ght die
with him; and this our historian himself has taken away, writing thus of
Leonidas's ambition: "Leonidas, considering these things, and desirous
that this glory might redound to the Spartans alone, sent away his
confederates rather for this than because they differed in their
opinions." (Herodotus, vii. 220.) For it had certainly been the height
of folly to keep his enemies against their wills, to be partakers of
that glory from which he drove away his confederates. But it is
manifest from the effects, that Leonidas suspected not the Thebans
of insincerity, but esteemed them to be his steadfast friends. For he
marched with his army into Thebes, and at his request obtained that
which was never granted to any other, to sleep within the temple of
Hercules; and the next morning he related to the Thebans the vision that
had appeared to him. For he imagined that he saw the most illustrious
and greatest cities of Greece irregularly tossed and floating up and
down on a very stormy and tempestuous sea; that Thebes, being carried
above all the rest, was lifted up on high to heaven, and suddenly after
disappeared. And this indeed had a resemblance of those things which
long after befell that city.

Now Herodotus, in his narration of that fight, hath obscured also the
bravest act of Leonidas, saying that they all fell in the straits near
the hill. (Herodotus, vii. 225.) But the affair was otherwise managed.
For when they perceived by night that they were encompassed by the
barbarians, they marched straight to the enemies' camp, and got very
near the King's pavilion, with a resolution to kill him and leave their
lives about him. They came then to his tent, killing or putting to
flight all they met; but when Xerxes was not found there, seeking him
in that vast camp and wandering about, they were at last with much
difficulty slain by the barbarians, who surrounded them on every side.
What other acts and sayings of the Spartans Herodotus has omitted, we
will write in the Life of Leonidas; yet that hinders not but we may
here set down also some few. Before Leonidas went forth to that war, the
Spartans exhibited to him funeral spectacles, at which the fathers and
mothers of those that went along with him were spectators. Leonidas
himself, when one said to him, You lead very few with you to the battle,
answered, There are many to die there. When his wife, at his departure,
asked him what commands he had for her; he, turning to her,