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Then he placed himself with his heavy ships in the centre,and summoned the remainder of his fleet from Hiera in all haste.The preparations on both sides were superb.The ships had towers on both stem and stern. When the usual exhortation had been given and the standards raised,they rushed against each other, some coming bow on, others making flank attacks, the shouts of the men and the spray from the ships adding terror to the scene. The Pompeian ships were shorter and lighter, and better adapted to blockading and darting about. Those of Octavian were larger and heavier, and, consequently, slower, yet stronger to give blows and not so easily damaged. The Pompeian crews were better sailors than those of Octavian, but the latter were stronger.Accordingly, the former excelled not so much in close fighting as in the nimbleness of their movements,and they broke oar blades and rudders, cut off oar handles, or separated the enemy's ships entirely, doing them no less harm than by ramming.Those of Octavian sought to cut down with their beaks the hostile ships, which were smaller in size, or shatter them, or break through them. When they came to close quarters, being higher, they could hurl missiles down upon the enemy, and more easily throw the "ravens" and the grappling-irons.The Pompeians whenever they were overpowered in this manner leaped into the sea.They were picked up by their small boats, which were hovering around for
this purpose,but Agrippa bore down directly upon Papias and struck his ship under the bow,shattering it and breaking into the hold.The men in the towers were shaken off, the water rushed into the ship,and all the oarsmen on the lower benches were cut off.The others broke through the deck and escaped by swimming.Papias escaped to a ship alongside of his own,and returned to the battle.Pompeius,who observed from a mountain that his ships were making little headway, and that whenever they came to close quarters with the enemy they were denuded of fighting men, and that reinforcements were coming to Agrippa from Hiera, gave the signal to retire in good order. This they did, advancing and retreating little by little.