Lysander   

Athenians sailing back, he would not let the seamen go out of the
ships before two or three, which he had sent to espy, were returned,
after seeing the enemies disembark. And thus they did the next day,
and the third, and so to the fourth. So that the Athenians grew extremely
confident, and disdained their enemies as if they had been afraid
and daunted. At this time, Alcibiades, who was in his castle in the
Chersonese, came on horseback to the Athenian army, and found fault
with their captains, first of all that they had pitched their camp
neither well nor safely on an exposed and open beach, a very bad landing
for the ships, and secondly, that where they were they had to fetch
all they wanted from Sestos, some considerable way off; whereas if
they sailed round a little way to the town and harbour of Sestos,
they would be at a safer distance from an enemy, who lay watching
their movements, at the command of a single general, terror of whom
made every order rapidly executed. This advice, however, they would
not listen to; and Tydeus answered disdainfully, that not he, but
others, were in office now. So Alcibiades, who even suspected there
must be treachery, departed.
But on the fifth day, the Athenians having sailed towards them, and
gone back again as they were used to do, very proudly and full of
contempt, Lysander sending some ships, as usual, to look out, commanded
the masters of them that when they saw the Athenians go to land, they
should row back again with all their speed, and that when they were
about half-way across, they should lift up a brazen shield from the
fore-deck, as the sign of battle. And he himself sailing round, encouraged
the pilots and masters of the ships, and exhorted them to keep all
their men to their places, seamen and soldiers alike, and as soon
as ever the sign should be given, to row boldly to their enemies.
Accordingly, when the shield had been lifted up from the ships, and
the trumpet from the admiral's vessel had sounded for the battle,
the ships rowed up, and the foot soldiers strove to get along by the
shore to the promontory. The distance there between the two continents
is fifteen furlongs, which, by zeal and eagerness of the rowers, was
quickly traversed. Conon, one of the Athenian commanders, was the
first who saw from the land the fleet advancing, and shouted out to
embark, and in the greatest distress bade some and entreated others,
and some he forced to man the ships. But all his diligence signified
nothing, because the men were scattered about; for as soon as they
came out of the ships, expecting no such matter, some went to market,
others walked about the country, or went to sleep in their tents,
or got their dinners ready, being, through their commanders' want
of skill, as far as possible from any thought of what was to happen;
and the enemy now coming up with shouts and noise, Conon, with eight
ships, sailed out, and making his escape, passed from thence to Cyprus,
to Evagoras. The Peloponnesians falling upon the rest, some they took
quite empty, and some they destroyed while they were filling; the
men, meantime coming unarmed and scattered to help, died at their
ships, or, flying by land, were slain, their enemies disembarking
and pursuing them. Lysander took three thousand prisoners, with the
generals, and the whole fleet, excepting the sacred ship Paralus,
and those which fled with Conon. So taking their ships in tow, and
having plundered their tents, with pipe and songs of victory, he sailed
back to Lampsacus, having accomplished a great work with small pains,
and having finished in one hour a war which had been protracted in
its continuance, and diversified in its incidents and in its fortunes,
to a degree exceeding belief, compared with all before it. After altering
its shape and character a thousand times, and after having been the
destruction of more commanders than all the previous wars of Greece
put together, it was now put an end to by the good counsel and ready
conduct of one man.
Some, therefore, looked upon the result as a divine intervention,
and there were certain who affirmed that the stars of Castor and Pollux
were seen on each side of Lysander's ship, when he first set sail
from the haven toward his enemies, shining about the helm; and some