Editing Battle of Salamis (section)

===Opening phase===
[[File:Greek triremes at Salamis.jpg|thumb|Greek [[trireme]]s at Salamis.]]
Regardless of what time they entered the straits, the Persians did not move to attack the Allies until daylight. Since they were not planning to flee after all, the Allies would have been able to spend the night preparing for battle, and after a speech by Themistocles, the marines boarded and the ships made ready to sail.<ref name = VIII83>Herodotus [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126;query=chapter%3D%231392;layout=;loc=8.84.1 VIII, 83]</ref>
According to Herodotus, this was dawn, and as the Allies ''"were  putting out to sea the barbarians immediately attacked them"''.<ref name = VIII83/><ref name = VIII84/> If the Persians only entered the straits at dawn, then the Allies would have had the time to take up their station in a more orderly fashion.<ref name = h320/>

Aeschylus claims that as the Persians approached (possibly implying that they were not already in the Straits at dawn), they heard the Greeks singing their battle hymn ([[paean]]) before they saw the Allied fleet:

{{blockquote|<poem>{{lang|grc|ὦ παῖδες Ἑλλήνων ἴτε}}
{{lang|grc|ἐλευθεροῦτε πατρίδ᾽, ἐλευθεροῦτε δὲ}}
{{lang|grc|παῖδας, γυναῖκας, θεῶν τέ πατρῴων ἕδη,}}
{{lang|grc|θήκας τε προγόνων: νῦν ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀγών.}}

O sons of the Greeks, go,
Liberate your country, liberate
Your children, your women, the seats of your fathers' gods,
And the tombs of your forebears: now is the struggle for all things.</poem><ref>Aesch. Pers. 402-5. Available at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0011%3Acard%3D395. Editor's translation.</ref>}}

[[File:Battle of Salamis by Wilhelm von Kaulbach.jpg|thumb|Battle of Salamis, by [[Wilhelm von Kaulbach]] (detail).]]
Herodotus recounts that, according to the Athenians, as the battle began the Corinthians hoisted their sails and began sailing away from the battle, northwards up the straits. However, he also says that all the other Greeks denied this story.<ref name="VIII94">Herodotus [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126;query=chapter%3D%231403;layout=;loc=8.93.1 VIII, 94]</ref> If this did in fact occur, one possible interpretation is that these ships had been a decoy sent to reconnoitre the northern exit from the straits, in case the arrival of the encircling Egyptian detachment was imminent (if indeed this also occurred).<ref name = h320/> Another possibility (not exclusive of the former) is that the departure of the Corinthians triggered the final approach of the Persians, suggesting as it did that the Allied fleet was disintegrating.<ref name = h320>Holland, pp.320–326</ref> At any rate, if they indeed ever left, the Corinthians soon returned to the battle.<ref name = VIII94/>

Approaching the Allied fleet in the crowded Straits, the Persians appear to have become disorganised and cramped in the narrow waters.<ref name = DSXI18/><ref name = h320/> Moreover, it would have become apparent that, far from disintegrating, the Greek fleet was lined up, ready to attack them.<ref name="Lazenby, p187"/><ref name = h320/> However, rather than attacking immediately, the Allies initially appeared to back their ships away as if in fear.<ref name = VIII84>Herodotus [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126;query=chapter%3D%231393;layout=;loc=8.83.1 VIII, 84]</ref> According to [[Plutarch]], this was to gain better position, and also in order to gain time until the early morning wind.<ref>Plutarch. Themistocles, 14</ref> Herodotus recounts the legend that as the fleet had backed away, they had seen an apparition of a woman, asking them "Madmen, how far will ye yet back your ships?"<ref>Herodotus VIII, 84; Macaulay translation cf. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126&layout=&loc=8.84.1 Godley translation]</ref> However, he more plausibly suggests that whilst the Allies were backing water, a single ship shot forward to ram the nearest Persian vessel. The Athenians would claim that this was the ship of the Athenian Ameinias of [[Pallene, Chalcidice|Pallene]]; the Aeginetans would claim it as one of their ships.<ref name = VIII84/> The whole Greek line then followed suit and made straight for the disordered Persian battle line.<ref name = VIII86>Herodotus [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0126;query=chapter%3D%231395;layout=;loc=8.85.1 VIII, 86]</ref>