1

75. The signal was no sooner given, than the Athenians, without waiting the Persian onset, rushed in upon their ranks with desperate rapidity, as if wholly regardless of safety. The Persians regarded this first step of the Athenians as the result of madness, and were more inclined to despise them as maniacs, than oppose them as soldiers-However, they were quickly un

deceived.

76. It had never before been the custom of the Greeks to run on with this headlong valour; but comparing the number of their own forces with that of the enemy, and expecting safety alone from rashness, they determined to break through the enemy's ranks or fall in the attempt. The greatness of their danger added to their courage, and despair did the rest.

77. The Persians, however, stood their ground with great intrepidity, and the battle was long, fierce, and obstinate. Mil tiades had made the wings of his army exceeding strong, but had left the main body more weak, and not so deep; for having but ten thousand men to oppose to such a numerous army, he supposed the victory could be obtained by no other means than strengthening his flanks, not doubting but when his wings were once victorious, they would be able to wheel upon the enemy's main body on either side, and thus put them easily to the rout.

78. The Persians, therefore, finding the main body weakest, attacked it with their utmost vigour. It was in vain that Aristides and Themistocles, who were stationed in this post of danger, endeavoured to keep their troops to the charge. Courage and intrepidity were unable to resist the torrent of increasing numbers, so that they were at last obliged to give ground. But, in the mean time, the wings were victorious and now, just as the main body were fainting under the unequal encounter, these came up, and gave them time to recover their strength and order.

79. Thus the scale of victory quickly began to turn in their favour; and the Persians, from being the aggressors, now began to give ground in turn, and being unsupported with fresh forces, they fled to their ships with the utmost precipitation. The confusion and disorder was now universal; the Athenians followed them to the beach, and set many of their ships on fire.

80. On this occasion it was, that Cynægyrus, the brother of the poet Eschylus, seized with his hand one of the ships that the enemy was pushing off from the shore. The Persians within, seeing themselves thus arrested, cut off his right hand that held the prow: he then laid hold of it with his left, which they also cut off; at last he seized it with his teeth, and in that manner expired.

81. Seven of the enemy's ships were taken, above six thou

sand Persians were slain, without reckoning those who were drowned in the sea as they endeavoured to escape, or those who were consumed when the ships were set on fire.

82. Of the Greeks, not above two hundred men were killed, among whom was Callimachus, who gave his vote for bringing on the engagement. Hippias, who was the chief incendiary of the war, is also thought to have fallen in this battle, though some say he escaped, and died miserably at Lemnos.

83. Such was the famous battle at Marathon, which the Persians were so sure of gaining, that they had brought marble into the field, in order to erect a trophy there. Just after the battle, an Athenian soldier, whose name was Eucles, still covered all over with blood and wounds, quitted the army, and ran to Athens, to carry his fellow-citizens the news of the victory. His strength just sufficed to reach the city; and throwing himself into the door of the first house he came to, he uttered three words, Rejoice, we triumph, and instantly expired.

84. While a part of the army marched forward to Athens to protect it from the attempts of the enemy, Aristides remained upon the field of battle, to guard the spoil and the prisoners; and although gold and silver were scattered about the enemy's deserted camp in abundance, though their tents and galleys were full of rich furniture and sumptuous apparel, he would not permit any of it to be embezzled, but reserved it as a common reward for all who had any share in obtaining the victory.

85. Two thousand Spartans also, whose laws would not permit them to march until the full of the moon, now came into the field; but the action being over the day before, they only had an opportunity of paying due honours to those who gained so glorious a victory, and to bring back the news to Sparta. Of the marble the Persians had brought with them, the Athenians made a trophy, being carved by Phidias into a statue, in honour of the goddess Nemesis, who had a temple near the field of battle.

86. In the mean time, the Persian fleet, instead of sailing directly back to Asia, made an attempt to surprise Athens, before the Greek forces could arrive from Marathon. But the latter had the precaution to move directly thither; and performed their march with so much expedition, that though it was forty miles from Marathon, they arrived there in one day. In this manner the Greeks not only expelled their enemies, but confirmed their security.

87. By this victory, the Grecians were taught to know their own strength, and not to tremble before an enemy terrible only in name. This taught them through the whole of succeeding ages to imitate their ancestors with an ardent emulation, and in

spired them with a wish of not degenerating from the Grecian glory.

88. Those Athenians that were slain in battle, had all the honour immediately paid them that was due to their merit. Illustrious monuments were erected to them in the very place where the battle was fought, upon which their names, and the tribe to which they belonged, were inscribed. There were three distinct sets of monuments set up; one for the Athenians, one for the Platæans, and a third for the slaves who had been enrolled into their troops upon that urgent occasion.

89. But their gratitude to Miltiades spoke a nobleness of mind, that far surpassed expensive triumphs, or base adulation. Sensible that his merits were too great for money to repay, they caused a picture to be painted by Polygnotus, one of the most celebrated artists, where Miltiades was represented at the head of the ten commanders, exhorting the soldiers, and setting them an example of their duty. This picture was preserved for many ages, with other paintings of the best masters, in the Portico, where Zeno afterwards instituted his school of philosophy.

90. An emulation seemed to take place in every rank of life; Polygnotus valued himself so much upon the honour of being A. M. appointed to paint this picture, that he gave his labour for nothing. In return for such generosity, the Amphictyons appointed him a public lodging in the city where he might reside during pleasure.

3514.

91. But though the gratitude of the Athenians to Miltiades was very sincere, yet it was of no long continuance. This fickle and jealous people, naturally capricious, and now more than ever careful of preserving their freedom, were willing to take every opportunity of mortifying a general, from whose merit they had much to fear.

92. Being appointed with seventy ships to punish those islands that had favoured the Persian invasion; and having raised the siege of Paros, upon a false report of the arrival of the enemy's fleet; he returned, unsuccessfully to Athens, where he was accused, by one Xantippus, of having taken a bribe from Persia. As he was not in a condition to answer this charge, being confined to his bed by a fall he received at Paros, the accusation took place against him, and he was condemned to lose hist life.

93. The manner of executing criminals found guilty of great offences, was by throwing them into the Barathrum, a deep pit, from whence none were ever seen to return. This sentence was pronounceed against him; but his former services were such as to have this punishment commuted into a penalty of fifty talents,

the sum which it had cost the state in fitting out the late unsuccessful expedition.

94. Not being rich enough to pay this sum, he was thrown into prison, where the bruise on his thigh growing worse, from bad air and confinement, it turned at last to a gangrene, and put an end to his life and misfortunes.

95. Cimon, his son, who was at that time very young, signalised his piety on this occasion. As this ungrateful city would not permit the body of Miltiades to be buried until all his debts were paid, this young man employed all his interest among his friends, and strained his utmost credit to pay the fine, and procure his father's body an honourable interment.

CHAPTER VI.

From the Death of Miltiades to the Retreat of Xerxes out of Greece.

1. THE misfortunes of Darius only served to increase his resentment, and give spirit to his perseverance. Finding the ill success of his generals, he resolved to try the war in person: and despatched orders throughout his whole dominions for fresh preparations.

2. However, a revolt in Egypt for a while averted his resentment; contest among his sons about nominating his successor, still farther retarded his designs; and at last, when he had surmounted every obstacle, and was just preparing to take a signal vengeance, his death put an end to all his projects, and gave Greece a longer time for preparation.

3. Xerxes, his son, succeeded, who, with the empire, inherited also his father's animosity against Greece. Having carried on a successful expedition against Egypt, he expected the same good fortune in Europe. Confident of victory, he did not choose, he said, for the future to buy the figs of Attica; he would possess himself of the country, and thus have figs of his own.

4. But, before he engaged in an enterprise of that importance, he thought proper to assemble his council, and collect the opinions of the principal officers of his court. In his speech at opening the council he evidently showed his desire of revenge, and his passion for military glory.

5. The best way, therefore, to pay court to this young monarch, was by flattering him in his favourite pursuits, and giving his impetuous aims the air of studied designs. Mardonius, grown neither wiser nor less ambitious by his own bad success,

began by extolling Xerxes above all other kings that had gone before; he urged the indispensible necessity of avenging the dishonour done to the Persian name; he represented the Greeks as cowards, that were accidentally successful, and was firmly of opinion, that they would never more stand even the hazard of a battle. 6. A discourse that so nearly coincided with his own sentiments, was very pleasing to the young monarch; and the rest of the company, by their looks and their silence, seemed to applaud his impetuosity. But Artabanus, the king's uncle, who had long learned to reverence courage, even in an enemy, and presuming upon his age and experience to speak his real sentiments, rose with an honest freedom to represent the intended expedition in its true light.

7. "Permit me, Sir," said he, to deliver my sentiments upon this occasion with a liberty suitable to my age and your interest. When Darius, your father and my brother, first thought of making war against the Scythians, I used all my endeavours to divert him from it. The people you are going to attack are infinitely more formidable than they. If the Athenians alone could defeat the numerous army commanded by Darius and Artaphernes, what ought we to expect from an opposition of all the states of Greece united ?

8. "You design to pass from Asia into Europe by laying a bridge over the sea. But what if the Athenians should advance and destroy this bridge, and so prevent our return? Let us not expose ourselves to such dangers, as we have no sufficient motives to compel us to face them; at least let us take time to reflect upon it. When we have maturely deliberated upon this affair, whatever happens to be the success of it, we have nothing to regret. Precipitation is imprudent, and is usually unsuccessful.

9. "Above all, do not suffer yourself, great prince, to be dazzled with the splendour of imaginary glory. The highest and the most lofty trees have the most reason to dread the thunder. God loves to humble the ostentatious, and reserves to himself alone the pride of importance. As for you, Mardonius, who so earnestly urge this expedition, if it must be so, lead it forward. But let the king, whose life is dear to us all, return back to Persia.

10. "In the mean time let your children and mine be given up as a pledge to answer for the success of the war. If the issue be favourable, I consent that mine be put to death; but if it prove otherwise, as I well foresee, then I desire that you and your children may meet the reward of rashness."

11. This advice, which was rather sincere than palatable, was