Those who escaped the sword of the Athenians tried to reach their ships, but seven of the vessels had been seized by 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.’ [Illustration: They crashed into the Persian army with tremendous force] CHAPTER XLII MILTIADES SAILS TO THE ISLAND OF PAROS Until the Greeks won their great victory at Marathon, in 490 B.C., they had always feared the Persians. Now their fear was forgotten. They had still a long struggle before the Persians were banished from their land, but, inspired by the memory of Marathon, the Greeks fought bravely and were sure always that they would be the victors. ‘It was as though on the day of Marathon the gods had said to the Athenians, “Go on and prosper.”’ Among those who fought on this famous field was Themistocles. He was young then and fought in the ranks, but he was yet to become one of the greatest men that Athens ever knew. Aristides too was there, of whom as of Themistocles there are many things to tell; Æschylus, the great tragic poet, also bore arms at Marathon. When the battle was over, it was found that the Athenians had lost only one hundred and ninety-two men, while of the Persians six thousand four hundred lay dead upon the field. In spite of this the army of the Persians was still large enough to attack the unwalled city of Athens. Soon after the battle a bright shield was hung on one of the heights of the city, and it was said that a traitor had signalled to the enemy that now was the time to attack her. But Miltiades saw the light as well as the Persians, and guessing what it meant, he took his army back to Athens by a forced march. He arrived in time to see the fleet of the enemy as it approached the harbour.