Quadrireme

The Romanes hauing gained this prise, & ioyned hir to the Quadrireme bothe well furnished of all necessaries, kept them continnally in the entraunce, prohibiting withoute any difficultie the easie entrance of their enimies into Lilybeum.

During three decades of peace the Venetian battle fleet had stagnated, but soon, once again, reserve galleys were pushing out of the Arsenal. A colossal quadrireme constructed by the scholar-turned-shipwright Vettor Fausto was loaded with batteries of cannon.