Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/328

310 310 HISTORY OF GREECE. acusans. He (Nikias) therefore advised to remain where thej were and continue the siege ; l the more so, as their fleet had now become unquestionably the superior. Both Demosthenes and Eurymedon protested in the strongest language against the proposition of Nikias. Especially they treated the plan of remaining in the Great Harbor as fraught with ruin, and insisted, at the very least, on quitting this position without a moment's delay. Even admitting, for argument, the scruples of Nikias against abandoning the Syracusan war without formal authority from home, they still urged an immediate transfer of their camp from the Great Harbor to Thapsus or Katana. At either of these stations they could prosecute operations against Syracuse, with all the advantage of a wider range of country for supplies, a healthier spot, and above all, of an open sea, which was absolutely indispensable to the naval tactics of Athenians ; escaping from that narrow basin which condemned them to inferi- ority even on their own proper element. At all events to remove, and remove forthwith, out of the Great Harbor, such was the pressing requisition of Demosthenes and Eurymedon. 2 But even to the modified motion of transferring the actual position to Thapsus or Katana, Nikias refused to consent. He insisted on remaining as they were ; and it appears that Menander and Euthydemus 3 colleagues named by the assembly at home, before the departure of the second armament must have voted under the influence of his authority ; whereby the majority be- came on his side. Nothing less than being in a minority, prob- ably, would have induced Demosthenes and Eurymedon to sub- mit, on a point of such transcendent importance. It was thus that the Athenian armament remained without quitting the harbor, yet apparently quite inactive, during a period which cannot have been less than between three weeks and a month, until Gylippus returned to Syracuse with fresh reinforcements. Throughout the army, hope of success appears 1 Thncyd. vii, 48. rpipKiv ovv ityn xpfivai irpoaKadripi-vovs, etc. ovff &TT UGOVV EV tde%eTO rb 6e ^vfiwav efativ, ovotyl rpc iru ol l$i) apeoKEiv kv r rja&a i