Salamis (480 B.C.) <i^ <:> '^:> 



(From the History ; Bohn, trans.) 



Al /"HEN the signal was given to the Greeks, 

 first of all, turning their prows against the 

 barbarians, they contracted their sterns inwardly to 

 the middle ; and when the second signal was given, 

 they commenced the attack, though enclosed in a 

 narrow space, and that prow to prow. On this 

 occasion they took thirty ships of the barbarians, 

 and Philaon, son of Chersis, the brother of Gorgus, 

 king of the Salaminians, a man highly esteemed 

 in their army. Lycomedes, son of yEschreus, an 

 Athenian, was the first of the Greeks who took a 

 ship from the enemy, and he received the palm of 

 valour. But night, coming on, separated the com- 

 batants, who in this engagement fought with doubt- 

 ful success. The Greeks returned to Artemisium, 

 and the barbarians to Apheta-, having fought with 

 far different success than they expected. In this 

 engagement, Antidorus, a Lemnian, was the only 

 one of the Greeks in the king's service who went 

 over to the Grecians ; and on that account the 

 Athenians presented him with lands in Salamis. 



When night came on— it was now the middle of 

 summer— heavy rain fell through the whole night, 



'75 



