Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/279

261 GYLIPPUS IN ITALY. 261 mnguine, but even careless and presumptuous in the extreme. Nothing short of this pjesumption could have let in his destroy- ing enemy, Gylippus. 1 That officer named by the Lacedemonians commander in Sicily, at the winter-meeting which Alkibiades had addressed at Sparta had employed himself in getting together forces for (he purpose of the expedition. But the Lacedaemonians, though so far stimulated by the representations of the Athenian exile as to promise aid, were not forward to perform the promise. Even the Corinthians, decidedly the most hearty of all in behalf of Syracuse, were yet so tardy, that in the month of June, Gylippus was still at Leukas, with his armament not quite ready to sail. To embark in a squadron for Sicily, against the numerous and excellent Athenian fleet now acting there, was a service not tempting to any one, and demanding both personal daring and devotion. Moreover, every vessel from Sicily, between March and June 414 B.C., brought intelligence of progressive success on the part of Nikias and Lamachus, thus rendering the prospects of Corinthian auxiliaries still more discouraging. At length, in the month of June, arrived the news of that defeat of the Syracusans wherein Lamachus was slain, and of its impor- tant consequences in forwarding the operations of the besiegers. Great as those consequences were, they were still farther exag- gerated by report. It was confidently affirmed, by messenger after messenger, that the wall of circumvallation had been com- pleted, and that Syracuse was now invested on all sides. 2 Both Gylippus and the Corinthians were so far misled as to believe this to be the fact, and despaired, in consequence, of being able to render any effective aid against the Athenians in Sicily. But as there still remained hopes of being able to preserve the Greek cities in Italy, Gylippus thought it important to pass over thither at once with his own little squadron of four sail, two Lacedae- 1 Plutarch, Nikias, c. 18. J.VTO tyevafiEvai, tif ij6r) itavrs^ug uTroreTei^iafih'ai al SvpuKnvaai elm, ryr j.tv ZtK/Uaf OVKETI 1'A.Trida ovdEfiiav el^sv 6 Tvhtmroc, rrjv SE 'IraKiav 6ov%6- lievoi; Kepnroifjoai, etc. Compare Plutarch, Nikias, c. 18. It will be seen from ThucydidOs. that Gylippus heard this news while ha wai yet at Leukas
 * Thucyd. vi, 104. oif avrolf al uyyt'/Uat I$OLTUV deival nal iruaai tni rd