by reason of the narrow room, that a vessel was charging an
enemy on one side and being charged herself on another, and that two or
sometimes more ships had perforce got entangled round one, obliging the
helmsmen to attend to defence here, offence there, not to one thing at
once, but to many on all sides; while the huge din caused by the number
of ships crashing together not only spread terror, but made the orders
of the boatswains inaudible. The boatswains on either side in the
discharge of their duty and in the heat of the conflict shouted
incessantly orders and appeals to their men; the Athenians they urged to
force the passage out, and now if ever to show their mettle and lay hold
of a safe return to their country; to the Syracusans and their allies
they cried that it would be glorious to prevent the escape of the enemy,
and, conquering, to exalt the countries that were theirs. The generals,
moreover, on either side, if they saw any in any part of the battle
backing ashore without being forced to do so, called out to the captain
by name and asked him--the Athenians, whether they were retreating
because they thought the thrice hostile shore more their own than that
sea which had cost them so much labour to win; the Syracusans, whether
they were flying from the flying Athenians, whom they well knew to be
eager to escape in whatever way they could.

Meanwhile the two armies on shore, while victory hung in the balance,
were a prey to the most agonizing and conflicting emotions; the natives
thirsting for more glory than they had already won, while the invaders
feared to find themselves in even worse plight than before. The all of
the Athenians being set upon their fleet, their fear for the event was
like nothing they had ever felt; while their view of the struggle was
necessarily as chequered as the battle itself. Close to the scene of
action and not all looking at the same point at once, some saw their
friends victorious and took courage and fell to calling upon heaven not
to deprive them of salvation, while others who had their eyes turned
upon the losers, wailed and cried aloud, and, although spectators, were
more overcome than the actual combatants. Others, again, were gazing
at some spot where the battle was evenly disputed; as the strife
was protracted without decision, their swaying bodies reflected the
agitation of their minds, and they suffered the worst agony of all,
ever just within reach of safety or just on