20. How the Spartans Held the Pass at Thermopylae. The Athenians were overjoyed with their success. But their leaders knew well that the Persians would come again. The wisest statesman among them, Themistocles, told them that they must be ready to fight on sea as well as on land. On his advice they built many more ships. In spite of his rage over the defeat of his army at

Marathon, King Darius was so busy with other things that he could not attack Greece again. But after his death the new king, Xerxes, took up the quarrel.

From all parts of his vast empire he collected soldiers. How many men there were in his huge army we cannot tell exactly. The Greeks thought there were over five million, and stories were told of how, wherever the multitude marched, they drank up all the pools and streams and devoured all the food, so that when they had passed the inhabitants starved to death. There were among them soldiers from forty-six nations, clad, in all sorts of garments and armed with all sorts of weapons.

Xerxes assembled a great fleet, too, much larger than that of all Greece. But lest storms should hinder, he determined to lead his army by land. A great bridge of boats was therefore built across the narrow strait between Asia Minor and Europe, and over this the long procession marched while the Great King watched from a marble throne. Then they journeyed southward to assail Greece, while the fleet, sailing along the coast, kept as nearly even with them as possible. All Greece was terrified, and some of the cities sent messengers to Xerxes, begging to be spared from destruction.

But there were still brave hearts in Sparta and Athens. In northern Greece, between steep mountains and the sea, is a narrow pass called Thermopylae, the "Hot Gates," because here was a spring of warm water. Through this the Persian host must march. But in this pass were three hundred Spartans led by one of their kings, Leonidas, with a number of allies from other cities.

The Spartans seemed a mere handful of men against so many Persian soldiers, and Xerxes contemptuously ordered the Greeks to give up their arms. "Come and take them," replied Leonidas.

Only a few Persians could enter the pass at one time; again and again they tried, but were always hurled back by the brave Spartans. Even Xerxes' best troops were beaten. For two days Leonidas held the pass.

Finally a traitor Greek told the Persians of a path over the hills by which they might fall upon the Spartans from the rear. For the Greeks to stay in the pass longer was certain death. But by a law of Sparta her warriors must never flee. Leonidas and his three hundred felt they could not desert their post. Struck by their brave example, many of the allies said they would stay, too.

So Leonidas and his men held their ground and fought till every man perished. But heaps upon heaps of slain Persians proved how bravely they had struggled. The pass of Thermopylae was lost, but the world can never forget the example of Leonidas and his three hundred. Of such stuff were Spartans made.

In later days a monument was built to mark the place where the heroes died. Upon it were carved no high-sounding words of praise, but a simple verse which meant a great deal more:

21. How Greece Was Saved. The Persians now marched on and overran northern Greece. Even Athens could not be defended. But her people were still unconquered. Led by the clever Themistocles, they embarked upon the ships which they had so wisely built. The women and children were taken to a place of safety, but the men again put to sea. Though the Persians captured the city and ruthlessly destroyed the buildings, they had not destroyed the real Athens. Athens was in the fleet, still eager to strike a blow for freedom.

The other Greeks now wanted to sail away to defend their own homes, but Themistocles felt it was better to fight the fleet of Xerxes at once. So, pretending to be a secret friend to the Persians, he sent a message to their king telling him that the Greeks were quarreling among themselves and that if he would send vessels to close up the entrance to the bay where their ships lay, he could easily destroy them.

Xerxes did so, and the next day he had a lofty throne set up on a hill overlooking the sea that he might watch his ships overcome the Greeks. Since he had three times as many vessels, he felt sure that he would win.

In the blue Bay of Salamis the great battle took place. Driven by their long oars, ship dashed against ship, each striving to crash into the other with her sharp beak. The air was filled with arrows and darts, and above the din rose the fierce shouts of the warriors. Sometimes the ships came side by side, and the men swarmed over the rails to fight it out hand to hand. But the Greeks were the better sailors, and, moreover, were thinking of their wives and little ones, whom

they must save from the enemy. When the battle was over the vast Persian fleet had been beaten and many of its vessels sunk.

Xerxes had still a large army and many ships left. But his heart failed him. He knew now what manner of men the Greeks were. So he returned to Asia, leaving only a part of his army to carry on the war. These soldiers the Greeks overcame the next year in a great land battle at Plataea. Thus Greece was saved. The Persian king might still tyrannize over the people of Asia, but Europe was to be free. Had the Greeks been frightened by mere numbers, all would have been lost. But Marathon and Salamis showed the world what a few brave men, who prefer death to slavery, can do.

The Leading Facts. 1. In ancient Greece each city governed itself in its own way. 2. The two greatest cities, Athens and Sparta, were rivals. 3. Athens was a republic, and her people were all trained to take part in public affairs. 4. The Athenians were famous for their love of learning and of beauty. 5. Sparta was ruled by kings, and her people were taught to love nothing but war. 6. Some things, such as the oracles and the great athletic games, drew the people of different Greek cities together. 7. Because the Persians were conquering all the nations of the world, they attacked Greece. 8. The Athenians won a glorious victory at Marathon. p. Then the Persian king, Xerxes, collected a gigantic army to crush Greece. 10. At Thermopylae three hundred Spartans gave their lives to save their country. 11. Greece was finally saved by a victory in a great sea fight at Salamis. 12. The defeat of the Persians meant that the people of Europe were to rule themselves.

Study Questions. 1. Tell the way in which a Greek city was built. 2. What different kinds of government did Greek cities have? 3. Make a list of differences between Athens and Sparta. 4. Tell what the Athenians did in their Assembly. 5. If you had been an Athenian boy, what would you have studied? 6. What did the Spartan boys and girls learn? 7. Explain what oracles were. 8. What would you have seen had you been present at the Olympic games?. 9. What would have happened had you won an Olympic crown? 10. Why did the Persian king think it would be easy to conquer Greece? 11. Why did the Greeks not submit to the Persians? 12. Tell the story of Marathon as if you yourself had fought on the Greek side t3. Why was the advice which Themistocles gave the Atheniañi after Marathon very wise? 14. Why were many Greeks terrified at the approach of Xerxes' army? 15. Tell the story of Thermopylae. 16. Should not the Spartans have retreated when the Persians found the path over the mountains? 17. Why did not the capture of Athens by Xerxes end the war? 18. Picture to yourself the battle of Salamis, and tell what you see. 19. Why did Xerxes give up trying to conquer Greece when he had so many men and ships left?

Suggested Readings. Guerber, The Story of the Greeks, 62- 136; Hall, Life in Ancient Greece, 11-166; Harding, Stories of Greek Gods, Heroes, and Men; Tappan, The Story of the Greek People; Yonge, Young Folks' History of Greece; Havell, Tales from Herodotus.



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© 2000 by Lynn Waterman