A SCHOLARS " PASSAGE OF 



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big heart of valor, such as the men of other nations wot not of. We 

 vowed vengeance, and we were revenged ; we devoted their cities 

 and their people to destruction, and they were scattered nay, had 

 the gods smiled propitious, they had been dispersed before us as the 

 chaff before the winds of heaven. Nine years had we lain before 

 Ithome, and still we prevailed not. The Spartan knew now for the 

 first time, what it was to the tigress to be withheld for a time from in- 

 flicting her just vengeance upon the base brute who hath done despite 

 to her young. He knew now what it was to be wronged and to have 

 the vengeance, which he knew was his of right, delayed by a stronger 

 arm than his own interposed between himself and its object, for 

 though delayed it was not to be withheld. The hearts of the be- 

 siegers did not fail them, for they of Lacedaemon know not what it is 

 to faint ; but all hearts were hardened, and as the storm bursts with 

 greater violence after the short, still deathlike calm which precedes 

 it, even so was it with us; the voice of mirth was silent, and a mantle 

 of gloom was hung over the spirits of the brave, and all was sadness 

 not the sorrow of despondency, but the stern quiet of determina- 

 tion. At length arose one of our wisest and bravest and departed, 

 and we saw his footsteps recede, and we asked not whither nor why 

 he went anon he returned and said, " we must beseech the Athe- 

 nians to give us a leader." Then some of our young men lift up their 

 voices and said ei Never." But the elders knit their brows and 

 frowned upon them, and he who had departed said " The gods will 

 it/' so saith the oracle, and our young men were silent, for none but 



cowards and ideots despise the voice of the gods. 



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He from Athens came, and bitterness was in our souls, for in deri- 

 sion they had sent him, and he was lame and squinted, and a hump 

 was on his back, and no sword was at his side, and no helmet was on 

 his brow, and our young men surveyed him with their eyes, and 

 stood in knots and conversed, in a low voice indeed, for the son of a 

 Lacedaemonian must expire ere he complain aloud of the decision of 

 his rulers, and there are none among them who dispute the wisdom of 

 heaven ; but still it was clear they desired not to follow such a leader, 

 instead of a sword he had a pipe in his hand, and verily our wrath 

 was like to burst the channels of our blood, so turbulently did it 

 throb at the thought, that they had dared to send a player upon the 

 pipe and a mime to lead the armies of Sparta. The elders and 

 leaders of our people discoursed of war with him and Tyrtaeus, (for so 

 was he named) declared that he knew not the art of war, and they 

 marvelled, but he had been provided by the gods, and mortals could 

 but receive what was sent by them. At length it was determined to 

 hazard another assault upon the city, for the tenth year had arrived 

 and still we were before the walls of Ithome ; and when we were 

 about to march against the city, Tyrtaeus stood up on an high place, 

 and the pipe was no longer in his hand, but he had a harp ; and pur 

 young men as they passed sneered outright, impiously saying within 

 themselves, " who is this buffoon that was sent to lead the warriors 

 o Sparta?" end Tyrtaeus struck his harp and began to sing; and 

 they stopped to hear him, and he sung thus : 



