Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.83

[1] Where the Syracusians the next day overtook and told him, that those with Demosthenes had yielded themselves, and willed him to do the like. But he, not believing it, took truce for a horseman to enquire the truth.

[2] Upon return of the horseman and word that they had yielded, he sent a herald to Gylippus and the Syracusians, saying that he was content to compound on the part of the Athenians to repay whatsoever money the Syracusians had laid out, so that his army might be suffered to depart, and that till payment of the money were made, he would deliver them hostages, Athenians, every hostage rated as a talent.

[3] But Gylippus and the Syracusians, refusing the condition, charged them, and having hemmed them in, plied them with shot, as they had done the other army, from every side till evening.

[4] This part of the army was also pinched with the want both of victual and other necessaries. Nevertheless, observing the quiet of the night, they were about to march. But no sooner took they their arms up than the Syracusians perceiving it gave the alarm.

[5] Whereupon the Athenians, finding themselves discovered, sat down again, all but three hundred, who breaking by force through the guards, marched as far as they could that night.

[1] The next day the Syracusans overtook him and told him that the troops under Demosthenes had surrendered, and invited him to follow their example. Incredulous of the fact, Nicias asked for a truce to send a horseman to see,

[2] and upon the return of the messenger with the tidings that they had surrendered, sent a herald to Gylippus and the Syracusans, saying that he was ready to agree with them on behalf of the Athenians to repay whatever money the Syracusans had spent upon the war if they would let his army go; and offered until the money was paid to give Athenians as hostages, one for every talent.

[3] The Syracusans and Gylippus rejected this proposition, and attacked this division as they had the other, standing all round and plying them with missiles until the evening.

[4] Food and necessaries were as miserably wanting to the troops of Nicias as they had been to their comrades; nevertheless they watched for the quiet of the night to resume their march. But as they were taking up their arms the Syracusans perceived it and raised their paean,

[5] upon which the Athenians, finding that they were discovered, laid them down again, except about three hundred men who forced their way through the guards and went on during the night as they were able.

Als die Syrakuser ihn am folgenden Tage einholten,
teilten sie ihm mit, daß Demotshenes sich mit dem ganzen
Heere ergeben habe, und forderten ihn auf, das ebenfalls zu
tun. Er wollte das aber nicht glauben und erwirkte sich die
Erlaubnis, erst einen Reiter abzuschicken, um sich davon zu
überzeugen. Als dieser zurückkam und bestätigte, daß das Heer
sich in der Tat ergeben habe, ließ Nikias Gylippos und den
Syrakusern sagen, er sei bereit, ein Abkommen mit ihnen zu
treffen und sich im Namen der Athener zur Erstattung der
den Syrakusern erwahcsenen Kriegskosten zu verpflichten, wenn
man ihm mit dem Heere freien Abzug gewähre. Bis zur
Zahlung des Geldes würde er ihnen Athener als Geiseln stellen,
und zwar je einen auf ein Talent. Gylippos und die Syra­
kuser gingen jedoch auf sein Anerbieten nicht ein, sondern
griffen die Athener an, umringten sie auch hier von allen
Seiten und beschossen sie bis in die Nacht. Beim Mangel
an Lebensmitteln waren die Athener in schlimmer Lage. Gleich­
wohl beschlossen sie, die Stille der Nacht wahrzunehmen und
abzuziehen. Auch nahmen sie wirklich schon die Waffen auf,
als die Syrakuser das merkten und ihren Schlachtgesang an­
stimmten. Da die Athener einsahen, daß die Sache ausgekommeu
war, legten sie die Waffen wieder ab, bis auf etwa dreihundert
Mann, welche sich durch die feindlichen Feldwachen durch-
schlugen und in der Nacht aufs Geratewohl das Weite
suchten.

LXXXIII. Le lendemain les Syracusains l’atteignirent, lui apprirent que les troupes de Démosthènes avaient capitulé, et le sommèrent d’en faire autant. Nicias, se défiant de cette déclaration, convint d’envoyer un cavalier pour s’en assurer. Celui-ci, à son retour, ayant confirmé la nouvelle de la reddition, il fit déclarer par un héraut à Gylippe et aux Syracusains qu’il était prêt à stipuler, au nom des Athéniens, le remboursement de tous les frais de la guerre, à condition qu’on le laisserait partir avec son armée. Comme garantie du payement, il offrait de fournir des otages athéniens, un homme par talent. Les Syracusains et Gylippe n’acceptèrent pas ces propositions; ils fondirent sur les Athéniens, les enveloppèrent de toutes parts, et tirèrent sur eux jusqu’au soir. La division de Nicias n’était pas moins épuisée que l’autre par le manque de blé et de provisions. Cependant elle résolut de profiter du répit de la nuit pour se remettre en route; mais, au moment où on prit les armes, les Syracusains s’en aperçurent et chantèrent le péan. Les Athéniens, voyant qu’ils ne pouvaient tromper la surveillance de l’ennemi, renoncèrent à leur tentative, à l’exception de trois cents hommes seulement qui forcèrent les gardes et s’échappèrent la nuit où ils purent.

Quant à Nicias et à ses compagnons, ils arrivèrent la même jour au fleuve Ërinéos, et allèrent camper sur une hauteur^ Les Syracusains les atteignirent le lendemain, leur dirent que la troupe de Démosthène s’était rendue, et les engagèrent à en faire autant. Nicias, qui ne pouvait les croire, convint d’envoyer un cavalier pour s’assurer du fait. Quand cet émissaire, de retour, eut confirmé le fait, Nicias fit déclarer par un héraut à Gylippe et aux Syracusains qu’il était prêt à traiter avec eux, au nom des Athéniens, pour le remboursement des frais de la guerre, à condition que son armée aurait le loisir de se retirer. Pour garantie du payement, il offrait de livrer des otages athéniens, à raison d’un homme par talent. Les Syracusains et Gylippe s'y refusèrent. Ils assaillirent les Athéniens, les enveloppèrent entièrement, et les accablèrent de traits jusqu’au soir. Les Athéniens étaient exténués par le manque de vivres et de toutes les choses nécessaires ; néanmoins, ils profitèrent du calme de la nuit pour prendre les armes et se mettre en devoir de partir. Les Syracusains s’en aperçurent et entonnèrent le péan. Se voyant découverts, les Athéniens renoncirent à leur tentative, excepté trois cents hommes, qui forcèrent les gardes et s’en allèrent où ils purent pendant la nuit.

[1] The next day ¹ the Syracusans overtook Nicias and told him that the troops under Demosthenes had surrendered, bidding him do likewise; but Nicias was incredulous, and obtained a truce that he might send a horseman and find out.

[2] And when the horseman had gone and brought back word that they had indeed surrendered, Nicias announced by herald to Gylippus and the Syracusans that he was ready to agree, on behalf of the Athenians, to repay to the Syracusans all the money which they had spent upon the war, on condition that they should let his army go; and until the money should be paid, he would give Athenians as hostages, one man for each talent.

[3] Gylippus and the Syracusans, however, would not accept these terms, but renewing the attack and surrounding the Athenian army plied these men also with their missiles until evening.

[4] And they were in a wretched plight through want of food and of all necessaries. Nevertheless they waited for the quiet time of night and intended then to proceed. But no sooner had they taken up their arms than the Syracusans perceived it and raised the paean.

[5] So the Athenians, seeing that their movements were detected, again put down their arms—all except about three hundred men, who forced their way through the guards and proceeded during the night by whatever way they could.

[1] The Syracusans, having overtaken him the next day, told him that Demosthenes and his division had surrendered themselves, and called on him also to do the same. Being incredulous of the fact, he obtained a truce to enable him to send a horseman to see.

[2] When he had gone, and brought word back again that they had surrendered, Nicias sent a herald to Gylippus and the Syracusans, saying that he was ready to agree with the Syracusans, on behalf of the Athenians, to repay whatever money the Syracusans had spent on the war, on condition of their letting his army go; and that until the money was paid, he would give Athenians as hostages, one for every talent.

[3] The Syracusans and Gylippus did not accede to these proposals, but fell upon this division also, and surrounded them on all sides, and annoyed them with their missiles until late in the day.

[4] And they too, like the others, were in a wretched plight for want of food and necessaries. Nevertheless, they watched for the quiet of the night, and then intended to pursue their march. And they were now just taking up their arms, when the Syracusans perceived it and raised their paean.

[5] The Athenians therefore, finding that they had not eluded their observation, laid their arms down again; excepting about three hundred men, who forced their way through the sentinels, and proceeded, during the night, how and where they could.

[1] Postridie vero Syracusani eum adepti dicebant, Demosthenis milites sese dedidisse, et ipsum quoque idem facere jubebant; ille vero, quod his fidem non haberet, inducias facit, ut equitem mitteret, qui rem exploraret.

[2] Quum autem eques reversus renuntiasset illos se dedidisse , per caduceatorejn Gylippo Syracusanisque respondet, se paratum esse ad transigendum pro Atheniensibus, ut quos sumptus in bellum Syracusani fecissent, hos restituerent, ea conditione, ut ipsi suum exercitum dimitterent; donec autem pecunia persolveretur, se daturum obsides viros ex Atheniensibus, singulos pro singulis talentis.

[3] At Syracusani et Gylippus has conditiones non accipiebant, sed impressione in eos facta et undique circumfusi hos etiam ad vesperum usque telis petebant.

[4] Laborabant autem hi quoque graviter ob commeatus et rerum omnium inopiam. Sed tamen observato noctis silentio discedere parabant. Atque arma capiunt; sed simul Syracusani rem sentiunt, et ad arma conclamarunt.

[5] Athenienses vero quum cognovissent, se non latere, arma rursus deposuerunt, exceptis ferme viris trecentis; hi vero per praesidia perrumpentes.noctu vadebant, qua poterant.

Ma il di seguente avendolo i Siracusani raggiunto , gli contarono che le genti di Demostene si erano arrese , ed intimarono anche a lui di far lo stesso. Egli però non prestandovi fede pattuisce una tregua per mandare un cavaliere ad osservar la cosa ; il quale ritornò annunziando che s’erano arresi. Allora Micia fa intendere a Gilippo ed ai Siracusani che era pronto a convenire di rifare ai Siracusani il denaro speso per la guerra, col patto che dovessero lasciare in libertà lui e l’esercito , e di dar loro in ostaggio per ogni talento uno de’più ragguardevoli degli Ateniesi , fino al pagamento del denaro. I Siracusani e Gilippo non ammisero queste proposizioni, anzi assalitili ed attorniatili da ogni lato li dardeggiavano fino a sera ; ed essi, quantunque si trovassero mancanti di frumento e di tutti i viveri, intendevano di partirsi giovandosi del silenzio della notte. Ripigliavano infatti le armi, quando i Siracusani avvistisi di ciò intuonarono il peana : onde conoscendo gli Ateniesi d’essere scoperti posarono nuovamente le armi, salvo trecento persone che , apertosi un passaggio attraverso le sentinelle nemiche, marciarono nella notte per quella via che poterono.