Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/285

 21-23] THEIR DEFEAT IN THE FIRST SEA-FIGHT 277 not to be timid. Thus under the influence of Gylippus, Hermocrates, and others, the Syracusans, now eager for the conflict, began to man their ships. When the fleet was ready, GyHppus, under cover of 22 night, led forth the whole land-army, At dazvn Gylippm intending to attack in person the forts attacks the forts on on Plemmyrium. Meanwhile the tri- f ^.'«7;''»"' ^ ^'f •^ their jlcct encounters the remes of the Syracusans, at a concerted Athenians in the har- signal, sailed forth, thirty-five from the *"'"'• greater harbour and forty-five from the lesser, where they had their arsenal. These latter sailed round into the Great Harbour, intending to form a junction with the other ships inside and make a combined attack on Plemmyrium, that the Athenians, assailed both by sea and land, might be disconcerted. The Athenians however quickly manned sixty ships ; and with twenty-five of them engaged the thirty-five of the Syracusans which were in the Great Harbour : with the remainder they encountered those which were sailing round from the arsenal. These two squadrons met at once before the mouth of the Great Harbour: the struggle was long and obstinate, the Syracusans striving to force an entrance, the Athenians to prevent them. Meanwhile Gylippus, quite early in the morning, while 23 the Athenians in Plemmyrium who had j „ ^, , ■^ . In the sea -fight the gone down to the water-side had their Syracusans are de- minds occupied by the sea-fight, made fitted, but the forts ate a sudden attack upon their forts. He '''*"'• captured the largest of them first, then the two lesser, their garrisons forsaking them when they saw the largest so easily taken. Those who escaped from the fortress first captured, getting into a merchant-vessel and some boats which were moored at Plemmyrium, found their way to the main station of the Athenians, but with difficulty; for they were chased by a swift trireme, the Syracusans at that time having the advantage in the Great Harbour. But when the two lesser fortresses were taken, the S3'racusans