8.58 G R E 
Sparta ?” two citi?;ons, of great rank and eminence, of¬ 
fered tliemfelves as willing facrificcs for the good of the 
community. Sperthies and Bulis, (for thefe were their 
names,) fet out for Sufa on this fingular errand. When 
they came to Sufa, the guards told them, that, when 
admitted into the prefence of Xerxes, they muftobferve 
the ufual ceremony of proftrating themfelves on the 
ground. But the Spartans declared, “Tliat no degree 
of violence could make them fubmit to fuch mean adu¬ 
lation : that they were not accultomed to adore a man, 
and came not thither for fuch an impious purpofe.” 
They approached Xerxes, therefore, in an ereit pof. 
ture, and told him with firmnefs they were fent to fub- 
init to any punilhment which he might think proper to 
ipfliff on them, as an atonement for tlie death of his 
heralds. Xerxes, admiring tiieirvirtue, replied, “That 
he certainly (liould not repeat the error of the Greeks, 
nor, by lacrificing individuals, deliver the Ifate from 
the guilt of murder and impiety.” The Spartans hav¬ 
ing received this anfwer, returned home, perfuaded 
that they had done their duty in offering private fatis- 
faiSlion ; which, though not accepted, ought fufficiently- 
to atone for the public crime. The example of thefe 
dlllinguilhed patriots probably gave Xerxes a very fa¬ 
vourable idea of the general character of their com- 
inaniiy. As he had not any particular quarrel with 
the Spartans, whofe ojipofition, thougli it could not 
prevent, would certainly retard, his intended punilh- 
ment of Athens, he fent melTengers to defire them to, 
lay down tlieir arms ; to which they replied, “ Let 
him come, and take them.” The meffengers then of- 
feied them lands, on cotidition of their becoming al¬ 
lies to the great king; but tliey anfwered, “That it 
was the cufloni of their republic to conquer lands by 
valour, not to acquire them by treachery.” The inef- 
fengers of Xerxes, equally alionilhed at what they faw 
and heard, returned to the Perfian camp, and defcribed 
the unexpedfed event of their commillion, as well as 
the extraordinary behaviour of the Spartans ; of which 
Xerxes defired an explanation from their countryman 
Demaratus. The latter declared in general, that their 
wiiole carriage and demeanour announced a determined 
refolution to fight to the laft extremity ; but he found 
it difficult to make the Perfian conceive the motives 
of men, who fought, at the certain price of their own 
lives, to purchafe immortal renown for their coun¬ 
try.—That a few individuals Ihould be animated, on 
fome extraordinary occafions, with this patriotic mag¬ 
nanimity, may eafily be underflood ; but that a whole 
nation Ihould be impreffcd with the fame generofity of 
charafter, could not readily be believed, without re- 
fledling on the inflitutions and manners of the Spartans; 
whereby it may be feen, that as the law which com¬ 
manded them to die rather than break their ranks, or 
abandon their polls in battle, was, like all the ordi¬ 
nances of Lycurgus, conceived to be of divine autho¬ 
rity, the influence of fuperflition confpired with the ar¬ 
dour of patriotifm, in preparing them to meet certain 
death in the fervice of the public. 
Xerxes could not however be made to enter into thefe 
motives, or to believe, as Herodotus obferves with ini¬ 
mitable fimplicity, “ that the Grecians were come to 
The.rniopyla; only as men defirous to die, and to deflroy 
as many of their enemies as they could ;” though no¬ 
thing was. more true. He therefore waited four days, 
continually expefting they would either retreat into 
their own country, or furrender their arms agreeably 
to his melfage. But as they flill continued to guard 
the paffage, he aferibed this condudl; to obfliiiacy or 
folly ; and on the fifth day determined to challife their 
infolence. 
The Medes and Ciffians, who, next to the Sacte and 
Perfians, funned the bravefl part of his army, were com¬ 
manded to attack thefe obflinate Greeks, and bring them 
iiUive into his prefeuce. The barbarians marched with 
E C E. , 
confidence to the engagement, but were repulfed with 
great flanghter. The places of thofe who fell W'ere 
inccffantly fupplied with frefli troops, but they could 
not make the fmalleft impreffion on tlie firm battalions 
of the Greeks ; and the great lofs which they fuflained 
in the attempt, proved to all, and particularly to the 
king, that he had indeed many men, but few foldiers. 
The Sac®, armed with their hatchets, next marched to 
the attack, but without better fuccefs ; aird, laft of all, 
the chofen, band of Perfians, headed by Hydarnes, a fot> 
of Darius, deigned to difplay their valour in what ap¬ 
peared to them a very trifiing contefl:. But they foon 
clianged their opinion when they came to clofe- with the 
enemy; for, fays Herodotus, their numbers were ufe- 
lefs, as they fought in a narrow pafs, and their fliort- 
pointed weapons were ill calculated, to contend with 
the long Grecian fpear. The Greeks had the advantage 
flill more in the fuperiority of their difeipline, than in 
the excellence, of their armour. Tired with deflroy- 
Hig, they retreated in clofe order, and when purfued 
unguardedly by the barbarians, they faced about on a 
fudden, and killed an incredible number of the Perfians, 
vvith fcarcely any lofs to themfelves. Xerxes, who was 
feated on an eminence to behold the battle, frequently 
flarted in wild, emotion from his throne; and«, fearing 
felt he Ihould be deprived of the flower of his army, 
he ordered them to be drawn off from the attack. But 
as tlie Grecian numbers were fo extremely inconfidera- 
ble, and as it feemed probable that the greateft part of 
them mufl have fuffered much injury in thefe repeated 
affaults, he determined next day to renew the engage¬ 
ment. Next day he fought without better fuccefs y 
and after vainly endeavouring to force the pafs, both in 
feparate bodies and with the coUeeled vigour of their 
troops, the Perfians were compelled to abandon the en- 
terprife, and difgracefully to retire to their camp. 
It was a fpedtacle which the world had never feen 
before, and which it was never again to behold, the per- 
fevering intrepidity of eight thoufand men refilling tho 
impetuous fury of an army compofed of millions. The 
unconquerable valour of Leonidas, and of his little 
troop, oppofed, and might have long retarded, the pre- 
grefs of the barbarians. But it was the fate of Greece, 
always to be injured rather by the treachery of falfe 
friends, than by the force of open enemies. When 
Xerxes knew not what meafupes to purfue in order to 
effedl his purpofe, and felt the inconvenience of remain, 
ing long in the fame quarters with fuch an immenfe 
number of men, a perfidious Greek, induced by the 
hop<fs of revvard, offered to remove his difficulties. 
The name of the traitor was Epialtes, a native of the 
obfeure diflridl of Moclis, which feparates the frontiers 
of Theffaly and Phocis. His experience of the country 
made him acquainted with a pall'age through the moun¬ 
tains of Oeta, feveral miles to the well of that guarded 
by Leonidas. Over this unfrequented path he under¬ 
took to conduct a body of twenty thoiiiand Perfians, 
rvho might aflault the enemy in the rear, while the main 
body attacked them in front. By this means whatever 
prodigies of valour the Greeks might perform, they 
mufl be finally compelled to furrender, as they would 
be inclofed on all fides among barren rocks and inhol- 
pitable deferts. The plan thus judicioufly concerted, 
was carried into immediate execution. On the evening 
of the feventh day after Xerxes arrived at tiie Straits, 
tw'enty thoufand chofen men left the Perlian camp, 
commanded by Hydarnes, and conducted by Epialtes. 
All night they marched through the thick forelfs of 
oak which abound in thole parts ; and by day-break 
they advanced near to the top of the hill. But how 
much were they furprifed to fee the firlt rays of the 
morning refledted by the glittering brightnefs of Gre¬ 
cian fpears and helmets ! Hydarnes was afraid that this 
guard, which feemed at no great diflance, had becnalfo 
compofed of Lacedaemonians; but a nearer approach 
2 Ihewed 
