THERMOMETER 



5787 



THERMOPYLAE 



serted through the funnel mouth, while the bulb 

 is gently heated to expel the air. When the 



CENTIGRADE 

 SCALE 



/00> 

 Boiling Point 

 For Water 



80- 



66- 



40' 



20- 



I Freezing Point 

 70- 



FAHRENHEIT 

 SCALE 



2/2" I 



foiling Point ) 

 For Water J 



-20 



39 ] 

 Veezmg Point I 

 for Mercury j 



THE THERMOMETER 



Showing gradings for both Fahrenheit and Cen- 

 tigrade scales. Comparison of the two scales is 

 thus made easy. 



bulb is full and sufficient liquid extends above 

 it the funnel end is closed. The closed tube 



-100 



reezing Point \ 

 for Water I 



is then immersed in melted ice, the point to 

 which the liquid in the bore drops is observed, 

 and a marking made, thereafter known as the 

 freezing point of water (0 C. or 32 F.). The 

 instrument is then immersed in water and 

 slowly heated until the water boils. Another 

 mark is made at 212 F. or 100 C. The inter- 

 vening space between the freezing point and 

 the boiling point is subdivided according to 

 scale desired, and the thermometer is ready for 

 use. B.M.W. 



THERMOPYLAE, thermop'ile, meaning lit- 

 erally the hot gates, is a mountain pass of 

 Greece. The mention of it is sufficient to 

 stir in any hearer's mind thoughts of deeds of 

 heroism, for it was here that Leonidas and his 

 followers displayed their unexampled bravery. 

 The pass, which leads from Thessaly into Loc- 

 ris, lies between Mount Oeta and the Maliac 

 Gulf, and was anciently the only way by which 

 an army might pass from northern into south- 

 ern Greece. As it was but fifty feet wide it was 

 easily defended by a comparatively small force, 

 and was thus one of the important strategic 

 points in the country. When, in August, 480 

 B. c., Xerxes with his vast hordes of Persia at- 

 tempted the invasion of Greece, Leonidas, king 

 of Sparta, was sent with 300 Spartans and some 

 5,000 allies to hold the pass of Thermopylae. 

 For two days the Persians tried in vain to force 

 a way through, even the famous Immortals be- 

 ing turned back, but at evening of the second 

 day a treacherous Greek, Ephialtes by name, 

 showed to Xerxes a path over the mountains, 

 and the Persians were enabled to cross and fall 

 upon the Greek rear. Dismissing at the ap- 

 proach of the enemy all his followers except 

 the Spartans and Thespians, Leonidas prepared 

 to fight to the death, and every Spartan fell. 



Two hundred years later (279 B. c.) another 

 invader, Brennus the Gaul, tried to enter 

 Greece through the famous pass. He, too, was 

 held at bay until a way was discovered over 

 the mountains, but this time the Greek de- 

 fenders managed to escape. 



Some of the features of the ancient pass re- 

 main unchanged; the hot springs which gave 

 it its name still bubble forth at the foot of the 

 hill and are of value in certain diseases. The 

 pass itself, however, no longer exists, for de- 

 posits of the river Spercheius have broadened 

 it to a marshy plain which is in places three 

 miles wide. * 



Consult Grundy's The Great Persian War. 



Related Subjects. In connection with this 

 article the reader may consult these topics : 



