Page:Key to Easy Latin Stories for beginners.djvu/94

86 KEY TO EASY LATENT STORIES. [part iv. ships were carried away by the wind, and dashed against the rocks. So the god contrived everything, that the forces of the Persians might be made equal to those of the Greeks.

249.On the day after there came for the Greeks fifty-three Attic vessels; and the arrival of these, and an announcement made at the same time, ‘that a great storm having arisen, all the barbarians sailing round Euboea had perished,’ strengthened both their vigour and courage. So at the same hour of the day, as on the day before, they weighed anchor, and assailed the Persian ships. And many of these having been destroyed (and) night coming on, they returned to Artemisium. Now it happened that these naval engagements and the land fight at Thermopylae were fought on the same days.

250.But on the third day, the leaders of the barbarians being greatly annoyed that so few vessels should inflict on them such insulting losses, and dreading the anger of Xerxes, no longer waited for the Greeks to begin the fighting ; but exhorting each other, they assail the enemy. And in this naval engagement also they were nearly equal on either side. Meanwhile the Greeks were informed that Leonidas had perished with his army; therefore they resolved to return to Athens. When it began to grow dusk they set out with (lit. using) the greatest speed.

251.Then indeed the barbarians commence to march on Athens, and some of them approached the temple of Delphi. The news of this inspired the Delphians with great fear; and stricken with this apprehension they consulted the oracle about the sacred money and precious things, whether they should bury them in the earth or carry them away to some other place. But the god forbade them to move them from the spot, saying that he was strong enough to protect his own property himiself. Having heard this reply, the men of Delphi now consulted for