Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.78

[1] Nicias, as he used this hortative, went withal about the army, and where he saw any man straggle and not march in his rank, he brought him about and set him in his place. Demosthenes, having spoken to the same or like purpose, did as much to those soldiers under him.

[2] And they marched forward, those with Nicias in a square battalion, and then those with Demosthenes in the rear. And the men of arms received those that carried the baggage and the other multitude within them.

[3] When they were come to the ford of the river Anapus, they there found certain of the Syracusians and their confederates embattled against them on the bank; but these they put to flight, and having won the passage marched forward. But the Syracusian horsemen lay still upon them, and their light-armed plied them with their darts in the flank.

[4] This day the Athenians marched forty furlongs, and lodged that night at the foot of a certain hill. The next day, as soon as it was light, they marched forwards about twenty furlongs, and descending into a certain champaign ground, encamped there, with intent both to get victual at the houses (for the place was inhabited) and to carry water with them thence; for before them, in the way they were to pass, for many furlongs together there was but little to be had.

[5] But the Syracusians in the meantime got before them and cut off their passage with a wall. This was at a steep hill, on either side whereof was the channel of a torrent with steep and rocky banks;

[6] and it is called Acraeum Lepas. The next day the Athenians went on; and the horsemen and darters of the Syracusians and their confederates, being a great number of both, pressed them so with their horses and darts that the Athenians after long fight were compelled to retire again into the same camp, but now with less victual than before, because the horsemen would suffer them no more to straggle abroad.

[1] As he made this address, Nicias went along the ranks, and brought back to their place any of the troops that he saw straggling out of the line; while Demosthenes did as much for his part of the army, addressing them in words very similar.

[2] The army marched in a hollow square, the division under Nicias leading, and that of Demosthenes following, the heavy infantry being outside and the baggage-carriers and the bulk of the army in the middle.

[3] When they arrived at the ford of the river Anapus they there found drawn up a body of the Syracusans and allies, and routing these, made good their passage and pushed on, harassed by the charges of the Syracusan horse and by the missiles of their light troops.

[4] On that day they advanced about four miles and a half, halting for the night upon a certain hill. On the next they started early and got on about two miles further, and descended into a place in the plain and there encamped, in order to procure some eatables from the houses, as the place was inhabited, and to carry on with them water from thence, as for many furlongs in front, in the direction in which they were going, it was not plentiful.

[5] The Syracusans meanwhile went on and fortified the pass in front, where there was a steep hill with a rocky ravine on each side of it, called the Acraean cliff.

[6] The next day the Athenians advancing found themselves impeded by the missiles and charges of the horse and darters, both very numerous, of the Syracusans and allies; and after fighting for a long while, at length retired to the same camp, where they had no longer provisions as before, it being impossible to leave their position by reason of the cavalry.

. Mit diesen ermunternden Worten schritt Nikias längs des
Heeres hin, und wenn er irgendwo zerstreute Leute sah, die nicht in
der Ordnung marshcirten, so stellte er sie an ihren Platz, und ebenso
that Demosthenes, indem er zu den Seinigen eben Solches
undAehnlicheS redete. Voran marschirte der Haufe des Nikias im länglichen
Viereck; hinterdrein kam die Abtheilung des Demotshenes. Die
Gepäckträger und den meisten Troß hatten die Schwerbewaffneten in die
Mitte genommen. Als sie nun bei der Furt des Anaposflusses
anlangten, so fanden sie daselbst Truppen der Syrakusaner und ihrer
Bundesgenossen aufgestellt, jagten diese aber in die Flucht,
bemächtigten sich der Furt und marshcirten weiter. Die Syrakusaner aber
umshcwärmten sie mit ihren Reitern, und auch ihre Leichtbewaffneten
setzten ihnen mit Speerschüssen zu. Nachdem sie an diesem Tage
gegen vierzig Stadien vorgerückt waren, brachten die Athener die Nacht
bei einem Hügel zu; des folgenden Tags in der Frühe brachen sie
wieder auf und marshcirten gegen zwanzig Stadien und kamen dann in
eine Ebene und lagerten daselbst, in der Absicht, aus den Gehöften
daselbst Lebensmittel zu nehmen — denn die Gegend war bewohnt
— und von hier auch Wasser mit sich zunehmen, denn weiterhin in
der Gegend, durch die sie ziehen wollten, war es auf viele Stadien
weit nicht reichlich genug vorhanden. Die Syrakusaner waren ihnen
aber.unterdessen schon zuvorgekommen und hatten weiter vorwärts den
Durchgang durch eine Mauer gesperrt. Es war dieß nämlich ein
starker Hügel, der zu beiden Seiten abschüssige Schluchten hatte. Man
nannte ihn den Akräischen Felsen.

Am folgenden Tag marschirten die Athener weiter; und die
Reiter und Speerschützen der Syrakusaner und ihre Bundesgenossen
in großer Zahl hinderten ihren Marsch auf beiden Seiten, indem sie
sie umshcwärmten und Speere schossen Die Athener kämpften lange,
'dann zogen sie sich wieder in ihr alteS Lager zurück. Jetzt fanden sie ¹
aber die nöthigen Bedürfnisse nicht mehr so, wie vorher, deim der
Reiter wegen war es nicht möglich, von der Stelle zu gehen.

Auf diese Weise suchte Nikias, während er die Reihen
entlang ging, seine Leute zu ermutigen, und wo er sah, daß
Unordnung oder Lücken entstanden waren, ließ er sie wieder
aufschließen und die Ordnung herstellen. Ebenso machte es
Demosthenes, indem er ähnliche Worte an die Seinigen richtete.
Das Heer bildete auf dem Marsche ein längliches Viereck, vorn
die Abteilung des Nikias, dahinter die des Demosthenes. Die
Packträger und den zahlreichen Troß hatten die Hopliten in
die Mitte genommen. Als sie an die Brücke des Anapos kamen,
fanden sie den Fluß von Truppen der Syrakuser und ihrer
Verbündeten besetzt. Nachdem sie diese geworfen und sich des
Übergangs bemächtigt hatten, setzten sie ihren Marsch fort.
Die Syrakuser aber ließen ihnen keine Ruhe, ihre Reiter waren
ihnen beständig zur Seite, und das leichte Volk beschoß sie mit
Wurfspeeren. Die Athener legten an dem Tage etwa vierzig
Stadien zurück und blieben die Nacht am Fuße eines Hügels
unter freiem Himmel. Am folgenden Tage brachen sie in der
Frühe auf, rückten etwa zwanzig Stadien weiter vor und ge­
langten dann in eine Ebene hinunter, wo sie ein Lager schlugen,
um sich dort, da das Land bewohnt war, etwas zu essen zu
verschaffen und mit Wasser zu versorgen. Denn in dem Land­
strich, den sie vor sich hatten, gab es auf viele Stadien nicht
Wasser genug. Unterdessen gewannen ihnen die Syrakuser
einen Vorsprung ab und verschanzten den Weg, auf dem sie
weiterziehen mußten. Er führte über einen schwierigen Höhen­
zug mit steilen Abhängen auf beiden Seiten, den sogenannten
Akraiischen Klint. Am anderen Tage zogen die Athener weiter.
Die Reiter und die Speerschützen der Syrakuser und ihrer
Verbündeten aber, die in großer Menge zur Stelle waren,
suchten sie daran zu hindern, drangen von beiden Seiten auf
sie ein und beschossen sie mit Wurfspeeren. Nach längerem
Kampfe gingen die Athener wieder in ihr altes Lager zurück,
konnten sich aber hier keine Lebensmittel mehr holen, da sie
sich der Reiter wegen nicht vom Lager entfernen durften.

LXXVIII. Nicias, tout en adressant ces exhortations, parcourait, les rangs de l’armée : s’il apercevait quelque part des soldats dispersés et marchant sans ordre, il les réunissait et rétablissait les rangs. Démosthènes, de son côté, faisait les mêmes recommandations aux troupes sous ses ordres. Le corps d’armée de Nicias marchait formé en carré long; celui de Démosthènes suivait; au centre des hoplites étaient les porteurs de bagages et le gros de la multitude ¹ . Arrivés au passage de l’Anapos, ils trouvèrent un détachement des Syracusains et de leurs alliés en bataille le long du fleuve; ils le culbutèrent, occupèrent le passage et poussèrent en avant. La cavalerie syracusaine voltigeait autour d’eux et les harcelait, pendant que les troupes légères les accablaient de traits. Les Athéniens franchirent ce jour-là environ quarante stades, et bivouaquèrent sur une éminence. Le lendemain, ils se mirent en marche de bonne heure, firent environ vingt stades, et descendirent dans une plaine où ils campèrent. Cet endroit étant habité, ils voulaient tirer des maisons quelques vivres et de l’eau pour emporter avec eux; car en avant, sur la route qu’ils devaient suivre, l’eau était rare pendant un grand nombre de stades. Pendant ce temps, les Syracüsains prirent ² les devants et murèrent le passage qu’ils devaient franchir; c’était une colline d’une forte assiette, bordée de part et d’autre de ravins escarpés; on l’appelait le roc Acréon ³ . Le lendemain les Athéniens continuèrent à avancer. Les Syracusains et leurs alliés, avec une nombreuse cavalerie et des troupes légères non moins nombreuses, leur barraient le chemin, les accablaient de traits et voltigeaient sur leurs flancs. Après avoir longtemps combattu, les Athéniens retournèrent à leur même campement; mais ils n’y trouvèrent plus les mêmes ressources, la cavalerie ne leur permettant pas de s’écarter.

[1] Such were the words of exhortation which Nicias uttered as he passed along the ranks; and if he saw any part of the army straggling or not marching in line, he brought them together and into order; and Demosthenes did likewise, speaking in much the same terms to the soldiers under him.

[2] And now the army began the march, arrayed in a hollow square, first the division of Nicias leading the way, then that of Demosthenes following.

[3] The baggage-carriers and most of the miscellaneous throng were enclosed inside the ranks of the hoplites. When they reached the crossing of the river Anapus, they found some of the Syracusans and their allies drawn up there, and after routing these and securing the passage they went forward; but the Syracusan cavalry rode alongside and kept attacking them, while their light-armed troops showered javelins upon them.

[4] On this day the Athenians advanced about forty stadia and bivouacked at a hill; but on the next day ¹ they began the march early and after proceeding about twenty stadia-descended into a level place, where they encamped; for they wished to get something to eat from the houses, the place being inhabited, and to get there a supply of water to take with them, since for many stadia ahead in the direction in which they were to go water was not plentiful.

[5] Meanwhile the Syracusans had gone ahead and were engaged in making a wall across the pass in front; and this was over a steep hill, with a precipitous ravine on either side, called the Acraean Bald. ²

[6] On the next day ³ the Athenians went forward, and the cavalry and javelin-men of the Syracusans and their allies, being in considerable force, sought to impede their march on either side by hurling javelins and riding alongside. For a long time the Athenians kept up the fight, but at length returned to the camp of the day preceding. And they no longer had provisions as before, for by reason of the enemy's cavalry it was no longer possible to leave the main body.

[1] Nicias, then, delivered this exhortation, and at the same time went up to the troops, and if he saw them any where straggling, and not marching in order, he collected and brought them to their post; while Demosthenes also did no less to those who were near him, addressing them in a similar manner.

[2] They marched in the form of a hollow square, the division under Nicias taking the lead, and that of Demosthenes following;

[3] while the baggage bearers and the main crowd of camp followers were enclosed within the heavy-armed. When they had come to the ford of the river Anapus, they found drawn up at it a body of the Syracusans and allies; but having routed these, and secured the passage, they proceeded onwards; while the Syracusans pressed them with charges of horse, as their light-armed did with their missiles.

[4] On that day the Athenians advanced about forty stades, and then halted for the night on a hill. The day following, they commenced their march at an early hour, and having advanced about twenty stades, descended into a level district, and there encamped, wishing to procure some eatables from the houses, (for the place was inhabited,) and to carry on with them water from it, since for many stades before them, in the direction they were to go, it was not plentiful.

[5] The Syracusans, in the mean time, had gone on before, and were blocking up the pass in advance of them. For there was there a steep hill, with a precipitous ravine on either side of it, called the Acraeum Lepas.

[6] The next day the Athenians advanced, and the horse and dart-men of the Syracusans and allies, each in great numbers, impeded their progress, hurling their missiles upon them, and annoying them with cavalry charges. The Athenians fought for a long time, and then returned again to the same camp, no longer having provisions as they had before; for it was no more possible to leave their position, because of the cavalry.

[1] His Nicias exercituro cohortans simul obibat, et sicubi disjunctum nec ordine servato procedentem videret, cogebat et in ordinem redigebat, et Demosthenes nihilominus eadem, aut his similia, apud suos dicebat.

[2] Incedebat vero exercitus agmine quadrato, primo quidem praeeunte Nicia cum suis, et subsequente Demosthene; calones vero et plurimam turbam gravis armaturae mililes in medium receperant.

[3] Postquam autem ad Auapi fluminis transitum pervenerunt, Syracusanorum ac sofcionmi manum illic instructam invenerunt, quibus fngatis, et transitu occupato ultra procedebant; Syracusanorum autem et equites obequitantes illis instabant, et levis armaturae milites , jaculis eos incessentes.

[4] Atque hac quidem die Athenienses, stadia circiter quadraginta progressi, castris ad quemdam collem positis pernoctarunt; postridie vero diluculo iter ingressi sunt, et viginti circiter stadia processerunt, et in quemdam campestrem locum descenderunt, 'bique castra posuerunt, eo consilio ut et aliquid cibariorum sumerent ex domibus illis (is enim Locus habitabatur) et aquam secum illinc ferrent; nam ultra locum illum ad multa stadia, qua transituri «erant, non erat magna aquae copia.

[5] In-tera vero Syracusani praegressi transitum ulteriorem muro cingebant: erat autem collis natura munitus, et ab utraque ejus parte erat torrentis alveus rupibus praeceps; vocabatur autem Acraeum lepas.

[6] Postridie vero Athenienses progrediebantur, et Syracusanorum ac sociorum equites et jaculatores , qui multi erant, utrimque eos prohibebant, et jaculis incessebant et obequitantes infestabant.

[7] Et diu quidem Athenienses pugnabant, tandem vero in eadem castra rursus se receperunt. Atque commeatus jam non parem copiam habebant; nam propter hostium equitatum non poterant amplius illinc recedere.

Mentre Nicia faceva queste esortazioni andava percorrendo l’esercito, ed ove vedesse qualche parte distaccata non marciare in buon ordine, la riuniva e la riordinava. E Demostene con non minor calore diceva presso a poco le medesime cose ai suoi. Le genti di Nicia marciavano io ordinanza quadrata , seguivano poi quelle di

Demostene; ed i saccomanni c l’altra gran moltitudine stavano in mezzo ai soldati gravi. E poiché giunsero al passo del fiume Ànapo , trovarono attelate sulla riva delle troppe di Siracusani e di alleati, fugate le quali e impa^ dronitisi del guado, andavano innanzi, ma sempre incalzati dalla cavalleria siracusana e saettati dalle genti leggere. E in questo giorno avendo gli Ateniesi progredito circa quaranta stadii, si fermarono la notte vicino ad una collina , doude partiti il di seguente di buon mattino , e avanzatisi da venti stadii scesero in una pianura e vi si accamparono, con intenzione di pigliar dalle case dei commestibili (giacché quel luogo era abitato), e di portar seco dell’acqua , di che vi era penuria per lo spazio di molti stadii inoltrandosi nella via che doveano tenere. Frattanto i Siracusani spintisi innanzi tagliarono loro con un muro la strada onde doveano passar oltre, la quale era una forte collina chiamata la rupe Aerea, con borri scoscesi da ambe le parti. Il giorno appresso gli Ateniesi proseguivano il cammino , ed i Siracusani e gli alleati coi cavalli e con molti laociatori vi si opponevano, e li saettavano e cavalcavano da vicino. Pugnarono lunga pezza gli Ateniesi, ma poi tornarono indietro al medesimo alloggiamento ; e non potevano più come prima procacciarsi i viveri, perché i cavalli nemici non li lasciavano più dilungare.