Phthiotis, and
Thebans, with the rest of the Boeotians also excepting the Thespians and
Plataians. Against these the Hellenes who took up war with the Barbarian
made an oath; and the oath was this,--that whosoever being Hellenes had
given themselves over to the Persian, not being compelled, these, if
their own affairs should come to a good conclusion, they would dedicate
as an offering 114 to the god at Delphi.

133. Thus ran the oath which was taken by the Hellenes: Xerxes however
had not sent to Athens or to Sparta heralds to demand the gift of earth,
and for this reason, namely because at the former time when Dareios had
sent for this very purpose, the one people threw the men who made the
demand into the pit 115 and the others into a well, and bade them take
from thence earth and water and bear them to the king. For this reason
Xerxes did not send men to make this demand. And what evil thing 116
came upon the Athenians for having done this to the heralds, I am not
able to say, except indeed that their land and city were laid waste; but
I do not think that this happened for that cause:

134, on the Lacedemonians however the wrath fell of Talthybios, the
herald of Agamemnon; for in Sparta there is a temple of Talthybios, and
there are also descendants of Talthybios called Talthybiads, to whom
have been given as a right all the missions of heralds which go from
Sparta; and after this event it was not possible for the Spartans when
they sacrificed to obtain favourable omens. This was the case with them
for a long time; and as the Lacedemonians were grieved and regarded it
as a great misfortune, and general assemblies were repeatedly gathered
together and proclamation made, asking if any one of the Lacedemonians
was willing to die for Sparta, at length Sperthias the son of Aneristos
and Bulis the son of Nicolaos, Spartans of noble birth and in wealth
attaining to the first rank, voluntarily submitted to pay the penalty to
Xerxes for the heralds of Dareios which had perished at Sparta. Thus the
Spartans sent these to the Medes to be put to death.

135. And not only the courage then shown by these men is worthy of
admiration, but also the following sayings in addition: for as they were
on their way to Susa they came to Hydarnes (now Hydarnes was a Persian
by race and commander of those who dwelt on the sea coasts of Asia), and
he offered them hospitality and entertained them; and while they were
his guests he asked them