ns credible; for, in the first place, we may draw the
inference from this circumstance, that the Pylagori of the Grecians set
a price on the head, not of Onetes and Corydallus, but of Ephialtes the
Trachinian, having surely ascertained the exact truth; and, in the next
place, we know that Ephialtes fled on that account. Onetes, indeed,
though he was not a Malian, might be acquainted with this path if he had
been conversant with the country; but it was Ephialtes who conducted
them round the mountain by the path, and I charge him as the guilty
person.

Xerxes, since he was pleased with what Ephialtes promised to perform,
being exceedingly delighted, immediately despatched Hydarnes and the
troops that Hydarnes commanded, and he started from the camp about the
hour of lamp-lighting. The native Malians discovered this pathway, and
having discovered it, conducted the Thessalians by it against the
Phocians at the time when the Phocians, having fortified the pass by a
wall, were under shelter from an attack. From that time it appeared to
have been of no service to the Malians.

This path is situated as follows: it begins from the river Asopus, which
flows through the cleft; the same name is given both to the mountain and
to the path, "Anopaea," and this Anopaea extends along the ridge of the
mountain and ends near Alpenus, which is the first city of the Locrians
toward the Malians, and by the rock called "Melampygus," and by the
seats of the Cercopes, and there the path is the narrowest.

Along this path, thus situate, the Persians, having crossed the Asopus,
marched all night, having on their right the mountains of the Oetaeans,
and on their left those of the Trachinians; morning appeared, and they
were on the summit of the mountain. At this part of the mountain, as I
have already mentioned, a thousand heavy-armed Phocians kept guard, to
defend their own country and to secure the pathway--for the lower pass
was guarded by those before mentioned--and the Phocians had voluntarily
promised Leonidas to guard the path across the mountain.

The Phocians discovered them after they had ascended, in the following
manner; for the Persian ascended without being observed, as the whole
mountain was covered with oaks; there was a perfect calm, and, as was
likely, a considerable rustling taking place from the leaves strewn
under foot, the Phocians sprang up and put on their arms, and
immediately the barbarians made their appearance. But w