Page:History of Greece Vol V.djvu/123

 BATTLES OF THERMOPYLiE AND ARTEMESIUM. gg for the Greek fleet would have fled, as the admiral was on the point of ordering, even without an attack. But this was not suflicient for the Persians, who wished to cut off every ship among their enemies even from flight and escape. i Accordingly, they detached two hundred ships to circumnavigate the island of Eubcea, and to sail up the Eubcean strait from the south, in the rear of the Greeks, — and postponing their own attack in front until this squadron should be in position to intercept the retreat- ing Greeks. But though the manoeuvre was concealed by send- ing the squadron round outside of the island of Skiathos, it became known immediately among the Greeks, through a deserter, — Skyllias of Skione. This man, the best swimmer and diver of his time, and now engaged like other Thracian Greeks in the Persian service, passed over to Artemisium, and communicated to the Greek commanders both the particulars of the late destructive storm, and the despatch of the intercepting squadron.2 It appears that his communications, respecting the effects of the storm and the condition of the Persian fleet, somewhat reas- sured the Greeks, who resolved during the ensuing night to sail from their station at Artemisium for the purpose of surprising the detached squadron of two hundred ships, and who even be- came bold enough, under the inspirations of Themistokles, to go out and offer battle to the main fleet near Aphetse.^ "Wanting to acquire some practical experience, which neither leaders nor soldiers as yet possessed, of the manner in which Phoenicians and others in the Persian fleet handled and manoeuvred their ships, they waited till a late hour of the afternoon, when little daylight remained.4 Their boldness in thus advancing out, with inferior numbers and even inferior ships, astonished the Persian admirals, and distressed the lonians and other subject Greeks Ui)di 'Kvp<^6pov, tC) EKEivuv (Hepauv) Xoyu, Trepiyevea'&ai. ' Herodot. viii, 7, 8. "Woaderful stories were recoanted respecting the prowess of Skyllias as a diver. ' Diodorus, xi, 12. iiravEn?Mov enl Toic (3apfidpovc, anoireipav avruv nocfiaaa'&at QovXohevoi rfiq re uaxvc "o^ tov diEKnXoov.
 * Herodot. -viii, 6. /cat iiie72ov 6rj-&Ev eK(j)evi£a&ai {oi 'E/.'A.7]vecy edei de
 * Herodot. viii, 9. de'O^rjv &ipiriv yivofievTjv rijc flfispVC (pvXa^avrec, airol