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Mardonios was slain and the men who were ranged about his person, which
was the strongest portion of the whole army, had fallen, then the others
too turned and gave way before the Lacedemonians; for their manner of
dress, without defensive armour, was a very great cause of destruction
to them, since in truth they were contending light-armed against
hoplites..

64. Then the satisfaction for the murder of Leonidas was paid by
Mardonios according to the oracle given to the Spartans, 67 and the most
famous victory of all those about which we have knowledge was gained
by Pausanias the son of Cleombrotos, the son of Anaxandrides; of his
ancestors above this the names have been given for Leonidas, 68 since,
as it happens, they are the same for both. Now Mardonios was slain by
Arimnestos, 69 a man of consideration in Sparta, who afterwards, when
the Median wars were over, with three hundred men fought a battle
against the whole army of the Messenians, then at war with the
Lacedemonians, at Stenycleros, and both he was slain and also the three
hundred..

65. When the Persians were turned to flight at Plataia by the
Lacedemonians, they fled in disorder to their own camp and to the
palisade which they had made in the Theban territory: 70 and it is a
marvel to me that, whereas they fought by the side of the sacred grove
of Demeter, not one of the Persians was found to have entered the
enclosure or to have been slain within it, but round about the temple in
the unconsecrated ground fell the greater number of the slain. I suppose
(if one ought to suppose anything about divine things) that the goddess
herself refused to receive them, because they had set fire to the
temple, that is to say the "palace" 71 at Eleusis.

66. Thus far then had this battle proceeded: but Artabazos the son
of Pharnakes had been displeased at the very first because Mardonios
remained behind after the king was gone; and afterwards he had been
bringing forward objections continually and doing nothing, but had urged
them always not to fight a battle: and for himself he acted as
follows, not being pleased with the things which were being done by
Mardonios.--The men of whom Artabazos was commander (and he had with him
no small force but one which was in number as much as four myriads 72 of
men), these, when the fighting began, being well aware what the issue of
the battle would be, he led carefully, 73 having first given orders that
all should go by the way