Complex sentence: Nevertheless, at the outbreak of the war, the military forces of the Republic were meagre; the long Cretan War had exhausted Venetian resources, and Venetian power was in decline in Italy as well as the Adriatic Sea.
Split into simpler sentences: Nevertheless, at the outbreak of the war, the military forces of the Republic were meagre. The long Cretan War had exhausted Venetian resources, and Venetian power was in decline in Italy as well as the Adriatic Sea.