Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 6.103

[1] After this the Athenians erected a trophy and delivered to the Syracusians their dead under truce; and they on the other side delivered to the Athenians the body of Lamachus and of the rest slain with him. And their whole army, both land and sea forces, being now together, they began to enclose the Syracusians with a double wall from Epipolae and the rocks unto the seaside.

[2] The necessaries of the army were supplied from all parts of Italy. And many of the Siculi, who before stood aloof to observe the way of fortune, took part now with the Athenians, to whom came also three penteconteri, [long boats of fifty oars apiece,] from Hetruria;

[3] and divers other ways their hopes were nourished. For the Syracusians also, when there came no help from Peloponnesus, made no longer account to subsist by war; but conferred, both amongst themselves and with Nicias, of composition; for Lamachus being dead, the sole command of the army was in him.

[4] And though nothing were concluded, yet many things (as was likely with men perplexed, and now more straitly besieged than before) were propounded unto Nicias, and more amongst themselves. And the present ill success had also spread some jealousy amongst them, one of another. And they discharged the generals under whose conduct this happened, as if their harm had come either from their unluckiness or from their perfidiousness, and chose Heracleides, Eucles, and Tellias in their places.

[1] After this the Athenians set up a trophy and restored to the Syracusans their dead under truce, receiving in return Lamachus and those who had fallen with him. The whole of their forces, naval and military, being now with them, they began from Epipolae and the cliffs and enclosed the Syracusans with a double wall down to the sea.

[2] Provisions were now brought in for the armament from all parts of Italy ; and many of the Sicels, who had hitherto been looking to see how things went, came as allies to the Athenians: there also arrived three ships of fifty oars from Tyrrhenia. Meanwhile everything else progressed favourably for their hopes.

[3] The Syracusans began to despair of finding safety in arms, no relief having reached them from Peloponnese , and were now proposing terms of capitulation among themselves and to Nicias, who after the death of Lamachus was left sole commander.

[4] No decision was come to, but as was natural with men in difficulties and besieged more straitly than before, there was much discussion with Nicias and still more in the town. Their present misfortunes had also made them suspicious of one another; and the blame of their disasters was thrown upon the ill-fortune or treachery of the generals under whose command they had happened; and these were deposed and others, Heraclides, Eucles, and Tellias, elected in their stead.

Danach stellten die Athener ein Siegeszeichen auf und
gaben den Syrakusanern unter dem Schutze eines Vertrags ihre
Todten heraus, wofür sie die Leichen des Lamachos und der mit ihm
Gefallenen erhielten. Da jetzt ihre ganze Macht versammelt war,
die Flotte sowohl, wie das Landheer, so schlossen sie, von Epipolä
und dem Felsabhang angefangen, bis an'S Meer hinab die
Syrakusaner mit einer doppelten Mauer ein. Die Bedürfnisse wurden dem
Heer von allen Gegenden Italiens zugeführt. ES traten aber auch
von den Sikulern Viele als Bundesgenossen zu den Athenern über,
welche sich früher abwartend verhalten hatten, und aus Tyrfenien ¹
kamen drei Fünfzigruderer..Auch im Uebrigen.ging ihnen Alles so
von Statten, daß sie die besten Hoffnungen fassen konnten. Die
Syrakusaner ihrerseits glaubten ebenfalls nicht mehr/aus diesem
Kriege siegreich hervorzugehen, da ihnen bis jetzt auch keine Hilfe aus
dem Peloponnes gekommen war, und sowohl unter ihnen selbst, als
auch gegen den Nikias wurde schon von Uebergabe geredet. Dieser
nämlich befehligte mit dem Tode des Lamachos allein. Es kam zwar
zu keinem festen Abschluß, aber es wurde doch mit Nikias viel
darüber geredet und mehr noch in der Stadt selber, wie es ja natürlich
ist bei solchen Menshcen, die in Bedrängniß waren und enger
eingeschlossen, als vorher. Aus den vorhandenen Uebeln entsprang auch
eine gegenseitige Verdächtigung^ wie sie denn auch die Feldherren
absetzten, unter deren Führung sie solches Mißgeschick erlitten, gleich
als ob deren Unglück oder Verrätherei sie zu Schaden gebracht hätte.
An ihre Stelle wählten sie Andere, den Herakleides nämlich und
Eukles.und Tellias.. /

Hierauf errichteten die Athener ein Siegeszeichen, gaben
den Syrakusern ihre Toten unter Waffenstillstand heraus und
erhielten ihrerseits die Leichen deS Lamachos und seiner mit
ihm gefallenen Begleiter zurück. Und nun, wo ihre ganze
Macht, Flotte und Landheer, zur Stelle war, schlossen sie
Syrakus von Epipolai und dem AbHange her bis an die See
mit einer doppelten Mauer ein. Lebensmittel für das Heer
wurden ihnen aus Italien von allen Seiten zugeführt. Auch
schlossen sich jetzt noch viele Sikeler ihrem Heere an, die bis
dahin damit noch gewartet hatten, und aus Tyrsenien kamen
ihnen drei Funfzigruderer zu Hilfe. Überhaupt ging ihnen
alles nach Wunsche. Die Syrakuser aber glaubten nicht mehr
an einen glücklichen Ausgang des Krieges, da ihnen auch vom
Peloponnes keine Hilfe gekommen war, auch wurden bei ihnen
bereits Stimmen für den Frieden laut und Verhandlungen
darüber mit Nikias angeknüpft, der seit LamachoS' Tode den
Oberbefehl allein führte. Zum Abschluß kam die Sache freilich
nicht, doch wurde sie, wie das in einer so bedrängten und
immer härter belagerten Bevölkerung begreiflich ist, sowohl
mit ihm und mehr noch in der Stadt ernstlich erwogen. Denn
hier traute man jetzt in der Not selbst einander nicht mehr,
und die Feldherren, unter denen es dahin gekommen, und
deren Ungeschick oder Verrat vermeintlich daran schuld war,
wurden abgesetzt und andere, Herakleides, Eukles und Tellias,
statt ihrer dazu gewählt.

Là-dessus les Athéniens érigèrent un trophée, rendirent par composition les morts des Syracusains, et reçurent les cadavres de Lamachos et de ses compagnons. Leurs forces de terre et de mer étant au complet, ils commencèrent à investir Syracuse d’un double mur depuis les Ëpipoles et les pentes escarpées jusqu’à la mer. L’armée recevait des vivres en abondance de tous les points de l’Italie. Il arriva aussi aux Athéniens des renforts de chez les Sicules, qui avaient attendu jusqu’alors pour se prononcer; enfin trois pentécontores tyr-rhéniennes. Tout marchait à souhait. Les Syracusains, ne voyant venir du Péloponèse ni d’ailleurs aucun secours, commençaient à ne plus compter sur le succès de leurs armes. Bs parlaient entre eux d’accommodement, et faisaient des ouvertures à Nicias, qui, depuis la mort de Lamachos, avait seul le commandement de l’armée. Rien ne se concluait; mais, ainsi qu’on peut l’attendre d’un peuple à bout de ressources et toujours plus étroitement cerné, on mettait en avant une foule de propositions, soit auprès de Nicias, soit surtout dans la ville; car le malheur avait semé la défiance entre les citoyens. On retira le commandement aux généraux sous lesquels avaient eu lieu ces revers, imputés à leur trahison ou à leur mauvaise fortune; on élut à leur place Héraclidès, Euclès et Tellias.

[1] After this the Athenians set up a trophy and restored their dead to the Syracusans under truce, themselves getting back the bodies of Lamachus and his men. The whole of their armament being now present, both fleet and land-force, starting from the bluff of Epipolae they proceeded to cut off the Syracusans by a double wall down to the sea.

[2] Provisions were coming in for the army from all quarters of Italy. And there came also as allies to the Athenians many of the Sicels, who before had been hesitating, and from Tyrrhenia three fifty-oared galleys. And other matters were progressing according to their hopes.

[3] For the Syracusans no longer thought they could win at war, as no aid had come to them even from the Peloponnesus; and indeed they were discussing terms of agreement, not only among themselves, but even with Nicias, who now since the death of Lamachus had sole command.

[4] No decision was reached; but, as is natural when men are in perplexity and more straitly besieged than before, many proposals were made to him, and still more were discussed in the city. For under their present evils they had some suspicion even of one another; and the generals under whose lead these things had happened were deposed, on the ground that their disasters were due to their ill-luck or treachery, and in their stead were chosen Heracleides, Eucles, and Tellias.

[1] After this, the Athenians erected a trophy, restoring their dead to the Syracusans under a truce, and receiving back those who had fallen with Lamachus, as well as himself. And as they now had with them their whole force, both naval and military, they began from Epipolae and the cliffs, and circumvallated the Syracusans down to the sea with a double wall.

[2] Provisions were now brought for the armament from all parts of Italy. Many of the Sicels too, who before were looking to see how things went, came as allies to the Athenians; as did also three fifty-oared galleys from Tyrrhenia. And every thing else was prospering, so as to give them hope.

[3] For the Syracusans no longer thought that they could escape by military measures, since no assistance had reached them from the Peloponnese; but were proposing terms of capitulation, both among themselves and to Nicias: for he alone held the command since the death of Lamachus.

[4] No decision, indeed, was come to; but, as was natural for men who were in difficulties, and besieged more closely than before, many discussions were held with him, and still more in the city. For they also entertained some suspicion of one another, in consequence of their present misfortunes, and deposed the generals under whose command these things had befallen them—thinking that it was either through their bad fortune, or treason, that they were suffering—and chose others in their stead, namely, Heraclides, Eucles, and Tellias.

[1] Postea vero Athenienses tropaeum erexerunt, mor-tuosque Syracusanis interposita fide pnblica reddiderunt, et Lamachi comites ipsumque receperunt. Et quum jam omnis iis exercitus navalis pariter et pedestris praesto adesset, ab Epipolis et praeruptis earum partibus initio lucto ad mare usque duplici muro Syracusanos cingebant.

[2] Commeatus autem ad eorum exercitum es Italia undique comportabatur. Venerunt autem etiam ex Siculis multi ad Athenienses socii, qui prius belli eventum circumspiciebant , et ex Hetruria tres naves, quae singulae quinquaginta remig agebantur. Denique cetera quoque iis pro spe sua succedebant.

[3] Etenim Syracusani non amplius existimabant, bello se superiores evasuros, quod ne ex Peloponneso quidem ullum auxilium ad eos veniebat, et quum inter se ipsos de compositione facienda agere.coeperunt, tum etiam cum Nicia; hic enim defuncto Lamacho imperium solus habebat.

[4] Et nihil quidem transigebatur, sed, ut fieri solet inter homines consilii inopes et obsidione arctius quadi antea pressos, multa et apud illum agebantur et plura etiam in urbe. Etenim et quaedam mutua suspicio propter praesentia mala inter ipsos erat orta, ideoque et ducibus, quorum ductii haic iis acciderant, quasi propter illorum vel infelicitatem vel proditionem clades acciperent, imperium abrogarunt, et alios in illorum locum surrogarunt, Heraclidem et Euclem et Telliani.

Dopo di che gli Ateniesi ersero il trofeo e con salvocondotto restituirono i morti ai Siracusani, e riebbero Lamaco e gli altri uccisi con lui. E già trovandosi loro presente tutto l’esercito e navale e terrestre , fatto cominciamento da Epipole e da quel dirupato, serrarono i Siracusani con doppio muro fino al mare. I viveri erano portati all’oste da ogni parte d’Italia; e molti de’Siculi che innanzi se ne stavano a vedere, vennero alleati agli Ateniesi , e dall’Etruria tre navi a cinquanta remi. Parimente tutte le altre cose procedevano ad essi in modo da dare speranza, imperocché i Siracusani giudicavano di non più potere restar vittoriosi nella guerra, da che non veniva pur loro aiuto veruno dal Peloponneso. E tenevano discorsi d’accomodamento tra loro stessi, ed anche con Nicia , che solo dopo la morte di Lamaco aveva in mano il comando. Ma non si veniva con fermezza a capo di nulla; e come doveva aspettarsi da gente sconcertata e assediata più strettamente di prima, molte cose si dicevano a ISicia, e più ancora in città. Inoltre per le presenti calamità era entrato tra loro il sospetto; e però rimossero i generali sotto i quali erano esse accadute, attribuendo il proprio danno alla disgrazia oal tradimento di quelli, ed altri ne sostituirono , cioè, Eraclide, Eucle e Tellia.