a smaller history of greece-第33章

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e　now　a　besieged　rather　than　a　besieging　force。　　Their　triremes　were　becoming　leaky；　and　their　soldiers　and　sailors　were　constantly　deserting。　　Nicias　himself　had　fallen　into　a　bad　state　of　health；　and　in　this　discouraging　posture　of　affairs　he　wrote　to　Athens　requesting　to　he　recalled；　and　insisting　strongly　on　the　necessity　of　sending　reinforcements。

The　Athenians　refused　to　recall　Nicias；　but　they　determined　on　sending　a　large　reinforcement　to　Sicily；　under　the　joint　command　of　Demosthenes　and　Eurymedon。　　The　news　of　these　fresh　and　extensive　preparations　incited　the　Lacedaemonians　to　more　vigorous　action。　　The　peace；　if　such　it　can　be　called；　was　now　openly　broken；　and　in　the　spring　of　413　B。C。　the　Lacedaemonians；　under　King　Agis；　invaded　Attica　itself；　and；　following　the　advice　of　Alcibiades；　established　themselves　permanently　at　Decelia；　a　place　situated　on　the　ridge　of　Mount　Parnes　about　14　miles　north　of　Athens；　and　commanding　the　Athenian　plain。　　The　city　was　thus　placed　in　a　state　of　siege。　　Scarcity　began　to　be　felt　within　the　walls；　the　revenues　were　falling　off；　whilst　on　the　other　hand　expenses　were　increasing。

Meanwhile　in　Sicily　the　Syracusans　had　gained　such　confidence　that　they　even　ventured　on　a　naval　engagement　with　the　Athenians。　In　the　first　battle　the　Athenians　were　victorious；　but　the　second　battle；　which　lasted　two　days；　ended　in　their　defeat。　　They　were　now　obliged　to　haul　up　their　ships　in　the　innermost　part　of　the　Great　Harbour；　under　the　lines　of　their　fortified　camp。　　A　still　more　serious　disaster　than　the　loss　of　the　battle　was　the　loss　of　their　naval　reputation。　　It　was　evident　that　the　Athenians　had　ceased　to　be　invincible　on　the　sea；　and　the　Syracusans　no　longer　despaired　of　overcoming　them　on　their　own　element。

Such　was　the　state　of　affairs　when；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　Syracusans；　a　fresh　Athenian　fleet　of　75　triremes；　under　Demosthenes　and　Eurymedon；　entered　the　Great　Harbour　with　all　the　pomp　and　circumstance　of　war。　　It　had　on　board　a　force　of　5000　hoplites；　of　whom　about　a　quarter　were　Athenians；　and　a　great　number　of　light…armed　troops。　　The　active　and　enterprising　character　of　Demosthenes　led　him　to　adopt　more　vigorous　measures　than　those　which　had　been　hitherto　pursued。　　He　saw　at　once　that　whilst　Epipolae　remained　in　the　possession　of　the　Syracusans　there　was　no　hope　of　taking　their　city；　and　he　therefore　directed　all　his　efforts　to　the　recapture　of　that　position。　　But　his　attempts　were　unavailing。　　He　was　defeated　not　only　in　an　open　assault　upon　the　Syracusan　wall；　but　in　a　nocturnal　attempt　to　carry　it　by　surprise。　　These　reverses　were　aggravated　by　the　breaking　out　of　sickness　among　the　troops。　　Demosthenes　now　proposed　to　return　home　and　assist　in　expelling　the　Lacedaemonians　from　Attica；　instead　of　pursuing　an　enterprise　which　seemed　to　be　hopeless。　　But　Nicias；　who　feared　to　return　to　Athens　with　the　stigma　of　failure；　refused　to　give　his　consent　to　this　step。　　Demosthenes　then　urged　Nicias　at　least　to　sail　immediately　out　of　the　Great　Harbour；　and　take　up　their　position　either　at　Thapsus　or　Catana；　where　they　could　obtain　abundant　supplies　of　provisions；　and　would　have　an　open　sea　for　the　manoeuvres　of　their　fleet。　　But　even　to　this　proposal　Nicias　would　not　consent；　and　the　army　and　navy　remained　in　their　former　position。　　Soon　afterwards；　however；　Gylippus　received　such　large　reinforcements；　that　Nicias　found　it　necessary　to　adopt　the　advice　of　his　colleague。　　Preparations　were　secretly　made　for　their　departure；　the　enemy　appear　to　have　had　no　suspicion　of　their　intention　and　they　were　on　the　point　of　quitting　their　ill…　fated　quarters　on　the　following　morning；　when　on　the　very　night　before　（27　Aug。　413　B。C。）　an　eclipse　of　the　moon　took　place。　　The　soothsayers　who　were　consulted　said　that　the　army　must　wait　thrice　nine　days；　a　full　circle　of　the　moon；　before　it　could　quit　its　present　position；　and　the　devout　and　superstitious　Nicias　forthwith　resolved　to　abide　by　this　decision。

Meanwhile　the　intention　of　the　Athenians　became　known　to　the　Syracusans；　who　determined　to　strike　a　blow　before　their　enemy　escaped。　　They　accordingly　attacked　the　Athenian　station　both　by　sea　and　land。　　On　land　the　attack　of　Gylippus　was　repulsed；　but　at　sea　the　Athenian　fleet　was　completely　defeated；　and　Eurymedon；　who　commanded　the　right　division；　was　slain　The　spirits　of　the　Symcusans　rose　with　their　victories；　and　though　they　would　formerly　have　been　content　with　the　mere　retreat　of　the　Athenians；　they　now　resolved　on　effecting　their　utter　destruction。　　With　this　view　they　blocked　up　the　entrance　of　the　Great　Harbour　with　a　line　of　vessels　moored　across　it。　　All　hope　seemed　now　to　be　cut　off　from　the　Athenians；　unless　they　could　succeed　in　forcing　this　line　and　thus　effecting　their　escape。　The　Athenian　fleet　still　numbered　110　triremes；　which　Nicias　furnished　with　grappling…irons；　in　order　to　bring　the　enemy　to　close　quarters；　and　then　caused　a　large　proportion　of　his　land…　force　to　embark。

Never　perhaps　was　a　battle　fought　under　circumstances　of　such　intense　interest；　or　witnessed　by　so　many　spectators　vitally　concerned　in　the　result。　　The　basin　of　the　Great　Harbour；　about　5　miles　in　circumference；　in　which　nearly　200　ships；　each　with　crews　of　more　than　200　men；　were　about　to　engage；　was　lined　with　spectators。　　The　Syracusan　fleet　was　the　first　to　leave　the　shore。　　A　considerable　portion　was　detached　to　guard　the　barrier　at　the　mouth　of　the　harbour。　　Hither　the　first　and　most　impetuous　attack　of　the　Athenians　was　directed；　who　sought　to　break　through　the　narrow　opening　which　had　been　left　for　the　passage　of　merchant　vessels。　　Their　onset　was　repulsed；　and　the　battle　then　became　general。　　The　shouts　of　the　combatants；　and　the　crash　of　the　iron　heads　of　the　vessels　as　they　were　driven　together；　resounded　over　the　water；　and　were　answered　on　shore　by　the　cheers　or　wailings　of　the　spectators　as　their　friends　were　victorious　or　vanquished。　　For　a　long　time　the　battle　was　maintained　with　heroic　courage　and　dubious　result。　　At　length；　as　the　Athenian　vessels　began　to　yield　and　make　back　towards　the　shore；　a　universal　shriek　of　horror　and　despair　arose　from　the　Athenian　army；　whilst　shouts　of　joy　and　victory　were　raised　from　the　pursuing　vessels；　and　were　echoed　back　from　the　Syracusans　on　land。　　As　the　Athenian　vessels　neared　the　shore　their　crews　leaped　out；　and　made　for　the　camp；　whilst　the　boldest　of　the　land　army　rushed　forward　to　protect　the　ships　from　being　seized　by　the　enemy。　　The　Athenians　succeeded　in　saving　only　60　ships；　or　about　half　their　fleet。　　The　Syracusan　fleet；　however；　had　been　reduced　to　50　ships；　and　on　the　same　afternoon；　Nicias　and　Demosthenes；　as　a　last　hope　of　escape；　exhorted　their　men　to　make　another　attempt　to　break　the　enemy's　line；　and　force　their　way　out　of　the　harbour。　　But　the　courage　of　the　crews　was　so　completely　damped　that　they　positively　refused　to　re…embark。

The　Athenian　army　still　numbered　40；000　men；　and　as　all　chance　of　escape　by　sea　was　now　hopeless；　it　was　resolved　to　retreat　by　land　to　some　friendly　city；　and　there　defend　themselves　against　the　attacks　of　the　Syracusans。　　As　the　soldiers　turned　to　quit　that　fatal　encampment；　the　sense　of　their　own　woes　was　for　a　moment　suspended　by　the　sight　of　their　unburied　comrades；　who　seemed　to　reproach　them　with　the　neglect　of　a　sacred　duty；　but　still　more　by　the　wailings　and　entreaties　of　the　wounded；　who　clung　around　their　knees；　and　implored　not　to　be　abandoned　to　certain　destruction。　　Amid　this　scene　of　universal　woe　and　dejection；　a　fresh　and　unwonted　spirit　of　energy　and　heroism　seemed　to　be　infused　into　Nicias。　　Though　suffering　under　an　incurable　complaint；　he　was　everywhere　seen　marshalling　his　troops　and　encouraging　them　by　his　exhortations。　　The　march　was　directed　towards　the　territory　of　the　Sicels　in　the　interior　of　the　island。　　The　army　was　formed　into　a　hollow　square　with　the　baggage　in　the　middle；　Nicias　leading　the　van；　and　Demosthenes　bringing　up　the　rear。　　The　road　ascended　by　a　sort　of　ravine　over　a　steep　hill　called　the　Acraean　cliff　on　which　the　Syracusans　had　fortified　themselves。　　After　spending　two　days　in　vain　attempts　to　force　this　position；　Nicias　and　Demosthenes　resolved　dur