Page:Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners.djvu/93

PART IV.] THE THIED INVASION OF GREECE. 85 The Grecian leaders began to deliberate about taking flight, being stricken with apprehension. And when the men of Euboea ascertained that this plan was being discussed by them, they persuaded Themistocles, the leader of the Athenians, by proposing a reward of thirty talents on (the) condition that they should remain there, and fight in battle. And Themistocles brought about in this way that the Greeks should remain. He prevailed on Eurybiades, who was in command of the fleet, by offering him five talents. Afterwards when of the rest, Adimantus, the Corinthian admiral, alone held out, he addressed him as follows: ‘Thou wilt not indeed desert us; for I will give thee greater gifts than the king would be likely to send thee, if thou wert to desert thy allies.’ Having said this, after he had sent three talents to the ship of Adimantus, he prevailed on all to remain there; but he himself kept the rest for himself.

247.Then indeed the barbarians sent part of their vessels round Euboea to surround the Greeks. Now there was in the fleet of the barbarians a certain Scyllias, the best diver in the world, who already before this had formed the plan of deserting to the Greeks, but before this day had not found an opportunity of carrying out his plan. Well, I cannot say how he now came to the Greeks from Aphetae. They say that this man, after diving into the sea at Aphetae, did not rise before arriving at Artemisium, having completed this journey of eighty stades through the sea. When he arrived thither he informed them that ships had been sent round Euboea.

248.Soon the Greeks, whose fleet was off Artemisium, when the signal was given made an attack on the barbarians. They fought for a long time with distinguished valour (shown) on either side. At last night coming on, with success uncertain, separated the fighters: the Greeks indeed returned to Artemisium, but the barbarians to Aphetae. Soon, a storm having arisen, the barbarians lost a great number of their ships. But to those who had been ordered to sail round Euboea, this same night was much more awful; and they had a sad end, for their