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And now the fleet of Xerxes advanced in good order to the attack,
while the Greeks on their side remained quite motionless at
Artemisium. The Persians therefore spread themselves, and came
forward in a half-moon, seeking to encircle the Greeks on all sides,
and thereby prevent them from escaping. The Greeks, when they saw
this, sailed out to meet their assailants; and the battle forthwith
began. In this engagement the two fleets contended with no clear
advantage to either - for the armament of Xerxes injured itself by its
own greatness, the vessels falling into disorder, and oft-times
running foul of one another; yet still they did not give way, but made
a stout fight, since the crews felt it would indeed be a disgrace to
turn and fly from a fleet so inferior in number. The Greeks therefore
suffered much, both in ships and men; but the barbarians experienced a
far larger loss of each. So the fleets separated after such a combat
as I have described.
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