Page:Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners.djvu/95

PART IV.] THE THIRD INVASION OF GREECE. 87 their own safety, and the greater part of them betook themselves to flight. 252.But when the barbarians drew near, then a seer, whose name was Aceratus, saw the sacred arms laid out before the temple, having been brought out of the shrine, which it was lawful for no human. being to touch. And he went away to announce this portent to the Delphians who were present in the city. Soon, on the approach of the Persians, thunderbolts fell down from heaven, and two pinnacles having been broken off from Mount Parnassus fell with a great crash on the same, and destroyed many, and a shriekmg and howling was clearly heard coming from the temple. And the barbarians were filled with fear at these things: and when the Delphians understood that they were taking to flight, descending from the mountain they caused a great slaughter of them. They also say that two armed men, taller than mortals, assailed the Persians, and caused a slaughter of them.

253.When the ships had returned to Athens, it was proclaimed that, ‘in whatever place each man could, there he should place his children and household in safety.’ And so all began to make haste to carry out the order. The Athenians say that a huge serpent, the guardian of the citadel, dwells in the temple: nor do they only say this, but they also offer to it monthly sacrifices, as if it really dwelt there, and the monthly sacrifice is a cake flavoured with honey. This cake, though at previous times it had always been consumed, was then untouched. When the priest told this, so much the more did they abandon the city, because even the goddess had deserted the citadel. But the fleet remained off the island of Salamis.

254.Meanwhile Xerxes arrives with his army, and finds the city empty. Now there were some Athenians who had betaken themselves to the citadel and had fortified the