Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/317

58, 59l CLOSING OF THE HARBOUR 309 the Tyrrhenian Gulf the Himeraeans, the only Hellenic people in those parts, were also their only allies. These were the Hellenic peoples in Sicily who fought on the side of the Syracusans ; they were Dorians and independent. As for Barbarians, they had only such of the Sicels as had not gone over to the Athenians. Of Hellenes who were not inhabitants of Sicily, the Lacedaemonians provided a Spartan («) inhabitants of general ; the Lacedaemonian forces ■'^^'^^s Proper. were all Neodamodes and Helots. (The meaning of the word Neodamode is freedman,) The Corinthians were the only power which furnished both sea and land forces. Their Leucadian and Ambraciot kinsmen accompanied them ; from Arcadia came mercenaries sent by Corinth ; there were also Sicyonians who served under compulsion**; and of the peoples beyond the Peloponnese, some Boeot- ians.- This external aid however was small compared with the numerous troops of all kinds which the Sicilian Greeks themselves supplied ; for they dwelt in great cities, and had mustered many ships and horses and hoplites, besides a vast multitude of other troops. And again, the proportion furnished by the Syracusans themselves was greater than that of all the rest put together ; their city was the largest, and they were in the greatest danger. Such were the allies who were assembled on both sides. 59 At that time they were all on the spot, ^, •' ilicsc were all. and nothmg whatever came afterwards to either army. The Syracusans and the allies naturally thought that the struggle would be brought to a The Syracusans bcgm glorious end if, after having defeated to dose the harbour. the Athenian fleet, they took captive the whole of their great armament, and did not allow them to escape either by sea or land. So they at once began to close the mouth of the Great Harbour, which was about a mile wide, by ■^ Cp. V. 81 mod. ; vi. ig fin.