Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/306

 298 THE ATHENIANS ARE DRIVEN BACK [vil who reached the level ground, especially those who had served in the former army and knew the neighbourhood, mostly escaped to the camp. But of the newly-arrived many missed their way, and, wandering about until daybreak, were then cut off by the Syracusan cavalry who were scouring the country. 45 On the following day the Syracusans erected two Syracusans erect two trophies, One on Epipolae at the trophies. More arms summit of the ascent, the other at the than dead taken. gpot where the Bocotians made the first stand. The Athenians received their dead under a flag of truce. A considerable number of them and of their allies had fallen ; there were however more arms taken than there were bodies of the slain ; for those who were com- pelled to leap from the heights, whether they perished or not, had thrown away their shields. 46 The confidence of the Syracusans was restored by their Encouraged by their xmexpccted success, and they sent success the Syracusans Sicanus with fifteen ships to Agrigen- seek for the third tune ^, • /- 1 •. aidinSidly. Thcyniake ^um, then ma State of revolution, that an attempt on Agti- he might win over the place if he S<^'>'"»*- could. Gylippus had gone off again by land to collect a new army in the other parts of Sicily, hoping after the victory of Epipolae to carry the Athenian fortifications by storm. 47 Meanwhile the Athenian generals, troubled by their Athenian council of reccut defeat and the utter discourage- war. There is sickness ^ent which prevailed in the army, held ill the camp and the -i r t-i i 1 • soldiers are dispirited ^ council of War. They saw that their Demosthenes votes for attempts all failed, and that the soldiers immediate depaiiure. ^gj-e weary of remaining. For they . were distressed by sickness, proceeding from two causes : the season of the year was that in which men are most liable to disease ; and the place in which they were encamped was damp and unhealthy. And they felt that the situation was in every way hopeless. Demosthenes gave his voice against remaining; he said that the decisive