rmy might be cut off
imperceptibly, in spite of its numbers, as the men would not be able to
see where to succour each other.

The Aetolian disaster, which had been mainly caused by the wood, had not
a little to do with these reflections. Meanwhile, one of the soldiers
who were compelled by want of room to land on the extremities of
the island and take their dinners, with outposts fixed to prevent a
surprise, set fire to a little of the wood without meaning to do so;
and as it came on to blow soon afterwards, almost the whole was consumed
before they were aware of it. Demosthenes was now able for the first
time to see how numerous the Lacedaemonians really were, having up to
this moment been under the impression that they took in provisions for a
smaller number; he also saw that the Athenians thought success important
and were anxious about it, and that it was now easier to land on the
island, and accordingly got ready for the attempt, sent for troops
from the allies in the neighbourhood, and pushed forward his other
preparations. At this moment Cleon arrived at Pylos with the troops
which he had asked for, having sent on word to say that he was coming.
The first step taken by the two generals after their meeting was to send
a herald to the camp on the mainland, to ask if they were disposed
to avoid all risk and to order the men on the island to surrender
themselves and their arms, to be kept in gentle custody until some
general convention should be concluded.

On the rejection of this proposition the generals let one day pass, and
the next, embarking all their heavy infantry on board a few ships,
put out by night, and a little before dawn landed on both sides of the
island from the open sea and from the harbour, being about eight hundred
strong, and advanced with a run against the first post in the island.

The enemy had distributed his force as follows: In this first post there
were about thirty heavy infantry; the centre and most level part,
where the water was, was held by the main body, and by Epitadas their
commander; while a small party guarded the very end of the island,
towards Pylos, which was precipitous on the sea-side and very difficult
to attack from the land, and where there was also a sort of old fort of
stones rudely put together, which they thought might be useful to them,
in case they should be forced to retreat. Such was their disposition.

The advanced post thus attacked by the Athenians was at o