diately despatched Hidernes thither, with his select body of ten thousand Persians, who, marching all night, arrived by a circuitous route at the mountain by the break of day, and possessed themselves, without difficulty, of that advantageous post.

Leonidas, being now satisfied of the impossibility of bearing up against the enemy, desired his allies to retire, while he remained himself with his three hundred Lacedemonians, all nobly resolved to brave the extremity of fate. The Oracle had foretold, that either Sparta should be destroyed, or the king lose his life; and Leonidas did not hesitate a moment to make the sacrifice, which was to secure the safety of his country. The Thespians, with their leader Demophilus, were the only body of the allies who could not be prevailed upon to abandon Leonidas and the Spartans. The augur Megistias, who had foretold the fate of this enterprise, being pressed by Leonidas to retire, sent home his only son; but remained himself by the side of Leonidas. Those who staid, did not feed themselves with any hopes of conquering or escaping, but looked upon Thermopyla as their graves; and when Leonidas, exhorting them to take some nourishment, said that they should all sup together with Pluto, they set up, with one accord, a shout of joy, as if they had been invited to a banquet.

Xerxes at the rising of the sun began to move forward with the whole body of his army. On their approach, Leonidas advanced to the broadest part of the passage, and fell upon the enemy with such uudaunted courage and resolution, that the Persian officers were obliged to stand behind the divisious which

they commanded, in order to prevent their flight. In this onset the gallant Leonidas fell. The two brothers of Xerxes rushed forward to seize his body, anxious to carry it off in triumph to Xerxes. But the Lacedemonians covered the fallen hero with invincible resolution; four times they repulsed their assailants; and both the brothers of Xerxes, and many other brave commanders of distinction, were slain.

The force that was led on by the treacherous Epialtes, was at length espied descending from the mountain to attack the Spartans in the rear. The heroic band now retired to the narrowest part of the passage, and drawing all close together, posted themselves on a rising ground. The Persians poured in upon them on all sides, and a dreadful conflict ensued; till, at length, not vanquished, but overwhelmed by numbers, every man of the Greeks was slain except one, who escaped to Sparta, where he was treated as a traitor and coward to his country!

Some time after, a magnificent monument was erected at Thermopylæ, in honour of those brave defenders of Greece. It had two inscriptions. The one, which was general, relating to all who died on this occasion, imported that the Greeks of Peloponnesus, to the number of only four thousand men, had there made head against three millions of Persians! The other inscription related particularly to the three hundred Spartans, and was composed by the poet Simonides. It was to this effect: "Go, passenger, and acquaint the Spartans, that we died here in obedience to their just commands.”

PHILIP OF MACEDON.

No warrior was ever bolder or more intrepid in the field than Philip of Macedon. Demosthenes, who cannot be suspected of having flattered him, gives a glorious testimony on this head. I saw," says this orator, "this very Philip, with whom we disputed for sovereignty and empire. I saw him, though

covered with wounds, his eye struck out, his collarbone broke, maimed both in his hands and feet, still resolutely rush into the midst of dangers, and ready to deliver up to fortune any part of his body she might desire, provided he might live honourably and gloriously with the rest."

THE BATTLE OF MARATHON.

While the Persians, after the reign of Cyrus, became enervated by luxury and servitude, the Athenians were nobly animated by the freedom they had so recently recovered. It was this that enabled Miltiades in the plains of Marathon, with only ten thousand Athenians, to overcome the Persian army of a hundred thousand foot and ten thousand cavalry. This memorable battle, which was fought in the year 490 before Christ, reflected the highest glory on Miltiades. To prevent his little army from being surrounded by the enemy, he drew it up in front of a mountain, extended his line as much as possible, placed his chief strength in his wings, and caused a great number of trees to be cut down, to prevent the enemy's cavalry from charging them in flank.

The Athenians rushed forward on the Persians like so many furious lions. This is remarked to have been the first time that they advanced to the attack running; but by their impetuosity, they opened a lane through the enemy, and supported with the greatest firmness the attacks of the Persians. The battle was, at first, fought by both parties with great valour and obstinacy; but the wings of the Athenian army attacking the main body of the enemy in flank, threw them into irretrievable confusion. Six thousand Persians perished on the spot, and amongst the rest, the traitor Hippias, the principal cause of the war. The rest of the Persian army fled quickly, and abandoned to the victors their camp, full of riches.

Animated by their success, they pursued the Persians to their very ships; of which they took seven, and set fire to several more. On this occasion, one Cynegirus, an Athenian, after performing prodigies of valour in the field, endeavoured to prevent a particular galley from putting to sea, and for that purpose held it fast with his right hand; when his right hand was cut off, he then seized the galley with his left, which being also cut off, he took hold of it with his teeth, and kept it so until he died. Another soldier, all covered with the blood of the enemy, ran to announce the victory at Athens; and after crying out, " Rejoice, we are conquerors !" fell dead in the presence of his fellow citizens. The Greeks in this engagement lost only two hundred

men.

THE FABII.

When Caso Fabius and T. Virginius were consuls, Rome had several wars to sustain, less dangerous than troublesome, against the Æqui, Volsci, and Veientes. To put a stop to the incursions of the last, it would have been necessary to establish a good garrison upon their frontiers; but the commonwealth was too much exhausted of money to be in a condition to provide for so many different cares and expenses. It was then that the family of the Fabii shewed a generosity and love of their country, that has been the admiration of all ages. They applied to the senate, and demanded as a favour, that they would be pleased to transfer the care and expenses of the garrison necessary to oppose the Veientes, to their house, which required an assiduous rather than a numerous body; promising to support with dignity the honour of the Roman name, in that post. Every one was charmed with so noble an offer, and it was accepted with grateful acknowledgement. The news spread over the whole city, and nothing was talked of but the Fabii. Every one honouredevery one admired their conduct. 'If," said they, "there were two more such families in Rome, the one might take upon them the war against the Volsci, and the other against the Æqui, while the commonwealth remained quiet, and the forces of particulars subdued the neighbouring states."

Early the next day the Fabii set out, with the consul at their head in his robes. Never was there so small, and, at the same time, so illustrious an army