Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 7.4

[1] After this, the Syracusians and their confederates began a wall through Epipolae, from the city towards the single cross wall upwards, that the Athenians, unless they could hinder it, might be excluded from bringing their own wall any further on.

[2] And the Athenians by this time, having made an end of their wall to the sea, were come up again; and Gylippus (for some part of the wall was but weak), rising with his army by night, went to assault it.

[3] But the Athenians, also knowing it (for they lodged all night without the wall), went presently to relieve it; which Gylippus perceiving, again retired. And the Athenians, when they had built it higher, kept the watch in this part themselves, and divided the rest of the wall to the charge of their confederates. Also it seemed good to Nicias to fortify the place called Plemmyrium.

[4] It is a promontory over against the city, which, shooting into the entrance of the great haven, straiteneth the mouth of the same; which fortified, he thought would facilitate the bringing in of necessaries to the army. For by this means, their galleys might ride nearer to the haven of the Syracusians, and not upon every motion of the navy of the enemies to be to come out against them, as they were before, from the bottom of the [great] haven. And he had his mind set chiefly now upon the war by sea, seeing his hopes by land diminished since the arrival of Gylippus.

[5] Having therefore drawn his army and galleys to that place, he built about it three fortifications, wherein he placed his baggage, and where now also lay at road both his great vessels of carriage and the nimblest of his galleys.

[6] Hereupon principally ensued the first occasion of the great loss of his sea soldiers. For having but little water, and that far to fetch, and his mariners going out also to fetch in wood, they were continually intercepted by the Syracusian horsemen, that were masters of the field. For the third part of the Syracusian cavalry were quartered in a little town called Olympieium to keep those in Plemmyrium from going abroad to spoil the country.

[7] Nicias was advertised moreover of the coming of the rest of the Corinthian galleys, and sent out a guard of twenty galleys with order to wait for them about Locri and Rhegium and the passage there into Sicily.

[1] After this the Syracusans and their allies began to carry a single wall, starting from the city, in a slanting direction up Epipolae, in order that the Athenians, unless they could hinder the work, might be no longer able to invest them.

[2] Meanwhile the Athenians, having now finished their wall down to the sea, had come up to the heights; and part of their wall being weak, Gylippus drew out his army by night and attacked it.

[3] However, the Athenians who happened to be bivouacking outside took the alarm and came out to meet him, upon seeing which he quickly led his men back again. The Athenians now built their wall higher, and in future kept guard at this point themselves, disposing their confederates along the remainder of the works, at the stations assigned to them.

[4] Nicias also determined to fortify Plemmyrium, a promontory over against the city, which juts out and narrows the mouth of the great harbor. He thought that the fortification of this place would make it easier to bring in supplies, as they would be able to carry on their blockade from a less distance, near to the port occupied by the Syracusans; instead of being obliged, upon every movement of the enemy's navy, to put out against them from the bottom of the great harbor. Besides this, he now began to pay more attention to the war by sea, seeing that the coming of Gylippus had diminished their hopes by land.

[5] Accordingly, he conveyed over his ships and some troops, and built three forts in which he placed most of his baggage, and moored there for the future the larger craft and men-of-war.

[6] This was the first and chief occasion of the losses which the crews experienced. The water which they used was scarce and had to be fetched from far, and the sailors could not go out for firewood without being cut off by the Syracusan horse, who were masters of the country; a third of the enemy's cavalry being stationed at the little town of Olympieum, to prevent plundering incursions on the part of the Athenians at Plemmyrium.

[7] Meanwhile Nicias learned that the rest of the Corinthian fleet was approaching, and sent twenty ships to watch for them, with orders to be on the look-out for them about Locris and Rhegium and the approach to Sicily .

Danach bauten die Syrakusaner und ihre Bundesgenossen
eine einfache Mauer, von der Stadt angefangen landeinwärts durch
Epipolä durch bis an die Quermauer, damit eS den Athenern, sofern
sie das nicht hindern könnten, unmöglich würde, sie ganz mit ihrer
Mauer einzuschließen. Auch die Athener rückten mit ihrem Bau
schon landeinwärts, denn sie hatten die Mauer am Meer bereits
vollendet. Eine Stelle der athenischen Mauer war aber schwach,
und so bot Gylippos in einer Nacht sein Heer auf und rückte gegen
diesen Punkt heran. Wie das aber die Athener merkten, denn sie
hatten sich zufällig die Nacht über außerhalb gelagert, so marschirten
sie ihm entgegen, und da jener dieß sah, so führte er die Seinigen
rasch wieder ab. An dieser Stelle nun bauten die Athener ihre
Mauer noch höher und hielten daselbst Wache, und auch ihren
Bundesgenossen wiesen sie an der übrigen Mauer die Stelle an, wo ein
Jeder Wache halten sollte. ^{1 2}
Dem Nikias aber schien es gut, das sogenannte Plemmyrion
zu befestigen. Es ist dieß ein Vorgebirg, der Stadt grade gegenüber,
springt über den großen Hasen vor und verengt dessen Einfahrt.
Wenn dasselbe befestigt würde, so schien es ihm, werde die nöthige
Zufuhr leichter vor sich gehen, denn so würden seine Schiffe in
größerer Nähe beim Hafen der Syrakusaner ankern, und wenn diese
etwas mit ihrer Flotte unternehmen sollten, so dürfte er nicht erst
aus dem entfernten Winkel des Hafens sein Ansegeln gegen sie in's
Werk fetzen. Und überhaupt dachte er sich jetzt mehr an den
Seekrieg zu halten, da er sah, daß seit des Gylippos Ankunft der Krieg
zu Lande wenig mehr versprach. So brachte er also sein Heer und
die Schifft hinüber und erbaute drei Kastelle, in denen dann auch
das Meiste von Geräthschaften aufbewahrt lag, und auch die großen
Schiffe gingen dort vor Anker und die Schnellsegler, weßhalb denn
auch, wohl schon von jetzt an, die Schiffsmannschaft in eine schlimme
Lage kam, denn es war nur wenig Wasser da und weither zu holen,
und auch wenn die Schiffsleute zum Holzsammeln ausgingen, wurden
sie von den Syrakusanischen Reitern, welche die Gegend beherrshcten,
niedergemacht. Die Syrakufier hatten nämlich den dritten Theil
ihrer Reiterei derer in Plemmyrion wegen bei dem Städtchen am
Olympieion aufgestellt. Nun erfuhr Nikias, daß auch die übrigen
Schiffe der Korinther im Ansegeln seien, und schickte, ihnen
aufzupassen, zwanzig von seinen Schiffen ab, denen befohlen wurde, in
der Gegend von Lokri und Rhegium und an den fikelischen
Landungspunkten auf der Lauer zu liegen.

IV. Les Syracusains et leurs alliés construisirent ensuite, à travers Épipolæ, un mur simple ¹ qui partait de la ville et se dirigeait transversalement vers les hauteurs ² : par là, l’ennemi, s’il ne pouvait empêcher cette construction, se trouvait dans l’impossibilité de fermer sa ligne de blocus. Déjà les Athéniens, après avoir terminé le mur au bord de la mer ³ , avaient atteint les hauteurs ⁴ : Gylippos, sachant qu’il se trouvait sur ce point une partie faible, y monta la nuit avec son armée pour attaquer la muraille. Mais les Athéniens, qui bivouaquaient en dehors, s’en aperçurent et allèrent à lui. Gylippe, dès qu’il se vit découvert, retira ses troupes à la hâte. Les Athéniens donnèrent à ce mur plus d’élévation, se chargèrent eux-mêmes de le garder ⁵ et distribuèrent les alliés dans le reste du re- ^{6 7 8 9 10} tranchement, pour en défendre chacun une partie déterminée.

Nicias jugea à propos de fortifier le lieu nommé Plemmyrion ¹¹ : c’est un promontoire qui s’avance dans le grand port, sur la côte opposée à la ville, et rétrécit la passe. Il pensait, en le fortifiant, rendre l’arrivage des vivres plus facile ¹² , parce que sa flotte, stationnant plus près du port des Syracusains ¹³ , n’aurait plus, comme par le passé, à accourir du fond du grand port pour proléger l’arrivée des convois, si les vaisseaux ennemis faisaient quelque mouvement. Le côté maritime de la guerre le préoccupait dès lors davantage, parce qu’il voyait que, par terre, l’arrivée de Gylippos laissait moins d’espoir. Il y fit donc passer un corps de troupes et les vaisseaux, éleva trois forts, et y déposa la plus grande partie du matériel. C’est là que stationnèrent désormais les grands bâtiments de charge et les vaisseaux légers. C’est de ce moment aussi que commencèrent pour les équipages les privations et les souffrances : l’eau était rare et éloignée; et, lorsque les matelots sortaient pour aller faire du bois, ils étaient massacrés parles cavaliers syracusains qui tenaient la campagne : car, par suite de l’occupation de Plemmyrion, le tiers de la cavalerie syracusaine avait pris ses quartiers au bourg d’Olympiéon, pour s’opposer à leurs incursions. Nicias, informé d’un autre côté que le reste de la flotte corinthienne approchait. ^{14 15 16} envoya en observation vingt vaisseaux, avec ordre de la surveiller dans les parages de Locres, de Rhégium et aux abords de la Sicile.

Là-dessus les Syracusains et leurs alliés commencèrent à. construire, vers le haut et en travers des Épipoles, un mur simple qui partait de la ville et croisait la contre-approche ¹ . Ils voulaient que les Athéniens, s’ils ne voulaient empêcher cette construction, fussent dans l’impossibilité d’achever l’investissement. Les Athéniens étaient déjà remontés sur la hauteur, après avoir terminé le mur aboutissant à la mer ² . Gylippe, qui avait remarqué un point faible dans cet ouvrage, fit, pendant la nuit, prendre les armes à ses troupes, et s’avança pour l’attaquer; mais sa tentative fut déjouée par les Athéniens, qui se trouvaient bivaquer en dehors de leurs lignes. Gylippe, se voyant découvert, battit promptement en retraite. Les Athéniens donnèrent plus d’élévation à leur muraille, et se réservèrent ce poste à garder. Déjà ils avaient assigné à leurs alliés la place que chacun d’eux devait défendre sur tout le reste du retranchement.

Nicias résolut de fortifier le Plemmyrion. C’est un promontoire qui fait face à la ville et dont la saillie rétrécit l’entrée du grand port. En occupant cette position, il avait en vue de faciliter l’arrivage des subsistances, et pensait que les Athéniens seraient plus à portée de surveiller l’arsenal des Syracusains, au lieu d’avoir à partir du grand port au moindre mouvement de la marine ennemie. Nicias attachait plus d’importance aux opérations navales depuis que l’arrivée de Gylippe avait diminué ses espérances du côté de la terre. Ayant donc fait passer au Plemmyrion des troupes et les vaisseaux, il y éleva trois forts, où il déposa la plus grande partie du matériel, et près desquels stationnèrent dès lors les bâtiments de charge, ainsi que les vaisseaux légers. A dater de cette époque, les équipages eurent considérablement à souffrir. L’eau était rare et éloignée ; et quand les matelots sortaient pour faire du bois, ils étaient maltraités par les cavaliers ennemis, qui tenaient la campagne. Depuis l’occupation du Plemmyrion, les Syracusains avaient posté au bourg de l’Olympéion le tiers de leur cavalerie, afin d’empêcher les déprédations. Informé que le gros de la flotte corinthienne approchait, Nicias détacha vingt vaisseaux pour la tenir en respect, avec ordre de stationner aux environs de Locres, de Rhégion, et aux abords de la Sicile.

[1] After this the Syracusans and their allies proceeded to build a single wall running upwards from the city across Epipolae at an angle with the Athenian wall, in order that the Athenians, if they could not prevent its completion, might no longer be able to wall them off.

[2] By this time the Athenians had finished their wall next to the sea and had come up to the high ground; and Gylippus, since a certain part of the Athenian wall was weak, took his army by night and advanced against this.

[3] But the Athenians, who happened to be bivouacking outside the walls, perceived this movement and advanced against him; and he, on observing this, quickly led his men back again. The Athenians accordingly built this part of the wall higher and kept guard there themselves;

[4] but their allies they now disposed along the rest of the wall, at the points where they were each to keep guard.
  Nicias determined also to fortify the place called Plemmyrium, a headland opposite the city, which juts out in front of the Great Harbour and makes its entrance narrow. If this were fortified, it seemed to him that the bringing in of supplies would be an easier matter; for the Athenians could keep watch upon the harbour of the Syracusans at nearer range, and would not, as now, be obliged to put out against the enemy from the inner bay of the Great Harbour, should they show any activity with their fleet. And in general from now on he gave his attention more to naval warfare, seeing that matters on land were less hopeful for themselves, now that Gylippus had come.

[5] Accordingly, taking over his ships and some troops he built three forts, in which most of the stores were deposited; and the large boats and the ships of war were now moored there.

[6] And it was especially in consequence of this that the condition of the crews then first began to decline. For their water supply was scanty and not near at hand, and at the same time, whenever the sailors went out to fetch firewood they suffered heavily at the hands of the Syracusan horsemen, who overran the country. For the Syracusans had posted a third part of their cavalry at the hamlet near the Olympieum on account of the troops at Plemmyrium, that these might not go out and commit depredations.

[7] Meanwhile Nicias, learning that the rest of the Corinthian ships were sailing up, sent twenty vessels to watch for them, with orders to waylay them in the neighbourhood of Locri, Rhegium, or the approach to Sicily.

[1] After this, the Syracusans and their allies, commencing at the city, began to build upwards along Epipolae a single wall in a cross direction, that the Athenians, if they could not stop their progress, might no longer be able to invest them.

[2] The Athenians had by this time gone up to the heights, after completing their wall down to the sea; and there being one weak part in the Athenian wall, Gylippus took his forces by night and made an attack upon it. When the Athenians were aware of his approach, (for they happened to be bivouacking outside,) they advanced to meet him;

[3] on observing which, he led back the troops on his side as quickly as he could. The Athenians having then raised it higher, themselves kept guard at this point, and now disposed the other allies along the rest of the works as they were severally to man them.

[4] Nicias determined also to fortify what is called Plemyrium, a headland opposite the city, which runs out beyond the great harbour, and narrows its mouth. If this were fortified, he thought that the introduction of provisions would be more easily effected; as they would carry on their blockade from a less distance, near ¹ the port occupied by the Syracusans, and would not, as now, put out against them from the bottom of the great harbour, in case of their stirring at all with their fleet. And he now paid more attention to the maritime operations of the war, seeing that their affairs by land were more hopeless since the arrival of Gylippus.

[5] Having, therefore, crossed over with a body of troops and his ships, he completed the building of three forts; in which were deposited the greater part of the stores; the larger boats and the fast-sailing ships being now also moored there. And in consequence of this, it was chiefly at that title that the wasting of the crews first began.

[6] For as they had but a scanty supply of water, and that not close at hand; and, moreover, as the sailors from time to time went out to gather firewood, they were cut off by the Syracusan horse, which had the command of the country. For a third part of their cavalry had been posted by the Syracusans in the small town in the Olympieum, with an eye to the troops on Plemyrium, to prevent their marching out to commit ravages.

[7] Meanwhile Nicias learned that the rest of the Corinthian ships also were sailing to the island, and sent twenty vessels to watch for them, with orders to be on the look-out for them about Locri, Rhegium, and the approaches to Sicily.

[1] Postea vero Syracusani et socii murum exstrueir coeperunt, initio ab urbe facto, eum per Epipolas sursum versus ducentes ad transversum simplicem murum, ui Athenienses, si eos impedire non possent, circumvallandi facultatem non amplius haberent.

[2] Atque jam et Athenienses muro ad mare absoluto in loca superiora ascenderant, et Gylippus (erat enim quaedam illius muri ab Atheniensibus exstrucli pars infirma) noctu copiis assumptis ad illam contendebat.

[3] Athenienses vero (nam extra vallum stationem habebant) quum boc sensissent, obviam ei prodibant; ille vero, quum hoc animadvertisset, celeriter suos reduxit. Athenienses autem boc muro sublimius excitato, ipsi quidem hic excubias agebant, reliquos vero socios in reliquis illius munitionis partibus ubi quique excubias agerent, jam disposuerunt.

[4] Niciae vero videbatur muniendus esse locus, quem Plemyrium vocant; est autem promontorium e regione urbis, quod in magnum portum prominens ejus fauces coarctat, quod si munitum esset, commeatum in castra facilius importatum iri judicabat; breviore enim intervallo se prope Syracusanorum portum stationem habituros, neque, quemadmodum tunc, ex angulo portus subvectiones facturos, si quid illi classe molirentur. Quamobrem animum ad bellum maritimum jam magis appellebat, quod post adventum Gylippi minorem spem de rebus terrestribus sibi concipiendam esse videret.

[5] Copiis igitur et navibus eo traductis tria propugnacula exstruebat; et in his pleraque instrumenta reposita erant, et magna navigia navesque veloces illic in statione jam manebant.

[6] Quamobrem etiam tunc praecipue primum classiariorum militum jactura facta est; nam quum et aqua rara uterentur neque ea e loco propinquo, et simul quoties lignatum nautae prodirent, ab equitatu Syracusanorum, qui terram obtinebat, plerique interlidebantur; tertia enim equitatus pars a Syracusanis ad oppidulum, quod est in Olympieo, collocata erat propter illos, qui erant in Plemyrio, ne ad agrum maleficiis infestandum prodirent.

[7] Praeterea Nicias reliquas etiam Corinthiorum naves adventare audiebat; quare viginti naves custodiae causa misit quibus mandatum erat, ut circa Locros et Khegium et loca, per quae accessus ad Siciliam patebat, illis insidiarentur.

Dopo questi fatti i Siracusani e gli alleati, incominciando dalla città , tiravano su per l’Epipole a riscontro del primo obliquo un altro muro scempio, acciocché gli Ateniesi, se non potessero impedirlo, restassero ornai nell’ impossibilità di serrare aifatto Siracusa. Avevano già gli Ateniesi riguadagnate le alture e compiuto il muro verso il mare, la debolezza del quale in alcuni punti mosse Gilippo a prender l’esercito, e ad andare di notte ad assaltarlo. Ma gli Ateniesi, che per avventura pernottavano al sereno, sentita la cosa gli andarono incontro, e lo Spartano a quella vista ritirò prestamente i suoi. Allora gli Ateniesi aumentata l' altezza del muro, in quella parte lo guardavano da per sè, e sul rimanente della fortificazione assegnarono agli altri alleati il luogo ove ciascuno dovea stare di guardia. E Nicia stabili di munire il cosi detto Plemmirio, che è un rilevato di faccia alla città, e che stendendosi dinanzi al porto grande ne ristrigne l’imboccatura \ munito il quale stimava che più agevolmente si potrebbero trasportare i viveri alle sue navi, perchè là più da vicino minaccerebbero il porto piccolo, di cui erano padroni i Siracusani; e ad una qualche mossa della flotta nemica non avrebbe dovuto condurvele, siccome allora , dal fondo stesso del porto. Senza di che avea già maggiormente l’animo alla guerra per mare, vedendo che dopo l’arrivo di Gilippo poca o nissuna speranza rimaneva per essi nelle cose di terra. Pertanto fatto passare colà l’esercito e le navi, vi fabbricò tre bastite ove si riponevano la maggior parte delle bagaglie ; e le barche grandi e le navi sparvierate d’ora in avanti aveano ivi stazione. E da ciò ebbero principio i gravi malanni delle ciurme, poiché avevano scarsità d’acqua e questa non vicina, e di più quando uscivano a far legna restavano uccisi dalla cavalleria de’ Siracusani padroni della campagna, i quali avevano collocato nel castello d’Olimpico la terza parte dei loro cavalli, perchè quei nemici che erano in Plemmirio non venissero fuori a fate del guasto. Inoltre Nicia sentiva dire che si avanzavan le altre navi de’ Corintii, e però spedi in osservazione venti delle sue, con ordine di stare alle vedette nelle vicinanze dei Locrii e di Reggio, e nei luoghi di facile sbarco in Sicilia.