Page:Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners.djvu/66

 to the Phoenicians. But if you prefer to try your fortune with the Phoenicians, whichever part you choose, you must do your best (lit. give attention), that both Ionia and Cyprus may be free, as far as lies in you (lit. as much as can be done through you). To this the lonians replied, ‘Ionia has sent us to guard the sea, not to fight ourselves on foot with the Persians, giving up our ships to Cyprians. So we shall try to do a useful work in the station we have been placed in; but you, remembering what you have suffered when subject to the Persians, must be brave men.’ After this, when the Persians had come to the plain of the men of Salamis, the kings of the Cyprians formed their line of battle; so, indeed, as to oppose the rest of the Cyprians to the remaining soldiery of the enemy, but men selected from the men of Salamis to the Persians. Now Onesilus joyfully took his stand against Artybius, the leader of the Persians.

175.Artybius used to ride on a horse which had been trained to rear itself (lit to stand erect) against an armed soldier. Knowing this, Onesilus, since he had an armour-bearer, by race a Carian, distinguished in military skill and full of courage, said to him, ‘I hear that the charger of Artybius rears and fights with feet and teeth against an opponent. Do thou therefore take counsel quickly with thyself, and tell me whether thou desirest me to watch and strike the horse or Artybius himself.’ To this the servant replied: ‘I for my part am ready, king, to do either thing or both, and whatever thou biddest me at all; yet I shall say what seems most advantageous for your success. I affirm that a king and leader should fight with a king and leader; for if thou slayest a man (who is) a general that will be a great thing for thee; or if he slays thee, which may the gods forbid, it is a less calamity to be slain by a man worthy (of one). But I say that we servants should fight with servants and with the charger ; and be not thou a&aid of his tricks, for I promise you that he will rear against no man any more.’

176.{{bar|1}After the armour-bearer had said this, soon the battle began both by sea and land. And the lonians indeed with the