The manoeuvre, so far as concerned its immediate purpose, was
completely successful. Phormio, much against his will, was obliged to
leave his station outside the strait, and go to the aid of Naupactus,
which had been left undefended. Great was the delight of the
Peloponnesian captains when they saw the little Athenian squadron
creeping close, in single file, along the northern side of the gulf,
for they thought that not one of the twenty would escape them. At a
given signal, the whole fleet formed into line, resuming its original
order, four deep, and bore down upon the Athenians. Eleven of
Phormio's triremes succeeded in clearing the strait, and getting into
the open waters in the direction of Naupactus; but the remaining nine
were overtaken and driven aground, and their crews, except those who
escaped by swimming, were put to the sword. Some of these vessels were
towed off as prizes by the Peloponnesians, and one they captured with
all her crew. The rest were saved by the valour of the Messenian
soldiers, who had followed the movements of Phormio's vessels along
the shore, and now did good service by boarding the stranded triremes,
and hauling them to land, after a sharp tussle with the enemy.

Meanwhile the eleven ships which had eluded the attack were hotly
pursued by the twenty fast-sailing vessels on the Peloponnesian right
wing. All but one got through in safety, and took refuge in the
harbour of Naupactus, and drawing up in line, with their prows
outwards, prepared to defend themselves if the enemy advanced further
against them. But the rearmost vessel was hard pressed by a Leucadian
ship, and the rest of the pursuers followed at a considerable
distance, singing the paean [Footnote: A song of victory.] as they
rowed, and expecting an easy victory. Now, however, occurred one of
those sudden turns of fortune so frequent in the course of a sea-