The Historical Library of Diodorus the Sicilian/Book XIII/Chapter I

Chapter I

 * The Athenian fleet is rigged out for Sicily. Alcibiades accused; flies; is condemned; goes out of Italy to Sparta. The Syracusans send for aid to Lacedæmon. Gylippus is sent to them. The battle at Syracuse.

WHEN Cabrias bore the office of archon at Athens, and the Romans invested Lucius Sergius, Marcus Servilius, and Marcus Papirius, three military tribunes, with consular dignity, the Athenians having decreed war against the Syracusans, rigged out a fleet, raised money, and prepared with great diligence all other things necessary for the expedition. To this end they commissioned three generals, Alcibiades, Nicias, and Lamachus, to whom they committed the management of the whole war. The richer sort, to ingratiate themselves with the people, some of them supplied the fleet with arms, others promised to advance money towards victualling the navy, and providing pay for the soldiers. Many, likewise, of the people, both citizens and strangers, freely offered themselves to the generals, to be listed and enrolled: and all were so confident, that they were ready to divide the country of Sicily amongst themselves by lot.

And now the navy was ready to set sail; when on a sudden in one night, all the statues of the goddess Minerva through the city, (which were very many) had their heads struck off. The populace conceived this not to be done by any of the meaner sort, but by some in authority, with a design to destroy the democracy, and therefore they were highly incensed at the wickedness of the fact, and promised great rewards to find out the authors. In the mean time, one of the citizens came to the senate, and told them, that in the new moon about midnight, he saw several persons go into the house of a foreigner, amongst whom Alcibiades was one: and when the senate asked him how he could know him at such a time of the night? he answered, he discerned him by the light of the moon; by which contradiction he detected his own falsehood: and never after could the leatt discovery be made of that fact by any person whatsoever.

However, notwithstanding this accident, an hundred and forty gallies were rigged out, besides ships of burden and other ships, for transporting of horses, provisions, and other necessaries, whereof there was a very great number. In this expedition there went forth with them above seven thousand men at arms, and slingers, and horsemen, sent from their confederates, besides those belonging to their fleet.

During this time the officers had a private consultation with the senate, concerning the administration of affairs in Sicily, in case they should conquer the island, where at length it was determined, that they of Selinus and Syracuse should be carried away as captives and slaves, and that the rest should have only a yearly tribute imposed upon them. The next day the officers, with the army, marched down into the Piræum, and were followed with a great multitude, both of citizens and strangers, throughout the whole city, every one making it his business to take leave of his friend or relation. The ships lay on every side of the harbour, with their fore-decks adorned with flags and streamers erect, and shining with the splendour of the arms. The shore round the harbour was filled with altars of incense, and silver bowls, out of which were poured into golden cups, drink-offerings to the gods, by those who worshipped the deity, and earnestly prayed for the happy success of this expedition.

At length they set sail from the Pyræum, and sailing round the coasts of Peloponnesus, arrived at Corcyra : for here they were commanded to remain till they were joined by some others of their neighbouring confederates. Being all come up to them, passing through the Ionian sea, they came to the promontory of Japygia : hence sailing along the coasts of Italy, they were refused by the Tarentines; and passing by them likewise of Metapontum and Heraclea, they came to the Thurians, by whom they were courteously received. Sailing from thence, they made for Crotona, and there bought some provisions; and sailing by the temple of Juno Lacinia, passed under the promontory called Dioscurias: after this, leaving Tesasletius (as it is called) and Locris behind them, they anchored near Rhegium, and invited the Rhegians to join with them; who answered that they must first advise with the other Italians.

As soon as the Syracusans heard that the Athenians were within their seas, they made three generals, invested with absolute power, Hermocrates, Sicanus, and Heraclides, who raised soldiers, and sent messengers through all the cities of Sicily, to press them with all earnestness to join with them in arms for the common safety of their country; for that the Athenians, under colour of a war against the Syracusans, had no other design but to subdue the whole island. To which the Agrigentines and Naxians answered, that they were resolved to abide firm in their league with the Athenians. The Camerinians and Messanians declared they were for peace, and refused to return any answer to what was proposed. The Himerians and Selinuntines, with them of Gela and Catana, promised their assistance. The cities of the Siculi, though they favoured the Syracusans, yet desired to be at ease; and not knowing what to resolve, judged it most advisable to consider awhile on the business, that they might be better able to discern what was likely to be the issue of so great a war.

The Egesteans plainly declaring that they could not contribute to the Athenians above thirty talents, the Athenian generals accused them of treachery; and setting sail from Rhegium with their whole fleet, arrived at Naxos in Sicily, where they were friendly and courteously received by the citizens; and from whence they made for Catana. But they of Catana refused entrance to the soldiers, yet admitted the generals, and called a common assembly; where the Athenian generals treated with them concerning the entering into a mutual league, offensive and defensive; but whilst Alcibiades was making a harangue to court the people, the soldiers broke through a little gate into the city, by which means the Cataneans were forced to join with the Athenians in the war against the Syracusans.

Whilst these things were acting abroad, they who were enemies to Alcibiades (through private peaks and grudges) at Athens, took occasion, from the maiming and spoiling of the images, to accuse him in the common assemblies of a conspiracy against the democracy; which accusation was much supported and furthered by what had then lately happened at Argos: 'for some of the chief of the city conspiring with others of their dependants, to overturn the democracy in Argos, were all destroyed by the citizens. This attempt of innovation there, caused the accusation at Athens to be more readily believed, and therefore the people being with all earnestness stirred up by the orators, sent a ship from Salamis to Sicily, to recal Alcibiades, in order to abide his trial.

As soon as it arrived at Catana, Alcibiades was made acquainted by the messengers what orders they had from the people; upon which he (with those who were accused with him) went on ship-board into his own galley, and, together with that from Salamis, set sail from Catana. As soon as he arrived at Thurium, either through consciousness of the guilt of his impiety, or through the fear of the greatness of the danger, he and all those accused with him made their escape. Those who were on board the Salamian vessel made great inquiry after Alcibiades; but when he could not be found, they sailed back to Athens, and there gave an account of what had happened.

Upon which the Athenians gave judgment of death upon Alcibidies, and all his fellow fugitives, (their names being only put up to the court), without being further heard.

Bur Alcibiades fled out of Italy to Sparta, and there persuaded the Lacedæmonians to invade the Athenians: but the generals that remained in Sicily sailed with their forces to Egesta, and took Hyccara, a small town of the Siculi, out of whose spoils they raised a hundred talents: and having received thirty talents more from the Egesteans, they sailed back to Catana, where having consulted how to possess themselves of a place near to the chief port of Syracuse, with little or no hazard, they sent thither a trusty fellow of Catana, not suspected by the Syracusan officers, with orders to acquaint them that some of the Cataneans had plotted upon a sudden to set upon the Athenian soldiers in the night, when they had laid aside their arms, and to burn all their shipping in their harbor: and that this might be the better effected, they desired the commanders to appear with their army, that the design might not be defeated. As soon as the Catanean came to Syracuse, he delivered his message. The generals believing what he said, appointed a night when they would march out with their forces, and sent back the man to Catana. At the night appointed, the Syracusans led forth their men towards Catana; and the Athenians, with great silence, made out with their fleet to the great port of Syracuse; and seizing upon Olympus, and all the places bordering round about, they there fortified their camp. But the Syracusans understanding the treachery, returned with a swift march, and set upon their enemy's camp. They on the other side issued forth, and battle was joined, in which the Athenians killed four hundred of their enemies, and put the rest to flight: but the Athenian generals discerning that the enemy exceeded them in the number of their horse, that they might be the better provided for the siege, sailed back to Catana.

Messengers were likewise sent to Athens, with letters to the democracy, to desire more horse and money, because the siege they were about to begin, would be long and tedious. Upon which it was decreed that three hundred talents, and some troops of horse, should be sent into Sicily.

During these things Diagoras, surnamed the Athiest, accused for his impiety, for fear of the people fled out of Attica; and a talent of silver was promised as a reward by the voice of the common crier, to any that should kill him. In Italy the Romans had war with the Æqui, and took Lavinium by assault: and these were the actions produced this year.

Pisander now executed the office of archon at Athens, and the Romans created four military tribunes as consuls, Publius Lucretius, Caius Servilius, Agrippa Menenius, and Spurius Veturius. At this time the Syracusans sent ambassadors to Corinth and Lacedæmon to desire aid, and earnestly entreated that they would not suffer them to be reduced to the utmost extremity. The Lacedæmonians, stirred up by Alcibiades, determined to assist the Syracusans, and made Gylippus general. The Corinthians sent only two gallies under Pythes to go along with Gylippus into Sicily for the present, while they were preparing a greater fleet to be sent after them. Nicias and Lamachus, the Athenian generals at Catana, having received three hundred talents, and reinforced with two hundred and fifty horse from Athens, set sail for Syracuse, and arriving there in the night, unsuspected by them of Syracuse, possess themselves of the Epipolæ, which they of Syracuse perceiving, made a sally with all speed to drive them thence, but were forced back within their walls, with the loss of three hundred men.

After this, there came to the Athenians three hundred horse from Egina, and two hundred and fifty from the Sicilians, which made up a body of above eight hundred horse: being reinforced, they drew a trench round Labdalon, and blocked up the city of Syracuse with a wall; at which the Syracusans were greatly terrified; and, to prevent the building of the wall, they sallied out: but after a skirmish with horse on both sides, the Syracusans were beaten back with great loss. Then the Athenians, with a part of their army, possessed themselves of a place called Polichna, commanding the port, and drew a wall about it, wherein they included the temple of Jupiter; so that now Syracuse was besieged on both sides. With these many misfortunes the Syracusans were greatly discouraged; but when they heard that Gylippus was arrived at Himera, and raising men, they began to take heart. For Gylippus, as soon as he came to Himera, with four gallies only, after he had secured his ships, brought in them of Himera to join with the Syracusans; and from them and the Gelians, Selinuntines, and Sicanians, he raised and listed men, who, when they were all mustered, made up a body of three thousand foot, and two hundred horse; with which he marched through the midst of the country, and entered into Syracuse; and after a few days, led forth his forces, with those of the Syracusans, against the enemy. Whereupon a sharp battle was fought, wherein Lamachus, the Athenian general, was killed. But at length, after many killed on both sides, the Athenians got the day.

After this fight came in thirteen, gallies from Corinth, whereupon Gylippus having drawn the soldiers out of these ships, with them and the Syracusans set upon the enemy's camp, and assaulted the Epipolæ: and though the Athenians made a sally, yet after a sharp dispute, and many of them killed, they were routed by the Syracusans, who presently demolished the walls and fortifications through all the Epipolæ. The Athenians having lost this place, led away their amy to another post.

These things thus performed, the Syracusans sent ambassadors a second time to Corinth and Lacedæmon for furthert supplies; to whom were sent a thousand men from Corinth, Bœotia, and Sicyon; and from Sparta six hundred. In the mean time Gylippus, traversing the country about from town to town, in several parts of Sicily, brought in many to join with him in the war; and being reinforced with three thousand men from the Himerians and Sicanians, he marched his army through the heart of the country: but the Athenians having intelligence of their coming, cut off one half of them by an ambush; the rest came safe to Syracuse.

And now they of Syracuse being encouraged with fresh supplies, determined to try their fortune in a sea-fight: what shipping they had left, they set forth, and built others, which they made use and trial of in the little harbour.

Nicias, the Athenian general, acquainted the people of Athens by letters, that the Syracusans were much reinforced, and that they were putting forth a great fleet, with an intent to come to a sea-fight, and therefore desired more shipping and money to be sent him, and a colleague to bear part of the burthen and care of the war. For Alcibiades being fled, and Lamachus killed, he only remained, and that very infirm and unhealthy. Upon this the Athenians sent into Sicily, about the summer solstice, ten gallies, under the command of Eurymedon, with a hundred and forty talents of silver; but withal preparing and designing to send a greater fleet in the spring: and to that end, they raised men and money in every place, from among their confederates. In Peloponnesus, the Lacedæmonians, by the instigation of Alcibiades, broke the league they had made with the Athenians, and the heat of this war continued for the space of twelve years.