“Who are ye that carry away priestesses and the images of our Gods?” Then Orestes said, “I am Orestes, and I carry away my sister.”  But the guards laid hold of Iphigenia; and when the sailors saw this they leapt from the ship; and neither the one nor the other had swords in their hands, but they fought with their fists and their feet also.  And the sailors being strong and skilful, the King’s men were driven back sorely bruised and wounded.  And when they fled to a bank that was hard by and cast stones at the ship, the archers standing on the stern shot at them with arrows.  Then—­for his sister feared to come further—­Orestes leapt into the sea, and raised her upon his shoulder and so lifted her into the ship, and the image of the goddess with her.  And Pylades cried, “Lay hold of your oars, ye sailors, and smite the sea, for we have that for the which we came to this land.”  So the sailors rowed with all their might; and while the ship was in the harbour it went well with them, but when it was come to the open sea a great wave took it, for a violent wind blew against it, and drave it backwards to the shore.

And one of the guards when he saw this ran to King Thoas and told him, and the King made haste and sent messengers mounted upon horses, to call the men of the land that they might do battle with Orestes and his comrade.  But while he was yet sending them there appeared in the air above his head the Goddess Athene, who spake, saying, “Cease, King Thoas, from pursuing this man and his companions; for he hath come hither on this errand by the command of Apollo; and I have persuaded Poseidon that he make the sea smooth for him to depart.”

And King Thoas answered, “It shall be as thou wilt, O goddess; and though Orestes hath borne away his sister and the image, I dismiss my anger, for who can fight against the Gods?”

So Orestes departed and came to his own country and dwelt in peace, being set free from his madness, according to the word of Apollo.

THE STORY OF THE PERSIANS, OR THE BATTLE OF SALAMIS.

Xerxes, King of Persia, made war against the men of Greece, being desirous to have them for his servants.  For being a man of a haughty soul, he thought to make the whole world subject to him; and against the men of Greece he had especial wrath, seeing that in the days of King Darius his father the Persians had fled before them.  Wherefore he gathered together a great army from all parts of his dominions, every tribe and nation that there was in the whole land of the East, Indians, and Arabs, and such as dwelt in the plain country of Asia, having waggons for their houses, and Egyptians, and men from the upper parts of Libya.  But the chief strength of his army was of the Medes and Persians, that were his own people.  And for sailors he had Phoenicians, dwellers in Tyre and Sidon, and in the coasts thereof.  Also many Greeks with him, such as inhabited the cities of Asia