Some to patrol the Isle of Salamis.

And mark ye, should the Greeks escape their doom

By one unguarded outlet, ’tis decreed

Your heads shall fall for it.” So spake the King,

Haughty, infatuate, knowing not the end.

And dutifully they obeyed his word.

Supper was first prepared; each oarsman then

Looked to his tholepin and bound fast the oar.

Then, as the sunlight faded from the earth,

And night came on, the rowers went on board,

And with them every well-trained fighting man;

And soon from squadron unto squadron rolled

Down the vast lines the cheering of the fleet,

As each one rowed to his appointed place.

So all night long the captains made us cruise

Hither and thither, every ship we had;

And now the night was spent, yet never once

[45]

The Greeks had tried our watch in secret flight.

But when the white steeds of the God of Day

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