Either the unexpectedness of the onset caused the chestnut to swerve, or his rider tried to pull him up too suddenly, for he stumbled and went to his knees. The young man was pitched headforemost into the underbrush and fell almost at the feet of Leonidas.
Some of the Theban troopers saw the accident and rushed upon him with cries of triumph. They were confronted by Leonidas and Clearchus, who stood over the prostrate figure with drawn swords. Surprise caused the Thebans to hesitate, and this saved the lives of all three; for the Macedonian riders, thundering down upon the Thebans at full speed, struck them and tore them to pieces. Horse and man went down before that fierce charge, which left nothing behind excepting the dead and a handful of wounded, whose cries for mercy were cut short by a sword-thrust. The survivors fled without looking behind them.
"Where is Ptolemy?" shouted one of the Macedonians, a bearded man who seemed to be second in command. "Who has seen the captain?"
"He rode in advance," one of the troopers replied.
"If we do not bring him back, we shall have to answer for it to the king, and you know what that means," the first man said.
"He is here!" Clearchus called from the thicket.
The bearded lieutenant and several others hastily dismounted and carried their captain out into the road. He was still unconscious.
"Who are you?" the lieutenant demanded gruffly, looking at the two young men with suspicion.
"I am Clearchus of Athens, and this is Leonidas of Sparta," Clearchus replied.
"Of Athens!" the man said sneeringly. "Go back to your city and tell the cowards who live there that we are coming!"
"As you came once before--with Xerxes!" the young Athenian answered quickly.
The lieutenant's face grew livid and he whipped out his sword.
"Cut their throats! Kill them!" the troopers cried angrily, pressing closer.
Like a flash, Leonidas bestrode the form of the captain, sword in hand.
"I am of Sparta!" he cried boastfully. "My country never saw the face of Philip, nor shall it look upon that of his son, who calls himself the Hegemon of all Hellas. Put away your swords, or here is one whose funeral you will celebrate to-morrow!"
He placed the point of his blade at the captain's throat as he spoke. The men of Macedon dared not move.