[1] Gylippus and Pythen, having repaired their galleys, from Tarentum went along the coast to Locri Epizephyrii. And upon certain intelligence now that Syracuse was not wholly enclosed, but coming with an army there was entrance still by Epipolae, they consulted whether it were better to take Sicily on their right hand and adventure into the town by sea, or on the left and so first to go to Himera, and then taking along both them and as many other as they could get to their side, to go into it by land.

[2] And it was resolved to go to Himera, the rather because the four Attic galleys, which Nicias, though he contemned them before, had now when he heard they were at Locri sent to wait for them, were not arrived yet at Rhegium. Having prevented this guard, they crossed the strait, and touching at Rhegium and Messana by the way, came to Himera.

[3] Being there, they prevailed so far with the Himeraeans that they not only followed them to the war themselves, but also furnished with armour such of Gylippus and Pythen's mariners as wanted; for at Himera they had drawn their galleys to land. They likewise sent to the Selinuntians to meet them at a place assigned with their whole army.

[4] The Geloans also, and other of the Siculi, promised to send them forces, though not many, being much the willinger to come to the side both for that Archonidas was lately dead (who reigning over some of the Siculi in those parts, and being a man of no mean power, was friend to the Athenians), and also for that Gylippus seemed to come from Lacedaemon with a good will to the business.

[5] Gylippus, taking with him of his own mariners and sea-soldiers, for whom he had gotten arms, at the most seven hundred, and Himeraeans with armour and without in the whole one thousand, and one hundred horse, and some light-armed Selinuntians, with some few horse of the Geloans, and of the Siculi in all about one thousand, marched with these towards Syracuse.

[1] After refitting their ships, Gylippus and Pythen coasted along from Tarentum to Epizephyrian Locris. They now received the more correct information that Syracuse was not yet completely invested, but that it was still possible for an army arriving by Epipolae to effect an entrance; and they consulted, accordingly, whether they should keep Sicily on their right and risk sailing in by sea, or leaving it on their left, should first sail to Himera, and taking with them the Himeraeans and any others that might agree to join them, go to Syracuse by land.

[2] Finally they determined to sail for Himera, especially as the four Athenian ships which Nicias had at length sent off, on hearing that they were at Locris , had not yet arrived at Rhegium . Accordingly, before these reached their post, the Peloponnesians crossed the strait, and after touching at Rhegium and Messina , came to Himera .

[3] Arrived there, they persuaded the Himeraeans to join in the war, and not only to go with them themselves but to provide arms for the seamen from their vessels which they had drawn ashore at Himera; and they sent and appointed a place for the Selinuntines to meet them with all their forces.

[4] A few troops were also promised by the Geloans and some of the Sicels, who were now ready to join them with much greater alacrity, owing to the recent death of Archonidas, a powerful Sicel king in that neighborhood and friendly to Athens , and owing also to the vigor shown by Gylippus in coming from Lacedaemon .

[5] Gylippus now took with him about seven hundred of his sailors and marines, that number only having arms, a thousand heavy infantry and light troops from Himera with a body of a hundred horse, some light troops and cavalry from Selinus , a few Geloans, and Sicels numbering a thousand in all, and set out on his march for Syracuse .

Gylippos und Pythen fuhren, nachdem sie ihre Schiffe
ausgebessert, von Tarent nach Lokroi-Egizephyrioi und
erhielten hier die bestimmte Nachricht, daß Syrakus noch nicht
gänzlich eingeschlossen sei, sondern daß man über Epipolai
immer noch mit einem Heere in die Stadt gelangen könne.
Nun überlegten sie, ob sie Sizilien rechts lassen und es darauf
wagen sollten, Syrakus zu Schiff zu erreichen, oder besser
täten, die Insel zur Linken, erst nach Himera zu fahren, dort
und womöglich auch noch von anderen Seiten Verstärkungen
an sich zu ziehen und den Landweg zu wählen. Sie entschieden
sich für die Fahrt nach Himera, namentlich auch deshalb,
weil die vier attischen Schiffe noch nicht bei Rhegion ein­
getroffen waren, welche Nikias auf die Nachricht von ihrer
Ankunft in Lokroi dann doch abgeschickt hatte. Auch kamen
sie, noch bevor diese dort eintrafen, glücklich durch die Meer­
enge und, nachdem sie unterwegs bei Rhegion und Messene
angelegt, nach Himera. Während ihres Aufenthalts dort be­
wogen sie die Einwohner, sich am Kriege zu beteiligen und
nicht nur selbst mit ihnen zu ziehen, sondern auch die Leute
von ihren Schiffen, welche keine Waffen hatten, damit zu
versehen. Ihre Schiffe hatten sie nämlich in Himera ans
Land gezogen. Nach Selinus sandten sie die Aufforderung,
die gesamte dortige Mannschaft an einem bestimmten Orte
zu ihnen stoßen zu lassen. Auch Gela versprach, eine wenn
auch geringe Anzahl Truppen zu schicken, und das taten auch
verschiedene Sikeler, die jetzt weit mehr Neigung zeigten,
sich ihnen anzuschließen, seitdem Archonides, ein dortzulande
mächtiger sikelischer König und Athenerfreund, vor kurzem
gestorben war und Gylippos' Ankunft aus Lakedämon darauf
schließen ließ, daß man dort jetzt mit dem Kriege Ernst machen
wollte. Gylippos, der nunmehr außer den eigenen etwa sieben­
hundert, inzwischen mit Waffen versehene Matrosen und See­
soldaten, im ganzen ungefähr tausend Mann schweres und
leichtes Fußvolk und hundert Reiter aus Himera, eine Anzahl ¹
leichter Truppen und Reiter aus Selinus, ein paar Leute aus
Gela und alles in allem gegen tausend Sikeler beisammen
hatte, trat damit denn auch den Marsch nach Syrakus an.

I. Gylippos et Pythès, partis de Tarente après avoir réparé leurs vaisseaux, passèrent en côtoyant chez les Locriens-Épizéphyriens. Mieux informés alors que Syracuse n’était pas entièrement investie, et qu’il était possible d’y entrer avec une armée par Épipolæ, ils délibérèrent s’ils prendraient la Sicile par la droite et se risqueraient à pénétrer dans le port, ou s’ils cingleraient d’abord à gauche vers Himéra, afin de prendre avec eux les habitants et toutes les troupes qu’ils pourraient engager d’ailleurs, et de gagner Syracuse par terre. Ils se décidèrent à faire voile pour Himéra, d’autant mieux qu’on n’avait pas encore aperçu à Rhégium les quatre vaisseaux athéniens que Nicias s’était pourtant ¹ décidé à envoyer, lorsqu’il apprit leur présence à Locres. Ils prévinrent cette croisière, passèrent le détroit, relâchèrent à Rhégium et à Messine et arrivèrent à Himéra. Là, ils persuadèrent aux habitants de les seconder dans cette guerre, en se joignant à eux et en fournissant des armes à ceux de ² leurs matelots qui n’en n’avaient pas; car les vaisseaux furent tirés à sec à Himéra. Ils envoyèrent aussi prier les Sélinonlins de les rejoindre avec toutes leurs forces à un rendez-vous déterminé. Les habitants de Géla et quelques-uns des Sicèles promirent également d'envoyer des troupes, mais en petit nombre. Les Sicèles hésitaient bien moins alors à se rallier, grâce à la mort récente d’Archonidas, prince assez puissant, ami des Athéniens, qui régnait sur une partie des Sicèles de ces contrées; grâce aussi aux dispositions énergiques que Gylippos paraissait apporter de Lacédémone. Gylippos prit avec lui tous ceux de ses matelots et des soldats de marine qui étaient armés, au nombre de sept cents; Himéra avait fourni mille hommes, hoplites ou troupes légères, et cent cavaliers; quelques troupes légères et des cavaliers de Sélinonte; un petit nombre de soldats de Géla et les Sicèles formaient un autre corps de mille hommes; avec ces forces il se mit en marche pour Syracuse.

Gylippe et Pythen, après avoir radoubé leurs vaisseaux, partirent de Tarente et rangèrent la côte jusque chez les Lo-criens-Ëpizéphyriens. Là ils apprirent avec plus de certitude que Syracuse n’était pas encore complètement investie, mais qu’il était possible à une armée d’y entrer par les Ëpipoles, Ils délibérèrent donc s’üs côtoieraient la Sicile à main droite et tenteraient d’entrer dans le port, ou s’ils la tiendraient à main gauche et se dirigeraient d’abord sur Himéra, pour gagner ensuite Syracuse par terre, en grossissant leur armée des Himéréens et de tous ceux qu'ils pourraient persuader. Ils s’arrêtèrent à ce dernier parti, d’autant plus volontiers que les quatre vaisseaux athéniens détachés enfin par Nicias lorsqu’il avait appris l’arrivée des ennemis à Locres, n’étaient pas encore à Rhégion. Ils les prévinrent, franchirent le détroit, et après avoir touché à Rhégion et à Messine, ils atteigoirent Himéra. Là ils tirèrent à sec leurs vaisseaux, et persuadèrent aux Himéréens de se joindre à eux et de fournir des armes à ceux de leurs matelots qui en manquaient. Ils donnèrent rendez-vous aux Sélinontins pour qu’ils vinssent en armes à leur rencontre. Les habitants de Géla et quelques-uns des Sicules leur promirent des secours. Les Sicules étaient mieux disposés depuis la mort récente d’Archonidas, prince assez puissant, qui régnait sur une partie de la contrée, et qui tenait pour les Athéniens; ce qui acheva de les déterminer, ce fut l’empressement que Gylippe avait mis à venir de Lacédémone. Gylippe prit donc avec lui sept cents de ses matelots et soldats de marine qui avaient des armes, mille hommes d’Himéra, composés d’hoplites, de troupes légères et de cent cavaliers, un certain nombre de soldats légèrement armés et de cavaliers de Séli-nonte et de Géla, enfin un millier de Sicules, et se mit en marche pour Syracuse.

[1] Gylippus and Pythen, after refitting their ships, sailed from Tarentum along the coast to Epizephyrian Locri; and receiving now more positive information that Syracuse was not yet completely invested, but that it was still possible to come with an army and enter it by way of Epipolae, they deliberated whether they should risk sailing into the harbour, keeping Sicily on the right, or, keeping it on the left, should first sail to Himera and then, after having added to their forces the Himeraeans themselves and such others as they might persuade, should proceed overland.

[2] They decided to sail to Himera, especially since the four Athenian ships—which Nicias did after all ¹ despatch when he learned that the enemy's ships were at Locri—had not yet arrived at Rhegium. They succeeded in crossing the strait before the arrival of this watch-squadron, and after touching at Rhegium and Messene, arrived at Himera.

[3] While there they persuaded the Himeraeans to help them in the war, not only by going on the expedition themselves, but also by furnishing arms for such of the crews of their ships as had none (for their ships they had beached at Himera), and also sent a request to the Selinuntians to meet them at a certain place with all their forces.

[4] A small body of troops was also promised them by the Geloans and some of the Sicels, who were now ready to join them with far greater alacrity, both because of the recent death of Archonidas, who, being king of certain Sicel tribes of that region and a man of influence, had been a friend of the Athenians, and also because Gylippus had apparently come from Lacedaemon full of zeal.

[5] So Gylippus, taking of his own seamen and of the marines those that were equipped with arms, about seven hundred, of Himeraean hoplites and light-armed troops together one thousand and one hundred cavalry, of the Selinuntians some light-armed troops and cavalry, a few Geloans, and of the Sicels about one thousand in all, advanced against Syracuse.

[1] GYLIPPUS and Pythen, after refitting their ships, sailed along the coast from Tarentum to Locri Epizephyrii. And now, on receiving more correct information, namely, that Syracuse was not yet entirely invested, but that it was still possible for a party coming with troops to enter it on the side of Epipole, they deliberated whether they should keep Sicily on their right hand, and so run the risk of sailing into it; or whether, keeping it on the left hand, they should first sail to Himera, and take with them both the people there, and any other forces that they might prevail on to join them, and so proceed by land.

[2] They determined, then, to sail for Himera, especially as the four Athenian ships had not yet arrived at Rhegium, which Nicias, on hearing of their being at Locri, notwithstanding his contempt for them, had sent out. Having anticipated therefore this guard-squadron, they crossed over the strait, and after touching at Rhegium and Messana, arrived at Himera.

[3] While they were there, they persuaded the Himeraeans to join them in the war, and both themselves to accompany them, and to furnish arms for such of the seamen from their ships as had none, (for they had drawn up their ships on shore at Himera.) They also sent and desired the Selinuntines to meet them at a certain place with all their forces.

[4] That people promised to send them a force of no inconsiderable amount, as did the Geloans also, and some of the. Sicels, who were ready to join them with much greater forwardness, both in consequence of the recent death of Archonidas, who, being king over some of the Sicels in that part, and a man of considerable influence, was a friend of the Athenians, and because Gylippus was thought to have come from Lacedaemon in a spirited manner.

[5] Thus Gylippus took with him those of his own seamen and Epibatae who were provided with arms, about seven hundred in number, the Himeraean heavy and light troops, together mustering about a thousand, with a hundred horse, some light-armed and horse of the Selinuntines, a few Geloans, and a thousand Sicels in all, and so advanced against Syracuse.

[1] Gylippus autem et Pythen, postquam naves refecerunt, Tarento ad Locros Epizephyrios navigarunt; et quum jam certius comperirent, Syracusas nondum undique circumvallatas esse, sed adhuc licere cum exercitu venientibus per Epipolas introire, consultabant, utrum a dextro Siciliae latere navigantes introitum periclitarentur, an vero sinistrum latus sequentes Himeram primum peterent, et ipsis Himeraeis aliisque copiis assumptis, si quos inducere possent , itinere terrestri proficiscerentur.

[2] Et placuit iis Himeram proficisci, praesertim quod quatuor Atticae naves nondum Rhegium appulerant, quas Nicias tamen miserat* quum eos apud Locros esse intellexisset. Sed illi custodiam prae vertentes per fretum trajiciunt, et quum Rhegium ac Messanam appulissent, Himeram perveniunt.

[3] Quum autem illic essent, Himeraeis persuaserunt, ut una secum bellum gererent et non ipsi solum se sequerentur, sed etiam suorum navium nautis arma, quibus deerant, praeberent (naves enim Himerae subduxerant), et Selinuntios missis nuntiis ad certum quemdam locum cum omnibus copiis I obviam venire jubebant.

[4] Nonnullas etiam copias noo magnas se missuros ad eos promiserunt et Geloi et Siculorum nonnulli, qui longe alacrius jam ad illorum societatem sequendam erant parati, quod et Archonides nuper decesserat , qui in ea Siciliae parte regnans et haud contemnenda potentia valens Atheniensibus amicus erat, et quod Gylippus Lacedsemone alacri animo adesse videbatur.

[5] Atque Gylippus quidem assumptis e suorum nautarum et epibatarum numero iis, quos armaverat, ad septingentos, et Himereorum tam gravis quam levis armatur» ex utrisque promisce ad mille, et equitibus centum, et Sclinuntioruro nonnullis levi armatura et equitibus, et Geloorum paucis, Siculorumque omnino mille militibus, Syracusas pergebat.

Ma Gilippo e Pitene poiché ebbero racconciate le navi, da Taranto passarono ai Locrii Epizefirii ; ove inteso più chiaramente che Siracusa non era del tutto cinta di muro, e che anzi recandosi là coll’esercito potrebbero ancora penetrarvi dalla parte d’Epipole, stavano deliberando se dovessero tentar d’eutrarvi per mare prendendo la Sicilia in sulla destra, ovvero tenendosi in sulla sinistra andarvi per terra, dopo aver prima navigato ad Imera ed essersi aggiunti gli abitanti di questa città, e le altre milizie di quei popoli che a ciò indurrebbero. Risolvettero alfine di navigare ad lmera, tanto più che non ancora erano arrivate in Reggio le quattro navi attiche, le quali Nicia vi avea spedite appena seppe della venuta dei Lacedemoni presso i Locrii, quantunque per l’innanzi ne avesse dispregiato il piccolo numero. Prevenendo adunque queste navi che ivi doveano fermarsi in guardia, Gilippo e Pitene traversano lo stretto, e dopo aver fatto scala in Reggio e Messina giungono ad Imera. Nell’esser quivi persuasero gl' Imerei ad unirsi con loro in questa guerra , ed a seguitarli, ed a somministrare le armi a quanti delle loro ciurme non le avevano (giacché le navi vi erano state tratte a terra ) ; e mandarono poi ordinando ai Selinunti che con tutte le loro forze dovessero venire ad incontrarli in un luogo assegnato. I Geloi promisero di mandar loro una mano di soldati, e lo stesso fecero alcuni dei Siculi, che con più ardore di prima si mostravano pronti ad accostarvisi, perchè di recente era venuto a morte Arconida principe non debole che regnava sopra alcuni Siculi di quelle vicinanze, ed amico degli Ateniesi ; e perchè parca che baldanzoso venisse da Sparta Gilippo. Il quale tolti seco settecento di grave armatura tra delle proprie ciurme e de’ soprassaglicnti, e mille Imerei tra soldati gravi e leggeri, e cento cavalli, ed alcuni de’Selinunti armati alla leggera, e pochi cavalli de’Geloi, e mille Siculi in tutti, s’ indirizzava alla volta di Siracusa.