Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/242

234 GOOD ADVICE OF IIERMOCRATES [vi battle; for their resolution had not been defeated**; but jJcrmocraies points they had suffered from want of discip- oiii to the SyracHsans line. Yet they had proved less unequal the causes of their de- ^y.^^^ xm^i have been expected ; and feat. They should have ,11 i.i..^i ij /e:verge„eralsnnthmore they should remember that they had poiver, belter disctpliue, been Contending against the most and greater secrecy. experienced soldiers of Hellas; ^'they were unskilled workmen, and tlic Athenians masters in their craft. Another great source of weakness had been the number of generals (there were fifteen of them); the division of authority had produced disorganisation and disorder among the troops. If they had a few experienced generals, and during the winter got their hoplites into order, providing arms for those who had none, and so raising the number of their forces to the utmost, while at the same time they insisted on strict drill and discipline, they would have a good chance of victory ; for they had courage already, and only wanted steadiness in action. Both qualities would improve together; they would learn steadiness in the school of danger, and their natural courage would be reinforced by the confidence which skill inspires. The generals whom they elected should be few in number and should be entrusted with full power, the people taking a solemn oath to them that they would be allowed to command according to their own judgment. The secrets of the army would then be better kept, and everything would be done in a more orderly and straightforward manner. 73 The Syracusans listened to him, and voted all that he , , desired. They chose three generals The Syracusans fol- , , ^ . 1 • 1 r loiv his advice, and send and no morc ; Hermocrates hmiself, envoys to Corinth and Meraclides the son of Lysimachus, and Lacedaemon. Sicanus the son of Execestus. They also sent ambassadors to Corinth and to Lacedaemon » Cp. ii. 87 init. : vi. 11 fin. Rcadinp xf'P0T«'x'°<5- Or reading V(i/>orfxi'as with Bckkcr and the MSb. ; ' themselves were untrained liandicraftsmen.