difficulty in reaching the camp, as the Syracusans were having the best
of it in the engagement in the great harbour, and sent a fast-sailing
galley to pursue them. But when the two others fell, the Syracusans were
now being defeated; and the fugitives from these sailed alongshore with
more ease. The Syracusan ships fighting off the mouth of the harbour
forced their way through the Athenian vessels and sailing in without
any order fell foul of one another, and transferred the victory to the
Athenians; who not only routed the squadron in question, but also that
by which they were at first being defeated in the harbour, sinking
eleven of the Syracusan vessels and killing most of the men, except
the crews of three ships whom they made prisoners. Their own loss was
confined to three vessels; and after hauling ashore the Syracusan wrecks
and setting up a trophy upon the islet in front of Plemmyrium, they
retired to their own camp.

Unsuccessful at sea, the Syracusans had nevertheless the forts in
Plemmyrium, for which they set up three trophies. One of the two last
taken they razed, but put in order and garrisoned the two others. In the
capture of the forts a great many men were killed and made prisoners,
and a great quantity of property was taken in all. As the Athenians had
used them as a magazine, there was a large stock of goods and corn of
the merchants inside, and also a large stock belonging to the captains;
the masts and other furniture of forty galleys being taken, besides
three galleys which had been drawn up on shore. Indeed the first and
chiefest cause of the ruin of the Athenian army was the capture of
Plemmyrium; even the entrance of the harbour being now no longer safe
for carrying in provisions, as the Syracusan vessels were stationed
there to prevent it, and nothing could be brought in without fighting;
besides the general impression of dismay and discouragement produced
upon the army.

After this the Syracusans sent out twelve ships under the command
of Agatharchus, a Syracusan. One of these went to Peloponnese with
ambassadors to describe the hopeful state of their affairs, and to
incite the Peloponnesians to prosecute the war there even more actively
than they were now doing, while the eleven others sailed to Italy,
hearing that vessels laden with stores were on their way to the
Athenians. After falling in with and destroying most of the vessels in
question, and burning in the Caulonian territory a quan