battle, and the Persians, those namely whom the king called
"Immortals," of whom Hydarnes was commander, took their place and came
to the attack, supposing that they at least would easily overcome the
enemy. When however these also engaged in combat with the Hellenes,
they gained no more success than the Median troops but the same as they,
seeing that they were fighting in a place with a narrow passage, using
shorter spears than the Hellenes, and not being able to take advantage
of their superior numbers. The Lacedemonians meanwhile were fighting
in a memorable fashion, and besides other things of which they made
display, being men perfectly skilled in fighting opposed to men who were
unskilled, they would turn their backs to the enemy and make a pretence
of taking to flight; and the Barbarians, seeing them thus taking a
flight, would follow after them with shouting and clashing of arms: then
the Lacedemonians, when they were being caught up, turned and faced
the Barbarians; and thus turning round they would slay innumerable
multitudes of the Persians; and there fell also at these times a few of
the Spartans themselves. So, as the Persians were not able to obtain any
success by making trial of the entrance and attacking it by divisions
and every way, they retired back.

212. And during these onsets it is said that the king, looking on, three
times leapt up from his seat, struck with fear for his army. Thus they
contended then: and on the following day the Barbarians strove with no
better success; for because the men opposed to them were few in number,
they engaged in battle with the expectation that they would be found to
be disabled and would not be capable any longer of raising their hands
against them in fight. The Hellenes however were ordered by companies as
well as by nations, and they fought successively each in turn, excepting
the Phokians, for these were posted upon the mountain to guard the path.
So the Persians, finding nothing different from that which they had seen
on the former day, retired back from the fight.

213. Then when the king was in a strait as to what he should do in the
matter before him, Epialtes the son of Eurydemos, a Malian, came to
speech with him, supposing that he would win a very great reward
from the king; and this man told him of the path which leads over the
mountain to Thermopylai, and brought about the destruction of those
Hellenes who remained in that place. Afterwards from fear o