Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1827-05-10
nATrLE OF 1MERMOrYhA.

The Spartan king. with his hlt'e band
of heroic and self devoted followers,
resolved or this occasion to exhibit to
the world a memorable example OF o.
beJlpnce to the laws of Lycurgus, which
ufohibjted on whatever occasion to de-
sert their post or to fly from an enemy.
Ihe subjects Of other states might tnl
low the dictates of prudence or expedI
sncY: bat the Spartans could only hear
and obey tue voice of glory and their
country.
Placed in the post Of honour by The
consent oil Greece, they chose rather O
die than desert that station, and they
determined therefore, though at the ex
pense of their lives, to confirm The pre-
eminence Of Sparta, to earn immortal
fame, and t. give an example OF patrl
oiism to the last ages Of Greece. Ami
mated by the example OF their leader,
each Iacedemon and Ihe.pian under
his command devoted himself 10 death,
but resolved TO die 10 such manner as
should be glorious to himself and bene.
fetal to bis country. When lie ordered
them to ''prepare the last meal Of their
lives, and to dine like men, who al
night should sup with their fathers" they
set up shout of JOY, as il they had
been Invited to banquet.
When Iiydarnes, with his detachment
of twenty thousand men, had nearly APP
preached to the rear Of the Greeks, a
chosen band Of Psrsiaus advanced to
the assault in front. To guard the de-
file, when they must inevitably be sur
rounded, was no object to LeondAs and
bis attendants, but TO choose the spot,
where. IN sacrificing themselves, they
might make the greatest havoc among
their enemy.
Conscious of certain death, il was
now tine to prepare for the last efforts
of generous despair. Advancing TO the
widest part ct the valley, they attacked
the Persians with the most impstuous
valour, on all sides and in the confusion
that ensued many of the uudiscipined
bsrbarians were driven into the sea -
LIE onidas fell early in the engagement,
al the head of ais heroic Spartans-
conflict however was continued favour
able to the Greeks, till Hydarnes attack
ed their rear. Collected in themselves
though retiring to return no more, they
took post behind the wall of Thermo.
pylae
TIE Thehans took this opportunity Of
expressing their early attachment to the
Persians, and with outssretchsd arms
bagged mercy OF the couqqerors. Many
OF them were killed in the act Of sur
rendering themselves, the remainder,
being made prisoners. survived only to
infamy. The LscedpmonIsns and Thes.
plans, continued TO fight with all the fury
Of despair, TIL the wal! was broken
down, ana the enemy entered the bi each
rs. 1t was no longer possible to resist
the weapons of surrounding nultitudes,
this undeunted band persisted to the last
man. overwhelmed rather than con.
quered by the Persian arms.
To the memory Of those brave de-
tenders of Greece, a magnificent mon-
ument was afterwards erected on the
spot whers they leIl bearing two in
scriptions one in honor of all those who
had fallen on the occasion; imparting,
that n thousand Greeks had resisted the
progress OF the Persian army, consist
ing of millions; he other tn the memory
of Leonidas and his three hundred Spar.
tans, expressed in few simple words
bv the poet Simonides: Tel, Stranger,
at Sparta thatthou wept oven the ashes
of the hundred who devoted themselves
to death in obedience to the laws of their
country
Twenty thousand Persians lell in this
engagement, aud among the rest, two
brothers of Xerxes.