left to
garrison the city after the disaster, suddenly attacked and routed most
of the Leontine army, killing a great number; upon seeing which the
Athenians landed from their ships, and falling on the Messinese in
disorder chased them back into the town, and setting up a trophy retired
to Rhegium. After this the Hellenes in Sicily continued to make war on
each other by land, without the Athenians.

Meanwhile the Athenians at Pylos were still besieging the Lacedaemonians
in the island, the Peloponnesian forces on the continent remaining where
they were. The blockade was very laborious for the Athenians from want
of food and water; there was no spring except one in the citadel of
Pylos itself, and that not a large one, and most of them were obliged to
grub up the shingle on the sea beach and drink such water as they could
find. They also suffered from want of room, being encamped in a narrow
space; and as there was no anchorage for the ships, some took their
meals on shore in their turn, while the others were anchored out at sea.
But their greatest discouragement arose from the unexpectedly long time
which it took to reduce a body of men shut up in a desert island, with
only brackish water to drink, a matter which they had imagined would
take them only a few days. The fact was that the Lacedaemonians had made
advertisement for volunteers to carry into the island ground corn, wine,
cheese, and any other food useful in a siege; high prices being offered,
and freedom promised to any of the Helots who should succeed in doing
so. The Helots accordingly were most forward to engage in this risky
traffic, putting off from this or that part of Peloponnese, and running
in by night on the seaward side of the island. They were best pleased,
however, when they could catch a wind to carry them in. It was more easy
to elude the look-out of the galleys, when it blew from the seaward,
as it became impossible for them to anchor round the island; while
the Helots had their boats rated at their value in money, and ran them
ashore, without caring how they landed, being sure to find the soldiers
waiting for them at the landing-places. But all who risked it in fair
weather were taken. Divers also swam in under water from the harbour,
dragging by a cord in skins poppyseed mixed with honey, and bruised
linseed; these at first escaped notice, but afterwards a look-out was
kept for them. In short, both sides tried every possible contrivance,
the