Page:The story of Greece told to boys and girls.djvu/174

 the victors. In the struggle on the shore, Callimachus the polemarch was slain.

The battle of Marathon was won, and the glory of the victory was due to the prowess and skill of Miltiades.

No sooner was the victory certain, than the whole army cried that Philippides should race once again, but this time to the Acropolis, to tell Athens that by the help of Pan she was indeed saved.

'So Pheidippides flung down his shield, Ran like fire once more; and the space 'twixt the Fennel-field And Athens was stubble again, a field which a fire runs through, Till in he broke; "Rejoice, we conquer." Like wine through clay Joy in his blood bursting his heart, he died—the bliss! So is Pheidippides happy for ever, the noble, strong man Who could race like a god, bear the face of a god, whom a god loved so well. He saw the land saved he had helped to save and was suffered to tell Such tidings, yet never decline, but gloriously as he began So to end gloriously—once to shout, thereafter be mute: "Athens is saved!" Pheidippides dies in the shout for his meed.'