Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.25

[1] After this the Syracusians sent out twelve galleys under the command of Agatharchus, a Syracusian. Of which one carried ambassadors into Peloponnesus to declare what hope they had now of their business and to instigate them to a sharper war in Attica. The other eleven went into Italy, upon intelligence of certain vessels laden with commodities coming to the Athenian army, which also they met with and destroyed most of them;

[2] and the timber, which for building of galleys the Athenians had ready framed, they burned in the territory of Caulonia. After this they went to Locri;

[3] and riding here, there came unto them one of the ships that carried the men of arms of the Thespians, whom the Syracusians took aboard and went homeward by the coast.

[4] The Athenians that watched for them with twenty galleys at Megara took one of them and the men that were in her, but could not take the rest, so that they escaped through to Syracuse.

[5] There was also a light skirmish in the haven of Syracuse, about the piles which the Syracusians had driven down before their old harbour, to the end that the galleys might ride within and the Athenians not annoy them by assault. The Athenians, having brought to the place a ship of huge greatness, fortified with wooden turrets and covered against fire, caused certain men with [little] boats to go and fasten cords unto the piles, and so broke them up with craning.

[6] Some also the divers did cut up with saws. In the meantime the Syracusians from the harbour and they from the great ship shot at each other, till in the end the greatest part of the piles were by the Athenians gotten up. But the greatest difficulty was to get up those piles which lay hidden.

[7] For some of them they had so driven in as that they came not above the water, so that he that should come near was in danger to be thrown upon them as upon a rock. But these also, for reward, the divers went down and sawed asunder. But the Syracusians continually drave down other in their stead.

[8] Other devices they had against each other, as was not unlikely between armies so near opposed; and many light skirmishes passed, and attempts of all kinds were put in execution.

[9] The Syracusians moreover sent ambassadors, some Corinthians, some Ambraciotes, and some Lacedaemonians, unto the cities about them to let them know that they had won Plemmyrium and that in the battle by sea they were not overcome by the strength of the enemy, but by their own disorder; and also to show what hope they were in in other respects, and to entreat their aid both of sea and land forces; forsomuch as the Athenians expecting another army, if they would send aid before it came whereby to overthrow that which they had now there, the war would be at an end. Thus stood the affairs of Sicily.

[1] After this the Syracusans sent out twelve ships under the command of Agatharchus, a Syracusan. One of these went to Peloponnese with ambassadors to describe the hopeful state of their affairs, and to incite the Peloponnesians to prosecute the war there even more actively than they were now doing, while the eleven others sailed to Italy , hearing that vessels laden with stores were on their way to the Athenians.

[2] After falling in with and destroying most of the vessels in question, and burning in the Caulonian territory a quantity of timber for shipbuilding, which had been got ready for the Athenians,

[3] the Syracusan squadron went to Locri , and one of the merchantmen from Peloponnese coming in, while they were at anchor there, carrying Thespian heavy infantry,

[4] took these on board and sailed along shore towards home. The Athenians were on the look-out for them with twenty ships at Megara , but were only able to take one vessel with its crew; the rest getting clear off to Syracuse .

[5] There was also some skirmishing in the harbor about the piles which the Syracusans had driven in the sea in front of the old docks, to allow their ships to lie at anchor inside, without being hurt by the Athenians sailing up and running them down.

[6] The Athenians brought up to them a ship of ten thousand talents' burden furnished with wooden turrets and screens, and fastened ropes round the piles from their boats, wrenched them up and broke them, or dived down and sawed them in two. Meanwhile the Syracusans plied them with missiles from the docks, to which they replied from their large vessel; until at last most of the piles were removed by the Athenians.

[7] But the most awkward part of the stockade was the part out of sight: some of the piles which had been driven in did not appear above water, so that it was dangerous to sail up, for fear of running the ships upon them, just as upon a reef, through not seeing them. However divers went down and sawed off even these for reward; although the Syracusans drove in others.

[8] Indeed there was no end to the contrivances to which they resorted against each other, as might be expected between two hostile armies confronting each other at such a short distance: and skirmishes and all kinds of other attempts were of constant occurrence.

[9] Meanwhile the Syracusans sent embassies to the cities composed of Corinthians, Ambraciots, and Lacedaemonians, to tell them of the capture of Plemmyrium, and that their defeat in the sea-fight was due less to the strength of the enemy than to their own disorder; and generally, to let them know that they were full of hope, and to desire them to come to their help with ships and troops, as the Athenians were expected with a fresh army, and if the one already there could be destroyed before the other arrived, the war would be at an end.

Hierauf sandten die Syrakuser zwölf Schiffe unter dem
Befehl des Syrakusers Agatarchos hinaus. Eins aber trennte
sich von ihnen, um Gesandte nach dem Peloponnes zu bringen,
welche dort ihre immer noch bedenkliche Lage schildern und
darauf dringen sollten', daß der Krieg drüben nachdrücklicher
betrieben würde. Die übrigen elf schlugen die Richtung nach
Italien ein, da bekannt geworden war, daß Schiffe mit Vor­
räten für die Athener von dort im Ansegeln seien, die sie
auch trafen und größtenteils zerstörten. Bei Kaulonia steckten
sie das dort für die Athener gelagerte Schiffsbauholz in Brand.
Darauf fuhren sie nach Lokroi. Während sie hier vor Anker
lagen, traf eins der Lastschiffe aus dem Peloponnes dort ein,
auf dem sich die Hopliten aus Thespiai befanden. Die
Syrakuser nahmen diese an Bord und machten sich dann auf
die Rückfahrt. Die Athener aber lauerten ihnen mit zwanzig
Schiffen bei Megara auf und nahmen ihnen ein Schiff mit-'
samt der Mannschaft weg, während die übrigen glücklich
wieder nach Syrakus gelangten.

Im Hafen aber kam es zu einem Schützengefecht um die
Pfähle, welche die Syrakuser vor ihren alten Schiffshäusern
in der See eingerammt hatten, damit sie mit ihren Schiffen
dahinter vor Anker gehen und die Athener mit ihren Schiffen
ihnen nichts anhaben könnten. Die Athener brachten nämlich
ein mächtiges Lastschiff, auf dem hölzerne Türme und Schutz­
wehren angebracht waren, an sie heran und warfen aus den
Booten Schlingen um die Pfähle, um sie zu lockern und dann
herumzuziehen oder durch Taucher absägen zu lassen. Die
Syrakuser schossen aus den Schtffshäusern und die Athener
von ihrem Schiffe auf die Syrakuser. Schließlich gelang eS
jedoch den Athenern, den größten Teil des Pfahlwerks zu
zerstören. Die größte Schwierigkeit machten ihnen die blinden
Pfähle. Sie waren nämlich zum Teil so tief in den Boden
eingerammt, daß sie nicht aus dem Wasser sahen, so daß die
herankommenden Schiffe Gefahr liefen, sich unversehens wie
auf einer Klippe festzufahren. Doch auch diese wurden durch
Taucher, die dafür belohnt wurden, unter Wasser abgesägt.
Trotzdem stellten die Syrakuser ein neues Pfahlwerk her. Auch
sonst versuchte man, wie das unter zwei sich so nah gegen­
überstehenden Heeren nicht ausbleiben konnte, einander möglichst
Abbruch zu tun, und es gab beständig kleine Raufereien und
Scharmützel. Die Syrakuser schickten auch Gesandte aus der
Zahl der dort anwesenden Korinther, Amprakier und Lake­
dämonier an die anderen Städte, um ihnen die Nachricht zu
bringen, daß sie das Plemmyrion genommen hätten und auch
in der Seeschlacht nur infolge ihrer eigenen Unordnung, keines­
wegs durch die Stärke ihrer Feinde besiegt worden seien.
Zugleich sollten sie ihnen von neuem verischern, daß ihre Aus­
sichten gut wären, und sie bitten, ihnen Schiffe und Truppen
gegen die Athener zu Hilfe zu schicken, da diese ebenfalls ein
neueS Heer erwarteten. Deshalb müßten sie schnell kommen,
damit man das jetzige vernichten und dem Kriege ein Ende
machen könne. Dergestalt verlief der Krieg in Sizilien.

XXV. Les Syracusains expédièrent ensuite douze vaisseaux, sous le commandement du Syracusain Agatharchos. Un de ces bâtiments fut détaché vers le Péloponnèse : il portait des ambassadeurs chargés d’annoncer que leurs affaires donnaient bon espoir, et d’engager les Péloponnésiens à pousser de leur côté les hostilités avec plus de vigueur encore; les onze autres firent voile pour les côtes d’Ilalie, où l’on avait appris que se dirigeaient dix bâtiments richement chargés et destinés aux Athéniens. Ils les rencontrèrent, les détruisirent pour la plupart, et brûlèrent tous tes bois destinés à la construction des navires que les Athéniens avaient fait préparer dans les campagnes de Caulonia ¹ De là ils allèrent à Locres. Pendant qu’ils y étaient à l’ancre, un des bâtiments de transport partis du Péloponnèse y aborda avec des hoplites de Thespies. Les Syracusains les prirent sur leurs vaisseaux et retournèrent chez eux. Les Athéniens les épiaient avec vingt vaisseaux, à la hauteur de Mégare, et prirent un de leurs bâtiments avec son équipage; mais ils ne purent s’emparer des autres, qui gagnèrent Syracuse.

Il y eut aussi une escarmouche dans le port, au sujet des pilotis que les Syracusains avaient enfoncés dans la mer, devant l’ancien bassin, pour que leurs bâtiments pussent se tenir à l’ancre dans l’intérieur, sans craindre d’être endommagés par le choc des vaisseaux athéniens. Les Athéniens firent arriver contre les pilotis un navire du port de dix milliers ² , muni de tours ^{3 4} de bois et de parapets ⁵ ; montés sur des barques, ils attachaient les pieux à des câbles tirés par des cabestans, et les arrachaient; ou bien ils les sciaient en plongeant. Les Syracusains tiraient des bassins sur les Athéniens qui leur répondaient du haut de leur bâtiment. A la fin les Athéniens arrachèrent la plupart des pieux. Le plus difficile était la partie des pilotis cachée sous la mer; car, comme il y avait des pieux qui ne s’élevaient pas à fleur d’eau, il était fort dangereux aux vaisseaux d’en approcher; on ne les soupçonnait pas et on risquait de s’y échouer comme sur un écueil. Cependant des plongeurs parvinrent aussi à les scier sous l’eau, moyennant salaire. Mais les Syracusains établirent de nouveaux pilotis. Une foule d’autres expédients furent imaginés de part et d’autre, comme on devait l’attendre de deux armées ennemies campées en présence et à proximité; on escarmouchait, on se harcelait sans cesse.

Les Syracusains envoyèrent dans les diverses villes ⁶ des députés corinthiens, ambraciotes et lacédémoniens pour annoncer la prise de Plemmyrion, et représenter que leur défaite dans le combat naval tenait moins à la supériorité de l’ennemi qu’à leur propre désordre. Ils devaient également annoncer qu’on avait bon espoir sous tous les rapports, et demander des renforts tant en vaisseaux qu’en infanterie, en se fondant sur l’envoi d’une nouvelle armée attendue par les Athéniens, et sur la possibilité d’en finir avec la guerre, ^{7 8} si, avant son arrivée, on pouvait anéantir la première. Tel était l’état des affaires en Sicile.

Là-dessus les Syracusains expédièrent douze vaisseaux , commandés par Agatharchos de Syracuse. Un de ces bâtiments se dirigea vers le Peloponèse; il portait des ambassadeurs qui devaient faire part de leurs nouvelles espérances et presser les Péloponésiens de pousser la guerre avec une nouvelle vigueur. Les onze autres firent voile pour l’Italie au-devant de vaisseaux athéniens richement chargés, dont l’approche était signalée. Ils les rencontrèrent en effet, les détruisirent pour la plupart, et brûlèrent, dans le territoire de Caulon, des bois de construction destinés aux Athéniens. Delà ils passèrent à Locres. Pendant leur séjour en ce lieu, un des transports partis du Péloponèse arriva avec des hoplites de Thespies. Les Syracusains les prirent à bord, et retournèrent chez eux. Les Athéniens les guettaient avec vingt vaisseaux dans les parages de Mégara ; ils enlevèrent un bâtiment avec son équipage ; mais les autres échappèrent et atteignirent Syracuse.

Il y eut aussi une escarmouche dans le port, au sujet de l’estacade que les Syracusains avaient plantée dans la mer, en avant de leurs anciens hangars, pour protéger l’ancrage de leurs vaisseaux et les préserver du choc des navires ennemis. Les Athéniens firent avancer un bâtiment du port de dix milliers ¹ , garni de tours en bois et de bastingages. Montés sur des bateaux, ils arrachaient les pieux avec des treuils ou les sciaient en plongeant. Les Syracusains, postés dans les hangars, lançaient des traits contre les Athéniens, qui ripostaient de leur navire. A la fin, les Athéniens enlevèrent la plupart des pieux. La plus grande difficulté venait de la partie sous-marine de l’estacade. Quelques pieux ne s’élevant pas à fleur d’eau, il était dangereux d’en approcher; les vaisseaux risquaient de s’y heurter comme à des récifs. Néanmoins des plongeurs les sciaient sous l'eau moyennant une récompense. Les Syracusains parvinrent à rétablir l’estacade. Enfin, dans ces engagements partiels, les deux partis faisaient assaut de stratagèmes, comme il arrive entre des armées campées à proximité.

Les Syracusains envoyèrent dans les différentes villes des députés corinthiens, ambraciotes et lacédémoniens, pour annoncer la prise du Pleminyrion et pour expliquer leur défaite navale, en l’attribuant à leur propre désordre plutôt qu’à la supériorité de l'ennemi. Ils devaient aussi faire connaître leurs espérances. solliciter l’envoi de secours en vaisseaux et en troupes de terre, enfin dire qu’une nouvelle armée était attendue d’Athènes, et que si , avant son arrivée, on pouvait anéantir celle qui était sur les lieux, la guerre serait finie. Telle était la situation des affaires en Sicile.

[1] After this the Syracusans sent out twelve ships under the command of Agatharchus, a Syracusan. One of these headed for the Peloponnesus, having on board some envoys who were to explain the situation in Sicily, that they were full of hope, and to urge the still more vigorous prosecution of the war on the continent of Greece. The other eleven ships sailed to Italy, ¹ since they heard that boats laden with supplies for the Athenians were approaching. And falling in with these boats, they destroyed most of them;

[2] and they also burned some timber in the territory of Caulonia, which was lying there ready for the Athenians to use in ship-building.

[3] After this they went to Locri, and while they were lying there at anchor, one of the merchant-ships that had sailed from the Peloponnesus arrived in port, bringing some Thespian hoplites.

[4] Taking these on board their ships, the Syracusans sailed along the coast toward home. But the Athenians, who were watching for them at Megara with twenty ships, captured one ship together with its crew, but they could not take the rest, which escaped to Syracuse.
  Skirmishing also occurred in the harbour about the piles which the Syracusans drove down in the sea in front of their old dockyards with the object that the ships might lie moored inside the piles and the Athenians might not sail up and ram their ships.

[5] The Athenians brought up against the piles a ship of ten thousand talents ² burden on whose deck were wooden towers and bulwarks;

[6] then from small boats they attached ropes to the piles and pulled them up with windlasses or broke them off, or else they dived down and sawed them off. Meanwhile the Syracusans kept hurling missiles at them from the dockyards, and they returned the fire from the merchant-ship; and finally the Athenians destroyed most of the piles. But the most troublesome part of the stockade was that which was out of sight;

[7] for there were some of the piles which they had driven down so that they did not project above the surface of the water, and consequently it was dangerous to approach the stockade, for any one if he did not look out might impale his ship as on a sunken rock. But these also were disposed of by divers, who dived down and sawed them off for pay. But nevertheless the Syracusans drove their piles down again.

[8] And they contrived many other devices against one another, as might be expected when the two armies were in hostile array so near to each other;

[9] and they resorted to skirmishing and to stratagems of every sort.
  The Syracusans also sent to the Sicilian cities Corinthian, Ambraciot and Lacedaemonian envoys, to report the capture of Plemmyrium and to explain in regard to the sea-fight that they had been defeated, not so much by the strength of the enemy, as by their own confusion; and in general they were to declare that they were full of hope and to beg the cities to give them aid against the enemy with both ships and land-forces, seeing that the Athenians on their part were expecting another army, and, if the Syracusans could forestall them by destroying the present army before the new one came, the war would be at an end. The forces in Sicily were thus occupied.

[1] After this, the Syracusans sent out twelve ships, with Agatharchus, a Syracusan, on board of them as commander One of these went to the Peloponnese, carrying ambassadors, both to tell of their own affairs, "of the hopes they were fill of, and to excite them to the still more vigorous prosecution of the war in those parts. The other eleven ships sailed to Italy, hearing that some vessels laden with treasure were on their way to the Athenians.

[2] Having fallen in with these vessels, they destroyed most of their contents, and burnt a quantity of timber in the Caulonian territory, which had been got ready for the Athenians.

[3] After this they came to Locri, and while lying at anchor there, one of the merchantmen from the Peloponnese put in to shore, carrying a heavy-armed band of Thespians. Having taken these on board their ships, the Syracusans coasted on homewards.

[4] The Athenians, with their twenty vessels at Megara, being on the look-out for them, took one ship with its crew; the rest they could not overtake, but they escaped from them to Syracuse.

[5] There was also some skirmishing in the harbour about the piles which the Syracusans had driven in the sea in front of the old docks, in order that their ships might he at anchor within them, and the Athenians might not sail against them, and injure them by their charge. For the Athenians having brought up to them a ship of ten thousand talents burden, carrying wooden towers and screens, from their boats fastened ropes round the piles, and raised them with windlasses, and tore them up, or, diving down, sawed them in two.

[6] The Syracusans plied their missiles on them from the docks, and the men on the ship of burden discharged theirs in return; and at last the Athenians removed the greater part of the piles. But the most dangerous part of the stockade was that out of sight:

[7] for there were some of the piles which they drove that did not rise above the surface of the sea, so that it was dangerous to approach, lest any one, through not seeing them beforehand, might strike his ship on them, as on a sunken rock. But even in the case of these divers went down and sawed them off for a reward; but the Syracusans made, notwithstanding, a fresh stockade.

[8] Many other also were the contrivances which they employed against one another, as was natural with the armaments lying near, and opposed to, each other; and they were engaged in skirmishes, and attempts of every kind.

[9] The Syracusans also sent to the cities embassies composed of Corinthians, Ambraciots, and Lacedaemonians, with tidings of the capture of Plemyriunm, and to state, with regard to the sea-fight, that it was not so much by the power of the enemy as by their own confusion that they had been beaten; while, in other respects, they were to inform them that they were in good hope, and to call upon them to come to their aid, both with ships and troops; as the Athenians also were expected with a fresh force, and if they could but destroy their present armament before it came, there would be an end to the war. The parties in Sicily, then, were thus engaged.

[1] Postea vero Syracusani naves duodecim cum Aga-tharclio Syracusano, earum praefecto, miserunt. Atque harum una quidem in Peloponnesum ivit, legatos vehens, qui rerum suarum statum, et spes de eo conceptas declararent, et ad bellum illic acrius administrandum incitarent; cetere vero undecim naves Italiam versus navigarunt, quod audiebant, navigia pecunia onusta ad Athenienses cursum tenere.

[2] Atque et haec navigia deprehenderunt eorumque pleraque corruperunt, et materiam ad aedificandas naves idoneam, quae Atheniensibus erat praeparata, in Cauloniatide concre-maront.

[3] Et ad Locros postea iverunt, et quum illic in statione essent, una oneraria navis ex Peloponneso, The* epiensium gravis armaturae milites vehens, illuc appulit;

[4] quibus Syracusani in suas naves receptis, domum redi* bant. Sed Athenienses, quum eos cum viginti navibus ad Megara observassent, unam quidem illorum navem cum ipsis viris interceperunt, ceteras vero capere non potuerunt, sed Syracusas elapsae sunt.

[5] Accidit autem etiam de vallis in portu leve certamen, quos Syracusani ante vetera navalia in mari defixerant, ul ipsorum naves intra bos stationem haberent, ulque Athe nienses, si contra navigarent, nocere non possent, quum in ipsos impressionem facerent.

[6] Athenienses enim, quum ad hos vallos admovissent ingentem navem, quae decem millia urnarum ferre poterat, et ligneas turres habebat, et pluteis munita erat, naviculis conscensis circumagebant liinc | vallos sucula religatos et evellebant, et urinantes eos serra I secabant. Syracusani vero ex navalibus illos missilibus petebant , illi vero vicissim ex oneraria navi tela jaciebant, et ad extremum Athenienses magnam vallorum partem evulserunt.

[7] Sed omnium vallorum illi, qui occulti erant, maximum negotium facessebant; nam nonnullos supra aquam non eminentes defixerant, ut periculosum esset accedere, nequis, re non praevisa, navem ut in scopulum impingeret. Sed hos quoque vallos urinatores mercede conducti aquam subeuntes, serra secabant. Syracusani tamen alios vallos rursus defixerunt.

[8] Mullas etiam alias nocendi rationes alteri adversus alteros excogitabant, ut inter vicinos exercitus et castra opposita habentes fieri consentaneum est, et levia proelia committebant, et nihil intentatum relinquebant.

[9] Praeterea Syracusani legatos ex Corinthiis et Ampraciotis et Lacedaemoniis delectos in Siciliae civitates miserunt, ut nundarent et Plemyrium captum, et de navali pugna, non tam hostium viribus, quam sua confusione se In ea superatos esse, et ut de ceteris etiam rebus declararent, se spem habere, eosque permoverent, ut conjunctis viribus ad se classe pariter ac peditatu auxilio adessent, quod et Athenienses cum aliis copiis exspectarentur, et si ipsi antea praesentem illorum exercitum profligarent, debellatum fore. Atque illi quidem, qui erant in Sidlia, haec agebant.

Dopo questi fatti i Siracusani spediscono dodici triremi sotto il comando di Agatarco siracusano. Una di esse andava nel Peloponneso conducendo ambasciatori che doveano dar conto come le cose loro piegavano a buona speranza, e sollecitare che con più calore si facesse la guerra ad Atene. Le altre undici, sentito che per gli Ateniesi erano in corso de’ navigli carichi di roba, si indirizzarono alla volta d’Italia; ed incontrati quei navigli ne rovinarono la maggior parte, e quindi nella campagna di Caulonia abbruciarono il legname da costruzione che era in pronto per i nemici. Dipoi passarono ai Locrii ; e mentre erano alla rada vi approdò una nave oneraria recando dal Peloponneso i soldati gravi dei Tespiesi, che dai Siracusani furono fatti salire sulle triremi, e marina marina tornavano a casa. Gli Ateniesi che presso Megara stavano in osservazione con venti navi , si impadroniscono d’una di queste triremi nemiche e della gente che vi era sopra; ma non poteron prender le altre che scapparono a Siracusa. Colà successe un leggero combattimento nel porto per conto delle palizzate che i Siracusani aveano ficcate nel mare dinanzi agli antichi arsenali, acciocché dentro a qUèlle le navi loro avessero stazione , e gli Ateniesi, qualora navigassero contro queste f non potessero assalendole danneggiarle. La cosa pertanto andò cosi. Gli Ateniesi accostarono a quelle palizzate una grossissima nave fornita di torri di legno e di castelli ; e di sulle chiatte allacciavano i pali e con gli argani li tiravano e li troncavano, e notando sott’acqua li segavano. I Siracusani dagli arsenali «cagliavano dardi, e quelli della nave facevano altrettanto ; e finalmente gli Ateniesi tolsero la maggior parte dei pali. Il più difficile era il levar quelli della palizzata coperta dall’ acqua , poiché aveano ficcato alcuni pali che non «porgevano sopra il mare; e l' inoltrarsi (non potendo vederli innanzi ) portava pericolo di urtarvi colla nave come in uno scoglio : ma alcuni palombari presi a soldo entravano sotto e segavano anche questi. Nonostante i Siracusani ve li ficcarono di nuovo. E di più (come era da aspettarsi tra due eserciti vicini e schierati di fronte) molti nuovi artifizi inventavano gli uni contro gli altri, e facevano scaramucce ed ogni maniera di tentativi. I Siracusani poi spedirono alle città di Sicilia un’ambasceria di Corintii, Ambracioti e Lacedemoni annunziando la presa di Plemmirio , e la battaglia navale'; circa la quale dicessero che non tanto erano stati vinti per forza de'nemici, quanto pel proprio disordine ; e dichiarassero che quanto al rimanente aveano buone speranze : e le pregassero a voler recar loro soccorso con navi e genti da piè, attesoché vi si aspettasse un altro esercito ateniese, l’arrivo del quale se si potesse prevenire con la disfatta di quello che attualmente vi era , sarebbe finita la guerra. Tale era lo stato delle soldatesche di Sicilia.