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strength　of　the　Greeks。　On　the　other　hand；　such　as　saw　with　pleasure　the　attack　on　Greece；　now　vied　eagerly　with　each　other　which　should　be　the　first　to　make　prize　of　an　Athenian　ship；　and　thereby　to　secure　himself　a　rich　reward　from　the　king。　For　through　both　the　hosts　none　were　so　much　accounted　of　as　the　Athenians。　　　　　The　Greeks；　at　a　signal；　brought　the　sterns　of　their　ships　together　into　a　small　compass；　and　turned　their　prows　on　every　side　towards　the　barbarians；　after　which；　at　a　second　signal；　although　inclosed　within　a　narrow　space；　and　closely　pressed　upon　by　the　foe；　yet　they　fell　bravely　to　work；　and　captured　thirty　ships　of　the　barbarians；　at　the　same　time　taking　prisoner　Philaon；　the　son　of　Chersis；　and　brother　of　Gorgus　king　of　Salamis；　a　man　of　much　repute　in　the　fleet。　The　first　who　made　prize　of　a　ship　of　the　enemy　was　Lycomedes　the　son　of　Aeschreas；　an　Athenian；　who　was　afterwards　adjudged　the　meed　of　valour。　Victory　however　was　still　doubtful　when　night　came　on；　and　put　a　stop　to　the　combat。　The　Greeks　sailed　back　to　Artemisium；　and　the　barbarians　returned　to　Aphetae；　much　surprised　at　the　result；　which　was　far　other　than　they　had　looked　for。　In　this　battle　only　one　of　the　Greeks　who　fought　on　the　side　of　the　king　deserted　and　joined　his　countrymen。　This　was　Antidorus　of　Lemnos；　whom　the　Athenians　rewarded　for　his　desertion　by　the　present　of　a　piece　of　land　in　Salamis。　　　　　Evening　had　barely　closed　in　when　a　heavy　rain…　it　was　about　midsummer…　began　to　fall；　which　continued　the　whole　night；　with　terrible　thunderings　and　lightnings　from　Mount　Pelion：　the　bodies　of　the　slain　and　the　broken　pieces　of　the　damaged　ships　were　drifted　in　the　direction　of　Aphetae；　and　floated　about　the　prows　of　the　vessels　there；　disturbing　the　action　of　the　oars。　The　barbarians；　hearing　the　storm；　were　greatly　dismayed；　expecting　certainly　to　perish；　as　they　had　fallen　into　such　a　multitude　of　misfortunes。　For　before　they　were　well　recovered　from　the　tempest　and　the　wreck　of　their　vessels　off　Mount　Pelion；　they　had　been　surprised　by　a　sea…fight　which　had　taxed　all　their　strength；　and　now　the　sea…fight　was　scarcely　over　when　they　were　exposed　to　floods　of　rain；　and　the　rush　of　swollen　streams　into　the　sea；　and　violent　thunderings。　　　　　If；　however；　they　who　lay　at　Aphetae　passed　a　comfortless　night；　far　worse　were　the　sufferings　of　those　who　had　been　sent　to　make　the　circuit　of　Euboea；　inasmuch　as　the　storm　fell　on　them　out　at　sea；　whereby　the　issue　was　indeed　calamitous。　They　were　sailing　along　near　the　Hollows　of　Euboea；　when　the　wind　began　to　rise　and　the　rain　to　pour：　overpowered　by　the　force　of　the　gale；　and　driven　they　knew　not　whither；　at　the　last　they　fell　upon　rocks…　Heaven　so　contriving；　in　order　that　the　Persian　fleet　might　not　greatly　exceed　the　Greek；　but　be　brought　nearly　to　its　level。　This　squadron；　therefore；　was　entirely　lost　about　the　Hollows　of　Euboea。　　　　　The　barbarians　at　Aphetae　were　glad　when　day　dawned；　and　remained　in　quiet　at　their　station；　content　if　they　might　enjoy　a　little　peace　after　so　many　sufferings。　Meanwhile　there　came　to　the　aid　of　the　Greeks　a　reinforcement　of　fifty…three　ships　from　Attica。　Their　arrival；　and　the　news　（which　reached　Artemisium　about　the　same　time）　of　the　complete　destruction　by　the　storm　of　the　ships　sent　to　sail　round　Euboea；　greatly　cheered　the　spirits　of　the　Greek　sailors。　So　they　waited　again　till　the　same　hour　as　the　day　before；　and；　once　more　putting　out　to　sea；　attacked　the　enemy。　This　time　they　fell　in　with　some　Cilician　vessels；　which　they　sank；　when　night　came　on；　they　withdrew　to　Artemisium。　　　　　The　third　day　was　now　come；　and　the　captains　of　the　barbarians；　ashamed　that　so　small　a　number　of　ships　should　harass　their　fleet；　and　afraid　of　the　anger　of　Xerxes；　instead　of　waiting　for　the　others　to　begin　the　battle；　weighed　anchor　themselves；　and　advanced　against　the　Greeks　about　the　hour　of　noon；　with　shouts　encouraging　one　another。　Now　it　happened　that　these　sea…fights　took　place　on　the　very　same　days　with　the　combats　at　Thermopylae；　and　as　the　aim　of　the　struggle　was　in　the　one　case　to　maintain　the　pass；　so　in　the　other　it　was　to　defend　the　Euripus。　While　the　Greeks；　therefore；　exhorted　one　another　not　to　let　the　barbarians　burst　in　upon　Greece；　these　latter　shouted　to　their　fellows　to　destroy　the　Grecian　fleet；　and　get　possession　of　the　channel。　　　　　And　now　the　fleet　of　Xerxes　advanced　in　good　order　to　the　attack；　while　the　Greeks　on　their　side　remained　quite　motionless　at　Artemisium。　The　Persians　therefore　spread　themselves；　and　came　forward　in　a　half…moon；　seeking　to　encircle　the　Greeks　on　all　sides；　and　thereby　prevent　them　from　escaping。　The　Greeks；　when　they　saw　this；　sailed　out　to　meet　their　assailants；　and　the　battle　forthwith　began。　In　this　engagement　the　two　fleets　contended　with　no　clear　advantage　to　either…　for　the　armament　of　Xerxes　injured　itself　by　its　own　greatness；　the　vessels　falling　into　disorder；　and　oft…times　running　foul　of　one　another；　yet　still　they　did　not　give　way；　but　made　a　stout　fight；　since　the　crews　felt　it　would　indeed　be　a　disgrace　to　turn　and　fly　from　a　fleet　so　inferior　in　number。　The　Greeks　therefore　suffered　much；　both　in　ships　and　men；　but　the　barbarians　experienced　a　far　larger　loss　of　each。　So　the　fleets　separated　after　such　a　combat　as　I　have　described。　　　　　On　the　side　of　Xerxes　the　Egyptians　distinguished　themselves　above　all　the　combatants；　for　besides　performing　many　other　noble　deeds；　they　took　five　vessels　from　the　Greeks　with　their　crews　on　board。　On　the　side　of　the　Greeks　the　Athenians　bore　off　the　meed　of　valour；　and　among　them　the　most　distinguished　was　Clinias；　the　son　of　Alcibiades；　who　served　at　his　own　charge　with　two　hundred　men；　on　board　a　vessel　which　he　had　himself　furnished。　　　　　The　two　fleets；　on　separating；　hastened　very　gladly　to　their　anchorage…grounds。　The　Greeks；　indeed；　when　the　battle　was　over；　became　masters　of　the　bodies　of　the　slain　and　the　wrecks　of　the　vessels；　but　they　had　been　so　roughly　handled；　especially　the　Athenians；　one…half　of　whose　vessels　had　suffered　damage；　that　they　determined　to　break　up　from　their　station；　and　withdraw　to　the　inner　parts　of　their　country。　　　　　Then　Themistocles；　who　thought　that　if　the　Ionian　and　Carian　ships　could　be　detached　from　the　barbarian　fleet；　the　Greeks　might　be　well　able　to　defeat　the　rest；　called　the　captains　together。　They　met　upon　the　seashore；　where　the　Euboeans　were　now　assembling　their　flocks　and　herds；　and　here　Themistocles　told　them　he　thought　that　he　knew　of　a　plan　whereby　he　could　detach　from　the　king　those　who　were　of　most　worth　among　his　allies。　This　was　all　that　he　disclosed　to　them　of　his　plan　at　that　time。　Meanwhile；　looking　to　the　circumstances　in　which　they　were；　he　advised　them　to　slaughter　as　many　of　the　Euboean　cattle…　they　liked…　for　it　was　better　（he　said）　that　their　own　troops　should　enjoy　them　than　the　enemy…　and　to　give　orders　to　their　men　to　kindle　the　fires　as　usual。　With　regard　to　the　retreat；　he　said　that　he　would　take　upon　himself　to　watch　the　proper　moment；　and　would　manage　matters　so　that　they　should　return　to　Greece　without　loss。　These　words　pleased　the　captains；　so　they　had　the　fires　lighted；　and　began　the　slaughter　of　the　cattle。　　　　　The　Euboeans；　until　now；　had　made　light　of　the　oracle　of　Bacis；　as　though　it　had　been　void　of　all　significancy；　and　had　neither　removed　their　goods　from　the　island；　nor　yet　taken　them　into　their　strong　places；　as　they　would　most　certainly　have　done　if　they　had　believed　that　war　was　approaching。　By　this　neglect　they　had　brought　their　affairs　into　the　very　greatest　danger。　Now　the　oracle　of　which　I　speak　ran　as　follows：…

　　　　When　o'er　the　main　shall　be　thrown　a　byblus　yoke　by　a　stranger；　　　　　Be　thou　ware；　and　drive　from　Euboea　the　goats'　loud…bleating。

So；　as　the　Euboeans　had　paid　no　regard　to　this　oracle　when　the　evils　approached　and　impended；　now　that　they　had　arrived；　the　worst　was　likely　to　befall　them。　　　　　While　the　Greeks　were　employed　in　the　way　described　above；　the　scout　who　had　been　on　the　watch　at　Trachis　arrived　at　Artemisium。　For　the　Greeks　had　employed　two　watchers：…　Polyas；　a　native　of　Anticyra；　had　been　stationed　off　Artemisium；　with　a　row…boat　at　his　command　ready　to　sail　at　any　moment；　his　orders　being　that；　if　an　engagement　took　place　by　sea；　he　should　convey　the　news　at　once　to　the　Greeks　at　Thermopylae；　and　in　like　manner　Abronychus　the　son　of　Lysicles；　an　Athenian；　had　been　stationed　with　a　triaconter　near　Leonidas；　to　be　ready；　in　case　of　disaster　befalling　the　land　force；　to　carry　tidings　of　it　to　Artemisium。　It　was　this　Abronychus　who　now　arrived　with　news　of　what　had　befallen　Leonidas　and　those　who　were　with　him。　When　the　Greeks　heard　the　tidings　they　no　longer　delayed　to　retreat；　but　withdrew　in　the　order　wherein　they　had　been　stationed；　the　Corinthians　leading；　and　the　Athenians　sailing　last　of　all。　　　　　And　now　Themistocles　chose　out　the　swiftest　sailers　from　among　the　Athenian　vessels；　and；　proceeding　to　the　various　watering…places　along　the　coast；　cut　inscriptions　on　the　rocks；　which　were　read　by　the　Ionians　the　day　following；　on　their　arrival　at　Artemisium。　The　inscriptions　ran　thus：…　〃Men　of　Ionia；　ye　do　wrong　to　fight　against　your　own　fathers；　and　to　give　your　help　to　enslave　Greece。　We　beseech　you　therefore　to　come　over；　if　possible；　to　our　side：　if　you　cannot　do　this；　then；　we　pray　you；　stand　aloof　from　the　contest　yourselves；　and　persuade　the　Carians　to　do　the　like。　If　neither　of　these　things　be　possible；　and　you　are　hindered；　by　a　force　too　strong　to　resist；　from　venturing　upon　desertion；　at　least　when　we　come　to　blows　fight　backwardly；　remembering　that　you　are　sprung　from　us；　and　that　it　was　through　you　we　first　provoked　the　hatred　of　the　barbarian。〃　Themistocles；　in　putting　up　these　inscriptions；　looked；　I　believe；　to　two　chances…　either　Xerxes　would　not　discover　them；　in　which　case　they　might　bring　over　the　Ionians　to　the　side　of　the　Greeks；　or　they　would　be　reported　to　him　and　made　a　ground　of　accusation　against　the　Ionians；　who　would　thereupon　be　distrusted；　and　would　not　be　allowed　to　take　part　in　the　sea…fights。　　　　　Shortly　after　the　cutting　of　the　inscriptions；　a　man　of　Histiaea　went　in　a　merchantship　to　Aphetae；　and　told　the　Persians　that　the　Greeks　had　fled