ithdrew to
the town, and at once landed and took their dinner upon the spot; while
the Athenians, supposing that they had returned to the town because
they felt they were beaten, disembarked at their leisure and set about
getting their dinners and about their other occupations, under the idea
that they done with fighting for that day. Suddenly the Syracusans had
manned their ships and again sailed against them; and the Athenians, in
great confusion and most of them fasting, got on board, and with great
difficulty put out to meet them. For some time both parties remained on
the defensive without engaging, until the Athenians at last resolved not
to let themselves be worn out by waiting where they were, but to attack
without delay, and giving a cheer, went into action. The Syracusans
received them, and charging prow to prow as they had intended, stove in
a great part of the Athenian foreships by the strength of their beaks;
the darters on the decks also did great damage to the Athenians, but
still greater damage was done by the Syracusans who went about in small
boats, ran in upon the oars of the Athenian galleys, and sailed against
their sides, and discharged from thence their darts upon the sailors.

At last, fighting hard in this fashion, the Syracusans gained the
victory, and the Athenians turned and fled between the merchantmen
to their own station. The Syracusan ships pursued them as far as the
merchantmen, where they were stopped by the beams armed with dolphins
suspended from those vessels over the passage. Two of the Syracusan
vessels went too near in the excitement of victory and were destroyed,
one of them being taken with its crew. After sinking seven of the
Athenian vessels and disabling many, and taking most of the men
prisoners and killing others, the Syracusans retired and set up trophies
for both the engagements, being now confident of having a decided
superiority by sea, and by no means despairing of equal success by land.

CHAPTER XXII

_Nineteenth Year of the War--Arrival of Demosthenes--Defeat of the
Athenians at Epipolae--Folly and Obstinancy of Nicias_

In the meantime, while the Syracusans were preparing for a second attack
upon both elements, Demosthenes and Eurymedon arrived with the succours
from Athens, consisting of about seventy-three ships, including the
foreigners; nearly five thousand heavy infantry, Athenian and allied;
a large number of darters, Hellenic and barbarian, and sling