The one which had engaged in an equal contest, on seeing her companion taken, before she could be surrounded by the three, fled back to the fleet.

Livius, fired with indignation, bore down with the praetorian ship against the enemy.

The two which had overpowered the Carthaginian ship, in hopes of the same success against this one, advanced to the attack, on which he ordered the rowers on both sides to plunge their oars in the water, in order to hold the ship steady, and to throw grappling-irons into the enemy's vessels as they came up.

Having, by these means, rendered the business something like a fight on land, he desired his men to bear in mind the courage of Romans, and not to regard the slaves of a king as men.
Accordingly, this single ship now defeated and captured the two, with more ease than the two had before taken one.

By this time the entire fleets were engaged and intermixed with each other.