Lie　low。　Amistris；　and　Amphistreus　there
  Grasps　his　war…wear　spear；　there　prostrate　lies
  The　illustrious　Ariomardus；　long　his　los
  Shall　Sardis　weep：　thy　Mysian　Sisames；
  And　Tharybis；　that　o'er　the　burden'd　deep
  Led　five　times　fifty　vessels；　Lerna　gave
  The　hero　birth；　and　manly　race　adorn'd
  His　pleasing　form；　but　low　in　death　he　lies
  Unhappy　in　his　fate。　Syennesis；
  Cilicia's　warlike　chief；　who　dared　to　front
  The　foremost　dangers；　singly　to　the　foes
  A　terror；　there　too　found　a　glorious　death。
  These　chieftains　to　my　sad　remembrance　rise；
  Relating　but　a　few　of　many　ills。
  ATOSSA
  This　is　the　height　of　ill；　ah　me！　and　shame
  To　Persia；　grief；　and　lamentation　loud。
  But　tell　me　this；　afresh　renew　thy　tale：
  What　was　the　number　of　the　Grecian　fleet；
  That　in　fierce　conflict　their　bold　barks　should　dare
  Rush　to　encounter　with　the　Persian　hosts。
  MESSENGER
  Know　then；　in　numbers　the　barbaric　fleet
  Was　far　superior：　in　ten　squadrons；　each
  Of　thirty　ships；　Greece　plough'd　the　deep；　of　these
  One　held　a　distant　station。　Xerxes　led
  A　thousand　ships；　their　number　well　I　know；
  Two　hundred　more；　and　seven；　that　swept　the　seas
  With　speediest　sail：　this　was　their　full　amount。
  And　in　the　engagement　seem'd　we　not　secure
  Of　victory？　But　unequal　fortune　sunk
  Our　scale　in　fight；　discomfiting　our　host。
  ATOSSA
  The　gods　preserve　the　city　of　Minerva。
  MESSENGER
  The　walls　of　Athens　are　impregnable；
  Their　firmest　bulwarks　her　heroic　sons。
  ATOSSA
  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　Grecians
  Shall　quit　their　station；　rushing　to　their　oars
  They　mean　to　separate；　and　in　secret　flight
  Seek　safety。〃　At　these　words；　the　royal　chief；
  Little　conceiving　of　the　wiles　of　Greece
  And　gods　averse；　to　all　the　naval　leaders
  Gave　his　high　charge：…〃Soon　as　yon　sun　shall　cease
  To　dart　his　radiant　beams；　and　dark'ning　night
  Ascends　the　temple　of　the　sky；　arrange
  In　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　heads
  Shall　answer　the　neglect。〃　This　harsh　command
  He　gave；　exulting　in　his　mind；　nor　knew
  What　Fate　design'd。　With　martial　discipline
  And　prompt　obedience；　snatching　a　repast；
  Each　mariner　fix'd　well　his　ready　oar。
  Soon　as　the　golden　sun　was　set；　and　night
  Advanced；　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　chief
  Fix'd　to　secure　the　passes。　Night　advanced；
  But　not　by　secret　flight　did　Greece　attempt
  To　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　acclaim
  Burst　forth　the　song　of　war；　whose　lofty　notes
  The　echo　of　the　island　rocks　return'd；
  Spreading　dismay　through　Persia's　hosts；　thus　fallen
  From　their　high　hopes；　no　flight　this　solemn　strain
  Portended；　but　deliberate　valour　bent
  On　daring　battle；　while　the　trumpet's　sound
  Kindled　the　flames　of　war。　But　when　their　oars
  The　paean　ended；　with　impetuous　force
  Dash'd　the　resounding　surges；　instant　all
  Rush'd　on　in　view：　in　orderly　array
  The　squadron　on　the　right　first　led；　behind
  Rode　their　whole　fleet；　and　now　distinct　we　heard
  From　ev'ry　part　this　voice　of　exhortation：…
  〃Advance；　ye　sons　of　Greece；　from　thraldom　save
  Your　country；　save　your　wives；　your　children　save；
  The　temples　of　your　gods；　the　sacred　tomb
  Where　rest　your　honour'd　ancestors；　this　day
  The　common　cause　of　all　demands　your　valour。〃
  Meantime　from　Persia's　hosts　the　deep'ning　shout
  Answer'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　advanced
  Daring　an　opposite。　The　deep　array
  Of　Persia　at　the　first　sustain'd　the　encounter；
  But　their　throng'd　numbers；　in　the　narrow　seas
  Confined；　want　room　for　action；　and；　deprived
  Of　mutual　aid；　beaks　clash　with　beaks；　and　each
  Breaks　all　the　other's　oars：　with　skill　disposed
  The　Grecian　navy　circled　them　around
  With　fierce　assault；　and　rushing　from　its　height
  The　inverted　vessel　sinks：　the　sea　no　more
  Wears　its　accustomed　aspect；　with　foul　wrecks
  And　blood　disfigured；　floating　carcasses
  Roll　on　the　rocky　shores：　the　poor　remains
  Of　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'er
  Wailings　are　heard；　and　loud　laments；　till　night
  With　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　day
  Could　close　the　ruin　of　so　vast　a　host。
  ATOSSA
  Ah；　what　a　boundless　sea　of　wo　hath　burst
  On　Persia；　and　the　whole　barbaric　race！
  MESSENGER
  These　are　not　half；　not　half　our　ills；　on　these
  Came　an　assemblage　of　calamities；
  That　sunk　us　with　a　double　weight　of　wo。
  ATOSSA
  What　fortune　can　be　more　unfriendly　to　us
  Than　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　prime
  Of　vig'rous　youth；　or　felt　their　generous　souls
  Expand　with　courage；　or　for　noble　birth
  Shone　with　distinguish'd　lustre；　or　excell'd
  In　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　bark
  Unfaithful；　on　the　promontory's　brow；
  That　overlooks　the　sea；　Pan　loves　to　lead
  The　dance：　to　this　the　monarch　sends　these　chiefs；
  That　when　the　Grecians　from　their　shatter'd　ships
  Should　here　seek　shelter；　these　might　hew　them　down
  An　easy　conquest；　and　secure　the　strand
  To　their　sea…wearied　friends；　ill　judging　what
  The　event：　but　when　the　fav'ring　god　to　Greece
  Gave　the　proud　glory　of　this　naval　fight；
  Instant　in　all　their　glitt'ring　arms　they　leap'd
  From　their　light　ships；　and　all　the　island　round
  Encompass'd；　that　our　bravest　stood　dismay'd；
  While　broken　rocks；　whirl'd　with　tempestuous　force；
  And　storms　of　arrows　crush'd　them；　then　the　Greeks
  Rush　to　the　attack　at　once；　and　furious　spread
  The　carnage；　till　each　mangled　Persian　fell。
  Deep　were　the　groans　of　Xerxes　when　he　saw
  This　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　shore
  Gave　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　fruit
  My　son　hath　tasted　from　his　purposed　vengeance
  On　Athens；　famed　for　arms；　the　fatal　field
  Of　Marathon；　red　with　barbaric　blood；
  Sufficed　not；　that　defeat　he　thought　to　avenge；
  And　pull'd　this　hideous　ruin　on　his　head。
  But　tell　me；　if　thou　canst；　where　didst　thou　leave
  The　ships　that　happily　escaped　the　wreck？
  MESSENGER
  The　poor　remains　of　Persia's　scatter'd　fleet
  Spread　ev'ry　sail　for　flight；　as　the　wind　drives；
  In　wild　disorder；　and　on　land　no　less
  The　ruin'd　army；　in　Boeotia　some；
  With　thirst　oppress'd；　at　Crene's　cheerful　rills
  Were　lost；　forespent　with　breathless　speed　some　pass
  The　fields　of　Phocis；　some　the　Doric　plain；
  And　near　the　gulf　of　Melia；　the　rich　vale
  Through　which　Sperchius　rolls　his　friendly　stream。
  Achaea　thence　and　the　Thessalian　state
  Received　our　famish'd　train；　the　greater　part
  Through　thirst　and　hunger　perish'd　there；　oppress'd
  At　once　by　both：　but　we　our　painful　steps
  Held　onwards　to　Magnesia；　and　the　land
  Of　Macedonia；　o'er　the　ford　of　Axius；