of the Greeks,
and to subdue completely the proud people who had so sorely defeated
Darius' troops at Marathon.

To prevent his fleet from being wrecked as his father's was, Xerxes had
given orders to dig a great canal across the isthmus that connected
Mount Athos with the mainland; and through this the vessels sailed past
the promontory in safety.

XLIX. PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENSE.

The news of Xerxes' crossing of the Hellespont, and of his approach to
conquer Greece, soon reached Athens, where it filled all hearts with
fear. The people then remembered Miltiades, and bitterly regretted his
death, and their ingratitude, which had been its real cause.

As the mighty general who had already once delivered them was dead, they
tried to think who could best replace him, and decided to recall
Aristides the Just from his undeserved exile. Aristides generously
forgave his fellow-citizens for all the harm they had done him, and he
and Themistocles began to do all in their power to insure the safety of
Athens.

Swift runners were dispatched in every direction with messages urging
all the Greek cities to unite for the good of the country by sending as
many brave men as possible to check the Persian army, and to try to
hinder it from really entering Greece.

Themistocles was the most active in this attempt to induce the Greek
cities to join forces, and it was he who planned a great council, or
meeting, at Corinth, in 481 B.C. There it soon became evident that the
cities were too jealous of each other to unite as they should.

Many of them promised help, which they never sent; others vowed they
would neither send troops nor furnish aid of any kind, unless _their_
generals had supreme command; and even the oracles gave vague and
discouraging answers, when consulted as usual.

In spite of all these drawbacks, Themistocles managed to get a few
allies; and, in order to induce the Spartans to lend their aid, he
promised them the command not only of the army, but also of the fleet.

He next persuaded them that it would be wisest to send an armed force
into Thessaly, so as to defend the narrow pass of Thermopylae, which was
the only road by which the Persians could enter Greece. This natural
causeway, as we have seen, lay between the mountains and the sea; and,
because there were springs of warm water here, it was generally known as
Thermopylae, which is the Greek for "Hot Gateway."

Under the guidance of Le-on'i-das, on