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Thus two brothers of Xerxes here fought and fell. And now there
arose a fierce struggle between the Persians and the Lacedaemonians
over the body of Leonidas, in which the Greeks four times drove back
the enemy, and at last by their great bravery succeeded in bearing off
the body. This combat was scarcely ended when the Persians with
Ephialtes approached; and the Greeks, informed that they drew nigh,
made a change in the manner of their fighting. Drawing back into the
narrowest part of the pass, and retreating even behind the cross wall,
they posted themselves upon a hillock, where they stood all drawn up
together in one close body, except only the Thebans. The hillock
whereof I speak is at the entrance of the straits, where the stone
lion stands which was set up in honour of Leonidas. Here they
defended themselves to the last, such as still had swords using them,
and the others resisting with their hands and teeth; till the
barbarians, who in part had pulled down the wall and attacked them in
front, in part had gone round and now encircled them upon every side,
overwhelmed and buried the remnant which was left beneath showers of
missile weapons.
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