Corinth, meanwhile, assembles a fleet of ships under the command of Xenoclides and prepared to sail to Corcyra, while Corcyra gathers a fleet under Miciades, Aisimides, and Eurybatus, who make the Sybota islands their base of operations.

The Athenian commanders, Lacedaimonius (the son of Cimon), Diotimus, and Proteas, sail with them.

Corcyra has one hundred and ten ships, plus the additional ten provided from their ally Athens, while Corinth has one hundred and fifty ships.

When the Corinthian ships arrive, the Corcyraeans form their line of battle, with the Athenians on the right and their own ships making up the rest of the line in three squadrons.

The Corinthian ships are lined up with the Megarans and Ambraciots on the right, the Corinthians on the left, and the remainder of their allies in the center.

Both sides fight with hoplites on their ships, along with archers and javelin-throwers, in a manner Thucydides calls "old-fashioned."

Instead of ramming and sinking the other ships, both sides attempt to board their opponents' ships and fight what is essentially a land battle at sea.

The Athenian ships, although they are part of the line, do not at first join the battle, as the Corinthians had not attempted to land.

The Corcyraean ships on the left rout the Corinthian right wing, chasing them all the way back to their camp on the coast, which they then burn.

The Corinthian left wing, however, is more successful, and the Athenians are forced to come to the aid of their allies.

Nevertheless, the Corinthians are victorious, and sail through the wreckage of defeated ships, often killing survivors rather than taking prisoners (including, although they did not know it, some of their own allies who had been defeated on the right-wing).

They do not kill everyone, however, and capture a number of prisoners.

The Corcyraeans and Athenians head back to Corcyra to defend the island, but when the Corinthians arrive, they almost immediately retreat, as more Athenian ships under the command of Glaucon are on their way.

The next day, the new Athenian ships threaten a second battle if the Corinthians attempt to land on Corcyra.

The Corinthians retreat completely rather than risk another battle.

Both the Corinthians and Corcyraeans claim victory, the Corinthians having won the first battle, and the Corcyraeans having avoided a Corinthian occupation of their island.