because of your disasters or because of your present unmerited
sufferings. I myself who am not superior to any of you in strength-
indeed you see how I am in my sickness- and who in the gifts
of fortune am, I think, whether in private life or otherwise, the
equal of any, am now exposed to the same danger as the meanest among
you; and yet my life has been one of much devotion toward the gods,
and of much justice and without offence toward men. I have, therefore,
still a strong hope for the future, and our misfortunes do not terrify
me as much as they might. Indeed we may hope that they will be
lightened: our enemies have had good fortune enough; and if any of the
gods was offended at our expedition, we have been already amply
punished. Others before us have attacked their neighbours and have
done what men will do without suffering more than they could bear; and
we may now justly expect to find the gods more kind, for we have
become fitter objects for their pity than their jealousy. And then
look at yourselves, mark the numbers and efficiency of the heavy
infantry marching in your ranks, and do not give way too much to
despondency, but reflect that you are yourselves at once a city
wherever you sit down, and that there is no other in Sicily that could
easily resist your attack, or expel you when once established. The
safety and order of the march is for yourselves to look to; the one
thought of each man being that the spot on which he may be forced to
fight must be conquered and held as his country and stronghold.
Meanwhile we shall hasten on our way night and day alike, as our
provisions are scanty; and if we can reach some friendly place of
the Sicels, whom fear of the Syracusans still keeps true to us, you
may forthwith consider yourselves safe. A message has been sent on
to them with directions to meet us with supplies of food. To sum up,
be convinced, soldiers, that you must be brave, as there is no place
near for your cowardice to take refuge in, and that if you now
escape from the enemy, you may all see again what your hearts
desire, while those of you who are Athenians will raise up again the
great power of the state, fallen though it be. Men make the city and
not walls or ships without men in them."
As he made this address, Nicias went along the ranks, and brought
back to their place any of the troops that he saw straggling out of
the line; while Demosthenes did as much for his part of the army,
addressing them in words very similar. The army marched in a hollow
square, the division under Nicias leading, and that of Demosthenes
following, the heavy infantry being outside and the baggage-carriers
and the bulk of the army in the middle. When they arrived at the
ford of the river Anapus there they found drawn up a body of the
Syracusans and allies, and routing these, made good their passage
and pushed on, harassed by the charges of the Syracusan horse and by
the missiles of their light troops. On that day they advanced about
four miles and a half, halting for the night upon a certain hill. On
the next they started early and got on about two miles further, and
descended into a place in the plain and there encamped, in order to
procure some eatables from the houses, as the place was inhabited, and
to carry on with them water from thence, as for many furlongs in
front, in the direction in which they were going, it was not
plentiful. The Syracusans meanwhile went on and fortified the pass
in front, where there was a steep hill with a rocky ravine on each
side of it, called the Acraean cliff. The next day the Athenians
advancing found themselves impeded by the missiles and charges of
the horse and darters, both very numerous, of the Syracusans and
allies; and after fighting for a long while, at length retired to
the same camp, where they had no longer provisions as before, it being
impossible to leave their position by reason of the cavalry.
Early next morning they started afresh and forced their way to the
hill, which had been fortified, where they found before them the
enemy's infantry drawn up many shields deep to defend the
fortification, the pass being narrow. The Athenians assaulted the
work, but were greeted by a storm of missiles from the hill, which