The Rhodian is Captured
What contributed most to encourage him to a repetition of the feat was the fact that by frequent experience
he had marked out the course for himself by clear land
marks. As soon as he had crossed the open sea, and
was coming into sight, he used to steer as though he were
coming from
Italy, keeping the seaward tower exactly on his
bows, in such a way as to be in a line with the city towers
which faced towards
Libya; and this is the only possible
course to hit the mouth of the channel with the wind astern.
His example is followed by others. |
The successful boldness of the Rhodian inspired
several of those who were acquainted with these
waters to make similar attempts. The Romans
felt themselves to be in a great difficulty; and what was taking
place determined them to attempt blocking up the mouth of
the harbour. The greater part of the attempted work was a
failure: the sea was too deep, and none of the material which
they threw into it would hold, or in fact keep in the least
compact. The breakers and the force of the current dislodged
and scattered everything that was thrown in, before it could
even reach the bottom. But there was one point where the
water was shallow, at which a mole was with infinite labour
made to hold together; and upon it a vessel with four banks
of oars and of unusually fine build stuck fast
as it was making the outward passage at night,
and thus fell into the hands of the enemy.
The Rhodian is at length captured. |
The Romans took possession of it, manned it with a picked
crew, and used it for keeping a look out for all who should
try to enter the harbour, and especially for the Rhodian. He
had sailed in, as it happened, that very night, and was afterwards putting out to sea again in his usual open manner. He
was, however, startled to see the four-banked vessel put out
to sea again simultaneously with himself. He recognised
what ship it was, and his first impulse was to escape her by his
superior speed. But finding himself getting overhauled by
the excellence of her rowers, he was finally compelled to
bring to and engage at close quarters. But in a struggle of
marines he was at a complete disadvantage: the enemy were
superior in numbers, and their soldiers were picked men; and
he was made prisoner. The possession of this ship of superior
build enabled the Romans, by equipping her with whatever
was wanted for the service she had to perform, to intercept all
who were adventurous enough to try running the blockade of
Lilybaeum.
