It happened also in the course of this confusion that some of the Phoenicians, whose ships had been destroyed, came to the king and accused the Ionians, saying that by means of them their ships had been lost, and that they had been traitors to the cause. Now it so came about that not only the commanders of the Ionians did not lose their lives, but the Phoenicians who accused them received a reward such as I shall tell. While these men were yet speaking thus, a Samothracian ship charged against an Athenian ship: and as the Athenian ship was being sunk by it, an Aeginetan ship came up against the Samothracian vessel and ran it down. Then the Samothracians, being skilful javelin-throwers, by hurling cleared off the fighting-men from the ship which had wrecked theirs and then embarked upon it and took possession of it. This event saved the Ionians from punishment; for when Xerxes saw that they had performed a great exploit, he turned to the Phoenicians (for he was exceedingly vexed and disposed to find fault with all) and bade cut off their heads, in order that they might not, after having been cowards themselves, accuse others who were better men than they.