solved to
share the fate of this gallant band. He allowed the rest of the allies
to retire, with the exception of four hundred Boeotians, whom he
retained as hostages. Xerxes delayed his attack till the middle of the
day, when it was expected that the detachment sent across the mountain
would arrive at the rear of the pass. But Leonidas and his comrades,
only anxious to sell their lives as dearly as possible, did not wait to
receive the attack of the Persians, but advanced into the open space in
front of the pass, and charged the enemy with desperate valour.
Numbers of the Persians were slain; many were driven into the
neighbouring sea; and others again were trampled to death by the vast
hosts behind them. As long as the Greeks could maintain their ranks
they repelled every attack; but when their spears were broken, and they
had only their swords left, the enemy began to press in between them.
Leonidas was one of the first that fell, and around his body the battle
raged fiercer than ever. The Persians made the greatest efforts to
obtain possession of it; but four times they were driven back by the
Greeks with great slaughter. At length, thinned in numbers, and
exhausted by fatigue and wounds, this noble band retired within the
pass, and seated themselves on a hillock. Meanwhile the Persian
detachment, which had been sent across the mountains, began to enter
the pass from the south. The Spartan heroes were now surrounded on
every side, overwhelmed with a shower of missiles, and killed to a man.

On the hillock, where the Greeks made their last stand, a marble lion
was set up in honour of Leonidas. Another monument, erected near the
spot, contained the memorable inscription:--

"Go, tell the Spartans, thou that passest by,
That here obedient to their laws we lie."

While Leonidas had been fighting at Thermopylae, the Greek fleet had
also been engaged with the Persians at Artemisium. The Persian fleet
set sail from the gulf of Therma, and arrived in one day at almost the
southern corner of Magnesia. In this position they were overtaken by a
sudden hurricane, which blew upon the shore with irresistible fury.
For three days and three nights the tempest raged without intermission;
and when calm at length returned, the shore was seen strewed for many
miles with wrecks and corpses. At least four hundred ships of war were
destroyed, together with a countless number of transports, stores, and
treasures. The Gr