Which navy first advanced to the attack?
Who led to the onset, tell me; the bold Greeks,Or, glorying in his numerous fleet, my son?
MESSENGER
Our evil genius, lady, or some god
Hostile to Persia, led to ev'ry ill.
Forth from the troops of Athens came a Greek,And thus address'd thy son, the imperial Xerxes:-"Soon as the shades of night descend, the GreciansShall quit their station; rushing to their oarsThey mean to separate, and in secret flightSeek safety." At these words, the royal chief,Little conceiving of the wiles of GreeceAnd gods averse, to all the naval leadersGave his high charge:-"Soon as yon sun shall ceaseTo dart his radiant beams, and dark'ning nightAscends the temple of the sky, arrangeIn three divisions your well-ordered ships,And guard each pass, each outlet of the seas:
Others enring around this rocky isle
Of Salamis. Should Greece escape her fate,And work her way by secret flight, your headsShall answer the neglect." This harsh commandHe gave, exulting in his mind, nor knewWhat Fate design'd. With martial disciplineAnd prompt obedience, snatching a repast,Each mariner fix'd well his ready oar.
Soon as the golden sun was set, and nightAdvanced, each train'd to ply the dashing oar,Assumed his seat; in arms each warrior stood,Troop cheering troop through all the ships of war.
Each to the appointed station steers his course;And through the night his naval force each chiefFix'd to secure the passes. Night advanced,But not by secret flight did Greece attemptTo escape. The morn, all beauteous to behold,Drawn by white steeds bounds o'er the enlighten'd earth;At once from ev'ry Greek with glad acclaimBurst forth the song of war, whose lofty notesThe echo of the island rocks return'd,Spreading dismay through Persia's hosts, thus fallenFrom their high hopes; no flight this solemn strainPortended, but deliberate valour bentOn daring battle; while the trumpet's soundKindled the flames of war. But when their oarsThe paean ended, with impetuous forceDash'd the resounding surges, instant allRush'd on in view: in orderly array
The squadron on the right first led, behindRode their whole fleet; and now distinct we heardFrom ev'ry part this voice of exhortation:-"Advance, ye sons of Greece, from thraldom saveYour country, save your wives, your children save,The temples of your gods, the sacred tombWhere rest your honour'd ancestors; this dayThe common cause of all demands your valour."Meantime from Persia's hosts the deep'ning shoutAnswer'd their shout; no time for cold delay;But ship 'gainst ship its brazen beak impell'd.
First to the charge a Grecian galley rush'd;Ill the Phoenician bore the rough attack,Its sculptured prow all shatter'd. Each advancedDaring an opposite. The deep arrayOf Persia at the first sustain'd the encounter;But their throng'd numbers, in the narrow seasConfined, want room for action; and, deprivedOf mutual aid, beaks clash with beaks, and eachBreaks all the other's oars: with skill disposedThe Grecian navy circled them aroundWith fierce assault; and rushing from its heightThe inverted vessel sinks: the sea no moreWears its accustomed aspect, with foul wrecksAnd blood disfigured; floating carcassesRoll on the rocky shores: the poor remainsOf the barbaric armament to flight
Ply every oar inglorious: onward rush
The Greeks amid the ruins of the fleet,
As through a shoal of fish caught in the net,Spreading destruction: the wide ocean o'erWailings are heard, and loud laments, till nightWith darkness on her brow brought grateful truce.
Should I recount each circumstance of wo,Ten times on my unfinished tale the sun
Would set; for be assured that not one dayCould close the ruin of so vast a host.
ATOSSA
Ah, what a boundless sea of wo hath burstOn Persia, and the whole barbaric race!
MESSENGER
These are not half, not half our ills; on theseCame an assemblage of calamities,That sunk us with a double weight of wo.
ATOSSA
What fortune can be more unfriendly to usThan this? Say on, what dread calamity
Sunk Persia's host with greater weight of wo.
MESSENGER
Whoe'er of Persia's warriors glow'd in primeOf vig'rous youth, or felt their generous soulsExpand with courage, or for noble birthShone with distinguish'd lustre, or excell'dIn firm and duteous loyalty, all these
Are fall'n, ignobly, miserably fall'n.
ATOSSA
Alas, their ruthless fate, unhappy friends!
But in what manner, tell me, did they perish?
MESSENGER
Full against Salamis an isle arises,
Of small circumference, to the anchor'd barkUnfaithful; on the promontory's brow,
That overlooks the sea, Pan loves to leadThe dance: to this the monarch sends these chiefs,That when the Grecians from their shatter'd shipsShould here seek shelter, these might hew them downAn easy conquest, and secure the strandTo their sea-wearied friends; ill judging whatThe event: but when the fav'ring god to GreeceGave the proud glory of this naval fight,Instant in all their glitt'ring arms they leap'dFrom their light ships, and all the island roundEncompass'd, that our bravest stood dismay'd;While broken rocks, whirl'd with tempestuous force,And storms of arrows crush'd them; then the GreeksRush to the attack at once, and furious spreadThe carnage, till each mangled Persian fell.
Deep were the groans of Xerxes when he sawThis havoc; for his seat, a lofty mound
Commanding the wide sea, o'erlook'd his hosts.
With rueful cries he rent his royal robes,And through his troops embattled on the shoreGave signal of retreat; then started wild,And fled disorder'd. To the former ills
These are fresh miseries to awake thy sighs.
ATOSSA
Invidious Fortune, how thy baleful power
Hath sunk the hopes of Persia! Bitter fruitMy son hath tasted from his purposed vengeanceOn Athens, famed for arms; the fatal fieldOf Marathon, red with barbaric blood,
Sufficed not; that defeat he thought to avenge,And pull'd this hideous ruin on his head.
