els; they
spent the day in unsuccessfully besieging Elaeus, and then sailed back
to Abydos. Meanwhile the Athenians, deceived by their scouts, and never
dreaming of the enemy's fleet getting by undetected, were tranquilly
besieging Eresus. As soon as they heard the news they instantly
abandoned Eresus, and made with all speed for the Hellespont, and after
taking two of the Peloponnesian ships which had been carried out too
far into the open sea in the ardour of the pursuit and now fell in their
way, the next day dropped anchor at Elaeus, and, bringing back the
ships that had taken refuge at Imbros, during five days prepared for the
coming engagement.

After this they engaged in the following way. The Athenians formed in
column and sailed close alongshore to Sestos; upon perceiving which the
Peloponnesians put out from Abydos to meet them. Realizing that a battle
was now imminent, both combatants extended their flank; the Athenians
along the Chersonese from Idacus to Arrhiani with seventy-six ships;
the Peloponnesians from Abydos to Dardanus with eighty-six. The
Peloponnesian right wing was occupied by the Syracusans, their left by
Mindarus in person with the best sailers in the navy; the Athenian left
by Thrasyllus, their right by Thrasybulus, the other commanders being
in different parts of the fleet. The Peloponnesians hastened to engage
first, and outflanking with their left the Athenian right sought to cut
them off, if possible, from sailing out of the straits, and to drive
their centre upon the shore, which was not far off. The Athenians
perceiving their intention extended their own wing and outsailed them,
while their left had by this time passed the point of Cynossema. This,
however, obliged them to thin and weaken their centre, especially
as they had fewer ships than the enemy, and as the coast round Point
Cynossema formed a sharp angle which prevented their seeing what was
going on on the other side of it.

The Peloponnesians now attacked their centre and drove ashore the ships
of the Athenians, and disembarked to follow up their victory. No help
could be given to the centre either by the squadron of Thrasybulus on
the right, on account of the number of ships attacking him, or by that
of Thrasyllus on the left, from whom the point of Cynossema hid what
was going on, and who was also hindered by his Syracusan and other
opponents, whose numbers were fully equal to his own. At length,
however, the Peloponnesians