word of Leonidas, and only the Thespians and the Thebans remained
behind with the Lacedemonians. Of these the Thebans stayed against their
will and not because they desired it, for Leonidas kept them, counting
them as hostages; but the Thespians very willingly, for they said that
they would not depart and leave Leonidas and those with him, but they
stayed behind and died with them. The commander of these was Demophilos
the son of Diadromes.

223. Xerxes meanwhile, having made libations at sunrise, stayed for
some time, until about the hour when the market fills, and then made
an advance upon them; for thus it had been enjoined by Epialtes, seeing
that the descent of the mountain is shorter and the space to be passed
over much less than the going round and the ascent. The Barbarians
accordingly with Xerxes were advancing to the attack; and the Hellenes
with Leonidas, feeling that they were going forth to death, now advanced
out much further than at first into the broader part of the defile; for
when the fence of the wall was being guarded, 225 they on the former
days fought retiring before the enemy into the narrow part of the pass;
but now they engaged with them outside the narrows, and very many of
the Barbarians fell: for behind them the leaders of the divisions with
scourges in their hands were striking each man, ever urging them on to
the front. Many of them then were driven into the sea and perished, and
many more still were trodden down while yet alive by one another, and
there was no reckoning of the number that perished: for knowing the
death which was about to come upon them by reason of those who were
going round the mountain, they 226 displayed upon the Barbarians all the
strength which they had, to its greatest extent, disregarding danger and
acting as if possessed by a spirit of recklessness.

224. Now by this time the spears of the greater number of them were
broken, so it chanced, in this combat, and they were slaying the
Persians with their swords; and in this fighting fell Leonidas, having
proved himself a very good man, and others also of the Spartans with
him, men of note, of whose names I was informed as of men who had proved
themselves worthy, and indeed I was told also the names of all the three
hundred. Moreover of the Persians there fell here, besides many others
of note, especially two sons of Dareios, Abrocomes and Hyperanthes, born
to Dareios of Phratagune the daughter of Artanes: now Artanes