iege, and not depart defeated
in point of money, in which they were much superior.

Nicias spoke positively because he had exact information of the
financial distress at Syracuse, and also because of the strength of the
Athenian party there which kept sending him messages not to raise the
siege; besides which he had more confidence than before in his fleet,
and felt sure at least of its success. Demosthenes, however, would not
hear for a moment of continuing the siege, but said that if they could
not lead off the army without a decree from Athens, and if they were
obliged to stay on, they ought to remove to Thapsus or Catana; where
their land forces would have a wide extent of country to overrun, and
could live by plundering the enemy, and would thus do them damage; while
the fleet would have the open sea to fight in, that is to say, instead
of a narrow space which was all in the enemy's favour, a wide sea-room
where their science would be of use, and where they could retreat or
advance without being confined or circumscribed either when they put
out or put in. In any case he was altogether opposed to their staying on
where they were, and insisted on removing at once, as quickly and with
as little delay as possible; and in this judgment Eurymedon agreed.
Nicias however still objecting, a certain diffidence and hesitation
came over them, with a suspicion that Nicias might have some further
information to make him so positive.

CHAPTER XXIII

_Nineteenth Year of the War--Battles in the Great Harbour--Retreat and
Annihilation of the Athenian Army_

While the Athenians lingered on in this way without moving from where
they were, Gylippus and Sicanus now arrived at Syracuse. Sicanus had
failed to gain Agrigentum, the party friendly to the Syracusans having
been driven out while he was still at Gela; but Gylippus was accompanied
not only by a large number of troops raised in Sicily, but by the heavy
infantry sent off in the spring from Peloponnese in the merchantmen, who
had arrived at Selinus from Libya. They had been carried to Libya by a
storm, and having obtained two galleys and pilots from the Cyrenians,
on their voyage alongshore had taken sides with the Euesperitae and had
defeated the Libyans who were besieging them, and from thence coasting
on to Neapolis, a Carthaginian mart, and the nearest point to Sicily,
from which it is only two days' and a night's voyage, there crossed
over and came to Selinus. Immed