Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/319

 6o-62] SPEECH OF NIC! AS TO HIS MEN 31 1 same time the want of provisions made them impatient to risk a battle with the least possible delay, called the whole army together, and before they engaged exhorted them as follows : — same interest in the coming struggle =' ;,. every one of us as well as of our our /lomcs once more. enemies will now have to fight for his f'f^e are not mere tyros, life and for his countrv, and if only we "f "'f" "°' '" '"'"'^ " '. ^, doivn by reverses. can win ni the impendmg sea-hght, every one may see his native city and his own home once more. But we must not be faint-hearted, nor behave as if we were mere novices in the art of war, who when defeated in their first battle are full of cowardly apprehensions and continually retain the impress of their disaster. You, Athenians, have had great military experience ; and you, allies, are always fighting at our side. Remember the sudden turns of war ; let your hope be that fortune herself may yet come over to us ; and prepare to retrieve your defeat in a manner worthy of the greatness of your own army which you see before you ' We have consulted the pilots about any improvements 62 which seemed likely to avail against , . He are gonig to Jn^ht the crowdmg of ships in the narrow „ land-battk at sea; harbour, as well as against the force ami have new devices on the enemy's decks, which in pre- suggested by our recent '' . experience. vious engagements did us so much harm, and we have adopted them as far as we had the means. Many archers and javelin-men will embark, and a great number of other troops, whom if we were going to fight in the open sea we should not employ because they increase the weight of the ships, and therefore impede our skill ; but here, where we are obliged to fight a land- battle on ship-board*^, they will be useful. We have " Cp. vi. 68 init. ** Cp. vi. 68 init. ; vii. 77 med. « Cp. i. 49 init. VOL. II. Y
 * Soldiers of Athens and of our allies, we have all the 61