relate for that reason, in order to give my readers an idea of the manner in which the ancients formed the siege of a place; I judge it necessary, before I enter into that detail, to give the reader a description and plan of the city of Syracuse; in which he will also find the different fortifications, both of the Atheníans and Syracusans, mentioned in this siege. f * Syracuse stood on the eastern coast of Sicily. Its vast extent, its advantageous situation, the conveniency of its double harbour, its fortifications built with the utmost care and labour, and the multitude and wealth of its inhabitants, made it one of the greatest, the most beautiful, and most powerful among the Grecian cities. * We are told, its air was so pure and serene, that there was no day in the year, how cloudy soever it might be, in which the sun did not display its beams. It was built by Archias the Corinthian, a year after Naxos and Megara had been founded on the Ant. J. C. same coast. A. M. 3295. 709. When the Athenians besieged this city, it was divided into three parts, viz. the Island, Achradina, and Tyche. Thucydides mentions only these three divisions. Two more, viz. Neapolis and Epipolæ, were afterwards added. The ISLAND, situated to the south, was called Nãσos (Nasos) signifying, in Greek, an island, but pronounced according to the Doric dialect; and Ortygia. It was joined to the continent by a bridge. It was in this island that the Syracusans afterwards built the citadel, and the palace for their kings. This quarter of the city was of very great importance, because it might render those who possessed it, master of the two ports which surround it. It was for this reason that the Romans, when they took Syracuse, would not suffer any Syracusan to inhabit the island. 'There was in this island a very famous fountain, called Arethusa. The ancients, or rather the poets, from reasons which have not the least shadow of probability, supposed that the Alpheus, a river of Elis in Peloponnesus, rolled its waters Strab. I. vi. p. 269. ↑ Cic. Verr. 6. n. 117-119. h Cic. Verr. 7. n. 97 * Urbem Syracusas elegerat, cujus hic situs atque hæc natura esse loci alique dicitur, ut nullus unquam dies tam magnâ turbulentâque tempestate fuerit, quia aliquo tempore solem ejus diei homines viderent. Cic. Verr. 7. n. 26. either through or under the waves of the sea, without ever mixing with them, as far as the fountain of Arethusa. It was this fiction which gave occasion to the following lines of Virgil: Extremum hunc, Arethusa, mihi concede laborem. Sic tibi, cùm fluctus subter labêre Sicanos, Thy sacred succour, Arethusa, bring, To crown my labour: 'tis the last I sing.- VIRG. Eclog. 10. DRYDEN. Achradina, situated entirely on the sea-side towards the east, was the most spacious, the most beautiful, and best fortified quarter of the city. TYCHE, SO called from the temple of Fortune (Túxn) which embellished that part of the city, extended along Achradina westward from the north towards the south, and was very well inhabited. It had a famous gate called Hexapylum, which led into the country, and was situated to the north of the city. At EPIPOLE was a hill without the city, which it commanded. It was situated between Hexapylum and the point of Euryelus, towards the north and west. It was exceedingly steep in several places, and for that reason of very difficult access. the time of the siege in question, it was not surrounded with walls; and the Syracusans defended it with a body of troops, against the attacks of the enemy. Euryelus was the pass or entrance which led to Epipola. On the same hill of Epipolæ was a fort called Labdalon, or Labdalum. It was not till long after (under Dionysius the tyrant) that Epipola was surrounded with walls, and enclosed within the city, of which it formed a fifth part, but was thinly inhabited. A fourth division had been added before, called NEAPOLIS, that is, the New City, which covered Tyche. *The river Anapus ran at almost half a league distance from the city. The space between them was a large and beautiful plain, terminated by two fens, the one called Syraco, whence the city was named, and the Lysimelia. This river emptied itself into the great harbour. Near its mouth, southward, was * Plut. in Dionys, vit. p. 970. a kind of castle called Olympia, from the temple of Jupiter Olympius standing there, and in which were great riches. It was five hundred paces from the city. * Syracuse had two harbours, very near one another, and separated only by the isle, viz. the great harbour, and the small one, called otherwise Laccus. According to the description which the Roman orator gives of them, both were surrounded with the buildings of the city. The great harbour was a little above † five thousand paces, or two leagues in circumference. It had a gulf called Dascon. The entrance of this port was but five hundred paces wide. It was formed, on one side, by the point of the island Ortygia ; and on the other, by the little island and cape of Plemmyrium, which was commanded by a castle of the same name. Above Achradina was a third port, called the harbour of Trogilus. SECT. XII. NICIAS, AFTER SOME ENGAGEMENTS, BESIEGES SYRACUSE. LAMACHUS IS KILLED IN A BATTLE. THE CITY IS REDUCED TO THE GREATEST EXTREMITIES. Eighteenth Year of the War. At the end of the summer, news was brought Nicias that the Syracusans, having resumed courage, intended to march against him. Already their cavalry advanced with an air of insolence to insult him even in his camp; and asked with a loud laugh, whether he was come into Sicily to settle in Catana. These severe reproaches roused him a little, so that he resolved to sail for Syracuse. The enterprise was bold and dangerous. Nicias could not, without running the utmost hazard, attempt to land in presence of an enemy who waited for him with the greatest resolution; and would not fail to charge him, the instant he should offer to make a descent. Nor was it safer for him to march his troops by land, because, as he had no cavalry, that of the Syracusans, which was very numerous, upon the first advice they should have of his march, would fall upon him, and overpower him by the superiority of forces. 1 Thucyd. 1. vi. p. 453-461. Plut. in Nic. p. 533, 534. Diod. 1. xiii. p. 137, 138. * Portus habet propè in ædificatione aspectuque urbis inclusos. Cic. Verr. 6. n. 117 According to Strabo, it is eighty stadia in circumference, which is twice its real extent; a plain proof that this passage of Strabo is corrupt. Cluver, p. 167 To extricate himself from this perplexity, and enable himself to seize without opposition upon an advantageous post, which a Syracusan exile had discovered to him, Nicias had recourse to stratagem. He caused a false piece of information to be given to the enemy, viz. that by means of a conspiracy, which was to take effect on a certain day, they might seize on his camp, and possess themselves of all the arms and baggage The Syracusans, on this assurance, marched towards Catana, and pitched their camp near Leontium. The moment the Athenians had advice of this, they embarked with all their troops and ammunition; and in the evening steered for Syracuse. They arrived by daybreak in the great harbour; landed near Olympia, in the place which had been pointed out to them, and there fortified themselves. The enemy finding themselves shamefully overreached, returned immediately to Syracuse; and, in the greatest rage, drew up in battle array, some days after, before the walls of the city. Nicias marched out of the trenches, and a battle was fought. Victory was a long time doubtful, but a very heavy shower of rain, accompanied with thunder and lightning, coming unexpectedly, the Syracusans, who were inexperienced, the greatest part of them having never carried arms before, were frighted at the tempest, whilst their enemies laughed at it, as the mere effect of the season; and regarded nothing but the enemy, who were much more to be dreaded than the storm. The Syracusans, after making a long and vigorous resistance, were forced to give way. The Athenians could not pursue them far, because their horse, which was still in a body, and had not been defeated, covered their retreat. The Syracusans retreated in good order into the city, after having thrown a body of troops into the temple of Olympia to prevent its being plundered. This temple stood pretty near the camp of the Athenians, who were very desirous of taking it, because it abounded with gold and silver offerings, which the piety of kings and nations had consecrated. Nicias having delayed sending troops to seize it, lost the opportunity, and gave the Syracusans time to throw into it, as was before observed, a detachment for its defence. It was thought he did this on purpose, and out of reverence to the gods; because, had the soldiers plundered this |