Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/19

 12-14] RETURN OF THE ATHENIAN FLEET II and were not coming out : so, not knowing where to find anchorage, they sailed away for the present to the island of Prote, which is close at hand and uninhabited, and there passed the night. Next day, having made ready for action, they put off to sea, intending, if, as they hoped, the Peloponnesians were willing to come out against them, to give battle in the open ; if not, to sail into the harbour. The Peloponnesians did not come out, and had somehow neglected to close the mouths as they had intended. They showed no sign of moving, but were on shore, manning their ships and preparing to fight, if any one entered the harbour, which was of considerable size. The Athenians, seeing how matters stood, rushed in 14 upon them at both mouths of the har- ^, ^,. ^ • > 1 • I J ^"^ Atliemans rush hour. Most of the enemies ships had -^ „^ ^^/z, mouths of by this time got into deep water and the harbour, which the were facing them. These they put to em.ny had neglected to ° 11 1 close. I he Laccdae- flight and pursued them as well as they ,„o„,-«„5 „,.^ defeated could in such a narrow space, damaging after a sharp conflict, many and taking five, one of them with «"^, ^^'^ '^'^^ stationed -' rr^,, , 1 • • in the island are cut ojf. the crew. They charged the remaining vessels even after they had reached the land, and there were some which they disabled while the crews were getting into them and before they put out at all. Others they succeeded in tying to their own ships and began to drag them away empty, the sailors having taken flight. At this sight the Lacedaemonians were in an agony, for their friends were being cut off in the island ; they hurried to the rescue, and dashing armed as they were into the sea, took hold of the ships and pulled them back ; " that was a time when every one thought that the action was at a stand where he himself was not engaged ^ The con- fusion was tremendous ; the two combatants in this battle for the ships interchanging their usual manner of " Or, taking KtKwXvaOai with iKaaros : ' that was a time when every one felt that he was under a restraint because he was unable to be every- where and to do everything.'