the history-第175章

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e　Persians　were　making　the　muster　of　their　ships。　In　what　way　he　contrived　to　reach　the　Greeks　I　am　not　able　to　say　for　certain：　I　marvel　much　if　the　tale　that　is　commonly　told　be　true。　'Tis　said　he　dived　into　the　sea　at　Aphetae；　and　did　not　once　come　to　the　surface　till　he　reached　Artemisium；　a　distance　of　nearly　eighty　furlongs。　Now　many　things　are　related　of　this　man　which　are　plainly　false；　but　some　of　the　stories　seem　to　be　true。　My　own　opinion　is　that　on　this　occasion　he　made　the　passage　to　Artemisium　in　a　boat。　　　　　However　this　might　be；　Scyllias　no　sooner　reached　Artemisium　than　he　gave　the　Greek　captains　a　full　account　of　the　damage　done　by　the　storm；　and　likewise　told　them　of　the　ships　sent　to　make　the　circuit　of　Euboea。　　　　　So　the　Greeks　on　receiving　these　tidings　held　a　council；　whereat；　after　much　debate；　it　was　resolved　that　they　should　stay　quiet　for　the　present　where　they　were；　and　remain　at　their　moorings；　but　that　after　midnight　they　should　put　out　to　sea；　and　encounter　the　ships　which　were　on　their　way　round　the　island。　Later　in　the　day；　when　they　found　that　no　one　meddled　with　them；　they　formed　a　new　plan；　which　was　to　wait　till　near　evening；　and　then　sail　out　against　the　main　body　of　the　barbarians；　for　the　purpose　of　trying　their　mode　of　fight　and　skill　in　manoeuvring。　　　　　When　the　Persian　commanders　and　crews　saw　the　Greeks　thus　boldly　sailing　towards　them　with　their　few　ships；　they　thought　them　possessed　with　madness；　and　went　out　to　meet　them；　expecting　（as　indeed　seemed　likely　enough）　that　they　would　take　all　their　vessels　with　the　greatest　ease。　The　Greek　ships　were　so　few；　and　their　own　so　far　outnumbered　them；　and　sailed　so　much　better；　that　they　resolved；　seeing　their　advantage；　to　encompass　their　foe　on　every　side。　And　now　such　of　the　Ionians　as　wished　well　to　the　Grecian　cause　and　served　in　the　Persian　fleet　unwillingly；　seeing　their　countrymen　surrounded；　were　sorely　distressed；　for　they　felt　sure　that　not　one　of　them　would　ever　make　his　escape；　so　poor　an　opinion　had　they　of　the　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