s or displays
of personal vanity. There was one particular, it seems, however, in
regard to which they were vain, and that was in respect to their hair.
They wore it very long. In fact, the length of the hair was, in their
commonwealth, a mark of distinction between freemen and slaves. All the
agricultural and mechanical labors were performed, as has already been
stated, by the slaves, a body which constituted, in fact, the mass of
the population; and the Spartan freemen, though very stern in their
manners, and extremely simple and plain in their habits of life, were,
it must be remembered, as proud and lofty in spirit as they were plain
and poor. They constituted a military aristocracy, and a military
aristocracy is always more proud and overbearing than any other.

It must be understood, therefore, that these Spartan soldiers were
entirely above the performance of any useful labors; and while they
prized, in character, the savage ferocity of the tiger, they had a
taste, in person, for something like his savage beauty too. They were
never, moreover, more particular and careful in respect to their
personal appearance than when they were going into battle. The field of
battle was their particular theater of display, not only of the
substantial qualities of strength, fortitude, and valor, but also of
such personal adornments as were consistent with the plainness and
severity of their attire, and could be appreciated by a taste as rude
and savage as theirs. They proceeded, therefore, when established at
their post in the throat of the pass, to adorn themselves for the
approaching battle.

In the mean time the armies of Xerxes were approaching. Xerxes himself,
though he did not think it possible that the Greeks could have a
sufficient force to offer him any effectual resistance, thought it
probable that they would attempt to make a stand at the pass, and, when
he began to draw near to it, he sent forward a horseman to reconnoiter
the ground. The horseman rode into the pass a little way, until he came
in sight of the enemy. He stopped upon an eminence to survey the scene,
being all ready to turn in an instant, and fly at the top of his speed,
in case he should be pursued. The Spartans looked upon him as he stood
there, but seemed to consider his appearance as a circumstance of no
moment, and then went on with their avocations. The horseman found, as
he leisurely observed them, that there was an intrenchment thrown across
t