　change　in　the　manner　of　their　fighting。　Drawing　back　into　the　narrowest　part　of　the　pass；　and　retreating　even　behind　the　cross　wall；　they　posted　themselves　upon　a　hillock；　where　they　stood　all　drawn　up　together　in　one　close　body；　except　only　the　Thebans。　The　hillock　whereof　I　speak　is　at　the　entrance　of　the　straits；　where　the　stone　lion　stands　which　was　set　up　in　honour　of　Leonidas。　Here　they　defended　themselves　to　the　last；　such　as　still　had　swords　using　them；　and　the　others　resisting　with　their　hands　and　teeth；　till　the　barbarians；　who　in　part　had　pulled　down　the　wall　and　attacked　them　in　front；　in　part　had　gone　round　and　now　encircled　them　upon　every　side；　overwhelmed　and　buried　the　remnant　which　was　left　beneath　showers　of　missile　weapons。　　　　　Thus　nobly　did　the　whole　body　of　Lacedaemonians　and　Thespians　behave；　but　nevertheless　one　man　is　said　to　have　distinguished　himself　above　all　the　rest；　to　wit；　Dieneces　the　Spartan。　A　speech　which　he　made　before　the　Greeks　engaged　the　Medes；　remains　on　record。　One　of　the　Trachinians　told　him；　〃Such　was　the　number　of　the　barbarians；　that　when　they　shot　forth　their　arrows　the　sun　would　be　darkened　by　their　multitude。〃　Dieneces；　not　at　all　frightened　at　these　words；　but　making　light　of　the　Median　numbers；　answered　〃Our　Trachinian　friend　brings　us　excellent　tidings。　If　the　Medes　darken　the　sun；　we　shall　have　our　fight　in　the　shade。〃　Other　sayings　too　of　a　like　nature　are　reported　to　have　been　left　on　record　by　this　same　person。　　　　　Next　to　him　two　brothers；　Lacedaemonians；　are　reputed　to　have　made　themselves　conspicuous：　they　were　named　Alpheus　and　Maro；　and　were　the　sons　of　Orsiphantus。　There　was　also　a　Thespian　who　gained　greater　glory　than　any　of　his　countrymen：　he　was　a　man　called　Dithyrambus；　the　son　of　Harmatidas。　　　　　The　slain　were　buried　where　they　fell；　and　in　their　honour；　nor　less　in　honour　of　those　who　died　before　Leonidas　sent　the　allies　away；　an　inscription　was　set　up；　which　said：…

　　　　Here　did　four　thousand　men　from　Pelops'　land　　　　　Against　three　hundred　myriads　bravely　stand。

This　was　in　honour　of　all。　Another　was　for　the　Spartans　alone：…

　　　　Go；　stranger；　and　to　Lacedaemon　tell　　　　　That　here；　obeying　her　behests；　we　fell。

This　was　for　the　Lacedaemonians。　The　seer　had　the　following：…

　　　　The　great　Megistias'　tomb　you　here　may　view；　　　　　　　Whom　slew　the　Medes；　fresh　from　Spercheius'　fords。　　　　　Well　the　wise　seer　the　coming　death　foreknew；　　　　　Yet　scorned　he　to　forsake　his　Spartan　lords。

These　inscriptions；　and　the　pillars　likewise；　were　all　set　up　by　the　Amphictyons；　except　that　in　honour　of　Megistias；　which　was　inscribed　to　him　（on　account　of　their　sworn　friendship）　by　Simonides；　the　son　of　Leoprepes。　　　　　Two　of　the　three　hundred；　it　is　said；　Aristodemus　and　Eurytus；　having　been　attacked　by　a　disease　of　the　eyes；　had　received　orders　from　Leonidas　to　quit　the　camp；　and　both　lay　at　Alpeni　in　the　worst　stage　of　the　malady。　These　two　men　might；　had　they　been　so　minded；　have　agreed　together　to　return　alive　to　Sparta；　or　if　they　did　not　like　to　return；　they　might　have　gone　both　to　the　field　and　fallen　with　their　countrymen。　But　at　this　time；　when　either　way　was　open　to　them；　unhappily　they　could　not　agree；　but　took　contrary　courses。　Eurytus　no　sooner　heard　that　the　Persians　had　come　round　the　mountain　than　straightway　he　called　for　his　armour；　and　having　buckled　it　on；　bade　his　helot　lead　him　to　the　place　where　his　friends　were　fighting。　The　helot　did　so；　and　then　turned　and　fled；　but　Eurytus　plunged　into　the　thick　of　the　battle；　and　so　perished。　Aristodemus；　on　the　other　hand；　was　faint　of　heart；　and　remained　at　Alpeni。　It　is　my　belief　that　if　Aristodemus　only　had　been　sick　and　returned；　or　if　both　had　come　back　together；　the　Spartans　would　have　been　content　and　felt　no　anger；　but　when　there　were　two　men　with　the　very　same　excuse；　and　one　of　them　was　chary　of　his　life；　while　the　other　freely　gave　it；　they　could　not　but　be　very　wroth　with　the　former。　　　　　This　is　the　account　which　some　give　of　the　escape　of　Aristodemus。　Others　say　that　he；　with　another；　had　been　sent　on　a　message　from　the　army；　and；　having　it　in　his　power　to　return　in　time　for　the　battle；　purposely　loitered　on　the　road；　and　so　survived　his　comrades；　while　his　fellow…messenger　came　back　in　time；　and　fell　in　the　battle。　　　　　When　Aristodemus　returned　to　Lacedaemon；　reproach　and　disgrace　awaited　him；　disgrace；　inasmuch　as　no　Spartan　would　give　him　a　light　to　kindle　his　fire；　or　so　much　as　address　a　word　to　him；　and　reproach；　since　all　spoke　of　him　as　〃the　craven。〃　However　he　wiped　away　all　his　shame　afterwards　at　the　battle　of　Plataea。　　　　　Another　of　the　three　hundred　is　likewise　said　to　have　survived　the　battle；　a　man　named　Pantites；　whom　Leonidas　had　sent　on　an　embassy　into　Thessaly。　He；　they　say；　on　his　return　to　Sparta；　found　himself　in　such　disesteem　that　he　hanged　himself。　　　　　The　Thebans　under　the　command　of　Leontiades　remained　with　the　Greeks；　and　fought　against　the　barbarians；　only　so　long　as　necessity　compelled　them。　No　sooner　did　they　see　victory　inclining　to　the　Persians；　and　the　Greeks　under　Leonidas　hurrying　with　all　speed　towards　the　hillock；　than　they　moved　away　from　their　companions；　and　with　hands　upraised　advanced　towards　the　barbarians；　exclaiming；　as　was　indeed　most　true…　〃that　they　for　their　part　wished　well　to　the　Medes；　and　had　been　among　the　first　to　give　earth　and　water　to　the　king；　force　alone　had　brought　them　to　Thermopylae；　and　so　they　must　not　be　blamed　for　the　slaughter　which　had　befallen　the　king's　army。〃　These　words；　the　truth　of　which　was　attested　by　the　Thessalians；　sufficed　to　obtain　the　Thebans　the　grant　of　their　lives。　However；　their　good　fortune　was　not　without　some　drawback；　for　several　of　them　were　slain　by　the　barbarians　on　their　first　approach；　and　the　rest；　who　were　the　greater　number；　had　the　royal　mark　branded　upon　their　bodies　by　the　command　of　Xerxes…　Leontiades；　their　captain；　being　the　first　to　suffer。　（This　man's　son；　Eurymachus；　was　afterwards　slain　by　the　Plataeans；　when　he　came　with　a　band　Of　400　Thebans；　and　seized　their　city。）　　　　　Thus　fought　the　Greeks　at　Thermopylae。　And　Xerxes；　after　the　fight　was　over；　called　for　Demaratus　to　question　him；　and　began　as　follows：…　　　　　〃Demaratus；　thou　art　a　worthy　man；　thy　true…speaking　proves　it。　All　has　happened　as　thou　didst　forewarn。　Now　then；　tell　me；　how　many　Lacedaemonians　are　there　left；　and　of　those　left　how　many　are　such　brave　warriors　as　these？　Or　are　they　all　alike？〃　　　　　〃O　king！〃　replied　the　other；　〃the　whole　number　of　the　Lacedaemonians　is　very　great；　and　many　are　the　cities　which　they　inhabit。　But　I　will　tell　thee　what　thou　really　wishest　to　learn。　There　is　a　town　of　Lacedaemon　called　Sparta；　which　contains　within　it　about　eight　thousand　full…grown　men。　They　are；　one　and　all；　equal　to　those　who　have　fought　here。　The　other　Lacedaemonians　are　brave　men；　but　not　such　warriors　as　these。〃　　　　　〃Tell　me　now；　Demaratus；〃　rejoined　Xerxes；　〃how　we　may　with　least　trouble　subdue　these　men。　Thou　must　know　all　the　paths　of　their　counsels；　as　thou　wert　once　their　king。〃　　　　　Then　Demaratus　answered…　〃O　king！　since　thou　askest　my　advice　so　earnestly；　it　is　fitting　that　I　should　inform　thee　what　I　consider　to　be　the　best　course。　Detach　three　hundred　vessels　from　the　body　of　thy　fleet；　and　send　them　to　attack　the　shores　of　Laconia。　There　is　an　island　called　Cythera　in　those　parts；　not　far　from　the　coast；　concerning　which　Chilon；　one　of　our　wisest　men；　made　the　remark　that　Sparta　would　gain　if　it　were　sunk　to　the　bottom　of　the　sea…　so　constantly　did　he　expect　that　it　would　give　occasion　to　some　project　like　that　which　I　now　recommend　to