Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/209

 29-3 1 ] THE FA REIVE LL 20I armament, that they should muster at Corcyra, whence the whole fleet was to strike across the Ionian gulf to the promontory of lapygia. Early in the morning of the day appointed for their departure, the Athenian forces and such of their allies as had already joined them went down to the Piraeus and began to man the ships. Almost the entire population of Athens accompanied them, citizens and strangers alike. The citizens came to take farewell, one of an acquaintance, another of a kinsman, another of a son, and as they passed along were full of hope and full of tears ; hope of conquering Sicily, tears because they doubted whether they would ever see their friends again, when they thought of the long voyage on which they were going away. At the last moment of parting the danger was nearer ; and terrors which had never occurred to them when they were voting the expedition now entered into their souls. Nevertheless their spirits revived at the sight of the armament in all its strength and of the abundant provision which they had made. The strangers and the rest of the multitude came out of curiosity, desiring to witness an enterprise of which the greatness exceeded belief. No armament so magnificent or costly had ever been 31 sent out by any single Hellenic power, „, •. •' -J <=> •■ Beauty and precision though in mere number of ships and of the armament. Vast hoplites that which sailed to Epidaurus expenses connected with under Pericles and afterwards under ''• Hagnon to Potidaea-"^ was not inferior. For that ex- pedition consisted of a hundred Athenian and fifty Chian and Lesbian triremes, conveying four thousand hoplites all Athenian citizens, three hundred cavalry, and a multitude of allied troops. Still the voyage was short and the equip- ments were poor, whereas this expedition was intended to be long absent, and was thoroughly provided both for sea and land service, wherever its presence might - Cp. ii. 56, 58. p 2