Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/312

 304 ANOTHER ATHENIAN DEFEAT AT SEA [vil Athenians in fear for their ships advanced to the support of the Tyrrhenians, and joined in the engagement; the Syra- cusans were overcome and pursued, and a few of their heavy- armed slain. Most of the Athenian ships were saved and brought back to the Athenian station. Still the Syracusans and their allies took eighteen, and killed the whole of their crews. Then, hoping to burn the remainder of the fleet, they procured an old merchant-vessel, which they filled with faggots and brands ; these they lighted, and as the wind blew right upon the enemy they let the ship go. The Athenians, alarmed for the safety of their fleet, con- trived means by which they extinguished their flames, and succeeded in keeping the fireship at a distance. Thus the danger was averted. 54 The Syracusans now raised a trophy of their naval 7., c victory, and another marking their 1 lie byraciisans raise •" ° twoiropliies;theAthen- interception of the hoplitcs on the ians also raise a higher ground close to the wall at the '"P'y- place where they took the horses. The Athenians raised a trophy of the victory over the land-forces whom the Tyrrhenians drove into the marsh, and another of that which they had themselves gained with the rest of the army. 55 The Syracusans, who up to this time had been afraid of the reinforcements of Demosthenes, The Atliemaus »«, , .,,.,,. , despair; they had never •^''^^ now gamed a brilliant success by before contended with a sca as Well as by land; the Athenians democratic and pop,,- ^y^j.^ J,-, yf^gj. despair. Great was their Ions city like their oivn. . . . ■ -n surprise at the result, and still greater their regret that they had ever come. The Sicilian were the only cities which they had ever encountered similar in character to their own •*, having the same democratic institutions and strong in ships, cavalry, and population, They, were not able by holding out the prospect of a change of government to introduce an clement of discord " Cp. viii. 96 fin