agerness with which the rowers on both sides
rushed upon their enemies whenever the word of command was given; and
keen was the contest between the pilots as they maneuvered one against
another. The marines too were full of anxiety that, when ship struck
ship, the service on deck should not fall short of the rest; every one
in the place assigned to him was eager to be foremost among his
fellows. Many vessels meeting--and never did so many fight in so small
a space, for the two fleets together amounted to nearly two
hundred--they were seldom able to strike in the regular manner,
because they had no opportunity of first retiring or breaking the
line; they generally fouled one another as ship dashed against ship in
the hurry of flight or pursuit. All the time that another vessel was
bearing down, the men on deck poured showers of javelins and arrows
and stones upon the enemy; and when the two closed, the marines fought
hand to hand, and endeavored to board. In many places, owing to the
want of room, they who had struck another found that they were struck
themselves; often two or even more vessels were unavoidably entangled
about one, and the pilots had to make plans of attack and defense,
not against one adversary only, but against several coming from
different sides.

The crash of so many ships dashing against one another took away the
wits of the sailors, and made it impossible to hear the boatswains,
whose voices in both fleets rose high, as they gave directions to the
rowers, or cheered them on in the excitement of the struggle. On the
Athenians' side they were shouting to their men that they must force a
passage and seize the opportunity now or never of returning in safety
to their native land. To the Syracusans and their allies was
represented the glory of preventing the escape of their enemies, and
of a victory by which every man would exalt the honor of his own city.
The commanders, too, when they saw any ship backing water without
necessity, would call the captain by his name, and ask, of the
Athenians, whether they were retreating because they expected to be
more at home upon the land of their bitterest foes than upon that sea
which had been their own so long; on the Syracusan side, whether, when
they knew perfectly well that the Athenians were only eager to find
some means of flight, they would themselves fly from the fugitives.

While the naval engagement hung in the balance, the two armies on
shore had great