The Persian fleet sails southward.--Fate of Hippias.--Omens.--The dream and the sneeze.--Hippias falls in battle.--Movements of the Persian fleet.--The Persian fleet returns to Asia.--Anxiety of Datis.--Datis finds a stolen statue.--Island of Delos.--Account of the sacred island.--Its present condition.--Disposition of the army.--Darius's reception of Datis.--Subsequent history of Miltiades.--His great popularity.--Miltiades's influence at Athens.--His ambitious designs.--Island and city of Paros.--Appearance of the modern town.--Miltiades's proposition to the Athenians.--They accept it.--Miltiades marches against Paros.--Its resistance.--Miltiades is discouraged.--The captive priestess.--Miltiades's interview with the priestess.--Her instructions.--Miltiades attempts to enter the temple of Ceres.--He dislocates a limb.--Miltiades returns to Athens.--He is impeached.--Miltiades is condemned.--He dies of his wound.--The fine paid.--Proposed punishment of Timo.--Timo saved by the Delphic oracle.--Another expedition against Greece.--Preparations.--Necessity for settling the succession.--Darius's two sons.--Their claims to the throne.--Xerxes declared heir.--Death of Darius.--Character of Darius.--Ground of his renown. The city of Athens and the plain of Marathon are situated upon a peninsula. The principal port by which the city was ordinarily approached was on the southern shore of the peninsula, though the Persians had landed on the northern side. Of course, in their retreat from the field of battle, they fled to the north. When they were beyond the reach of their enemies and fairly at sea, they were at first somewhat perplexed to determine what to do. Datis was extremely unwilling to return to Darius with the news of such a defeat. On the other hand, there seemed but little hope of any other result if he were to attempt a second landing. Hippias, their Greek guide, was killed in the battle. He expected to be killed, for his mind, on the morning of the battle, was in a state of great despondency and dejection. Until that time he had felt a strong and confident expectation of success, but his feelings had then been very suddenly changed. His confidence had arisen from the influence of a dream, his dejection from a cause more frivolous still; so that he was equally irrational in his hope and in his despair.