Histories

Herodotus

Herodotus. Godley, Alfred Denis, translator. Cambridge, MA; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann, Ltd., 1920-1925 (printing).

Now when they were engaged in this count, there was in the fleet one Scyllias, a man of +Scione [23.55,39.95] (Perseus) Scione; he was the best diver of the time, and in the shipwreck at +Pilion (mountain range), Nomos Magnisias, Thessaly, Greece, Europe Pelion he had saved for the Persians much of their possessions and gotten much for himself in addition; this Scyllias had before now, it would seem, intended to desert to the Greeks, but he never had had so fair an occasion as now.

By what means he did at last make his way to the Greeks, I cannot with exactness say. If the story is true, it is marvellous indeed, for it is said that he dove into the sea at +Aphetae [23.1167,39.1167] (Perseus) Aphetae and never rose to the surface till he came to +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium, thus passing underneath the sea for about eighty furlongs.

There are many tales about this man, some similar to lies and some true, but as regards the present business it is my opinion that he came to +Artemisium [23.2417,39.0083] (Perseus) Artemisium in a boat. After arriving, he straightway told the admirals the story of the shipwreck, and of the ships that had been sent round +Euboea [23.833,38.566] (island), Nomos Evvoias, Central Greece and Euboea, Greece, Europe Euboea.