Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/361

343 CAPTURE OF NIKIAb AND HIS DIVISION. 343 m attacks all the way, from the Syracusan cavalry ; who even got to the river before the Athenians, occupying the ford, and liuin^ the hi"rh banks near it. Here the resolution of the O O unhappy fugitives at length gave way ; when they reached tht river, their strength, their patience, their spirit, and their hopes for the future, were all extinct. Tormented with raging thirst, and compelled by the attacks of the cavalry to march in one compact mass, they rushed into the ford all at once, treading down and tumbling over each other in the universal avidity for drink. Many thus perished from being pushed down upon the points of the spears, or lost their footing among the scattered articles of baggage, and were thus borne down under water. 1 Meanwhile, the Syracusans from above poured upon the huddled mass showers of missiles, while the Peloponnesian hoplites even descended into the river, came to close quarters with them, and slew considerable numbers. So violent, nevertheless, was the thirst of the Athenians, that all other suffering was endured in order to taste relief by drinking. And even when dead and wounded were heaped in the river, when the water was tainted and turbid with blood, as well as thick with the mud trodden up, still, the new-comers pushed their way in and swallowed it with voracity. 2 "Wretched, helpless, and demoralized as the army now was, Nikias could think no farther of resistance. He accordingly sur- rendered himself to Gylippus, to be dealt with at the discretion of that general and of the Lacedaemonians, 3 earnestly imploring that the slaughter of the defenceless soldiers might be arrested. Accordingly, Gylippus gave orders that no more should be killed, but that the rest should be secured as captives. Many were slain before this order was understood ; but of those who remained, almost all were made captive, very few escaping. Nay, even the detachment of three hundred, who had broken out in the night, having seemingly not known whither to go, were captured, 1 Thucyd. vii, 85. See Dr. Arnold's note. Toi) f 7roA/lot)f da/J,iv ov f, /cat iv /cocA^ OVTL ~<J Trora/zu iv G$iciv aiiTolf Thucyd. vii, 85, 86 ; Philistus, Fragm. 4G, cd. Didot : Pausanias, i, 29, 9
 * Thucyd. vii, 84 ....... e/3aA/lov uvu&ev rotif 'Ai?j?va<ouf, KIVOVTUS rt