Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/2/2025, 10:00:27 PM
Added description
@diodorus_siculus:person {full_name: "Diodorus of Sicily", occupation: "historian"}
@book_xx:document {title: "Book XX of Bibliotheca Historica", author: @diodorus_siculus, year: @date_307_BCE, language: "Greek"}
@file_pinax -> documents -> @book_xx
@menelaus:person {role: "general of Ptolemy’s forces", involvement: "siege of Salamis"}
@demetrius:person {role: "general of Antigonus I Monophthalmus", involvement: "siege of Salamis; naval battle"}
@ptolemy:person {role: "king of Egypt", involvement: "naval commander"}
@antisthenes:person {role: "admiral under Demetrius"}
@medius:person {role: "admiral under Demetrius"}
@themison_of_samos:person {role: "commander of left wing"}
@marsyas:person {role: "commander of left wing"}
@hegesippus_of_halicarnassus:person {role: "commander of right wing"}
@pleistias_of_cos:person {role: "commander of right wing"}
@salamis:place {location: @cyprus}
@paphos:place {location: @cyprus}
@citium:place {location: @cyprus}
@helepolis:concept {type: "siege tower", dimensions: {side: "45 cubits", height: "90 cubits", storeys: 9, wheels: 4, wheel_height: "8 cubits"}}
@catapult:concept {type: "siege engine"}
@ballista:concept {type: "siege engine"}
@battering_ram:concept {type: "siege engine"}
@penthouses:concept {type: "structure for battering rams"}
@gilded_shield:concept {type: "battle signal"}
@siege_of_salamis:event {when: @date_307_BCE, where: @salamis, participants: [@menelaus, @demetrius, @ptolemy]}
@construction_of_helepolis:event {when: @date_307_BCE, by: @demetrius, product: @helepolis}
@naval_battle_near_salamis:event {when: @date_307_BCE, location: @salamis, participants: [@demetrius, @ptolemy], commanders: {demetrius: [@medius, @antisthenes, @themison_of_samos, @marsyas, @hegesippus_of_halicarnassus, @pleistias_of_cos]}}
@ptolemy_fleet:concept {size: 140, ship_types: ["quinqueremes (largest)", "quadriremes (smallest)", "transports"]}
@menelaus -> sent messengers -> @ptolemy {purpose: "request aid", when: @date_307_BCE}
@demetrius -> built -> @helepolis
@demetrius -> equipped -> @catapult {quantity: "multiple"}
@demetrius -> equipped -> @ballista {quantity: "multiple"}
@demetrius -> equipped -> @battering_ram {quantity: "multiple"}
@menelaus -> set fire -> @siege_of_salamis {result: "destruction of Demetrius’ siege engines"}
@ptolemy -> sailed from -> @egypt {arrival: @paphos, when: @date_307_BCE}
@ptolemy -> sent fleet -> @naval_battle_near_salamis
@ptolemy -> commanded -> @ptolemy_fleet
@demetrius -> raised signal -> @gilded_shield {when: @date_307_BCE, distance: "three stades"}
@ptolemy -> raised signal -> @gilded_shield {when: @date_307_BCE, similar: true}
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_275 -> contains -> @siege_of_salamis
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_277 -> contains -> @siege_of_salamis
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_279 -> contains -> @naval_battle_near_salamis
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_281 -> contains -> @naval_battle_near_salamis
@file_diodorus_siculus_volume_x_book_xx_page_283 -> contains -> @naval_battle_near_salamisDiodorus of Sicily 7τῶν δὲ κατὰ τὴν Κύπρον οἱ περὶ τὸν Μενέλαον ἡττημένοι τῇ μάχῃ τὰ μὲν βέλη καὶ τὰς μηχανὰς παρεκόμισαν ἐπὶ τὰ τείχη καὶ τοῖς στρατιώταις διαλαβόντες τὰς ἐπάλξεις παρεσκευάζοντο πρὸς τὸν κίνδυνον, ὁρῶντες καὶ τὸν Δημήτριον πρὸς 8πολιορκίαν ἑτοιμαζόμενον, πρὸς δὲ Πτολεμαῖον ἀπέστειλαν εἰς Αἴγυπτον τοὺς δηλώσοντας περὶ τῶν ἐλαττωμάτων καὶ ἀξιώσοντας βοηθεῖν, ὡς κινδυνευόντων αὐτῷ τῶν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ πραγμάτων. 48. Δημήτριος δὲ τήν τε τῶν Σαλαμινίων ὁρῶν πόλιν οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητον οὖσαν καὶ στρατιωτῶν πλῆθος ὑπάρχον ἐν αὐτῇ τῶν ἀμυνομένων ἔκρινε μηχανάς τε τοῖς μεγέθεσιν ὑπεραιρούσας κατασκευάζειν καὶ καταπέλτας ὀξυβελεῖς καὶ λιθοβόλους παντοίους καὶ τὴν ἄλλην κατασκευὴν καταπληκτικήν. μετεπέμψατο δὲ καὶ τεχνίτας ἐκ τῆς Ἀσίας καὶ σίδηρον, ἔτι δ᾿ ὕλης πλῆθος καὶ τῆς ἄλλης χορηγίας 2τὴν ἐπιτήδειον κατασκευήν. ταχὺ δὲ πάντων εὐτρεπῶν αὐτῷ γενομένων συνέπηξε μηχανὴν τὴν ὀνομαζομένην ἑλέπολιν, τὸ πλάτος ἔχουσαν ἑκάστην πλευρὰν τεσσαράκοντα καὶ πέντε πήχεις, τὸ δ᾿ ὕψος πηχῶν ἐννενήκοντα, διειλημμένην στέγαις ἐννέα, ὑπότροχον δὲ πᾶσαν τροχοῖς στερεοῖς τέσσαρσιν 3ὀκταπήχεσι τὸ ὕψος. κατεσκεύασε δὲ καὶ κριοὺς ὑπερμεγέθεις καὶ χελώνας δύο κριοφόρους. τῆς δ᾿ ἑλεπόλεως εἰς μὲν τὰς κάτω στέγας εἰσήνεγκε πετροβόλους παντοίους, ὧν ἦσαν οἱ μέγιστοι τριτάλαντοι, εἰς δὲ τὰς μέσας καταπέλτας ὀξυβελεῖς 274Book XX come to the proper time.1 As to affairs in Cyprus, 307 b.c. Menelaüs, after having been defeated in the battle, had missiles and engines brought to the walls, assigned positions on the battlements to his soldiers, and made ready for the fight; and since he saw that Demetrius was also making preparations for siege, he sent messengers into Egypt to Ptolemy to inform him about the defeat and to ask him to send aid as his interests on the island were in danger. 48. Since Demetrius saw that the city of the Salaminians was not to be despised and that a large force was in the city defending it, he determined to prepare siege engines of very great size, catapults for shooting bolts and ballistae of all kinds, and the other equipment that would strike terror.2 He sent for skilled workmen from Asia, and for iron, likewise for a large amount of wood and for the proper complement of other supplies. When everything was quickly made ready for him, he constructed a device called the “helepolis,”3 which had a length of forty-five cubits on each side and a height of ninety cubits. It was divided into nine storeys, and the whole was mounted on four solid wheels each eight cubits high. He also constructed very large battering rams and two penthouses to carry them. On the lower levels of the helepolis he mounted all sorts of ballistae, the largest of them capable of hurling missiles weighing three talents4; on the middle levels he placed the largest 1No further reference to this is found in the extant portions of the history.2For this campaign cp. Plutarch, Demetrius, 15–17.3Literally, “city-taker.” Cp. chap. 91. If the cubit used is the standard Attic measure of about 1| feet, the dimensions given are about 68 feet on each side and 135 feet in height, with wheels 12 feet in diameter; but a shorter Macedonian cubit, perhaps about one foot long, is possible (Tarn, Hellenistic Military and Naval Developments, 15–16).4About 180 lbs.275
Diodorus of Sicily μεγίστους, εἰς δὲ τὰς ἀνωτάτας ὀξυβελεῖς τε τοὺς ἐλαχίστους καὶ πετροβόλων1 πλῆθος, ἄνδρας τε τοὺς χρησομένους τούτοις κατὰ τρόπον πλείους τῶν διακοσίων. 4Προσαγαγὼν δὲ τὰς μηχανὰς τῇ πόλει καὶ πυκνοῖς χρώμενος τοῖς βέλεσι τῇ μὲν τὰς ἐπάλξεις ἀπέσυρε τοῖς πετροβόλοις, τῇ δὲ τὰ τείχη διέσεισε 5τοῖς κριοῖς. ἀμυνομένων δὲ καὶ τῶν ἔνδον εὐρώστως καὶ τοῖς μηχανήμασιν ἑτέρας μηχανὰς ἀντιταττόντων ἐφ᾿ ἡμέρας μέν τινας ἀμφίδοξος ἦν ὁ κίνδυνος, ἀμφοτέρων κακοπαθούντων καὶ κατατραυματιζομένων· τὸ δὲ τελευταῖον τοῦ τείχους πίπτοντος καὶ τῆς πόλεως κινδυνευούσης ἁλῶναι κατὰ κράτος νυκτὸς ἐπιγενομένης ἔληξε τὰ τῆς 6τειχομαχίας. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Μενέλαον ἀκριβῶς εἰδότες ἁλωσομένην τὴν πόλιν, εἰ μή τι καινοτομεῖν ἐπιχειρήσειαν, ἤθροισαν ὕλης ξηρᾶς πλῆθος, ταύτην δὲ περὶ τὸ μεσονύκτιον ἐμβαλόντες ταῖς τῶν πολεμίων μηχαναῖς καὶ ἅμα πάντες οἰστοὺς2 πυρσοφόρους ἀπὸ τῶν τειχῶν ἀφέντες ἀνῆψαν τὰ 7μέγιστα τῶν ἔργων. ἄφνω δὲ τῆς φλογὸς εἰς ὕψος ἀρθείσης οἱ περὶ τὸν Δημήτριον ἐπεχείρησαν μὲν βοηθεῖν, τοῦ δὲ πυρὸς καταταχήσαντος συνέβη τὰς 8μηχανὰς κατακαυθῆναι καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν ἐν αὐταῖς ὄντων διαφθαρῆναι. ὁ δὲ Δημήτριος ἀποσφαλεὶς τῆς ἐλπίδος οὐδ᾿ ὣς ἔληγεν, ἀλλὰ προσεκαρτέρει τῇ πολιορκίᾳ καὶ κατὰ γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν, νομίζων τῷ χρόνῳ καταπολεμήσειν τοὺς πολεμίους. 49. Πτολεμαῖος δὲ πυθόμενος τὴν τῶν ἰδίων ἧτταν ἐξέπλευσεν ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου δύναμιν ἔχων ἀξιόλογον πεζικήν τε καὶ ναυτικήν. κατενεχθεὶς δὲ τῆς Κύπρου πρὸς τὴν Πάφον ἔκ τε τῶν πόλεων 1Fischer suggests the addition of ἐλαττόνων before πετροβόλων.2πάντες οἰστοὺς Fischer, cp. Arrian, 2. 21. 3; πάντας τοὺς.276Book XX catapults, and on the highest his lightest catapults 307 b.c. and a large number of ballistae; and he also stationed on the helepolis more than two hundred men to operate these engines in the proper manner. Bringing the engines up to the city and hurling a shower of missiles, he cleared the battlements with the ballistae and shattered the walls with the rams. Since those within resisted boldly and opposed his engines of war with other devices, for some days the battle was doubtful, both sides suffering hardships and severe wounds; and when finally the wall was falling and the city was in danger of being taken by storm, the assault was interrupted by the coming of night. Menelaüs, seeing clearly that the city would be taken unless he tried something new, gathered a large amount of dry wood, at about midnight threw this upon the siege engines of the enemy, and at the same time all shot down fire-bearing arrows from the walls and set on fire the largest of the siege engines. As the flames suddenly blazed high, Demetrius tried to come to the rescue; but the flames got the start of him, with the result that the engines were completely destroyed and many of those who manned them were lost. Demetrius, although disappointed in his expectations, did not stop but pushed the siege persistently by both land and sea, believing that he would overcome the enemy in time. 49. When Ptolemy heard of the defeat of his men,1 he sailed from Egypt with considerable land and sea forces. Reaching Cyprus at Paphos, he received 1The defeat described in chap. 47. 3.277
Diodorus of Sicily παρεδέξατο τὰ σκάφη καὶ παρέπλευσεν εἰς Κίτιον, 2τῆς Σαλαμῖνος ἀπέχον σταδίους διακοσίους. εἶχε δὲ τὰς πάσας ναῦς μακρὰς ἑκατὸν καὶ τεσσαράκοντα· τούτων δ᾿ ἦν ἡ μεγίστη πεντήρης, ἡ δ᾿ ἐλαχίστη τετρήρης· στρατιωτικὰ δὲ πόρια ταύταις ἐπηκολούθει πλείω τῶν διακοσίων, ἄγοντα πεζοὺς 3οὐκ ἐλάττους τῶν μυρίων. οὗτος μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὸν Μενέλαον κατὰ γῆν ἔπεμψέ τινας, διακελευόμενος τὰς ναῦς, ἂν ᾖ δυνατόν, κατὰ τάχος ἐκ τῆς Σαλαμῖνος πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀποστεῖλαι, οὔσας ἑξήκοντα· ἤλπιζε γάρ, εἰ προσλάβοι ταύτας, ῥᾳδίως κρατήσειν τῇ ναυμαχίᾳ, διακοσίοις σκάφεσιν ἀγωνιζόμενος. 4ὁ δὲ Δημήτριος νοήσας αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπιβολὴν ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς πολιορκίας ἀπέλιπε μέρος τῆς δυνάμεως, τὰς δὲ ναῦς ἁπάσας πληρώσας καὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν τοὺς κρατίστους ἐμβιβάσας βέλη καὶ πετροβόλους ἐνέθετο καὶ τῶν τρισπιθάμων ὀξυβελῶν τοὺς ἱκανοὺς 5ταῖς πρῴραις ἐπέστησε. κοσμήσας δὲ πολυτελῶς πρὸς ναυμαχίαν τὸν στόλον περιέπλευσε τὴν πόλιν καὶ κατὰ τὸ στόμα τοῦ λιμένος μικρὸν ἔξω βέλους ἀφεὶς τὰς ἀγκύρας διενυκτέρευσεν, ἅμα μὲν τὰς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ναῦς κωλύων συμμῖξαι ταῖς ἄλλαις, ἅμα δὲ καραδοκῶν τὸν ἐπίπλουν τῶν πολεμίων 6καὶ πρὸς ναυμαχίαν ὢν ἕτοιμος. τοῦ δὲ Πτολεμαίου πλέοντος ἐπὶ τὴν Σαλαμῖνα καὶ τῶν ὑπηρετικῶν πλοίων συνεπομένων πόρρωθεν καταπληκτικὸν ὁρᾶσθαι συνέβαινε τὸν στόλον διὰ τὸ πλῆθος. 50. Ὁ δὲ Δημήτριος κατανοήσας τὸν ἐπίπλουν Ἀντισθένην μὲν τὸν ναύαρχον ἔχοντα ναῦς δέκα 278Book XX ships from the cities and coasted along to Citium, 307 b.c. which was distant from Salamis two hundred stades.1 He had in all one hundred and forty2 ships of war, of which the largest were quinqueremes and the smallest quadriremes; more than two hundred transports followed, which carried at least ten thousand foot-soldiers. Ptolemy sent certain men to Menelaüs by land, directing him, if possible, to send him quickly the ships from Salamis, which numbered sixty; for he hoped that, if he received these as reinforcement, he would easily be superior in the naval engagement since he would have two hundred ships in the battle. Learning of his intention, Demetrius left a part of his forces for the siege; and, manning all his ships and embarking upon them the best of his soldiers, he equipped them with missiles and ballistae and mounted on the prows a sufficient number of catapults for throwing bolts three spans3 in length. After making the fleet ready in every way for a naval battle, he sailed around the city and, anchoring at the mouth of the harbour just out of range, spent the night, preventing the ships from the city from joining the others, and at the same time watching for the coming of the enemy and occupying a position ready for battle. When Ptolemy sailed up toward Salamis, the service vessels following at a distance, his fleet was awe-inspiring to behold because of the multitude of its ships. 50. When Demetrius observed Ptolemy’s approach, he left the admiral Antisthenes with ten of the 1About 23 miles, which is approximately correct for the distance by land; but the distance by sea around Cape Pedalium is at least twice as great.2Plutarch, Demetrius, 16. 1, gives the number as 150.3About 21 inches. For this battle cp. Plutarch, Demetrius, 16; Polyaenus, 4. 7. 7.279
Diodorus of Sicily τῶν πεντηρικῶν ἀπέλιπε κωλύσοντα τὰς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ναῦς ἐπεξιέναι πρὸς τὴν ναυμαχίαν, ἔχοντος τοῦ λιμένος στενὸν τὸν ἔκπλουν, τοῖς δ᾿ ἱππεῦσι προσέταξε παράγειν παρὰ τὸν αἰγιαλόν, ἵν᾿ ἐάν τι γένηται πταῖσμα, διασώσειαν1 τοὺς πρὸς τὴν γῆν 2διανηξομένους. αὐτὸς δ᾿ ἐκτάξας τὰς ναῦς ἀπήντα τοῖς πολεμίοις, ἔχων τὰς ἁπάσας ὀκτὼ πλείους τῶν ἑκατὸν2 σὺν ταῖς πληρωθείσαις ἐκ τῶν χωρίων τῶν ληφθέντων· τούτων δ᾿ ἦσαν αἱ μέγισται μὲν ἑπτήρεις, 3αἱ πλεῖσται δὲ πεντήρεις. καὶ τὸ μὲν εὐώνυμον κέρας ἐπεῖχον ἑπτήρεις ἑπτὰ Φοινίκων, τετρήρεις δὲ τριάκοντα τῶν Ἀθηναίων, Μηδίου τοῦ ναυάρχου τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἔχοντος· ἐπίπλους δὲ τούτοις ἔταξεν ἑξήρεις δέκα καὶ πεντήρεις ἄλλας τοσαύτας, διεγνωκὼς3 ἰσχυρὸν κατασκευάσαι τοῦτο τὸ κέρας ἐφ᾿ οὗ καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμελλε διαγωνίζεσθαι. 4κατὰ μέσην δὲ τὴν τάξιν τὰ ἐλάχιστα τῶν σκαφῶν ἔστησεν, ὧν ἡγοῦντο Θεμίσων τε ὁ Σάμιος καὶ Μαρσύας ὁ τὰς Μακεδονικὰς πράξεις συνταξάμενος. τὸ δὲ δεξιὸν εἶχε κέρας Ἡγήσιππός τε ὁ Ἁλικαρνασσεὺς καὶ Πλειστίας ὁ Κῷος, ἀρχικυβερνήτης ὣν τοῦ σύμπαντος στόλου. 5Πτολεμαῖος δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἔτι νυκτὸς ἐπέπλει κατὰ σπουδὴν ἐπὶ τὴν Σαλαμῖνα, νομίζων φθάσειν4 τοὺς πολεμίους τὸν εἴσπλουν ποιησάμενος· ὡς δ᾿ ἡμέρας ἐπιγενομένης οὐ μακρὰν ὁ τῶν ἐναντίων 1διασώσειαν Dindorf, διασώσαιεν Fischer, F, διασώση μὲν RX.2See note on translation.3ἴσως after διεγνωκὼς omitted by Dindorf.4φθάσειν Dindorf: φθάσαι Fischer, following the MSS.280Book XX quinqueremes to prevent the ships in the city from 307 b.c. going forth for the battle, since the harbour had a narrow exit; and he ordered the cavalry to patrol the shore so that, if any wreck should occur, they might rescue those who should swim across to the land. He himself drew up the fleet and moved against the enemy with one hundred and eight ships in all,1 including those that had been provided with crews from the captured towns. The largest of the ships were sevens and most of them were quinqueremes.2 The left wing was composed of seven Phoenician sevens and thirty Athenian quadriremes, Medius the admiral having the command. Sailing behind these he placed ten sixes and as many quinqueremes, for he had decided to make strong this wing where he himself was going to fight the decisive battle. In the middle of the line he stationed the lightest of his ships, which Themison of Samos and Marsyas,3 who compiled the history of Macedonia, commanded. The right wing was commanded by Hegesippus of Halicarnassus and Pleistias of Cos, who was the chief pilot of the whole fleet. At first, while it was still night, Ptolemy made for Salamis at top speed, believing that he could gain an entrance before the enemy was ready; but as day broke, the fleet of the enemy in battle array was 1The number is probably corrupt; Plutarch (Demetrius, 16. gives the total as 180, Polyaenus (4. 7. 7) as 170. If we were right in regard to the βαρύτεραι στρατιώτιδες (cp. chap. 47. 1, and note), Demetrius by Diodorus’ own count should have had in this battle 110 triremes and quadriremes and 43 heavier warships (10 having been left at Salamis) plus any from the captured ports.2This statement also appears to be false.3According to Suidas he was a half-brother of Antigonus. He wrote a history of Macedonia in 10 books, one of Attica in 12 books, and a work on the education of Alexander.281
Diodorus of Sicily στόλος ἐκτεταγμένος ἑωρᾶτο, καὶ αὐτὸς τὰ πρὸς 6τὴν ναυμαχίαν παρεσκευάζετο. τὰ μὲν οὖν πόρια πόρρωθεν ἐπακολουθεῖν παρήγγειλεν, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων νεῶν τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν τάξιν ποιησάμενος αὐτὸς τὸ λαιὸν κέρας διακατεῖχε, συναγωνιζομένων αὐτῷ τῶν μεγίστων σκαφῶν. τοιαύτης δὲ τῆς διατάξεως γενομένης εὐχὰς ἑκάτεροι τοῖς θεοῖς ἐποιοῦντο, καθάπερ ἦν ἔθος, διὰ τῶν κελευστῶν, συνεπιλαβομένου καὶ τοῦ πλήθους τῇ φωνῇ. 51. Οἱ δὲ δυνάσται, ὡς ἂν περὶ τοῦ βίου καὶ τῶν ὅλων μέλλοντες διακινδυνεύειν, ἐν ἀγωνίᾳ πολλῇ καθειστήκεισαν. Δημήτριος μὲν οὖν τῶν ἐναντίων ἀποσχὼν ὡς ἂν τρεῖς σταδίους ἦρεν τὸ συγκείμενον πρὸς μάχην σύσσημον, ἀσπίδα κεχρυσωμένην, φανερὰν 2πᾶσιν ἐκ διαδοχῆς· τὸ παραπλήσιον δὲ καὶ τῶν περὶ Πτολεμαῖον ποιησάντων ταχὺ τὸ διεῖργον διάστημα συνῃρέθη. ὡς δ᾿ αἵ τε σάλπιγγες τὸ πολεμικὸν ἐσήμαινον καὶ συνηλάλαξαν αἱ δυνάμεις ἀμφότεραι, φερομένων ἁπασῶν τῶν νεῶν εἰς ἐμβολὴν καταπληκτικῶς τὸ μὲν πρῶτον τοῖς τόξοις καὶ τοῖς πετροβόλοις, ἔτι δὲ τοῖς ἀκοντίσμασι πυκνοῖς χρώμενοι κατετραυμάτιζον τοὺς ὑποπίπτοντας· εἶτα συνεγγισάντων τῶν σκαφῶν καὶ μελλούσης γίνεσθαι τῆς ἐμβολῆς βιαίου οἱ μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν καταστρωμάτων συγκαθῆκαν, οἱ δ᾿ ἐρέται παρακληθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν κελευστῶν ἐκθυμότερον ἐνέκειντο. 3ἀπὸ κράτους δὲ καὶ βίας ἐλαθεισῶν τῶν νεῶν αἱ μὲν παρέσυρον ἀλλήλων τοὺς ταρσούς, ὥστε πρὸς φυγὴν καὶ διωγμὸν ἀχρήστους γίνεσθαι καὶ τοὺς ἐπιβεβηκότας ἄνδρας ὡρμηκότας πρὸς ἀλκὴν κωλύεσθαι τῆς πρὸς τὸν κίνδυνον ὁρμῆς· αἱ δὲ κατὰ πρῷραν τοῖς ἐμβόλοις συρράττουσαι πρύμναν ἀνεκρούοντο 282Book XX visible at no great distance, and Ptolemy also prepared 307 b.c. for the battle. Ordering the supply ships to follow at a distance and effecting a suitable formation of the other ships, he himself took command of the left wing with the largest of his warships fighting under him. After the fleet had been disposed in this way, both sides prayed to the gods as was the custom, the signalmen1 leading and the crews joining in the response. 51. The princes, since they were about to fight for their lives and their all, were in much anxiety. When Demetrius was about three stades2 distant from the enemy, he raised the battle signal that had been agreed upon, a gilded shield, and this sign was made known to all by being repeated in relays. Since Ptolemy also gave a similar signal, the distance between the fleets was rapidly reduced. When the trumpets gave the signal for battle and both forces raised the battle cry, all the ships rushed to the encounter in a terrifying manner; using their bows and their ballistae at first, then their javelins in a shower, the men wounded those who were within range; then when the ships had come close together and the encounter was about to take place with violence, the soldiers on the decks crouched down and the oarsmen, spurred on by the signalmen, bent more desperately to their oars. As the ships drove together with force and violence, in some cases they swept off each other’s oars so that the ships became useless for flight or pursuit, and the men who were on board, though eager for a fight, were prevented from joining in the battle; but where the ships had met prow to 1The men who kept time for the oarsmen.2About ½ mile.283
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