Page:Thucydides, translated into English Vol 2.djvu/321

63-65] SPEECH OF NIC! AS TO HIS MEN 313 to withstand us when our fleet was in its prime, repel your enemies, and show that your skill even amid weakness and disaster is superior to the strength of another in the hour of his success. ' Let me appeal once more to you who are Athenians, 64 and remind you that there are no A>,dyou, Athenians, more ships like these in the dockyards must not forget that the of the Piraeus, and that you have no safety of your friends at CL. c • T home is at stake ; and more young men fit for service. In //,^, (he greatness and any event but victory your enemies glory of Athens is all here will instantly sail against Athens, '"your hands. while our countrymen at home, who are but a remnant, will be unable to defend themselves against the attacks of their former foes reinforced by the new invaders. You who are in Sicily will instantly fall into the hands of the Syracusans (and you know how you meant to deal with them), and your friends at Athens into the hands of the Lacedaemonians. In this one struggle you have to fight for yourselves and them. Stand firm therefore now, if ever, and remember one and all of you who are embarking that you are both the fleet and army of your country, and that on you hangs the whole state and the great name of Athens : for her sake if any man exceed another in skill or courage let him display them now; he will never have a better opportunity of doing good to himself and saving his country.' Nicias, as soon as he had done speaking, gave orders 65 to man the ships. Gylippus and the o 11 11 , The Syracusans meet Syracusans could see clearly enough ,/,, ^^//,,„-^„ •„,^,.^^^. from the preparations which the Athen- ments ivith counter im- ians were making that they were P'o^'<:"t"'^s- Gyii/'pus going to fight. But they had also previous notice, and had been told of the iron grapnels ; and they took precautions against this as against all the other devices of the Athenians. They covered the prows of their vessels with hides, extending a good way along the upper part of their sides, so that the grapnels might Y 2