thenterpryse of Lesbos renewed and strengthenedde agayne their armye by sea and sente them into Corcyre vnderstanding that the towne was in deuision knowinge that the Athenians had in all but twelue ships in that quartier which they kept at Naupacte For this cause they ordoned to the sayd Alcidas Brasidas that they shulde departe from the sayde place bifore the Athenians shulde parceyue yt thinkinge that the matter shulde come to good effecte through the dissension that was amonge the Corcyriens By occasion of thys that those amonge them that were takenne by the Corynthians in the bataylle by the sea that was at Epidanne beynge by the same Corynthyans sente agayne vnto their houses vnder coloure to go to seke the raunsonne that their frendes of Corinthe hadde aunswered for them whych amountedd to foore skoore talentes but for the trouth to practyse the other Corciriâ—ns and to bryng agayne the Citie into the obeysance of the Corciriens they dyd the best that they couâ—de towardes the other Citezens for to cause them to departe from the allyance of the Athenyans So it chanced that duringe thys tyme arryued two shyppes at the porte of Corsyre the one sent by the Corinthiens and the other by the AtheniaÌ„s And in both of them were Ambassadours from the sayde two Cities for to practyse and get the Corciriens whiche were hearde and had audyence the one after the other And the conclusion and answere of the sayde Corciriens was that they wolde remayne allyes and confederates of thathenians accordynge to their pacâ—es and coÌ„uenauntes and with the Lacedemonians they wold contynue freÌ„des as they had accustumed Which aunswere deliberation was so made through the persuacion of Pithias Who thaÌ„ had greatest auctoritie in the towne and had made himselfe a burgeose of Athens By occasion wherof the other that laboured to the contrary as we have shewed caused him to be called into Iudgemente charginge him that he woulde brynge the Citie into subieccion of the Athenians But he was absolued and discharged of that accusacion And anone after he accused fyue of the sayde aduersaries the rychest of all chargynge theÌ„ that they had rased downe the pales that were at the closture of the temple of Iupiter and Alcinas in whiche case the penaltie was ordeyned by theyr lawe to be one sâ—ater for euery pale which was to much for them to paye for this cause being condeÌ„ned they withdrewe themselfe into franchise within the temple for to obteyne a moderation of the sayd penaltie Bâ—t Pithias did empesche the moderacion and exorted the other Citezenis to cause them to paye it with the vttermost Than those that were persetuted considering that he had the aucthoritie in the senate and that so longe as he had it thother wolde take no other parte but that same â—hat the Athenians dyd take they assembled together in good nombre with their daggers entred impytuously within the senate and so did slay Pithias and of the other aswel senatours as priuat CitezeÌ„s to the nombre of threscore The other that toke parte with Pithias saued them selfe in ryght small nombre and rendred them into the shippe of the Athenians which yet was within the porte After that the coniuratours and conspicers had done this execusion they assembled and shewed them that the which they had done was for the weale of the Cytie and that they shuld not be reduced to the seruitude of the Atheniens and in the remenante they ought to shewe themselfe newter betwene the Athenians and the Peloponescians and to signefye them and make answere to them both that they shulde not come into their porte but peasablie and with one shyâ—e onelye and that they that shulde bringe any more shuld be holden and reputed for ennemies which decree being hy them so publyshed and the people constryned to confirme it they sente certeyne Citezens to the Athenians to sygnifye vnto theÌ„ what was done and to shewe vnto them that it was couenaunted that they shuld so do and also to perswade vnto the Corciriens that had withdrawin them selfe â—hyder that they shulde not purchase or procure any inconuenient whereby troble might chauÌ„ce vnto the Citie But they being aryued in the Citie were incontinently taken as sedecious people to gyders with them that had subourned and pâ—ouoked them therunto and were sent prisoners vnto Egine In the meane time the princypall Citezeins of Corcyre that toke parte with the Corynthyans the galley and the Ambassadours of the sayd Corinthians being aryued russhed and furiously dyd set apon the comynaltie of the Citie which defendid it self for acertayne tyme but at the ende they were vanquysshed and dryuen back to yâ— nygh to night they were constreyned to retyre into the fortresse and to the hygh highest places of the citie in whiche places they beynge fortefyed seased them selues of the gate hillaicquus The other that had had vicâ—ory seased themselues of the markete place rounde aboute the whiche they had the more parte theyr houses and of the gate that is of the lande syde at the descente and going downe frome the saide markett place On the morow they had an eskarmiche wyth strokes of stones and dartes onely And euery of the parties dyd sende iâ—to the feldes to practise and gett the sklaues on his partye promysinge to geâ—e them lybertye who more redely did chose the parte of the cominaltye Bâ—t vnto the other there came eyght houndred men wyth succours out of the quarter of maine land And so they came againe to battille one only daye bitwene two the furste In the whiche the comynaltye had the uictorye aswell for that that the place wherin they dydde fyght was most to theyr aduauntage As also for that they were more people in nomber And morouer the women of the towne who toke theyr parte ayded them maruelously by an hardenesâ— moore greate than theyr condition did suffer in susteigning the sturdynes and strengthe of the ennemyes and casting tyles and stones frome the toppes of the houses downe vpon them The principall Citezinis being than put into disorder and flyght vpon thentringe of the night and fearyng lest fourthwith the comynaltie wiâ—h great crye force wold come to gett the porte the shippes which they had that doinge shulde slaye them all they sett fyer in the houses that were apon the markett place and aboute yt aswell in theyr owne as in the same of others for to empesche that the comunaltye shuld not passe that waye By meane of which fyre marchandises of a ryght greate price and valure were burned And if the wynde had blowen againste the cytye it had bene in greate daunger to haue bene vtterly and holy burned aâ—d by this meane the strife cessed for that night And they kepte them selues in armure aswel on the one syde as on the other euery man in his quarter But the shippe Corinthyan that was in the porte vnderstaÌ„â—dynge that the comynaltye had had the victorye departed secretly and
inhabited and in maner not frequēted conteigning fiftene stades or forlonges aboute Than for to empesche and stoppe the entrye of the sayd hauonne from the Athenians they bestowed suche nomber of shippes ther as they thought necessary for to occupy all the fronte whiche had theire former parte of the hauonne and the remenant wythin And moreouer fearynge that the sayde Athenyans shulde lande people wythin the sayde lytle Islande they sette there one parte of theirs And the other abodde in the lande to the ende that the ennemyes might not lande nother in the land nor in the Islande And to the rest it was not possible to succour the place by any other wayes For on the other side by the whiche it was enuironned with the sea there were no good depthes where the shippes mighte arryue surely And by that meane they thoughte that wythout faightinge and wythout puttinge themselfe into daunger and hazart they might take that same place in shorte tyme beinge ill furnished of victuailes and of people Nowe they had ordeyned that for to bestowe and putte wythin the sayde Islande a certaine nomber of all the cōpaignies shuld be taken that shuld be changed euery daye And so it happened that the laste that were sente thyder were to the nomber of foure houndred and twenty of whome Epitadas sonne of Molobee had the charge Demosthenes seinge that the Peloponesians prepared themselfe for to assaylle aswell by sea as by lande preparedde hymselfe to defende And furste he causedde the galleys that remayned wyth hym to retyre vnder his rampares and inclosedde them wyth pales And he armedde the maronners that were wythin them wyth mischeuous targottes or shieldes made in haste the more parte of wyllos For in suche a desarte place there was no question or hope to haue armure And the same that they had there had bene gottone by force from a galley and in a brigantine of the Messenyans that they had takene passinge that waye wyth forty men of the saide Messene wyth whome they sarued themselfe at that nede wyth the othere Hauynge than placedde one parte of hys people aswell armed as naked to the kepynge of the places the were assured by reasone that the place was not to be gottone or gone vnto and the other parte that was greater to the defence of the quartier that he hadde fortefied towardes the lande he commaunded them that if the fote men came to assayle them they shulde defende themselfe and repoulse them And he wyth thre skoore of the beste armed and a nomber of people wyth shott issued de fourthe of the place and wente oute on the sea syde where he thought that the ennemyes wolde parforce themself for to lande and to passe through the rockes and harde places on whyche the walle of the towne was moste weake and feable for to battre and breake it it they coulde For it was not greately forcedde to make a stronge walle on that syde not thynkynge that the ennemyes shulde euer haue bene strongest by sea And he knewe well that if it were the strongest so that men myghte by that coste goo into the lande the place shulde be loste For thys cause he wente to that syde of the sea for to defende yt wyth the nomber of people as afore whome he orderedde and sette battaylle the beste that he coulde and afterwardes dydde speake vnto theym in this manner It is nedefull for me that youe the othere that be putte in thys daunger wyth me do shewe youreself sage and dyligente to consulte all the difficultees and all the daungers wherein wee be But it is necessarye that we mynde to assaille valiantely oure ennemyes with a good couraige and wythe a good esperance to repoulse theym and to escape frome all the daungers wherein we be Forsomuche as in all causes of necessitie as thys same is at thys presente men muste not oftymes serche after reasone but they muste be soubdaynely hazardedde And yet I doo see in oure affayre manye thynges that be for oure aduantage if we wyll to stande to theym and forsake not for feare of the greate nomber of oure ennemyes the commodities that we haue agaynste them For I esteme one parte of the place that we holde to be not to be comme vnto and suffycyent for to ayde vs if wee woll defende yt But if we habandonne and forsake yt howe dyffycyle and harde soeuer it be it shal be easye to wynne not beynge defendedde Trewe it is that we shalle haue the ennemyes somuche more sharpe to fyghte wyth if we sette on theym whanne they be landedde for that they shall parceyue that they maye not retyre withoute greate daungier But consyder youe that soo longe as they abyde in their shippes wythout landinge they be easely resistedde And if they do lande thoughe they be in greate nomber they be not to be feared Forsomuche as the place is very difficille and vneasy for them and the platt where they muste fight shal be ryghte strayght and very lytle And by that meane if they come on lande the nomber shall in nothynge sarue theyme for the incommoditie and difficultie of the place And if they tary vpon their shyppes of force they muste fyghte in the sea in whyche fyght there be many difficulties Wherfore I compense and esteme to be egall asmuch the difficulties dangers that they haue as our smal nombre For thys cause I praye youe my frendes that bringinge to youre remembrance that youe be Athenyans lykewyse that you be people all experymentedde to fyght wyth shyppes and on lande youe woll consyder that he that remoueth not for feare of a wawe or sourge of the sea that maye comme nothere of shypp that maketh vnto hym shalle neuer be repoulsedde frome one suche a place as thys And lykewyse that youe wyll stande by it and repoulse your ennemys in thies rockes and harde passages and defende and kepe thys place togyders wyth your parsones The Athenyans discouraged beinge recomforted by thies short encouraigings and declarations disposed themselfe to defende euery one in his quarter On the other syde the Lacedemonyans that were in campe on the lande side came to assayle the rampares and on the sea syde those that cōducted the shippes whyche were .xliii. in nombere wherof Thrasymelides sonne of Cratesicles Spertayne was Capytayne came to inuade the quarter where Demosthenes was wyth his men The Athenyans also defended themself very manfully on both sides And as touchinge the quarter by sea the Peloponesians came wyth small nomber of shippes by tournes or courses one after the othere for that that it was not possible to brynge thyder a greate nomber for to lande in the place where Demosthenes his people were for to repulse them if it were possible And amonge othere Brasidas who was Capytayne of one of the galleys seynge that the place was difficile and daungerous to aboorde and that for that cause the patrons of the
.xx. dayes that the Ambassadours went to Athens for the appoictmeÌ„t The rest of the time they liued with that that was brought them secretly And so there was founde in their campe wheate othere victuailes which they had yet in stoare For Epitadas departed them so as was requisitt for the necessitie In this manner departed the Athenyans and the Lacedemonyans froÌ„ Pylus and euery one weÌ„te to his houseâ— And the promes that CleoÌ„ had made that to AtheniaÌ„s at his departure though it were folish glorious was parfourmed accomplished For he broughte the ennemyes prisonners to Athens within the space of twenty dayes lyke as he had promysed whiche was the furste thynge that happened in that warre agaynst the opinyoÌ„ of all the Grekes For they neuer thought that the LacedemonyaÌ„s nother for famyne nor for other necessitie that they might haue wolde haue rendred their armure But rather than they wold do that to fyghte vntill the death And if those that yelded themself hadde bene lyke vnto them that hadde bene slayne they hadde not bene so rendredde whereby it thereupon chauncedde after that they were brought to Athens that one amonge them beinge asked by an Athenyan in manner of derysion and mockage if those that were slayne of theire compaignie were people of estymacyon he aunsweredde hym in thys manner That the distaff was muche to be made of if it knewe men of honestie wylling by the distaff to signefie the arowe and shott And to say that those that were dead of their coÌ„paignions were slayne by strokes of shot so as they came at aduenture wherefore it coulde not be iudged if they dyed villaynously or no. Being than the sayd prisoners brought to Athens it was ordeyned that they shuld be kepte in good prysons vntill that some appoinctement were takene wyth the Peloponesians And if in the meane seasone they came to ouerronne their lande that they shulde be all slayne To the reste the Athenyans did leaue their garnysone at Pylus And moreouer the Messenyens sente thider from Naupacte some of their people suche as they thought moste conuenient and mete for to be in that same place For that that whaÌ„ Messena was in his entier that same place was of his terrytorye And they that kept it were robbars and theues and wente pillinge and robbing the countrey of Laconie and did there many other mischeues somuche more easie for that they did speake one self language Of thys warre the Lacedemonyans were astonied for that they they were not accustomed to make it of like sorte And also of this that their skâ—aues rendred themself to the ennemys So they sente secretely Ambassadours to the Athenyans for to vnderstande and knowe if â—hey might recouer Pylus and their prysonners But the Athenyans who desired and affected greater thinges after mamy goynges and commynges sente them agayne wythout doynge any thynge This ende hadde the affayres at Pylus ¶ Of a victorie that the Athenyans hadde agaynste the Corynthians in their lande ☞ The .v. Chapter INcontynetly after that victorye that same sommer the Athenyans wente agaynst the countrey of Corynthyans wyth foore skoore galleis caryinge a thousand fotemen all Athenians And in the other plat ships they caryed two houndred warryours beinge hoorsemen And besydes this they had in their compaignie the succours of Milesyans of Andryens and of Caristians Of the whyche armye Nycias sonne of Nyceratus wyth two other compaignyons was capytain So they kept along the lande betwene Cherronese and Rhite And parceued themself at dawning of the day to be foranempste one small mountaigne named Soligius Whyche hauynge in tymes paste bene fortefyed by the Doryens made there from warre againste the Eolyans that were wythin the cytie of Corinthe And there is at this presente daye a Castelle that hath the selfe name of the mounteigne whiche is distant frome the sea syde wherby the galleys did passe aboute twelue stades from the cytie of Corinthe aboutes thre skore and from the distraict twenty To whyche distreate the Corynthians that were aduertised of the comminge of the Athenyans were all gone resarued those that inhabited wythout the sayd destroycte on the coste of the fyrme lande Wherof sixe houndredde were gone into Ambracya and into Leucade for to defende them The other were al gatheredde togiders to deskrie in what quarter the Athenyans wolde lande But those same Athenyans being in the night passed by wythout parceyuinge and vnderstandinge by the signes that they whyche were in the watche did make that they were landed on the other syde of Soligius they parted themself into two bendes wherof they didde leaue the one in Centhrea for to succour Crommyon if the said Athenyans dyd come to assaile yt and the other halfe wente to the succours of the otherâ— vpon the coste where the saide Athenyans were landed Nowe had the Corinthians made twoo Capitaynes of that warre Whereof they did name the one Battus who was gone wyth one bende for to enter into the castell whiche was not stronge of walles for to defende yt and thother named Lycophron went agaynst the Athenyans that were landed And marched at the arryuall agaynst the right poynct and wyng of the Athenyans with whome were the Caristiens in the laste bende and so he assayled them lyuely and the battaile was veary sharpe euen hand for hand But fynally the Corinthians were repulsed vnto the mountaigne where there was plentie of heapes of stones of the walles beaten downe Frome which place hauynge the aduauntage they repulsed thennemyes wyth greate strokes of stones And after that the sayd ennemyes had retyred and recouered theire brethe they caused their trompetts to sounde and descended afresh agaynst them And so byganne agayne the battaille hand to hande more sharpe than the furst But they being in the most heate therof came to the succours of the sayd Corinthians one compaignie of their people By whose helpe they repoulsed the Athenyans vntyll the sea where the Athenyans afreshe ioygned themselfe togiders and repoulsed the Corinthians In the meane tyme the rest of the people dyd combateâ— and fyght incessantly wythoute restynge th one agaynste the other to wytt the ryght wyng of the Corinthians wherin was lycophron agaynst the left poyncte of the Athenyans fearynge that yt wooldeâ— go to assayll the castell of Soligius Thus the battaill longe endured wyth owt knowlaige had who had the betâ—er But fynally through the horsmen whych came to the help of the AthenyaÌ„s the Corinthians were repoulsed and retired to the mountaigne And there not being purâ—uedâ— tâ—ey vnarmed them selfe for to reste and refreshe them In this retreict many of the Corynthians were slayne and amonge them Lycophron The otheâ—e beynge retyredde to the heighâ—e of the mountaigne didde fortefye theymsâ—lfe wych the place Also the ennemyes dydde not followe them but gaue themselfe to spoyle the deadeâ— and afterwardes they raysed vp their trophee in signe of victorie Of all thys battaile the Corinthians
assembledde the Syracusains and shewedde them that yt was expedyente that they shulde arme alle the shippes that they coulde for to fyght agaynste the Athenyans by sea sayinge that he hoped in that doinge to doo some thynge woorthye of memorye And Hermocrates dydde lykewyse exhorte theym therunto saying that they ought not to feare the Athenyans by sea for thys that they were not naturallye men of warre as the othere For the Cytie of Athenes was not vpon the sea as Sarragosse but rathere it was muche furthere in the mayne lande and that that same whiche they hadde learnedde by sea was for feare of the Medes who constrayned them to aduenture in the sea and to hardy men as the Athenyans be those seme terrible whyche shewe themself as couraigious as they And euen as they somtyme feared their neighbours moore by theire greate audacytye than by theire power was requyred so maye they fynde of the souldyars their aduersaries which shal do the lyke vnto them And in makynge thies perswations vnto the Syracusains he tolde them that he knewe well their hardynes by the desyre whiche they shewed to haue to go agaynste the armye by sea of the Athenyans of the whiche feate that shulde be so vnloked for of them they shal be so astonyedde that that same shall proffitt more the Syracusains than the science and exercyse by sea whyche those Athenyans haue vsedde so greatlye shall aduantage theyme By suche woordes and declarations Gylippus and Hermocrates and somme other that followedde theyme aboute the nyghte dydde putte hys footemen in order wythout the towne to the intent that at one tyme he might assaille the enemys both by lande on the coste of the walle that is in PlemmyriuÌ„ and also the shipps on the sea coste In the morninge .xxxv. galleys of the Syracusains yssued forth out of the lytle porte where their hauen was for to goo to the greate porte whiche the ennemyes dyd kepe and .xlv othere to saille enuironing and compassynge aboute the sayde greate porteâ— and also for to go to assaille Plemmyrium to the ende that the Athenyans perceyuynge themselfe assailled on both sydes shulde be more troubled who seing that fournished incontinently .lx. galleys that they had wherof they soubdaynly sente .xxv. agaynste the xxxv of the Syracusains whyche came towardes the greate poarte for to fyghte wyth theyme and wyth the other they saylled agaynste those that compassed it aboutes wyth the whych they medled incontynently in the poarte and dyd fyght a longe tyme. The Syracusains enforsinge themself to enter into the poarte and the other to kepe and to defende theyme frome yt In thys meane tyme the Athenyans that were in Plemmyrium beinge descended downe of the rocke vnto the shore of the sea for to see what shulde fortune of the battaille that was in hande Gylippus vpon the breake of daye came to assaille the sayde place of Plemmyryum frome the syde of the lande wyth suche force that he toke one of the thre walles and soone after dyd take the other two for that that those whyche had the warde and defence therof seinge that the furste was so soone taken dyd not defende them And they that were at the warde of the furste wall after that it was taken fledde froÌ„thence and wyth greate danger retyred into galleys whych were always kepte at the fote of the rocke and partly in a Barque that was founde there and in the same retyred into their campe though that a galley of the Syracusains to wit of those that were already entred into the porte followed them very nyghe for the Syracusayns had already the victorie in the greate porte But in the meane tyme that the othere twoo walles of Plemmyrium were takene it chauncedde that the Syracusayns were vaynquishedde Whereupon those amonge theyme that fledde awaye through cause of the other vyctorie had their retraicte moore easey And the vyctorye was in thys sorte For the Syracusayns galleys whyche dydde fyghte in the mouth of the greate poarte hauinge repoulsed those of the ennemyes that were agaynste theyme sailledde in at the entrance wythout anny order so that the one empeschedde and dyd lette the othere Which parceyued by the Athenyans aswell those that dyd combate without the poarte as also those that were vainquished wythin ioygnned themself togiders and russhed aswell vpon those that were within the porte as also vpon those that were with out wyth suche force that they caused them to flye Whereof they dyd synke elleuen and dyd slaye all those that were wythin resarued thre whyche they toke prysonners and thre other shyppes they brâ—sed After that same victorie the Athenyans hauynge wythdrawin the shipp wrackes of the ennemyes they reysed the trophee in the lytle Islande that is Plymmirium and afterwardes retyred into their campe On the other syde of the Syracusayns by cause of the thre walles whyche they had taken in the sayd Plymmyrium they raysed vp three other trophees Of the whiche three walles they battred and rased downe that same whyche they hadde laste taken and the other twoo they rampared and did put therin good garnyson and warde In takynge of the sayde walles many of the Athenyans were slayne and many taken prysoners and moreouer all their monney whyche was a greate some was also taken for they kept thys place as for a forte to wythdrawe and warde all theire treasure and all their munytions and marchandises not onely of the Seygnyory but also of Capytaynes and of marchauntes and of particuler souldyars And amonge othere thynges there were found the sayles of forty galleys and thre other galleys that were wythdrawin thider That same takyng or losse did afterwardes cause many greate dammaiges to the Athenyans and chiefly for thysâ— that through the occasyon therof they could not brynge the victuaills into their campe wythout danger For the ships whyche were there dydde fyghte and empesche them alwayes whyche thynge dyd geue geue vnto the Athenyans great feare and also great displeasure Aftere thys battayll the Syracusains sente .xii. gallleys vnder the coÌ„ducte of Agatharcus Syracusain The one wherof dyd cary certayne Ambassadours whyche the sayde Syracusains sente into Peloponese for to signefye vnto the Peloponesians both what had bene done and also how they were in good hope to haue the vyctorie agaynste the Athenyans and also for to prouoke them that they shuld sende succours vnto theym and shulde ernestly follow or take that same warre vnto herte The other elleuen were sent into Italie for that that it was bruyted that certayne shyppes chargedde wyth stuffe and wyth munytions were sente to the campe of the Athenyans at Sarragosse the whyche shippes those Syracusains did encounter and toke the moste parte therof togiders wyth that whiche was wythin them Wherof the stuffe that was therein charged for to make ships they brunt it vpon the shore of the sea nigh vnto Caulonia And that dâ—ne they saylled vnto the poarte of Locres beynge in whyche
the wall they thought notâ— that there shulde haue bene anny other busyâ—es Neuerthelas they gathered themself all togider and dyd putt themself in battaille some vpon the walles and some other within some for to resist the easters on horsbacke lightly armed some within their shyps and the other on the shoares of the greate porte and alongest the bankes for to succour their shippes And after that the shippes were charged whiche were founde to be .lxxv. they marched agaynst the othere whiche were foore skoare And so they dyd fyght togiders all that same daye geuing greate aflaultes the shippes of the one partie agaynste the other wythoute that they myght do any thing of great importance nother of the one syde nor of the other but that the Syracusayns did sinke one or two shippes of thennemys and fynally towardes night departed and euery one retyredde into his quarter And they of the towne that were come oute of the towne agaynste the walles of the Athenyans dyd the lyke The morowe after the Syracusains did nothynge and also shewed that they would do nothing For this cause Nycias hauing sene that the daye precedinge they were egall doubtinge least that they would haue ones againe essayed fortune he comanded the patrons capitains of his shippes that they shulde repaire their shipps those whiche had bene by any meanes crusshed or brused Afterwardes he caused his platt barques to be wtdrawin which he had made to be enclosed in a corner of the great porte with pales for to be in suertie and caused them to be caste and lanched into the sea distante separated the one from the other the space of a dayes labour of grounde to the ende that if by faightynge any of his galleys were oppressed he myght recouer the sayd barques In suche preparations other like the Athenyans coÌ„sumed that same day and the night following The morowe following the Syracusains came fourth aswelle by sea as by lande in the same sorte as they yssued fourth the daye bifore resarued that they came in a better houre and also did fight the greatest parte of the day in the manner that they had done in the former battaille without that it were perceyuedde that the one partie had in any thinge aduantage of the othere Than Ariston Corynthian whiche was the beste maronner and patrone that was in the armye of the Syracusayns causedde yt to be knowin vnto the other capytaynes of the shyppes that they shulde sende with all diligence of their men into the cytie and he woulde do the lyke for to geue order that men shulde constrayne those whyche had victuailles ready to brynge them to be solde to the sea syde to the intente that they myghte cause all their people soubdaynely to be repasted and fourthwyth to mounte agayne into their shyppes and to assayle the ennemyes vnlooked for or vnprouyded whiche thinge was done and in a right shorte space greate habundance of victuailles hauynge bene brought to the sea banke they retyredde faire and easely for to dyne The Athenyans perceyuynge whyche thynge and thynkynge that they had retyred as vainequished they retyred lykewyse and landed some for to make the dynner ready and the other to do other busynes not thynkynge that for that same daye there shulde haue bene any battaille by sea But sone after they dyd see the Syracusayns which had dynedde to come soubdainely agaynste theyme in greate haste whereof they were greatly abasshed and yet neuerthelas embarqued theymeselfe agayne tumultuously and oute of order as faste as they coulde the moste parte bifore that they had eatene any thyng and came to mete the sayd ennemyes And whan they were in sight and verye nyghe the one vnto the other they planted theymself aswelle on the one syde as of the other for to deuyse aither of theyme howe they myghte assault hys ennemyes to hys aduantage neuerthelas the Athenyans reputynge yt for greate shame that the ennemyes should surmount excell and passe them in endurynge laboure and trauaille they dydde furste geue the signe of battaille and came to geue charge vpon their sayd ennemyes who receyued theyme wyth the poyncte of the foore partes of their shyppes welle armedde and well strengthened lyke as they had determyned in suche sortte that they crusshed a greate parte of theyme and dyd breake the poyncte of their oares and afterwardes oute of the toppe castelles of the sayd shyppes wyth greate stroackes of stoanes and of dartes dyd greatly hurte those that were wythin But the small lyght shypps of the Syracusayns dyd them yet more hurte which came to assaille and hurte them wyth castynges of dartes and with hande stroakes on all sydes in suche manner that the Athenyans were constrayned to putt themself into flyght and wyth the ayde of their barques retyred into their campe for the Syracusayns durste not followe theym â—urther than to the â—ayd barques for that that they had their saille yardes lyfted vp so high with Dolphins of leade hanging in them that the shyps of thennemyes coulde not aboorde them withoute danger to be crusshed whiche thynge happened vnto two of them whiche came to boldely vpon them and one other was takene wyth the men that was wythin yt But seuene of the Athenyans shyps were sonken and many crusshed and moreouer a greate nomber of their people deade and takene By reason of the whiche victory the Syracusayns reysed vp their Trophee perswadyng themself fromethensforwardes to be stronger than the Athenyans by sea and that they shulde be in shorte tyme as stronge wyth footemen as they through occasyon wherof they prepared themself for to assaille theym at an other tyme. Howe Demosthenes and Eurimedon being arryued in the campe bifore Sarragosse and hauynge by night assaulted the rampares of the Syracusayns at Epipole were repoulsed and had greate losse of their men ☞ The .viii. Chapter IN thies enterfeates Demosthenes and Eurymedon arryued in the campe of the Athenyans wyth .lxxiii. shyppes aswell of their oune as of their allyes which caryed aboute fyue thousande warryours fotemen partely of their people and partely of their sayed allyes and subiectes togiders with a great nomber of other barbarous and strangers and slyngers archers and darte casters aswell of Grece as of other countreis wherof the Syracusayns were greatly astonyed and parceyued no meane to be hable to eskape and resist one so greate a puissance sithens that the Athenyans beinge assieged in their countrey by meane of Decelea hadde neuerthelas sente thider one so greate succours as puissant as the furst wherby they iudged their puissance not to be withstande and considerynge also that their furst armye whiche had bene repoulsed and beatene in the former battaille dyd recouer couraige by the commynge thereof Demosthenes after that he was arryued dyd immediatly geue order for to execute his enterpryse and to employ his force as sone as he coulde for auoyding the erroure whiche Nycias had bifore comytted who beyng come into suche reputation
touchynge Cleon he kepte hymselfe stylle withoute enterprisyng any thynge vntyll that he was constrayned by the meane of that whiche Brasidas thought would happene that is that hys people shulde be displeased to tary there wythout faightynge and reputed Cleon to be slacke and of small knowlaige of warre in comparisonne of Brasidas whome they estemed to be an hardye man and a good Capatayne And somuche the more for that that they were vnwyllynglye comme wyth hym and agaynste their wylles Whereupon Cleon vnderstandynge their murmuratioÌ„ and to thintent that they shuld be no further displeased to be there he ledde them frome the same place wherein they were all in battaylle raye in the self order that he vsed at Pylus trusting that he should spede wel For he also thoughte that the ennemyes durste not comme for to fyght agaynste hym But he sayedde that he descendedde with hys campe onely for to see the place and yet neuerthelas he attendedde a greate strengthe not somuche for hope of vaynquishynge in case he were constraynedde to fyghte as for to enuyrone the cytie and to assaille yt Beynge than come wyth his armye whiche was fayer and puissant verye nyghe to Amphipolis he lodgedde hymselfe vpon the toppe of an hylle fromewhence he myght see the countrey rounde aboute And so marked veray diligently the Scyte of the cytie chiefly frome the coste of Thracie howe the ryueâ— of Scrym onie kepte his course there whiche he founde for hys aduanntage for that that he thought that he myght retourne fromthence whan he would without faightyng And on the other syde he dyd see no man within the cytie nother those that entred nother that yssued or came fourthe of the gates Whiche were all lockedde and shutte in Wherefore he repentedde hymselfe veray soare and thoughte that he hadde commytted a greate faulte for that that he hadde not brought his Engines of artillery for to battre the towne For he coniectured that yf he hadde hadde theym there he myght easely haue takene it Whan Brasidas vnderstoode that the Athenyans were dislodgedde he lykewyse dislodgedde frome Cerdylium and entred with all hys bende into Amphipolis Without makynge any semblante for to be wyllynge ayther to yssue fourthe or for to fyghte agaynste the Athenyans for that that he reputedde hymselfe not puissante for to do it Not onelye somuche for the nomber of people whereof he hadde welle nygh as many as they but also for the preparacion and for the sorte of the people For in the armye of the Athenyans there was al the force of the Lemnyans and of the Imbryans Wherefore he determyned for to putte in vre a cautell for to assaille theym For to make a moustre of hys people althoughe that they were in suâ—ficiente nomber and welle armed vnto the ennemyes â—he â—houghte that â—t shulde proffiâ—t him nothyng but rather shulde geue courage to the ennemyes for to despise and contempâ—e them So he appoynted for the garde and defence of the cyâ—ie vnto Clearidas one houndred and syâ—â—â—e men and with the remanante he deliberated for to assaille the Athenians afore that they shulde departe fromthence thinking that they shulde be more easye to be ouercome being separated from their succours than if he taryed till their sayd succours did come vnto theym But afore the executyng of his enterpryse he mynded for to declare it well vnto his souldiars and also for to exhorte them manfully to doo and followe it And therfore caused them all to assemble togiders And afterwardes did speake vnto them in this manner The narration of Brasidas vnto his souldiars LOrdes Peloponesians forsomuche as ye be come out of a lande and countrey whiche for the hardynes generosite and noblenes of the inhabitantesâ— hath alwayes lyued in lybertie and that ye which be Doryans haue to fyght againste the Ionyans whome ye haue alwayes founde more feoble than your self It is not nedefull that I vse many wordes but onely to shewe you the facion and manner that I haue determyned to kepe for to yssue fourth agaynste my sayd ennemyes To thintente that considerynge that I am wyllyng to approue and essay fortune with a small nomber of people without takyng all our puyssance ye shall not thereof be astonyed fearynge to be the weaker For I coniecture that oure ennemye who despyseth vs thynkynge that we dare not enterpryse to come to fyght agaynst hym ys amounted in that high place onely for to see the countrey and kepeth hymself withoute any order as is all thynges assured And it happeneth oftentymes that he which diligently marketh therrour and faulte of his ennemye and determyneth manfully for to assaille hym not in ranked battaille nother in an appoyncted iourney but so as he parceyueth his aduantage cometh to the effecte of his enterprise bothe to his honour and proffitt For also those secrett and soubdayne eskermouches that be made in warre whereby specially a man deceiueth his ennemyes and doeth seruice and succour to hys frendes do geue and attribute greate glory vnto the enterprisers Wherefore in the meane tyme that they be thus in disorder and that they be in doubte of nothyng and bifore that they dissodge themself fromthence whiche thing I thinke that they be willing to doâ— rather than to tarye I am determyned to geue the charge vpon theyme with this nomber of people that I haue whylest they be in thys waueryng And in doubt what they may do bifore that they be resolued amonge themself and for to enter if I may into the myddel of their army And thou Clearidas whan thou shalt see that I shal be amoÌ„g them and that thou parceyuest that they be astonyed and afrayed opnene thou the gates of the towne and yssue fourth soubdainely on the other syde wyth the nomber of people that thou shalt than haue aswell of the towne as estrangers and come with the moste diligence that thou mayste to the reskue for to rushe and passe throughe them For I do thynke that in this doynge they shall be putt in greate feare Forsomuche as they which come sodainely afreshe vnto a conflict cause alwayes more drede and feare than they which be in battaile afore Wherfore for thy parteâ— shewe that thou arte a man of sparte And youe oure allyes followe hym manfullye and thynke that the noble fayghtynge consystethe in hauynge good couraige to feare to receyue shame and in obeyinge to youre Capytaynes And that if this presente daye ye shewe youre selfe as valiante men ye shalle acquyre and gette lybertie and shalle be frome hencefourthewarde called compaignyons and allyes of the Lacedemonians And that doinge otherwyse thoughe youe maye eskape to be all slayne and youre towne destroyed or at the beste that maye happene ye shall be in moore greuous seruytude than hitherto ye haue bene And also shal be cause for to lette that the other Grekes shall not recouer their lybertie Understandinge than of what ymportance thys battaylle ys be myndefull to shewe yourself people of
They loste morouer almoste all their beastes aswel great as lytle And also their horses were in a small tyme so trauailled that they coulde not sarue longe For their horsemen were contynually in the feldes aswel for to resiste the ennemyes that were at Decelea as also for to warde all the regyon of Athens from pillage wherby some of the sayd horses were morefounded the other lamed and tyred wyth ronninge so oftene into that same laÌ„de whych was drye and harde and also many of them were hurt aswell with stroakes of dartes as also with other stroaks And in the remenaÌ„t the victuails that were brought into the cytie oute of the quarter of Eubea of Oroppe whiche were wonte to passe by Decelea that was the next way were forced to come by an other coaste more further of so that they compassed about the lande of Sunium by sea whiche was a thynge of great charge and expence by occasyon wherof the cytie was in greate necessytie of all thynges that were requisitt to be brought thyder frâ—m wythout And on the other parte the Cytezeins who were all retyred into the cytie were greatly trauailled by meane of watche that was conuenyent for them to make wythout cessynge aswell by day as by nighte For by daye there was a certen nomber incessantly vpon the heighte of the walles who were contynually changed and in the nyght all the watche was in harnes resarued the horsmen the one vpon the walles and the other in and through the towne aswell in tyme of sommer as also of wynter whyche was vnto them a payne intollerable And so muche the moore that at one selfe tyme they susteigned twoo greate warrs And yet neuertheles they were so obstynate that no man yâ— had not sene it could haue beleued it For albeit that they were assieged euen vnto the wals by the Peloponesyans yet for all that they woolde not forsake nor leaue of the enterprise of Sycille but euene so as they were assyegedde they woolde stylle holde the Cytie of Sarragosse assiegedde the whyche was for a Cytie nothynge lesse thaÌ„ Athenes wyllynge by that meane to declare theire puyssance and theire audacytie muche moore greate than the othere Grekes hadde opynyon therof from begynnynge of the warre Of whome some iudged that those Athenyans shuld susteigne the warre for twoo yeares the other for three yeares at the furtheste and that than it shulde haue cessed But no man thought that it shulde haue endured longer if it chancedde that the Peloponesyans woolde haue entred into their lande And yet neuerthelas frome the furste tyme that they were entredde therin vntill that they sente into Sycille were seuentene whole yeares And that notwythstandinge they were not so decayed by the sayde warre of .xvii. yeares but that they enterprysed yet the other whyche was not lesse in the opynyon of men than the furste And the sayde cytie of Athens being troubled aswell for the towne of Deceleaâ— as by the other meanes here aboue declared yt was come into greate indigence and lacke of monney through occasyon whereof they exacted and leuyedde that same yeare of theire subiectes in places nyghe the sea in stede of trybute whyche they toke by Anticipation the twentith parte of their valeur thinkynge that the same shulde render vnto them more monney than the ordenary trybute So was it nedefullâ— for the expeÌ„ces were somuche the greater as the warre was more greate and also their rente failled them or was decayedde For thys cause incontynently as the Thracyens that were comme to their succours were arryued as hath bene sayde they retourned or sente them awaye for lacke of monney and gaue the charge to Dytrepus for to conducte them by sea to whome they comaunded that in retournynge them he shulde fynde the manner that they shulde do some damaige in Eubea and in othere places by the sea side of thennemys alongest by whome they shulde passe for it was conuenyente for them to passe the distraict of Eubea which is called Euripus The whiche Dytrepus beinge landed wyth the sayd Thracyens at Tanagra he pillaiged somewhat ryght soubdainely after caused them incontynently to mounte again caryed them into Chalcyde in the countrey of Eubea and towardes night passed the distraict and sailled for to lande in the countrey of Beoce In the whyche beinge landed he caused all hys men all the nyght to marche towardes the Cytie of Mycale and caused therin to hyde themselfe wythin the temple of Mercuryusâ— whyche is distant out of the sayd cytie abou ts .xvi. stades And after that it was day he caused them to marche strayght towardes the sayde cytie The whicheâ— though that it was greate yet neuerthelas he fourthwyth did take for that yt was not warded And also the Cytezeins had no doubte of annythynge For they neuer thought that passengers by sea wolde haue come so farre into the laÌ„de For this cause they had yll walles aboute their towne also they were fallene in some parts in other very lowe And morouer for that that they feared none enterprise they locked not in their gates The Thracians than being entred into the towne did pillage it vtterly aswell the teÌ„ples holly places as the pryuate houses prophane places this which yet was worst they dyd slay al that they fouÌ„de lyuinge aswell the people of all secâ—es ages as also the beastes For it is the nature and facyon of the Thracyans whyche be people amonge all other moste Barbarous to do all sorte of crueltie in whatsoeuer place that they be wythout feare And amonge the othere they committed and perpetrated one righte great myschiefe For beinge entred into the place where the chyldren of the towne were at skoole in ryghte greate nomber they dyd slaye theym all And that mischiefe was so greate and so soubdaynely and vnlokedde for chancedde that there was neuer in one Cytie a greater Whereof the Thebayns beinge aduertysed they all yssuedde fourthe incontynently vpon them and founde them yet nyghe vnto the towne and dydde putte theym into greatte feare and in suche sorte that at begynnynge they forsoke all their bowtye and afterwardes were chasedde fromethence vntill the distraicte and there many of them were slayne that coulde not sone ynoughe enter into their shippesâ— by cause of this chiefly that those whych were wythin the sayde shippesâ— parceyuynge the enemyes to approcheâ— had withdrawin them into the sea out of danger of shott whereby those that myght not enter and that knewe not or coulde not swimme were all slayne and there was the greateste slaughter For vntille that they were arryuedde at the shoore of the sea they retyredde all togider and in good order after their custome so that they defended themself well against the horsemen of the Thebains which were the furst that assailled them in suche sorte that they lost not manye of their people But after that they were arryued at the sea syde in the sight of