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As for that part of the fleet of Xerxes which had survived the
battle, when it had made good its escape from Salamis to the coast of
Asia, and conveyed the king with his army across the strait from the
Chersonese to Abydos, it passed the winter at Cyme. On the first
approach of spring, there was an early muster of the ships at Samos,
where some of them indeed had remained throughout the winter. Most of
the men-at-arms who served on board were Persians, or else Medes;
and the command of the fleet had been taken by Mardontes, the son of
Bagaeus, and Artayntes, the son of Artachaeus; while there was
likewise a third commander, Ithamitres, the nephew of Artayntes,
whom his uncle had advanced to the post. Further west than Samos,
however, they did not venture to proceed; for they remembered what a
defeat they had suffered, and there was no one to compel them to
approach any nearer to Greece. They therefore remained at Samos,
and kept watch over Ionia, to hinder it from breaking into revolt.
The whole number of their ships, including those furnished by the
Ionians, was three hundred. It did not enter into their thoughts
that the Greeks would proceed against Ionia; on the contrary, they
supposed that the defence of their own country would content them, more
especially as they had not pursued the Persian fleet when it fled from
Salamis, but had so readily given up the chase. They despaired,
however, altogether of gaining any success by sea themselves, though
by land they thought that Mardonius was quite sure of victory. So
they remained at Samos, and took counsel together, if by any means
they might harass the enemy, at the same time that they waited eagerly
to hear how matters would proceed with Mardonius.
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