History of The Peloponnesian War - Book VII   

The Seventh Book.

CHAPTER XXI.

Eighteenth and Nineteenth Years of the War -
Arrival of Gylippus at Syracuse - Fortification
of Decelea - Successes of the Syracusans

AFTER refitting their ships, Gylippus and Pythen coasted along
from Tarentum to Epizephyrian Locris. They now received the more
correct information that Syracuse was not yet completely invested, but
that it was still possible for an army arriving at Epipolae to
effect an entrance; and they consulted, accordingly, whether they
should keep Sicily on their right and risk sailing in by sea, or,
leaving it on their left, should first sail to Himera and, taking with
them the Himeraeans and any others that might agree to join them, go
to Syracuse by land. Finally they determined to sail for Himera,
especially as the four Athenian ships which Nicias had at length
sent off, on hearing that they were at Locris, had not yet arrived
at Rhegium. Accordingly, before these reached their post, the
Peloponnesians crossed the strait and, after touching at Rhegium and
Messina, came to Himera. Arrived there, they persuaded the
Himeraeans to join in the war, and not only to go with them themselves
but to provide arms for the seamen from their vessels which they had
drawn ashore at Himera; and they sent and appointed a place for the
Selinuntines to meet them with all their forces. A few troops were
also promised by the Geloans and some of the Sicels, who were now
ready to join them with much greater alacrity, owing to the recent
death of Archonidas, a powerful Sicel king in that neighbourhood and
friendly to Athens, and owing also to the vigour shown by Gylippus
in coming from Lacedaemon. Gylippus now took with him about seven
hundred of his sailors and marines, that number only having arms, a
thousand heavy infantry and light troops from Himera with a body of
a hundred horse, some light troops and cavalry from Selinus, a few
Geloans, and Sicels numbering a thousand in all, and set out on his
march for Syracuse.
Meanwhile the Corinthian fleet from Leucas made all haste to arrive;
and one of their commanders, Gongylus, starting last with a single
ship, was the first to reach Syracuse, a little before Gylippus.
Gongylus found the Syracusans on the point of holding an assembly to
consider whether they should put an end to the war. This he prevented,
and reassured them by telling them that more vessels were still to
arrive, and that Gylippus, son of Cleandridas, had been dispatched
by the Lacedaemonians to take the command. Upon this the Syracusans
took courage, and immediately marched out with all their forces to
meet Gylippus, who they found was now close at hand. Meanwhile
Gylippus, after taking Ietae, a fort of the Sicels, on his way, formed
his army in order of battle, and so arrived at Epipolae, and ascending
by Euryelus, as the Athenians had done at first, now advanced with the
Syracusans against the Athenian lines. His arrival chanced at a
critical moment. The Athenians had already finished a double wall of
six or seven furlongs to the great harbour, with the exception of a
small portion next the sea, which they were still engaged upon; and in
the remainder of the circle towards Trogilus on the other sea,
stones had been laid ready for building for the greater part of the
distance, and some points had been left half finished, while others
were entirely completed. The danger of Syracuse had indeed been great.

Meanwhile the Athenians, recovering from the confusion into which
they had been first thrown by the sudden approach of Gylippus and
the Syracusans, formed in order of battle. Gylippus halted at a
short distance off and sent on a herald to tell them that, if they
would evacuate Sicily with bag and baggage within five days' time,
he was willing to make a truce accordingly. The Athenians treated this