he straits, and that the Spartans were in front of it. There were other
forces behind, but these the horseman could not see. The Spartans were
engaged, some of them in athletic sports and gymnastic exercises, and
the rest in nicely arranging their dress, which was red and showy in
color, though simple and plain in form, and in smoothing, adjusting, and
curling their hair. In fact, they seemed to be, one and all, preparing
for an entertainment.

And yet these men were actually preparing themselves to be slaughtered,
to be butchered, one by one, by slow degrees, and in the most horrible
and cruel manner; and they knew perfectly well that it was so. The
adorning of themselves was for this express and particular end.

The horseman, when he had attentively noticed all that was to be seen,
rode slowly back to Xerxes, and reported the result. The king was much
amused at hearing such an account from his messenger. He sent for
Demaratus, the Spartan refugee, with whom, the reader will recollect, he
held a long conversation in respect to the Greeks at the close of the
great review at Doriscus. When Demaratus came, Xerxes related to him
what the messenger had reported. "The Spartans in the pass," said he,
"present, in their encampment, the appearance of being out on a party of
pleasure. What does it mean? You will admit now, I suppose, that they do
not intend to resist us."

Demaratus shook his head. "Your majesty does not know the Greeks," said
he, "and I am very much afraid that, if I state what I know respecting
them, I shall offend you. These appearances which your messenger
observed indicate to me that the men he saw were a body of Spartans, and
that they supposed themselves on the eve of a desperate conflict. Those
are the men, practicing athletic feats, and smoothing and adorning their
hair, that are the most to be feared of all the soldiers of Greece. If
you can conquer them, you will have nothing beyond to fear."

Xerxes thought this opinion of Demaratus extremely absurd. He was
convinced that the party in the pass was some small detachment that
could not possibly be thinking of serious resistance. They would, he was
satisfied, now that they found that the Persians were at hand,
immediately retire down the pass, and leave the way clear. He advanced,
therefore, up to the entrance of the pass, encamped there, and waited
several days for the Greeks to clear the way. The Greeks remained
quietly in their places, paying appa