Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-08-04

| forces shattered and Europe pre-
served in a single battle, that of Mar
athon, fought 400 b. G. Had the
Athenians called in this great fight
Europe would have been oyerrun by
the Modes and the Persans. The
course of tile world would have been
turned into the hands of the Asiatlcs.
Called upon suddenly to fight for
thelI national existence, the men of
Athens found themselves in posi-
ton singularly like that of Amerl-
cans to~ay. They had only a tiny
army and they had host of law
makers to debate the manner In which
chat army should be organized and d.
rccted. While every free Greek was
compulsorily trained in military duty,
the nuster roll Of Athenian citizens lit
for military duty never exceeded go
600. II Is estimated that at Marathon
the Greek forces numbered not more
than II 600. Against this the great
king, Darius, sent host of 10000.
The odds seemed hopeless. Yet the
II 900 warriors of an aroused and des-
perate nation drove ton times their
number literally into the sea.
Darius, not unlike the Wilhelm of
today, had sent heralds to Greece,
declaring that he, "the lord of all men
from the rising to the setting SUM-
required earth and water to be deliv-
cred to the heralds as symbol that he
was head and master of the country.
In large part Greece submitted. Ath-
ems and Sparta hurled back defiance
and stoned the heralds in the market
place. Then they prepared to fight.
The great Asatic army, voyaging
in more than 1900 vessels, was com
mandpd by Datis, one Of the ablest
generals of antiquity. Fighting and
winning easily one or two smaller en-
gagements, this savage leader, making
announcement that the entire popula-
ton of Greece would be led into Asia
to hear its doom from the lips Of the
great king, himself, finally landed on
the eastern coast at Marathon. Behind
him were islands already conquered.
His galleys covered the beach and the
neighboring seas. On the mountain be-
fore him were the 1000 Greeks, theif
ten generals and one war ruler, at
tempting to decide in council whether
II were better to attack, to retreat or
to wait for re-enforcements from Spar
ia. Sparta had promised assistance,
but the Persans had landed on the
sixth day of the moon, and religious
scruples prevented the march of the
Spartan troops until the moon should
have reached its full. There were paci-
fists, actuated by religious scruples,
even in ancient Greece.
The ten generals, elected, after the
Greek custom, for one year each, d.
vided equally. Five were for fight and
five were for delay Upon the vote
of the polemarch, or war ruler one
Callimachus, hinged the decision. He
hesitated even as the presidents and
congresses of modern times sometimes
hesitate
But among the five generals eager for
fight was Mltiades, man of record
none too savory and afterward to meet
with more than little of eXecratlon,
but military genius, a man Of fiery
If INSCRIPTIONS energy and a fighter
from his sandals to his crown, Said
this Miltiades (Herodotus sets down
his words)
at now rests with you, CALI
machus, either to enslave Athens or,
by assuring her freedom, to win your
self an immortality Of fame. Never
since he Athenians were q people
we're they in such danger. If they
bow the knee to these Modes they
are to bd given up to Hippias, and you
know what that means. If we do not
bring on a battle presently some fac
tious intrigue will dlsunite the
Athenians and the city will be betrayed |
TO the Modes, But if we fight before |
there is anything rotten in the state of
Athens, believe that, provided the
gods will give fair play and no favor,
we are able to get the best Of 1t In
an engagement"
Said Calllmachus, slowly: I'VE |
eight"
1t was the law that the Greek gen
erals should take turns at army com
mand day by day. Miltiades waited
tor the day. IT was also the custom
Tor the warriors Of each Greek tribe
o fight in a body under their own gen
,ral. Their line consisted wholly Of |
leavy armed spearmeu bearing spear,
shield and short sword, for the Greeks
Vt that period set little store by light
armed troops save for skirmlshing.
! hey usually advanced slowly and
steadily into action in a uniform
Jhalanx about eight spears deep For
however, Miltiades, who
lad no idea of permitting himself to
u outfanked, Won Kluck fashion, and
ut up by the Persian horse, weakened
lis center to protect his wings and
AXE advantage Of the inequalities in
he ground Thus stood the Greek
'orce, chanting hoarsely its war song,
oh, Sons of the Greek, Strike for
Freedom"
I,aaI.. ,,,a-n N nation ~ oth- |