Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.37

[1] The Syracusians, having devised thus much over and above their former skill and strength, and far more confident now since the former battle by sea, assaulted them both with their army and with their navy at once.

[2] The landmen from the city Gylippus drew sooner out a little and brought them to the wall of the Athenians' camp upon the side toward the city; and from Olympieium, the men of arms, all that were there, and the horsemen and light armed of the Syracusians came up to the wall on the other side. And by and by after, came sailing forth also the galleys of the Syracusians and their confederates.

[3] The Athenians, that thought at first they would have made the attempt only with their landmen, seeing also the galleys on a sudden coming towards them, were in confusion; and some of them put themselves in order upon and before the walls against those that came from the city; and others went out to meet the horsemen and darters that were coming in great numbers and with speed from Olympieium and the parts without; others again went aboard, and withal came to aid those ashore. But when the galleys were manned they put off, being seventy-five in number, and those of Syracuse about eighty.

[1] With these contrivances to suit their skill and ability, and now more confident after the previous sea-fight, the Syracusans attacked by land and sea at once.

[2] The town force Gylippus led out a little the first and brought them up to the wall of the Athenians, where it looked towards the city, while the force from the Olympieum, that is to say, the heavy infantry that were there with the horse and the light troops of the Syracusans, advanced against the wall from the opposite side; the ships of the Syracusans and allies sailing out immediately afterwards.

[3] The Athenians at first fancied that they were to be attacked by land only, and it was not without alarm that they saw the fleet suddenly approaching as well; and while some were forming upon the walls and in front of them against the advancing enemy, and some marching out in haste against the numbers of horse and darters coming from the Olympieum and from outside, others manned the ships or rushed down to the beach to oppose the enemy, and when the ships were manned put out with seventy-five sail against about eighty of the Syracusans.

Solches dachten sich die Syrakusaner nach bester Einsicht
und Vermögen aus; auch war ihnen von dem früheren Seetreffen her
die Zuversicht schon gewachsen, und so griffen sie mit der Landmacht
und den Schiffen zugleich an. Es hatte aber Gylippos die
Landmacht aus der Stadt selbst etwas früher ausrücken lassen und führte
sie gegen die Mauer der Athener, und zwar gegen den Theil derselben,
welcher nach der Stadt hin schaute, während gleichzeitig vom
Olympieion aus was die Syrakusaner dort an Schwerbewaffneten, Reitern
und leichtem Fußvolk hatten, gegen die andere Seite der Mauer
anrückte. Sogleich danach segelten auch die Schiffe der Syrakusaner und
der Bundesgenossen heran. Die Athener nun waren Anfangs der
Meinung, jene wollten nur mit dem Landheer allein einen Versuch
machen, als sie jetzt aber auch Plötzlich die Schiffe heransegeln sahen,
geriethen sie in Verwirrung. Ein Theil von ihnen stellte sich auf und
vor der Mauer gegen die Anrückenden auf, ein anderer marschirte den
vom Olympieion und den Punkten außerhalb der Stadt zahlreich
heraneilenden Reitern und Schützen entgegen, Andere bestiegen die
Schiffe und fuhren zur Hilfeleistung nach der Küste hin. Als alle
Schiffe bemannt waren, fuhren sie, fünf und siebzig an der Zahl, den
Feinden entgegen; die Syrakusaner hatten ihrer ungefähr achtzig'^).

XXXVII. La pensée de ces avantages joints à l’expérience qu’ils pouvaient avoir et à leurs forces, la confiance plus grande qu’ils avaient puisée dans le précédent combat naval, les décidèrent à attaquer simultanément par terre et par mer. Gylippe fit sortir un peu à l’avance les troupes de terre qui étaient dans Syracuse, et les conduisit contre le mur des Athéniens ¹ , du côté qui regarde la ville. En même temps les troupes cantonnées à Olympiéon, hoplites, cavalerie, troupes légères, se portaient contre l’autre côté du mur. Aussitôt après, la flotte des Syracusains et de leurs alliés prit la mer. Au premier abord, les Athéniens crurent ^{2 3} que l’armée de terre donnerait seule; mais lorsqu'ils virent les vaisseaux s’avancer tout à coup, ils furent dans un grand trouble : les uns se mettaient en bataille sur les murs et en avant des retranchements pour repousser l’attaque; d’autres se portaient au-devant des nombreux cavaliers et des gens de trait qui s’avan- çaient précipitamment d’Olympiéon et du dehors; d’autres s’élançaient aux vaisseaux, ou couraient au rivage pour le défendre. Les troupes embarquées, la flotte, composée de soixante-quinze vaisseaux, alla à la rencontre de l’ennemi. Celle des Syracusains en comptait quatre-vingts.

Tels furent les expédients imaginés par les Syracusains pour suppléer à leur inexpérience et à leur faiblesse. Encouragés par le résultat de la précédente action, ils se disposèrent à attaquer simultanément sur terre et sur mer. D’abord Gylippe fit sortir de Syracuse les troupes de terre, et les conduisit contre le mur des Athéniens du côté qui regardait la ville. En même temps, les troupes syracusaines postées à l’Olympéioh, hoplites, cavaliers, soldats armés à la légère, se portèrent contre le revers opposé. Immédiatement après, les vaisseaux des Syracusains et de leurs alliés démarrèrent Au premier moment, les Athéniens ne s’étaient crus menacés que par terre. Quand ils virent des vaisseaux s’approcher, ils furent déconcertés. Les uns se rangèrent sur les murs ou au devant pour les défendre ; d’autres allèrent à la rencontre de la nombreuse cavalerie et des gens de trait qui s’avançaient rapidement de l’Olympéion et de l’extérieur ; d’autres enfin montèrent sur les vaisseaux ou se portèrent vers le rivage. L’embarquement terminé, ils mirent en mer avec soixante-quinze navires ; les Syracusains en avaient quatre-vingts ¹ .

[1] Such were the devices adopted by the Syracusans as appropriate to their own skill and strength, and at the same time they had now gained greater confidence as the result of the former sea-fight;

[2] so they made their preparations to attack simultaneously by land and by sea. And a short time before the fleet left its station Gylippus led out the land-force from the city and brought it up against that part of the Athenians' wall that faced the city; and the troops stationed at the Olympieium —all the hoplites that were there and the cavalry and the light-armed forces of the Syracusans— advanced against the wall from the other side; and immediately after this the ships of the Syracusans and their allies sailed out against the Athenian fleet.

[3] The Athenians, who at first thought that the enemy would make an attempt with his land-forces only, were thrown into confusion when they saw the ships also suddenly bearing down upon them. Some arrayed themselves upon the walls and in front of them to meet their assailants there; others went out to confront the forces that were rapidly advancing from the Olympieium and the country outside, consisting of cavalry in large numbers and javelin-men; and still others began to man the ships or to run down to the beach to give aid. And when the vessels were manned they put out to meet the Syracusans with seventy-five ships; the ships of the Syracusans numbering about eighty.

[1] Having adopted such contrivances to suit their own degree of knowledge and power, and at the same time feeling now more assured in consequence of their former battle, the Syracusans prepared to attack them at once by land and by sea.

[2] Those of their land forces which were in the city Gylippus led out a little before, and brought them up to the wall of the Athenians, at that part of it which looked towards the city; while the troops from the Olympieum, both all the heavy-armed that were there, and the horse and light-armed of the Syracusans, advanced against the wall on the other side; immediately after which, the ships of the Syracusans and their allies sailed out.

[3] The Athenians thought at first that they would make an attempt on the land side alone, but when they saw their fleet also suddenly coming against them, they were thrown into alarm; and some were making preparations on and in front of the walls to meet the attack, while others marched out against those who with all speed were coming from the Olympieum and the parts outside the city—both horse in great numbers and dart-men—and others proceeded to man the ships, and at once ran to the beach to oppose the enemy. And when they were manned, they put out against them with seventy-five vessels, those of the Syracusans being about eighty in number.

[1] Talia quum Syracusani pro ea, quae erat, peritia et potentia excogitassent, et simul etiam ex superiore navali prcelio majorem jam fidentiam concepissent, pedestribus simul et maritimis copiis impetum faciebant.

[2] Et peditatum quidem, qui ex urbe procedebat, Gylippus paulo prius eductum admovit ad Atheniensium munitionem ibi, qua prospectus in urbem patebat; item qui apud Olympieum erant et gravis armaturae milites, qui illic erant, et equites et levis armatura Syracusanorum, ad munitionem ab altera parte accedebant; naves vero postea confestim Syracusanorum sodorumque prodibant.

[3] Atque Athenienses primo quidem eos rati solo peditata conflicturos quum naves quoque subito contra se venientes viderent, perturbabantur, et alii quidem supra munitiones et ante munitiones adversus hostes accedentes consistebant, alii vero adversus equites et jaculatores, qui multi partim ex Olympieo partim ex aliis locis extra sitis magna celeritate veniebant, contra prodibant; alii vero naves instruebant, et simul ad littos occurrebant , et postquam instructae erant, quinque et septuaginta naves educebant; et Syracusanorum erant circiter octoginta.

Con questi nuovi disegni aggiunti alla perizia e forza loro, i Siracusani inanimiti ornai maggiormente dalla passata battaglia andavano ad assalire gli Ateniesi dalla parte di terra , e al tempo stesso colle navi. Gilippo poco prima condusse fuori di città le genti da piè , e le avvicinò al muro degli Ateniesi dalla parte che guardava Siracusa , e i soldati gravi e leggeri ed i cavalli siracusani che erano nell’Olimpico vi si appressarono dall’altra parte.

Dopo questo le navi de’ Siracusani e degli alleati usciron subito fuori ; e gli Ateniesi, i quali in principio credevano che i nemici volessero solo cimentarsi colle genti di terra, vedendo improvvisamente venirsi incontro anche le navi, rimasero perturbati. Ed alcuni si schieravano sulle mura e fuor delle mura a fronte del nemico che si appressava ; altri uscivano ad opporsi ai numerosi cavalli e lanciatori che dall’Olimpico e da altri luoghi al di fuori si avanzavano a gran passi ; altri finalmente armavano le navi ed insieme scendeano in soccorso alla spiaggia. E poiché ebbero armate le navi presero Falto con settantacinque, contro quelle de’ Siracusani che erano ottanta.