PLATMA’S FAMOUS DAY. 169

feared, that Pausanias broke up his hill camp and
marched into the plain below, where he took station
in front of the Persian host, only the little stream
of the Asopus dividing the two hostile armies.

And here for days they lay, both sides offering
sacrifices, and both obtaining the same oracle,—that
the side which attacked would lose the battle, the
side which resisted would win. Under such circum-
stances neither side cared to attack, and for ten days
the armies lay, the Greeks much annoyed by the
Persian cavalry, and having their convoys of pro-
visions cut off, yet still waiting with unyielding faith
in the decision of the gods.

Mardonius at length grew impatient. He asked
his officers if they knew of any prophecy saying
that the Persians would be destroyed in Greece.
They were all silent, though many of them knew
of such prophecies.

“Since you either do not know or will not tell,”
he at length said, “I well know of one. There is an
oracle which declares that Persian invaders shall
plunder the temple of Delphi, and shall afterwards
all be destroyed. Now we shall not go against that
temple, so on that ground we shall not be destroyed.
Doubt not, then, but rejoice, for we shall get the
better of the Greeks.” And he gave orders to pre-
pare for battle on the morrow, without waiting
longer on the sacrifices.

That night Alexander of Macedon, who was in the
Persian army, rode up to the Greek outposts and
gave warning of the coming attack. “I am of
Greek descent,’ he said, “and ask you to free me

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