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Herodotus · Histories §8.11.1-8.11.3

First Clash at Artemisium and Defection of Antidorus

Passage 1313 of 1577 · Greek

Summary

With the signal given, the Greek fleet forms a circle to engage the Persians, capturing thirty ships and taking prisoners. The battle ends in a draw with the arrival of night, and Antidorus of Lemnos deserts to the Greek side.

§8.11.1τοῖσι δὲ Ἕλλησι ὡς ἐσήμηνε, πρῶτα μὲν ἀντίπρῳροι τοῖσι βαρβάροισι γενόμενοι ἐς τὸ μέσον τὰς πρύμνας συνήγαγον, δεύτερα δὲ σημήναντος ἔργου εἴχοντο ἐν ὀλίγῳ περ ἀπολαμφθέντες καὶ κατὰ στόμα.
When the signal was given to the Greeks, first they brought their sterns together into the center, turning their prows toward the barbarians; second, at another signal, they engaged in the action, although they were shut in a narrow space and facing them head-on.
§8.11.2ἐνθαῦτα τριήκοντα νέας αἱρέουσι τῶν βαρβάρων καὶ τὸν Γόργου τοῦ Σαλαμινίων βασιλέος ἀδελφεὸν Φιλάονα τὸν Χέρσιος, λόγιμον ἐόντα ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ ἄνδρα.
There they captured thirty ships of the barbarians and also Philaon, the son of Chersis and brother of Gorgus, the king of the Salaminians, who was a man of high repute in the camp.
πρῶτος δὲ Ἑλλήνων νέα τῶν πολεμίων εἷλε ἀνὴρ Ἀθηναῖος Λυκομήδης Αἰσχραίου, καὶ τὸ ἀριστήιον ἔλαβε οὗτος.
The first of the Greeks to capture a ship of the enemy was an Athenian, Lycomedes, the son of Aeschraeus, and he received the prize for valor.
§8.11.3τοὺς δʼ ἐν τῇ ναυμαχίῃ ταύτῃ ἑτεραλκέως ἀγωνιζομένους νὺξ ἐπελθοῦσα διέλυσε.
When they were fighting with doubtful issue in this sea-fight, the onset of night broke them off.
οἱ μὲν δὴ Ἕλληνες ἐπὶ τὸ Ἀρτεμίσιον ἀπέπλεον, οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι ἐς τὰς Ἀφέτας, πολλὸν παρὰ δόξαν ἀγωνισάμενοι.
The Greeks sailed back to Artemisium, and the barbarians to Aphetae, having fought very contrary to their expectation.
ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ναυμαχίῃ Ἀντίδωρος Λήμνιος μοῦνος τῶν σὺν βασιλέι Ἑλλήνων ἐόντων αὐτομολέει ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας, καὶ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι διὰ τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον ἔδοσαν αὐτῷ χῶρον ἐν Σαλαμῖνι.
In this sea-fight, Antidorus of Lemnos was the only one of the Greeks with the King who deserted to the Greeks, and because of this deed, the Athenians gave him land in Salamis.

Notes

  1. §8.11.1ὡς ἐσήμηνε — The verb ἐσήμηνε (aorist active indicative 3rd singular of σημαίνω) is used impersonally, meaning 'when the signal was given.' The subject (such as a trumpeter) is omitted.
  2. §8.11.1σημήναντος — A genitive absolute construction where the subject is omitted, meaning 'when the signal was given,' analogous to the previous impersonal ἐσήμηνε.
  3. §8.11.1ἔργου εἴχοντο — The middle-voice verb ἔχομαι takes a genitive to mean 'to engage in' or 'to set to work.' Here, ἔργον refers abstractly to 'actual fighting' or 'action.'
  4. §8.11.3ἑτεραλκέως — An adverb derived from the adjective ἑτεραλκής ('giving victory now to one, now to another'), describing a combat fought with doubtful issue or where the balance of power shifted back and forth.

Cite this passage

Herodotus, Histories §8.11.1-8.11.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0016.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:8.11.1-8.11.3

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