a smaller history of greece-第29节

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ere　at　a　later　time　included　within　the　walls　of　Syracuse　under　the　names　of　Tyche　and　Neapolis。　Between　these　two　suburbs　the　ground　rose　in　a　gentle　acclivity　to　the　summit　of　the　ranges　of　hills　called　Epipolae。

It　was　from　the　high　ground　of　Epipolae　that　Syracuse　was　most　exposed　to　attack。　　Nicias　landed　at　Leon；　a　place　upon　the　bay　of　Thapsus；　at　the　distance　of　only　six　or　seven　stadia　from　Epipolae；　took　possession　of　Epipolae；　and　erected　on　the　summit　a　fort　called　Labdalum。　　Then　coming　farther　down　the　hill　towards　Syracuse；　he　built　another　fort　of　a　circular　form　and　of　considerable　size　at　a　place　called　Syke。　　From　the　latter　point　he　commenced　his　line　of　circumvallation；　one　wall　extending　southwards　from　Syke　to　the　Great　Harbour；　and　the　other　wall　running　northwards　to　the　outer　sea。　　The　Athenians　succeeded　in　completing　the　circumvallation　towards　the　south；　but　in　one　of　their　many　engagements　with　the　Syracusans　they　lost　the　gallant　Lamachus。　　At　the　same　time；　the　Athenian　fleet　entered　the　Great　Harbour；　where　it　was　henceforth　permanently　established。　　The　northern　wall　was　never　completed；　and　through　the　passage　thus　left　open　the　besieged　continued　to　obtain　provisions。　　Nicias；　who；　by　the　death　of　Lamachus；　had　become　sole　commander；　seemed　now　on　the　point　of　succeeding。　　The　Syracusans　were　so　sensible　of　their　inferiority　in　the　field　that　they　no　longer　ventured　to　show　themselves　outside　the　walls。　　They　began　to　contemplate　surrender；　and　even　sent　messages　to　Nicias　to　treat　of　the　terms。　　This　caused　the　Athenian　commander　to　indulge　in　a　false　confidence　of　success；　and　consequent　apathy；　and　the　army　having　lost　the　active　and　energetic　Lamachus；　operations　were　no　longer　carried　on　with　the　requisite　activity。

It　was　in　this　state　of　affairs　that　the　Spartan　commander；　Gylippus；　passed　over　into　Italy　with　a　little　squadron　of　four　ships；　with　the　view　merely　of　preserving　the　Greek　cities　in　that　country；　supposing　that　Syracuse；　and；　with　her；　the　other　Greek　cities　in　Sicily；　were　irretrievably　lost。　　At　Tarentum　he　learned　to　his　great　surprise　and　satisfaction　that　the　Athenian　wall　of　circumvallation　at　Syracuse　had　not　yet　been　completed　on　the　northern　side。　　He　now　sailed　through　the　straits　of　Messana；　which　were　left　completely　unguarded；　and　arrived　safely　at　Himera　on　the　north　coast　of　Sicily。　　Here　he　announced　himself　as　the　forerunner　of　larger　succours；　and　began　to　levy　an　army　which　the　magic　of　the　Spartan　name　soon　enabled　him　to　effect；　and　in　a　few　days　he　was　in　a　condition　to　march　towards　Syracuse　with　about　3000　men。　　The　Syracusans　now　dismissed　all　thoughts　of　surrender；　and　went　out　boldly　to　meet　Gylippus；　who　marched　into　Syracuse　over　the　heights　of　Epipolae；　which　the　supineness　of　Nicias　had　left　unguarded。　　Upon　arriving　in　the　city；　Gylippus　sent　a　message　to　the　Athenians　allowing　them　a　five　days'　truce　to　collect　their　effects　and　evacuate　the　island。　Nicias　returned　no　answer　to　this　insulting　proposal；　but　the　operations　of　Gylippus　soon　showed　that　the　tide　of　affairs　was　really　turned。　　His　first　exploit　was　to　capture　the　Athenian　fort　at　Labdalum；　which　made　him　master　of　Epipolae。　　He　next　commenced　constructing　a　counter…wall　to　intersect　the　Athenian　lines　on　the　northern　side。　　This　turn　of　affairs　induced　those　Sicilian　cities　which　had　hitherto　hesitated　to　embrace　the　side　of　Syracuse。　　Gylippus　was　also　reinforced　by　the　arrival　of　thirty　triremes　from　Corinth；　Leucas；　and　Ambracia。　　Nicias　now　felt　that　the　attempt　to　blockade　Syracuse　with　his　present　force　was　hopeless。　　He　therefore　resolved　to　occupy　the　headland　of　Plemmyrium；　the　southernmost　point　of　the　entrance　to　the　Great　Harbour；　which　would　be　a　convenient　station　for　watching　the　enemy；　as　well　as　for　facilitating　the　introduction　of　supplies。　Here　he　accordingly　erected　three　forts　and　formed　a　naval　station。　　Some　slight　affairs　occurred　in　which　the　balance　of　advantage　was　in　favour　of　the　Syracusans。　　By　their　change　of　station　the　Athenians　were　now　a　besieged　rather　than　a　besieging　force。　　Their　triremes　were　becoming　leaky；　and　their　soldiers　and　sailors　were　constantly　deserting。　　Nicias　himself　had　fallen　into　a　bad　state　of　health；　and　in　this　discouraging　posture　of　affairs　he　wrote　to　Athens　requesting　to　he　recalled；　and　insisting　strongly　on　the　necessity　of　sending　reinforcements。

The　Athenians　refused　to　recall　Nicias；　but　they　determined　on　sending　a　large　reinforcement　to　Sicily；　under　the　joint　command　of　Demosthenes　and　Eurymedon。　　The　news　of　these　fresh　and　extensive　preparations　incited　the　Lacedaemonians　to　more　vigorous　action。　　The　peace；　if　such　it　can　be　called；　was　now　openly　broken；　and　in　the　spring　of　413　B。C。　the　Lacedaemonians；　under　King　Agis；　invaded　Attica　itself；　and；　following　the　advice　of　Alcibiades；　established　themselves　permanently　at　Decelia；　a　place　situated　on　the　ridge　of　Mount　Parnes　about　14　miles　north　of　Athens；　and　commanding　the　Athenian　plain。　　The　city　was　thus　placed　in　a　state　of　siege。　　Scarcity　began　to　be　felt　within　the　walls；　the　revenues　were　falling　off；　whilst　on　the　other　hand　expenses　were　increasing。

Meanwhile　in　Sicily　the　Syracusans　had　gained　such　confidence　that　they　even　ventured　on　a　naval　engagement　with　the　Athenians。　In　the　first　battle　the　Athenians　were　victorious；　but　the　second　battle；　which　lasted　two　days；　ended　in　their　defeat。　　They　were　now　obliged　to　haul　up　their　ships　in　the　innermost　part　of　the　Great　Harbour；　under　the　lines　of　their　fortified　camp。　　A　still　more　serious　disaster　than　the　loss　of　the　battle　was　the　loss　of　their　naval　reputation。　　It　was　evident　that　the　Athenians　had　ceased　to　be　invincible　on　the　sea；　and　the　Syracusans　no　longer　despaired　of　overcoming　them　on　their　own　element。

Such　was　the　state　of　affairs　when；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　Syracusans；　a　fresh　Athenian　fleet　of　75　triremes；　under　Demosthenes　and　Eurymedon；　entered　the　Great　Harbour　with　all　the　pomp　and　circumstance　of　war。　　It　had　on　board　a　force　of　5000　hoplites；　of　whom　about　a　quarter　were　Athenians；　and　a　great　number　of　light…armed　troops。　　The　active　and　enterprising　character　of　Demosthenes　led　him　to　adopt　more　vigorous　measures　than　those　which　had　been　hitherto　pursued。　　He　saw　at　once　that　whilst　Epipolae　remained　in　the　possession　of　the　Syracusans　there　was　no　hope　of　taking　their　city；　and　he　therefore　directed　all　his　efforts　to　the　recapture　of　that　position。　　But　his　attempts　were　unavailing。　　He　was　defeated　not　only　in　an　open　assault　upon　the　Syracusan　wall；　but　in　a　nocturnal　attempt　to　carry　it　by　surprise。　　These　reverses　were　aggravated　by　the　breaking　out　of　sickness　among　the　troops。　　Demosthenes　now　proposed　to　return　home　and　assist　in　expelling　the　Lacedaemonians　from　Attica；　instead　of　pursuing　an　enterprise　which　seemed　to　be　hopeless。　　But　Nicias；　who　feared　to　return　to　Athens　with　the　stigma　of　failure；　refused　to　give　his　consent　to　this　step。　　Demosthenes　then　urged　Nicias　at　least　to　sail　immediately　out　of　the　Great　Harbour；　and　take　up　their　position　either　at　Thapsus　or　Catana；　where　they　could　obtain　abundant　supplies　of　provisions；　and　would　have　an　open　sea　for　the　manoeuvres　of　their　fleet。　　But　even　to　this　proposal　Nicias　would　not　consent；　and　the　army　and　navy　remained　in　their　former　position。　　Soon　afterwards；　however；　Gylippus　received　such　large　reinforcements；　that　Nicias　found　it　necessary　to　adopt　the　advice　of　his　colleague。　　Preparations　were　secretly　made　for　their　departure；　the　enemy　appear　to　have　had　no　suspicion　of　their　intention　and　they　were　on　the　point　of　quitting　their　ill…　fated　quarters　on　the　following　morning；　when　on　the　very　night　before　（27　Aug。　413　B。C。）　an　eclipse　of　the　moon　took　place。　　The　soothsayers　who　were　consulted　said　that　the　army　must　wait　thrice　nine　days；　a　full　circle　of　the　moon；　before　it　could　quit　its　present　position；　and　the　devout　and　superstitious　Nicias　forthwith　resolved　to　abide　by　this　decision。

Meanwhile　the　intention　of　the　Athenians　became　known　to　the　Syracusans；　who　determined　to　strike　a　blow　before　their　enemy　escaped。　　They　accordingly　attacked　the　Athenian　station　both　by　sea　and　land。　　On　land　the　attack　of　Gylippus　was　repulsed；　but　at　sea　the　Athenian　fleet　was　completely　defeated；　and　Eurymedon；　who　commanded　the　right　division；　was　slain　The　spirits　of　the　Symcusans　rose　with　their　victories；　and　though　they　would　formerly　have　been　content　with　the　mere　retreat　of　the　Athenians；　they　now　resolved　on　effecting　their　utter　destruction。　　With　this　view　they　blocked　up　the　entrance　of　the　Great　Harbour　with　a　line　of　vessels　moored　across　it。　　All　hope　seemed　now　to　be　cut　off　from　the　Athenians；　unless　they　could　succeed　in　forcing　this　line　and　thus　effecting　their　escape。　The　Athenian　fleet　still　numbered　110　triremes；　which　Nicias　furnished　with　grappling…irons；　in　order　to　bring　the　enemy　to　close　quarters；　and　then　caused　a　large　proportion　of　his　land…　force　to　embark。

Never　perhaps　was　a　battle　fought　under　circumstances　of　such　intense　interest；　or　witnessed　by　so　many　spectators　vitally　concerned　in　the　result。　　The　basin　of　the　Great　Harbour；　about