Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 1.djvu/151

 49-5°] ATHENIANS ENGAGED 35 prevailed. But the left wing of the Corinthians, where their own ships were stationed, had greatly the advan- tage, because the Corcyraeans, whose numbers were originally inferior, had now twenty vessels detached in the pursuit. When the Athenians saw The Athcmans share the distress of the Corcyraeans, they '" ''^'^ cngagaumt. began to assist them more openly. At first they had abstained from actual collision, but when the Corcyraeans fled outright and the Corinthians pressed them hard, then every man fell to work ; all distinctions were forgotten ; — the time had arrived when Corinthian and Athenian were driven to attack one another. The Corinthians, having put to flight their enemies, 50 never stopped to take in tow the hulls of the vessels which they had disabled, but fell upon the men ; they rowed up and down and slew them, giving no quarter, and unintentionally killing their own friends ; for they were not aware that their right wing had been defeated. There were so many ships on one side and on the other, and they covered so great an extent of water, that, when the engagement had once begun, it was hard among conquerors and conquered to distinguish friend from foe. For never before had two Hellenic navies so numerous met in battle.--^ -— --— — "^ Wheri'the Corinthians had chased the Corcyraeans to the shore, they turned their attention to their own wrecks and the bodies of their dead. Most of these were re- covered by them and conveyed to Sybota, a desert harbour of Thesprotia, whither their barbarian allies had come to support them. They then formed afresh and once more made a movement towards the Corcyraeans, who, taking such vessels as had not been disabled, and any others which they had in their docks, together with the Athenian ships, put out to meet them, dreading a descent upon Corcyra. It was now late in the day and the Paean had been already sounded for the onset, when the Corinthians suddenly began to row astern. They had descried sailing D 2