Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/341

323 GYLIPPUS TO HIE SYRACUSANS 323 V".iy lifferent was the spirit prevalent, and very opposite the burning vrords uttered, on the seaboard of the Syracusan station, as the leaders were mustering their men immediately before em- barkation. They had been apprized of the grappling-irons now about to be employed by the Athenians, and had guarded against them in part by stretching hides along their bows, so that the " iron hand " might slip off without acquiring any hold. The preparatory movements even within the Athenian station being perfectly visible, Gylippus sent the fleet out with the usual prefatory harangue. He complimented them on the great achievements which they had already performed in breaking down the naval power of Athens, so long held irresistible. 1 He reminded them that the sally of their enemies was only a last effort of despair, seeking nothing but escape, undertaken without confidence in themselves, and under the necessity of throwing aside all their own tactics in order to copy feebly those of the Syracusans. 9 He called upon them to recollect the destructive purposes which the invaders had brought with them against Syracuse, to inflict with resentful hand the finishing stroke upon this half-ruined armament, and to taste the delight of satiating a legitimate revenge. 3 The Syracusan fleet seventy-six triremes strong, as in the last battle was the first to put off from shore ; Pythen with the Corinthians in the centre, Sikanus and Agatharchus on the wings. A certain proportion of them were placed near the mouth of the harbor, in order to guard the barrier ; while the rest were distributed around the harbor in order to attack the Athenians from different sides as soon as they should approach. Moreover, the surface of the harbor swarmed with the light craft of the Syracusans, in many of which embarked youthful volun- 1 Thucyd. vii, 65. 8 Thueyd. vii, 66, 67. 3 Thucyd. vii, 68. vpbf ovv ura^iav re TOIO.VTIJV .... opyy ^pofffj.l.^u/j.e KOL VOJUGUUEV u/j,a fj.ev vo/^i^iurarov elvai irpbf roi)f ivavriovf, ol uv wf ii ripupiq. roil TrpoaTteaovTOC diicaiuauaiv uTTOTr^ffai rfif yvupr/f rb -frv/ Hfia de tydpoiif ufivvaadai iyyevriaofievov fifJ.1v, Kal (rb fayo/ievov irov) rov eivai. This plain and undisguised invocation of the angry and revengeful pas ivrns should be noticed, &a a mark of character and manners