Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/332

 324 LAST SPEECH OF NICIAS [vil enslave others, and they were going away in fear that they would be themselves enslaved. Instead of the prayers and hymns with which they had put to sea, they were now de- parting amid appeals to heaven of another sort. They were no longer sailors but landsmen, depending, not upon their fleet, but upon their infantry. Yet in face of the great danger which still threatened them all these things appeared endurable. 76 Nicias, seeing the army disheartened at their terrible ... - ... . fall, went along the ranks and en- Addrcss of Ntctas. ° couraged and consoled them as well as he could. In his fervour he raised his voice as he passed from one to another and spoke louder and louder, desiring that the benefit of his words might reach as far as possible. 77 ' Even now, Athenians and allies, we must hope : men „,, ^ , have been delivered out of worse straits IVe have suffered more than ive deseri'e ; ^han these, and I would not have you and I as mtteh as any judge yourselves too Severely on ac- one; though my life ^^^^^ gj^j^^j. ^f ^^^ reverses which you has bci}i oiaiiieiess. ... But we may hope that "ave sustained or of your present un- ihe Gods will now take deserved miseries. I too am as weak pity upon us. Look at ^^ ^f f^j. j ^^^ -^^ you town numbers J and remember that there is strated by my disease, as you see. And nowhere a refuge for although there was a time when I might the eoivard, but every- ^ave been thought equal to the best of where for the brave. .... We must get to the yo" 1" the happiness of my private and Sicels at once, for ive public life, I am now in as great danger, have no more food. ^^^ ^g j^^^^^j^ ^^ ^j^^, ^^ ^^ fortune, as While Athenians live,, , , Athens lives. ^"^ meanest. Yet my da3'S have been passed in the performance of many a re- ligious duty, and of many a just and blameless action. There- fore my hope of the future is still courageous, " and our calamities do not appal me as they might ». Who knows " Or, taking kqt' a^iav closelj' with (f>ol3ovai : ' and our calamities do not appal me, as if they were deserved ;' or, ' although our calamities, undeserved as they are, do certainly appal me.'