numbers of the sailors in them killed.

Three

were taken; but the Athenians likewise lost three; and, after towing off those of the ene my, they raised a trophy in a little island lying before Plemmyrium, and retired to the centre of their camp.

One circumstance which the besieged considered of the greatest importance, was to attempt a second engagement, both by sea and land, before the fleet and other succours sent by the Athenians should arrive. They had concerted fresh measures for a battle at sea, by improving from the errors they had committed in the last engagement. The change made in the galleys was, that their prows were now shorter, and at the same time stronger and more solid than before. For this purpose, they fixed great pieces of timber, projecting forward on each side of the prows, and to these pieces they joined beams, by way of props. The beams extended· to the length of six cubits on each side of the vessel, both within and without. By this they hoped to gain an advantage over the galleys of the Athenians, which did not dare, because of the weakness of their prows, to attack an enemy in front, but only in flank; not to mention, that, should the battle be fought in the harbour, they would not have room to spread themselves, nor to pass between two galleys, in which lay their greatest art, nor to tack about after they should have been repulsed, in order to return

to the charge; whereas the Syracusans, by their being masters of the whole extent of the har bour, would have all these advantages, and might reciprocally assist one another. On these circumstances the latter founded their hopes of victory.

Gylippus, therefore, first drew all the infantry out of the camp, and advanced towards that part of the contravallation of the Athenians which faced the city, whilst the troops of Olympia marched towards the other, and their galleys set sail.

Nicias did not care to venture a second battle, saying, that, as he expected a fresh fleet. every moment, and a great reinforcement under Demosthenes, it would betray the greatest want of judgment, should he, as his troops were inferior in number to those of the enemy, and already fatigued, hazard a battle without being forced to it. On the contrary, Menander and Euthydemus, who had just before been appoint-: ed to share the command with Nicias till the arrival of Demosthenes, fired with ambition, and jealous of those generals, were eager to perform some great exploit, to bereave the one of hist glory, and, if possible, eclipse that of the other. The pretence they alledged on this occasion was, the fame and reputation of Athens; and they asserted, with so much vehemence, that it would be entirely destroyed, should they shun the battle, as the Syracusans offered it them, that

they at last forced Nicias to a compliance. The Athenians had seventy-five galleys, and the Syracusans eighty."

2

The first day, the fleets continued in sight of each other, in the great harbour, without engaging, and only a few skirmishes passed, after which, both parties retired;, while the land forces acted in the same manner. The Syracusans did not make the least motion the second day. Nicias, taking advantage of this inactivity, cansede the transports to draw up in a line at some distance from one another, in order that his galleys might retire behind them with safety, in case he should be defeated. On the morrow the Syra cusans came up sooner than usual, when a great part of the day was spent in skirmishing, after which they retired. The Athenians did not sup pose they would return, but imagined that fear would make them fly. But having refreshedi themselves in great haste, and returning on board their galleys, they attacked the Athenians, who were far from expecting them. The latter" being now forced to return immediately on board their ships, they entered them in great disorder: so that they had not time to draw them. up in a line of battle, and most of the sailors were fasting. Victory did not long continue in suspense. The Athenians, after making a short and slight resistance, retired behind the line of transports. The enemy pursued them thither, but were stopped by the yards of those ships,

to which were fixed dolphins of lead; these be-ing very heavy, had they fallen on the enemy's galleys, would have sunk them at once. The Athenians lost seven galleys in this engagement, and a great number of soldiers were either killed or taken prisoners.

This loss threw Nicias into the utmost consternation: all the misfortunes he had met with, ever since the time he had enjoyed the supreme. command, came into his mind, and he was now involved in a greater than any of them, by complying with the advice of his colleagues. Whilst he was revolving these gloomy ideas, Demosthenes's fleet was seen coming forward in great pomp, and with such an air as might fill the enemy with dread. It was now the day after: the battle. This fleet consisted of seventy-three galleys, on board of which were five thousand. fighting men, and about three thousand archers, slingers, and bowmen..

All these galleys were richly trimmed, their prows being adorned with shining streamers, manned with stout rowers, commanded by good officers, and echoing with the sound of clarions and trumpets; Demosthenes having affected an air of pomp and triumph purposely to strike terror into the enemy."

This gallant sight alarmed them indeed beyond expression. They did not see any end, or even the least suspension of their calamities. All they had hitherto done or suffered was as no

thing, and their work was to begin again. What hopes could they entertain of being able to weary out the patience of the Athenians, since, though they had a camp intrenched in the middle of Attica, they were, however, able to send a second army into Sicily, as considerable as the former; and that their power, as well as their courage, seemed, notwithstanding all their losses, instead of diminishing, to increase daily.

be

Demosthenes, having made an exact inquiry into the state of things, imagined it would not proper for him to lose time, as Nicias had done; who, having spread a universal terror at his first arrival, became afterwards an object of contempt, for his having wintered in Catana, instead of going directly to Syracuse, and had afterwards given Gylippus an opportunity of throwing troops into it. He flattered himself with the hopes that he should be able to carry the city at the first attack, by taking advantage of the alarm which the news of his arrival would spread in every part of it, and by that means would immediately put an end to the war; otherwise he intended to raise the siege, and no longer harass and lessen the troops by fighting battles never decisive, nor quite exhaust the city of Athens, by employing its treasures in needless expences.

*

Nicias, terrified by this bold and precipitate resolution of Demosthenes, conjured him not to be so hasty, but to take time to weigh things