as I have said; but others, that he had been sent as a
messenger from the camp, and when he might have come up in time to find
the battle going on, was not willing to do so, but stayed upon the road
and so saved his life, while his fellow-messenger reached the battle and
was slain.

231. When Aristodemos, I say, had returned home to Lacedemon, he
had reproach and dishonour; 233 and that which he suffered by way of
dishonour was this,--no one of the Spartans would either give him light
for a fire or speak with him, and he had reproach in that he was called
Aristodemos the coward. 234

232. He however in the battle at Plataia repaired all the guilt that was
charged against him: but it is reported that another man also survived
of these three hundred, whose name was Pantites, having been sent as a
messenger to Thessaly, and this man, when he returned back to Sparta and
found himself dishonoured, is said to have strangled himself.

233. The Thebans however, of whom the commander was Leontiades, being
with the Hellenes had continued for some time to fight against the
king's army, constrained by necessity; but when they saw that the
fortunes of the Persians were prevailing, then and not before, while the
Hellenes with Leonidas were making their way with speed to the hillock,
they separated from these and holding out their hands came near to the
Barbarians, saying at the same time that which was most true, namely
that they were on the side of the Medes and that they had been among the
first to give earth and water to the king; and moreover that they had
come to Thermopylai constrained by necessity, and were blameless for the
loss which had been inflicted upon the king: so that thus saying they
preserved their lives, for they had also the Thessalians to bear witness
to these words. However, they did not altogether meet with good fortune,
for some had even been slain as they had been approaching, and when they
had come and the Barbarians had them in their power, the greater
number of them were branded by command of Xerxes with the royal marks,
beginning with their leader Leontiades, the same whose son Eurymachos
was afterwards slain by the Plataians, when he had been made commander
of four hundred Thebans and had seized the city of the Plataians. 235

234. Thus did the Hellenes at Thermopylai contend in fight; and
Xerxes summoned Demaratos and inquired of him, having first said this:
"Demaratos, thou art a good man; and this