THE LIFE OF PERICLES. 373
as they wold make sallies out many times, and fight before the wals of the citie. But when there arriued a new supply of ships bringing a greater aide vnto Pericles: then were they shut vp of all sides. Pericles then taking threescore galleys with him, launched out into the sea, with intent (as some say) to go meete certaine ships of the Phoenicians (that came to aide the Samians) as far from Samos as he could: or as Stesimbrotus saith, to go into Cyprvs, which me thinketh is not true. But whatsoeuer was his intent, he committed a foule faulte. For Melissus (the son of Ithagenes, a great Philosopher) being at that time general of the Samians, perceiuing that few ships were left behind at the siege of the city, and that the captaines also that had the charge of them were no very expert men of war, perswaded his citizens to make a sallie vpon them. Wherupon they fought a battel, and the Samians ouercame: the Athenians were taken prisoners, and they sunke many of their ships. Now they being lords againe of the sea, did furnish their city with all maner of munition for wars, whereof before they had great want Yet Aristotle writeth, that Pericles selfe wasonce ouercomeinabattell at sea by Melissus. Furthermore the Samians, to be euen with the Athenians for the iniury they had re-ceiued of them before: did brand them in the forehead with the stampe of an owle, the owle being then the stampe of their coine at Athens, euen as the Athenians had branded the Samian prisoners before with the stampe of Samaana. This Samaena is a kind of ship amongst the Samians, low afore, and well laid out in the mid-ship, so that it is excellent good to rise with the waues of the sea, and is very swift vnder saile: and it was so called, because the first that was made of this fashion, was made in the Isle of Samos, by the tyrant Polycrates. It is said that the Poet Aristophanes, couertly conveying the stampe of the