HOW THE SPARTANS DIED AT THERMOPYLE. 149

with sudden fright, sailed southward and left the
army to the mercy of the Persian ships. Fortu-
nately for Greece, thus deserted in her need, a strong
ally now came to the rescue. The gods of the winds
had been implored with prayer. The answer came
in the form of a frightful hurricane, which struck
the great fleet while it lay at anchor, and hurled
hundreds of ships on the rocky shore. For three
days the storm continued, and when it ended more
than four hundred ships of war, with a multitude of
transports and provision craft, were wrecked, while
the loss of life had been immense. The Greek fleet
had escaped this disaster, and now, with renewed
courage, came sailing back to the post it had aban-
doned, and so quickly as to capture fifteen vessels of
the Persian fleet.

While this gale prevailed Xerxes and his army lay
encamped before Thermopyle, the king in terror for
his fleet, which he was told had been all destroyed.
As for the Greeks, he laughed them to scorn. He
was told that a handful of Spartans and other Greeks
were posted in the pass, and sent a horseman to tell
him what was to be seen. The horseman rode near
the pass, and saw there the wall and outside it the
small Spartan force, some of whom were engaged in
gymnastic exercises, while others were combing their
long hair.

The great king was astonished and puzzled at this
news. He waited expecting the few Greeks to dis-
perse and leave the pass open to his army. The
fourth day came and went, and they were still there.
Then Xerxes bade the Median and Kissian divisions

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