|
And first, before they left the city, the generals sent off to
Sparta a herald, one Pheidippides, who was by birth an Athenian,
and by profession and practice a trained runner. This man, according
to the account which he gave to the Athenians on his return, when he
was near Mount Parthenium, above Tegea, fell in with the god Pan,
who called him by his name, and bade him ask the Athenians "wherefore
they neglected him so entirely, when he was kindly disposed towards
them, and had often helped them in times past, and would do so again
in time to come?" The Athenians, entirely believing in the truth of
this report, as soon as their affairs were once more in good order,
set up a temple to Pan under the Acropolis, and, in return for the
message which I have recorded, established in his honour yearly
sacrifices and a torch-race.
|
|