ually falling, while the Greek ranks continued
entire. Sometimes the Greeks would retire for a space, falling back with
the utmost coolness, regularity, and order; and then, when the Persians
pressed on in pursuit, supposing that they were gaining the victory, the
Greeks would turn so soon as they found that the ardor of pursuit had
thrown the enemies' lines somewhat into confusion, and, presenting the
same firm and terrible front as before, would press again upon the
offensive, and cut down their enemies with redoubled slaughter. Xerxes,
who witnessed all these things from among the group of officers around
him upon the eminence, was kept continually in a state of excitement
and irritation. Three times he leaped from his throne, with loud
exclamations of vexation and rage.

All, however, was of no avail. When night came the Immortals were
compelled to withdraw, and leave the Greeks in possession of their
intrenchments.

Things continued substantially in this state for one or two days longer,
when one morning a Greek countryman appeared at the tent of Xerxes, and
asked an audience of the king. He had something, he said, of great
importance to communicate to him. The king ordered him to be admitted.
The Greek said that his name was Ephialtes, and that he came to inform
the king that there was a secret path leading along a wild and hidden
chasm in the mountains, by which he could guide a body of Persians to
the summit of the hills overhanging the pass at a point below the Greek
intrenchment. This point being once attained, it would be easy,
Ephialtes said, for the Persian forces to descend into the pass below
the Greeks, and thus to surround them and shut them in, and that the
conquest of them would then be easy. The path was a secret one, and
known to very few. He knew it, however, and was willing to conduct a
detachment of troops through it, on condition of receiving a suitable
reward.

The king was greatly surprised and delighted at this intelligence. He
immediately acceded to Ephialtes's proposals, and organized a strong
force to be sent up the path that very night.

On the north of Thermopylae there was a small stream, which came down
through a chasm in the mountains to the sea. The path which Ephialtes
was to show commenced here, and following the bed of this stream up the
chasm, it at length turned to the southward through a succession of wild
and trackless ravines, till it came out at last on the declivities o