Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/271

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ARRIVAL OF GONGYLUS 263 friendly to the Athenians, had recently died, and because Gylippus seemed to have come from Lacedaemon with hearty good-will. And so, taking with him about seven hundred of his own sailors and marines for whom he had obtained arms, about a thousand Himeraean infantry, heavy and light-armed included, and a hundred Himeraean horsemen, some light-armed troops and cavalry from Selinus, a few more from Gela, and of the Sicels about a thousand in all, Gylippus marched towards Syracuse. In the meantime the Corinthian ships^ had put to sea 2 from Leucas and were coming with all „, _ ° The SyracHsans are speed to the relief of the besieged, a'out to make terms Gongylus, one of the Corinthian com- when Go>igylus sails in j' 1 I I J 1 i • "1 «»£/ eiicoit raises thcin manders, who started last m a smgle .,, „ ■^ ... '_ '-' ivith the news that ship, arrived at Syracuse before the Gylippus is at hand. rest of the fleet, and a little before They go out to meet Gylippus. He found the citizens on the point of holding an assembly at which the question of peace was to be discussed ; from this intention he dis- suaded them by the encouraging announcement that more ships, and Gylippus the son of Cleandridas, whom the Lacedaemonians had sent to take the command, were on their way. Whereupon the Syracusans were reassured, and at once went forth with their whole army to meet Gylippus, who, as they were informed, was now close at hand. He had shortly before captured the Sicel fort Geta on his march, and drawing up his men in readiness to fight, came to Epipolae, which he ascended by the Euryelus ; where the Athenians had found a way before him K Having formed a junction with the Syracusans, he marched against the Athenian lines. He arrived just at the time when the Athenians had all but finished their double wall «, nearly a mile long, reaching to the Great Harbour ; there re- mained only a small portion toward the sea, upon which they were still at work. Along the remainder of the line

  • Cp. vi. 93 med., 104 mcd. ^ Cp. vi. 97 med. <^ Cp. vi. 103 init.

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