Histories

Between the river and +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae there is a village named Anthele, past which the Asopus flows out into the sea, and there is a wide space around it in which stand a temple of Amphictyonid Demeter, seats for the Amphictyons,[*](Lit. dwellers around: neighboring tribes forming a league, and sending representatives (Pylagori) to a conference held twice a year.) and a temple of Amphictyon himself

King Xerxes lay encamped in +Trachis [22.55,38.8] (Perseus) Trachis in Malis and the Hellenes in the pass.[*](In the space between the eastern and western narrow e)/sodoi.) This place is called +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae by most of the Hellenes, but by the natives and their neighbors Pylae.[*](“the Gates”, since it served as the entrance into Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeGreece from the north. +Thermopylae [22.5583,38.8] (Perseus) Thermopylae means “the Hot Gates”, from the warm springs there.) Each lay encamped in these places. Xerxes was master of everything to the north[*](West, properly speaking; “southward” below should be “eastward.”) from +Trachis [22.55,38.8] (Perseus) Trachis, and the Hellenes of all that lay toward the south on the mainland.[*](That is, Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeGreece.)

The Hellenes who awaited the Persians in that place were these: three hundred Spartan armed men; one thousand from Tegea [22.4,37.5] (Perseus) Tegea and +Mantinea [22.3833,37.6167] (Perseus) Mantinea, half from each place; one hundred and twenty from Kalpali [22.3,37.716] (inhabited place), Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Orchomenus in +Arcadia [22.25,37.583] (department), Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Arcadia and one thousand from the rest of +Arcadia [22.25,37.583] (department), Peloponnese, Greece, Europe Arcadia; that many Arcadians, four hundred from Corinth [22.9083,37.9083] (Perseus) Corinth, two hundred from Phlius, and eighty Mycenaeans. These were the Peloponnesians present; from Boeotia (department), Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Boeotia there were seven hundred Thespians and four hundred Thebans.

In addition, the Opuntian Locrians in full force and one thousand Phocians came at the summons. The Hellenes had called upon them through messengers who told them that this was only the advance guard, that the rest of the allies were expected any day now, and that the sea was being watched, with the Athenians and Aeginetans and all those enrolled in the fleet on guard. There was nothing for them to be afraid of.

The invader of Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeHellas was not a god but a human being, and there was not, and never would be, any mortal on whom some amount of evil was not bestowed at birth, with the greatest men receiving the largest share. The one marching against them was certain to fall from pride, since he was a mortal. When they heard this, the Locrians and Phocians marched to +Trachis [22.55,38.8] (Perseus) Trachis to help.