Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/275

 5-7] THE CROSS-WALL PASSES THE WALL 267 work advanced any further it would make no difference to the Athenians whether they fought But renewing the and conquered in every battle, or never conflict on more open fought at all. So they went out to gyonnd,'.vherehiscav- ° -^ airy can act, he ts meet the Syracusans. Gylippus before victorious. The cross- engaging led his heavy-armed further wall is nozv carried past outside the walls than on the former "" ^'^''>""" ■^'^"^ occasion ; his cavalry and javelin-men he placed on the flanks of the Athenians in the open space between the points at which their respective lines of walls stopped. In the course of the battle the cavalry attacked the left wing of the Athenians which was opposed to them, and put them to flight ; the defeat became general, and the whole Athenian army was driven back by main force within their lines. On the following night the Syracusans succeeded in carrying their wall past the works of the enemy. Their operations were now no longer molested by them, and the Athenians, whatever success they might gain in the field, were utterly deprived of all hope of investing the city. Not long afterwards the remaining Corinthian with the 7 Ambraciot and Leucadian ships '^ sailed Arrival of fresh rein- in, under the command of Erasinides forcements. Gylippus the Corinthian, having eluded the collects allies in SieUy. ° . Second entbassv to Athenian guardships. They assisted Corinth and Lacedae- the Syracusans in completing what mon. Syracusans wan remained of the Syracusan wall up to "•/'*• the Athenian wall which it crossed. Gylippus meanwhile had gone off into Sicily to collect both naval and land forces, and also to bring over any cities which either were slack in the Syracusan cause or had stood aloof from the war. More ambassadors, Syracusan and Corinthian, were despatched to Lacedaemon and Corinth, requesting that reinforcements might be sent across the sea in merchant- ships or small craft, or by any other available means, since
 * Cp. vii. 4 (in.