disorder ensued; and, in the morning, Mardo'nius, construing their retreat into a flight, immediately pursued them, and, coming up with them near the little city of Platæ ́a,* attacked them with great impetuosity. 19. His ardour, however, was soon checked by the Spartans, who brought up the rear of the Grecian army, and who, throwing themselves into a phalanx, stood impenetrable and immoveable against all the assaults of the enemy. At the same time, the Athenians, being informed of the attack, quickly returned, and after defeating a body of Greeks in Persian pay, came to the assistance of the Spartans just as these last had completed the overthrow of the enemy. For Mardonius, enraged at seeing his men give way, rushed into the thickest of the ranks in order to restore the battle, and was killed by Aimnes'tus, a Spartan. 20. Upon this the whole army betook themselves to flight. Artaba'zus, with a body of forty thousand men, fled towards the Hel'lespont: the rest retreated to their camp, and there endeavoured to defend themselves with wooden ramparts; but these being quickly broken down, the confederates: rushed in upon them with irresistible fury, and, eager to rid the country of such terrible invaders, sternly refused them quarter, putting upwards of a hundred thousand of them to the sword. 21. Thus ended the invasion of Greece by the Persians; nor ever after was an army from Persia seen to cross the Hel'lespont. We have already observed that Aristi'des commanded the Athenians in this important action; the Spartans were headed by Cleom'brotus; and Pausa'nias, a Lacedæmo'nian, was the commander in chief.

22. The battle was no sooner over than the Greeks, to testify their gratitude to heaven, caused a statue of Jupiter to be made at the public expense, and placed in his temple

* A city of Boeotia near Mount Citheron,

at Olympia. On the right side of the pedestal were engraved the names of the several nations of Greece that were present in the engagement. The Spartans had the first place, the Athe'nians the second, and the rest succeeded in order.t

23. The successes of the Greeks were as rapid as they were important, On the very evening of the day on which the victory at Plate'a was won, another equally glorious was obtained at Mycale, on the coast of Ionia,

24. After the defeat of Salamis, the remains of the Persian fleet retired to Sa'mos; but the Greeks lost no time in pursuing them. The confederates on this occasion were headed by Leotych'ides the Spartan, and Xanthip'pus the Athenian. 25. The Persians were no sooner informed of their approach, than, conscious of their own inferiority by sea, they drew up their ships upon dry land at Myca'le, and fortified them with a wall and deep trench, while they at the same time protected them with an army of sixty thousand men, under the command of Tigra'nes. 26. But nothing could secure them from the fury of the Grecians, who immediately coming on shore, and dividing themselves into two bodies, the Athenians and Corinthians advanced directly on the plain, while the Lacedæmo'nians fetched a compass over hills and precipices, in order to take possession of a rising ground. 27. But before these last arrived,

* Now Longinico, a city of Elis, where the Olympic games were celebrated.

↑ No sooner had the titles of sepulture been afforded to the slain, trophies erected on the field of battle, and grateful offerings presented to the gods, than it was unanimously resolved to chastise the perfidious Thebans, who had leagued with the enemies of liberty to enslave their country. Accordingly the confederate forces marched against that city, resolved to raze it to the ground; but their anger was in some measure appeased by the citizens delivering up the traitors who had espoused the Persian cause: these were conveyed to Corinth, and sacrificed to the manes of those who had fallen in the glorious contest.

An island in the Archipelago.

the former had entirely put the enemy to flight, and, on being joined by the Spartans, soon forced their way through the Persian ramparts, and set all their ships on fire; so that nothing could be more complete than the victory now obtained. Tigra'nes, the Persian general, with forty thousand of his men, lay dead upon the field of battle; the fleet was destroyed; and of the great army which Xerx'es brought into Europe, scarcely a single man remained to carry back the news of its defeat.

Questions for Examination.

1. What followed the victory of Salamis, and to whom were the greatest honours paid?

2. What marks of distinction did they bestow on him? 3. What was the most flattering homage he received? 4. What steps did Mardonius take?`

5. What were those offers ?

6. Was this pleasing to the allies?

7. What reply was made to the proposals?

8. What was the consequence of this rejection? 9. Did this incline them to listen to terms?

10. What was the conduct of the Spartans?

11. What was the respective strength of the armies? 12. Whither did Mardonius retire?

13. Did the Grecians follow him?

14. What happened in this interval?

15. Who prevented the further progress of this misunderstanding? 16. What was the consequence of this speech?

17. What measures did the Grecians adopt?

18. What was the consequence?

19. Was the attack successful?

20. Did his death decide the fortune of the day?

21. What was the result of this victory?

22. How did the Greeks evince their gratitude to heaven for their success?

23. Were not the Greeks victorious in another quarter?

24. Relate the particulars.

25. By what means did the Persians attempt to defend them

selves?

26. Did these precautions avail them?

27. What was the result of this attack?

CHAP. VII.

From the Victory of Mycale to the Peace concluded between the Greeks and Persians.

SECTION I.

3. Det'riment, s. injury.

4. Duplicity, s. double dealing, deceit, 5. Retaliate, v. to return like for like, 7. Utility, s. usefulness.

Practicability, . possibility of being accomplished. 14. Contagion, s. infection.

Virulence, s. malignity, (poisonous quality).

16. Apparent, a. plainly to be seen.

17. Eph'ori, s. five powerful magistrates of Sparta, who could check the authority of the kings, and even imprison them.

A. M. 3526.

1. No sooner were the Greeks freed from the apprehensions of a foreign foe, than they began to entertain jealousies of each other; and the first symptoms of this dangerous spirit appeared in a misunderstanding that took place between the Athe'nians and Spartans. 2. The former, with their families, being returned to their own country, began to rebuild the city; and as its late state of weakness had rendered it so easy a prey to the Persians, they now formed a plan for strengthening and extending the walls, and giving it, for the future, a greater degree of security. 3. This excited the jealousy of the Lacedæmo'nians, who could not bear to see any of the other states of Greece upon an equal footing with themselves. They therefore sent ambassadors to dissuade the Athenians from this undertaking: but, being ashamed to avow their real motive, they alleged the great detriment which these fortifications would prove to the general in

of the enemy.

terests of Greece, if ever they should fall into the hands 4. Themistocles, who then guided the councils of Athens, at once saw through their design, and resolved to meet their duplicity with equal dissimulation. He therefore told them that the Athe'nians would soon send an embassy to Sparta, and fully satisfy all their scruples; and having procured himself to be chosen for this purpose, he by studied delays kept the Spartans in suspense until the works were completely finished.* 5. He then boldly threw off the mask, and declared that Athens was now in a condition to defend herself against any enemy, either foreign or domestic; that what she had done was perfectly consistent with the laws of nations and the common interests of Greece; and added, that if any violence were offered to his person, the Athenians would retaliate upon the Spartan ambassadors who were now in their hands. 6. In consequence of this spirited conduct the ambassadors on both sides were suffered quietly to depart, and Themistocles, upon his arrival in Athens, was received as if he had been returning from a triumph.

7. Encouraged by his success in this undertaking, Themis'tocles projected another scheme for increasing the power and importance of his country, which, however, he declared, in a full assembly of the people, would not admit of being publicly mentioned, as its execution required secrecy and despatch. He therefore begged that some person might be appointed, to whom he might communicate his design, one who was qualified to judge both of the utility and the practicability of the project. 8. Aris

To accomplish this important undertaking, every person, without distinction, was employed in the work; women, children, strangers, and slaves, were not exempt from their share of the labour; nor was it discontinued, night or day, till it was completely finished. A noble harbour likewise was formed and fortified, called the Piræus, capable of containing upwards of four hundred sail.