much booty that each man became quite rich. Then
they gathered up their dead, and buried them honorably on the
battlefield, at a spot where they afterward erected ten small columns
bearing the names of all who had lost their lives in the conflict.

Just as all was over, the Spartan force came rushing up, ready to give
their promised aid. They were so sorry not to have had a chance to fight
also, and to have missed a share in the glory, that they vowed they
would never again allow any superstition to prevent their striking a
blow for their native land whenever the necessity arose.

Miltiades, instead of permitting his weary soldiers to camp on the
battlefield, and celebrate their victory by a grand feast, next ordered
them to march on to the city, so as to defend it in case the Persian
fleet came to attack it.

The troops had scarcely arrived in town and taken up their post there,
when the Persian vessels came in; but when the soldiers attempted to
land, and saw the same men ready to meet them, they were so dismayed
that they beat a hasty retreat without striking another blow.

XLV. MILTIADES' DISGRACE.

The victory of Marathon was a great triumph for the Athenians; and
Miltiades, who had so successfully led them, was loaded with honors. His
portrait was painted by the best artist of the day, and it was placed in
one of the porticos of Athens, where every one could see it.

At his request, the main part of the booty was given to the gods, for
the Greeks believed that it was owing to divine favor that they had
conquered their enemies. The brazen arms and shields which they had
taken from the ten thousand Persians killed were therefore melted, and
formed into an immense statue of Athene, which was placed on the
Acropolis, on a pedestal so high that the glittering lance which the
goddess held could be seen far out at sea when the sunbeams struck its
point.

The Athenians vented their triumph and delight in song and dance, in
plays and works of art of all kinds; for they wished to commemorate the
glorious victory which had cost them only a hundred and ninety men,
while the enemy had lost ten thousand.

One of their choicest art treasures was made by Phidias, the greatest
sculptor the world has ever known, out of a beautiful block of marble
which Darius had brought from Persia. The Great King had intended to set
it up in Athens as a monument of his victory over the Greeks. It was
used instead to record his d