Then there was din amongst the fighters, and the noise of clamour arose. The host fought with their accustomed skill, and surrounded all the enemy in ring; the Indian fleet was in the middle girt about with an unbroken circle of ships like a shoal of fish enclosed in a net. Then Aiacos beginning the battle cried aloud with inspired voice this prophecy of the watery strife at Salamis for the descendants of Aiacos :
“If ever, O Zeus of the rains, thou hast heard our voice of prayer, and driven away seedless drought from the broad threshingfloors of our country, and brought lifegiving water upon the thirsty land, then give us again an equal boon now at last, and glorify me here also with water ! Then men may say when they see our victory, ‘As Zeus showed honour to his son on land, so he shows him honour on the sea.’ Some other man of Achaia may say, Aiacos is both Indianslayer and lifebringer at once ; he both cuts off his enemies’ heads and brings fruit to the furrow, giving joy to Demeter and a merry heart to Dionysos.’ Protect thou the sailing of our ship ! As I brought lifegiving water to the hollow of the parche(f earth, so now I arm this flood from the hollows of the deep to bring death, battling against the armies and ships of Deriades.
“Come, O Father, monarch of life, monarch of battle ! Send me an eagle, the auspicious herald of my birth, on the right hand of my captains and your own Dionysos ! Let another omen come on the left for my adversaries, and let these two be opposite tokens for both. Let me see the one sailing along with robber’s wing and lifting a huge horned serpent, dead and torn by sharp points of his keen talons, proclaiming the end of my horned enemy : let the other come to my host of adversaries black-hued, with dark wings, foretelling the carnage of the Indians, the black image of self-inflicted death. If it be thy pleasure, foretell my victory with claps of thunder, and send the lightning which lighted the birth of Bromios to honour your son once again with fire, and let thunderbolts strike the helmeted ships of the foe. Yes, Father, remember Aigina, and do not shame the bridegroom of thy bride, the love-bird of like feather with this !
After this prayer, he began the fight ; Erechtheus also cast up his eye to the heavenly path of the ever-returning Bear, and prayed to his goodson in these words :
“Goodson Boreas, put on your armour, and send a helping blast to your bride’s father in battle ! Give victory by sea as the price of your bride ! Bring a ship-stirring wind for Bromios’s fleet and grant a boon to Erechtheus and Dionysos alike. For the ships of Deriades, flog the maddened deep into waves with your blast and arm your tempests — for you are well practised in fighting, as one whose habitation is Thrace, well-practised as Ares himself — then drive a stormy wind upon the host of our enemies, arm yourself against Deriades with your icy spear. Raise a hurricane of war against our enemies, shoot the foe with your frozen shafts, and keep faith with Zeus and Pallas and Dionysos. Remember Cecropia with its lovely girls, where the women weave with their shuttle the love-story of your wedding. Honour Ilissos who led the bridal train, when the robber breezes made robbery of your Attic bride, sitting unshaken upon your unmoving shoulder.
“I know that another wind will come to help our adversaries, the East Wind their neighbour: but I fear not bold Euros in battle, because all the winged breezes that blow are servants of Boreas. Let Corymbasos the chief of the Ethiopians never return to the arable land of the south ; let him be brought low, although he is helped by his own hot Ethiopian South, let him drink the cold water of death beyond the sea. I care nothing for Zephyros, when Boreas is under arms. Show that you are of one heart with your goodfather. From heaven by your side will come Poseidon fighting for my Bacchiad armies with his trident, and Athena, she helping her countrymen, he his brother’s son ; and fiery Hephaistos honouring the blood of Erechtheus will come full welcome to the watery war, swinging a warlike torch against the ships of Deriades. Grant me victory on the sea also, and after victory let Erechtheus take his people home to Cecropia unhurt, and let Athens chant of Boreas and Oreithyia.”
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