ish itself in some other part of Sicily, and from thence
renew the war--went and stated his views to the authorities, and pointed
out to them that they ought not to let the enemy get away by night, but
that all the Syracusans and their allies should at once march out and
block up the roads and seize and guard the passes. The authorities were
entirely of his opinion, and thought that it ought to be done, but on
the other hand felt sure that the people, who had given themselves over
to rejoicing, and were taking their ease after a great battle at sea,
would not be easily brought to obey; besides, they were celebrating a
festival, having on that day a sacrifice to Heracles, and most of them
in their rapture at the victory had fallen to drinking at the festival,
and would probably consent to anything sooner than to take up their
arms and march out at that moment. For these reasons the thing appeared
impracticable to the magistrates; and Hermocrates, finding himself
unable to do anything further with them, had now recourse to the
following stratagem of his own. What he feared was that the Athenians
might quietly get the start of them by passing the most difficult places
during the night; and he therefore sent, as soon as it was dusk, some
friends of his own to the camp with some horsemen who rode up within
earshot and called out to some of the men, as though they were
well-wishers of the Athenians, and told them to tell Nicias (who had
in fact some correspondents who informed him of what went on inside the
town) not to lead off the army by night as the Syracusans were guarding
the roads, but to make his preparations at his leisure and to retreat
by day. After saying this they departed; and their hearers informed the
Athenian generals, who put off going for that night on the strength of
this message, not doubting its sincerity.

Since after all they had not set out at once, they now determined to
stay also the following day to give time to the soldiers to pack up as
well as they could the most useful articles, and, leaving everything
else behind, to start only with what was strictly necessary for their
personal subsistence. Meanwhile the Syracusans and Gylippus marched out
and blocked up the roads through the country by which the Athenians were
likely to pass, and kept guard at the fords of the streams and rivers,
posting themselves so as to receive them and stop the army where they
thought best; while their fleet sailed up to