By the time the great king had reached Macedonia, the
heiralds whom he had sent to Greece returned to meet him,
bringing earth and water from all the states on the north
of Kithseron except Thespiae and Plataea. Notwithstanding
this defection, the states that still remained steadfast did
not lose courage. It was at once decided that another stand
should be made against the invaders, both by land and by
sea, the pass of Thermopylaj and the straits of Artemisium
being selected as the most suitable points of defense. The
latter (so named from a temple of Artemis that crowned the
northernmost headland of Euboea) was at the northern en-
trance of the long and narrow channel called the Euripus,
flowing between that island and the mainland. Through this
channel lay the nearest and safest route by sea from the
Macedonian coast to Attica.
ThermopylaB, or the " Hot Gates " (so called from certain
warm springs at or near the spot), was the name given to the
narrow entrance from Thessaly into Lokris, the only road by
which an invading army could conveniently penetrate into
southern Greece. It consisted of two passes about half a
mile apart, with a wider space intervening, and was formed



Digitized by



Googk



176 THE PERSIAN WARS.
