LD DEAR.' And from us there came a great tumult of Persian
speech, and the battle began, ship striking against ship. And a ship of
the Greeks led the way, breaking off all the forepart of a ship of
Phoenicia. For a while, indeed, the Persian fleet bare up; but seeing
that there were many crowded together in narrow space, and that they
could not help one another, they began to smite their prows together,
and to break the oars one of the other. And the ships of the Greeks in a
circle round about them drave against them right skilfully; and many
hulls were overset, till a man could not see the sea, so full was it of
wrecks and of bodies of dead men, with which also all the shores and
rocks were filled. Then did all the fleet of the Persians take to flight
without order, and our enemies with oars and pieces of wreck smote us,
as men smite tunnies or a shoal of other fish; and there went up a
dreadful cry, till the darkness fell and they ceased from pursuing. But
all the evils that befell us I could not tell, no, not in ten days; only
be sure of this, that never before in one day died such a multitude of
men."

[Illustration: THE HORSES OF THE MORNING.]

Then the Queen said, "'Tis surely a great sea of troubles that hath
broken upon our race."

But the messenger made reply, "Listen yet again, for I have yet more to
tell. There is an island over against Salamis, small, not easy of
approach to ships. Hither the King, thy son, sent the chosen men of his
army, being in the vigour of their age, and noble of birth, and faithful
to himself. For it was in his mind that they should slay such of the
Greeks as should seek to save themselves out of the ships, and should
help any of his own people that might be in need. But he judged ill of
what should come to pass. For when the ships of the Greeks had prevailed
as I have said, certain of their host clad themselves in arms, and
leapt out of the ships on to the island, which they circled about so
that the Persians knew not whither they should turn. And many were
smitten down with stones, and many with arrows, till at the last the men
of Greece, making an onslaught together, slew them with their swords so
that there was not a man left alive. Which thing when the King beheld,
for he sat on a hill nigh unto the shore of the sea, whence he could
regard the whole army, he uttered a great cry, and rent his garments,
and bade his army that was on the land fly with all speed."

And when the Q