Page:History of Greece Vol VII.djvu/377

359 NEWS FEOM SICILY. 359 one trireme became absolutely water-logged, but seven were so much damaged, by straightforward collision with the stronger bows of the enemy, that they became almost useless after they got back to Naupaktus. The Athenians had so far the advantage, that they maintained their station, while the Corinthians did not venture to renew the fight : moreover, both the wind and the cur- rent set towards the northern shore, so that the floating fragments and dead bodies came into possession of the Athenians. Each party thought itself entitled to erect a trophy, but the real feeling of victory lay on the side of Corinth, and that of defeat on the side of Athens. The reputed maritime superiority of the latter was felt by both parties to have sustained a diminution ; and such assuredly would have been the impression of Phormion, had he been alive to witness it. 1 This battle appears to have taken place, so far as we can make- out, a short time before the arrival of Demosthenes at Syracuse, about the close of the month of May. "We cannot doubt that the Athenians most anxiously expected news from that officer, with some account of victories obtained in Sicily, to console them for having sent him away at a moment when his services were so cruelly wanted at home. Perhaps they may even have indulged hopes of the near capture of Syracuse, as a means of restoring their crippled finances. Their disappointment would be all the more bitter when they came to receive, towards the end of June or beginning of July, despatches announcing the capital defeat of Demosthenes in his attempt upon Epipolae, and the consequent extinction of all hope that Syracuse could ever be taken. After these despatches, we may perhaps doubt whether any others sub- sequently reached Athens. The generals would not write home during the month of indecision immediately succeeding, when Demosthenes was pressing for retreat, and Nikias resisting it. They might possibly, however, write immediately on taking their resolution to retreat, at the time when they sent to Katana to for- bid farther supplies of provisions, but this was the last practica- ble opportunity ; for closely afterwards followed their naval defeat, and the blocking up of the mouth of the Great Harbor. Tho mere absence of intelligence would satisfy the Athenians that their 1 Thiu'vd. vii. "I.