Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/298

 290 IMPROVED FORM OF SYR AC US AN SHIPS [vil face, and presenting their own massive and solid beaks would stave in the hollow and weak forepart of their enemies' ships 'i; while the Athenians, confined as they were, would not be able to wheel round them or break their line before striking, to which manojuvrcs they mainly trusted — the want of room would make the one impossible, and the Syracusans themselves would do their best to prevent the other. What had hitherto been considered a defect of skill on the part of their pilots, the practice of striking beak to beak, would now be a great advantage, to which they would have constant recourse ; for the Athen- ians, when forced to back water, could only retire towards the land, which was too near, and of which but a small part, that is to say, their own encampment, was open to them. The Syracusans would be masters of the rest of the harbour, and, if the Athenians were hard pressed at any point, they would all be driven together into one small spot, where they would run foul of one another and fall into confusion. (Which proved to be the case; for nothing was more disastrous to the Athenians in all these sea- fights than the impossibility of retreating, as the Syracusans could, to any part of the harbour.) Again, while they themselves had command of the outer sea and could charge from it and back water into it whenever they pleased, the Athenians would be unable to sail into the open and turn before striking''; besides, Plemmyrium was hostile to them, and the mouth of the harbour was narrow. 37 Having thus adapted their plans to the degree of naval Cylippus and the skill and Strength which they possessed, land-forces attack the the Syracusans, greatly encouraged by Athenian lines, and at ^j^g ^esult of the previous engagement, the same time eighty 1 j 1 a 1 • 111 Syracusan ships sn,l attacked the Athenians both by sea and out suddenly ; they are land. A little before the fleet sailed met hy seventy-five f^^th, Gylippus led the laud-forces out Athenian ships. r ■, • •, n , of the city against that part of the » Omitting the comma .it aiiToti. ^ Cp. ii. 91 med.