he race of
Hercules. For neither shall the strength of bulls nor of lions withstand
him with force opposed to force, for he has the strength of Jove, and I
say he shall not be restrained before he has certainly obtained one of
these for his share." I think, therefore, that Leonidas, considering
these things and being desirous to acquire glory for the Spartans alone,
sent away the allies, rather than that those who went away differed in
opinion, and went away in such an unbecoming manner.

The following in no small degree strengthens my conviction on this
point; for not only _did he send away_ the others, but it is certain
that Leonidas also sent away the augur who followed the army, Megistias
the Acarnanian, who was said to have been originally descended from
Melampus, the same who announced, from an inspection of the victims,
what was about to befall them, in order that he might not perish with
them. He however, though dismissed, did not himself depart but sent away
his son who served with him in the expedition, being his only child.

The allies that were dismissed, accordingly departed, and obeyed
Leonidas, but only the Thespians and the Thebans remained with the
Lacedaemonians; the Thebans, indeed, remained unwillingly and against
their inclination, for Leonidas detained them, treating them as
hostages; but the Thespians willingly, for they refused to go away and
abandon Leonidas and those with him, but remained and died with them.
Demophilus, son of Diadromas, commanded them.

Xerxes, after he had poured out libations at sunrise, having waited a
short time, began his attack about the time of full market, for he had
been so instructed by Ephialtes; for the descent from the mountain is
more direct and the distance much shorter than the circuit and ascent.
The barbarians, therefore, with Xerxes, advanced, and the Greeks with
Leonidas, marching out as if for certain death, now advanced much
farther than before into the wide part of the defile, for the
fortification of the wall had protected them, and they on the preceding
days, having taken up their position in the narrow part, fought there;
but now engaging outside the narrows, great numbers of the barbarians
fell; for the officers of the companies from behind, having scourges,
flogged every man, constantly urging them forward; in consequence, many
of them, falling into the sea, perished, and many more were trampled
alive under foot by one another and no regard was p