hem; for they had long been deserting, and most of them
had gone off all at once. Nor was the food which they carried
sufficient, for the supplies of the camp had failed. Their disgrace
and the universality of the misery, altho there might be some
consolation in the very community of suffering, was nevertheless at
that moment hard to bear, especially when they remembered from what
pomp and splendor they had fallen into their present low estate. Never
had a Hellenic army experienced such a reverse. They had come
intending to enslave others, and they were going away in fear that
they would be themselves enslaved. Instead of the prayers and hymns
with which they had put to sea, they were now departing amid appeals
to heaven of another sort. They were no longer sailors but landsmen,
depending, not upon their fleet but upon their infantry. Yet in face
of the great danger which still threatened them all these things
appeared endurable....

When daylight broke and the Syracusans and their allies saw that the
Athenians had departed, most of them thought that Gylippus had let
them go on purpose, and were very angry with him. They easily found
the line of their retreat, and quickly following came up with them
about the time of the midday meal. The troops of Demosthenes were
last; they were marching slowly and in disorder, not having recovered
from the panic of the previous night, when they were overtaken by the
Syracusans, who immediately fell upon them and fought. Separated as
they were from the others, they were easily hemmed in by the Syracusan
cavalry and driven into a narrow space. The division of Nicias was as
much as six miles in advance, for he marched faster, thinking that
their safety depended at such a time, not in remaining and fighting,
if they could avoid it, but in retreating as quickly as they could,
and resisting only when they were positively compelled.

Demosthenes, on the other hand, who had been more incessantly harassed
throughout the retreat, because marching last, was first attacked by
the enemy; now, when he saw the Syracusans pursuing him, instead of
pressing onward, had ranged his army in order of battle. Thus
lingering he was surrounded, and he and the Athenians under his
command were in the greatest danger and confusion. For they were
crusht into a walled enclosure, having a road on both sides and
planted thickly with olive-trees, and missiles were hurled at them
from all points. The Syracusans natu