Page:The story of Greece told to boys and girls.djvu/172

 CHAPTER XLI

THE BATTLE OF MARATHON

While the council of war was being held, a youth named Philippides was on his way to Sparta to beg the citizens to hasten to the help of their country. Philippides was sometimes called by his friends Pheidippides.

As Philippides sped on his errand a strange adventure befell him, for it is told that he met the great god Pan:

'There, in the cool of a cleft, sat he—majestical Pan. Ivy drooped wanton, kissed his head, moss cushioned his hoof, All the great God was good in the eyes grave-kindly—the curl Carved on the bearded cheek, amused at a mortal's awe, As under the human trunk, the goat thighs grand I saw. "Halt, Pheidippides!" halt I did, my brain in a whirl; "Hither to me; why pale in my presence?" he gracious began.'

The young Athenian was too amazed to answer, he but gazed at the god in silence. Then Pan asked why he was no longer worshipped in Athens, and promised that he would fight among the ranks of the Athenians against Persia, so that henceforth they would worship him in gratitude for his help.

'Test Pan, trust me! Go bid Athens take heart, laugh Persia to scorn; have faith In the temples and tombs. Go say to Athens, "The Goat-God saith; When Persia—so much as strews not the soil—is flung under the sea, Then praise Pan who fought in the ranks with your most and least, Goat-thigh to greaved-thigh, made one cause with the free and the bold."'

As a pledge the god then gave to Philippides a handful of a herb called fennel.