Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/301

 39-4a] VICTORY OF THE SYRACUSANS 293 a great part of the bows of the Athenian ships. Their javeHn-men on the decks greatly injured the enemy. Still more mischief was done by Syracusans who rowed about in light boats and dashed in upon the blades of the enemy's oars, or ran up alongside and threw darts at the sailors. By such expedients as these the Syracusans, who made 41 a great effort, gained the victory ; and ^,^^ Athc^ia,,. arc the Athenians, retreating between the defeated and reiuni to merchant-vessels, took refuge at their '*"'' "'oorings with a r^,,. r. loss of seven s/iips. own moorings. The ships of the enemy ^-^^ Syraeusan vesL pursued them as far as the entrance, /olhwing too closely an but they were prevented from following <^^"ff^'^ '" '^'^ entrance further by leaden dolphins, which were suspended aloft from beams placed in the merchant- vessels. Two Syraeusan ships, in the exultation of victory, approached too near and were disabled ; one of them was taken with its whole crew. The Syracusans damaged many of the Athenian ships and sank seven; the crews were either killed or taken prisoners. They then retired and raised trophies of the two sea-fights. They were now quite confident that they were not only equal but far superior to the Athenians at sea, and they hoped to gain the victory on land as well. So they prepared to renew the attack on both elements. But in the midst of their preparations Demosthenes and 42 Eurymedon arrived with the Athenian While the Syracusans reinforcements. They brought a fleet, «'''^ uiaking frejmra- including foreign ships, of about ^^ons for afresh attack, ° ° ^ ' Demosthenes arrives. seventy-three sail, carrying five thou- Being determined to sand heavy infantry of their own and strike hard and at once, „f iL :_ II" • 1- he plans an attack 01 their allies, numerous lavelin-men,, „ c ' -" ' t(pon the bvracusan slingers, and archers, both Hellenic cmss-ivallbywayofthe and Barbarian, and abundant supplies I^ioyc'i's. of every kind. The Syracusans and their allies were in consternation. It seemed to them as if their perils would never have an end when they saw, notwithstanding the