repulsed
after attacking at many different points, he determined to delay
no longer, and having obtained the consent of Nicias and his fellow
commanders, proceeded to put in execution his plan of attacking
Epipolae. As by day it seemed impossible to approach and get up without
being observed, he ordered provisions for five days, took all the masons
and carpenters, and other things, such as arrows, and everything else
that they could want for the work of fortification if successful, and,
after the first watch, set out with Eurymedon and Menander and the whole
army for Epipolae, Nicias being left behind in the lines. Having come
up by the hill of Euryelus (where the former army had ascended at first)
unobserved by the enemy's guards, they went up to the fort which the
Syracusans had there, and took it, and put to the sword part of the
garrison. The greater number, however, escaped at once and gave the
alarm to the camps, of which there were three upon Epipolae, defended by
outworks, one of the Syracusans, one of the other Siceliots, and one of
the allies; and also to the six hundred Syracusans forming the original
garrison for this part of Epipolae. These at once advanced against the
assailants and, falling in with Demosthenes and the Athenians, were
routed by them after a sharp resistance, the victors immediately pushing
on, eager to achieve the objects of the attack without giving time for
their ardour to cool; meanwhile others from the very beginning were
taking the counterwall of the Syracusans, which was abandoned by its
garrison, and pulling down the battlements. The Syracusans and the
allies, and Gylippus with the troops under his command, advanced to the
rescue from the outworks, but engaged in some consternation (a night
attack being a piece of audacity which they had never expected), and
were at first compelled to retreat. But while the Athenians, flushed
with their victory, now advanced with less order, wishing to make their
way as quickly as possible through the whole force of the enemy not yet
engaged, without relaxing their attack or giving them time to rally, the
Boeotians made the first stand against them, attacked them, routed them,
and put them to flight.

The Athenians now fell into great disorder and perplexity, so that it
was not easy to get from one side or the other any detailed account
of the affair. By day certainly the combatants have a clearer notion,
though even then by no means of all that ta