midnight
This would hide the moon and lessen the danger . But above all things speed was needful . The athlete put his strength upon the oars till the heavy skiff shot across the black void of the water . * * * * * * * It was little short of midnight when Glaucon swung the skiff away from the tall trireme of Ariabignes , the Barbarian 's admiral . The deed was done . He had sat in the bobbing boat while Sicinnus had been above with the Persian chiefs . Officers who had exchanged the wine-cup with Glaucon in the days when he stood at Xerxes 's side passed through the glare of the battle lanterns swaying above the rail .