nicias-第6部分

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galleys；　and　with　their　horse　and　followers　ranging　about　took　a
good　many　prisoners；　and　Gylippus　going　himself　to　the　cities；
called　upon　them　to　join　with　him；　and　was　listened　to　and　supported
vigorously　by　them。　So　that　Nicias　fell　back　again　to　his　old　views；
and；　seeing　the　face　of　affairs　change；　desponded；　and　wrote　to
Athens；　bidding　them　either　send　another　army；　or　recall　this　out　of
Sicily；　and　that　he　might；　in　any　case；　he　wholly　relieved　of　the
command；　because　of　his　disease。
　　Before　this　the　Athenians　had　been　intending　to　send　another　army　to
Sicily；　but　envy　of　Nicias's　early　achievements　and　high　fortune　had
occasioned；　up　to　this　time；　many　delays；　but　now　they　were　all
eager　to　send　off　succours。　Eurymedon　went　before；　in　midwinter；
with　money；　and　to　announce　that　Euthydemus　and　Menander　were　chosen
out　of　those　that　served　there　under　Nicias　to　be　joint　commanders
with　him。　Demosthenes　was　to　go　after　in　the　spring　with　a　great
armament。　In　the　meantime　Nicias　was　briskly　attacked；　both　by　sea　and
land；　in　the　beginning　he　had　the　disadvantage　on　the　water；　but　in
the　end　repulsed　and　sunk　many　galleys　of　the　enemy。　But　by　land　he
could　not　provide　succour　in　time；　so　Gylippus　surprised　and
captured　Plemmyrium；　in　which　the　stores　for　the　navy；　and　a　great　sum
of　money　being　there　kept；　all　fell　into　his　hands；　and　many　were
slain；　and　many　taken　prisoners。　And　what　was　of　greatest
importance；　he　now　cut　off　Nicias's　supplies；　which　had　been　safely
and　readily　conveyed　to　him　under　Plemmyrium；　while　the　Athenians
still　held　it；　but　now　that　they　were　beaten　out；　he　could　only
procure　them　with　great　difficulty；　and　with　opposition　from　the
enemy；　who　lay　in　wait　with　their　ships　under　that　fort。　Moreover；
it　seemed　manifest　to　the　Syracusans　that　their　navy　had　not　been
beaten　by　strength；　but　by　their　disorder　in　the　pursuit。　Now；
therefore；　all　hands　went　to　work　to　prepare　for　a　new　attempt　that
should　succeed　better　than　the　former。　Nicias　had　no　wish　for　a
sea…fight；　but　said　it　was　mere　folly　for　them；　when　Demosthenes　was
coming　in　all　haste　with　so　great　a　fleet　and　fresh　forces　to　their
succour；　to　engage　the　enemy　with　a　less　number　of　ships　and　ill
provided。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　Menander　and　Euthydemus；　who　were
just　commencing　their　new　command；　prompted　by　a　feeling　of　rivalry
and　emulation　of　both　the　generals；　were　eager　to　gain　some　great
success　before　Demosthenes　came；　and　to　prove　themselves　superior　to
Nicias。　They　urged　the　honour　of　the　city；　which；　said　they；　would
be　blemished　and　utterly　lost　if　they　should　decline　a　challenge
from　the　Syracusans。　Thus　they　forced　Nicias　to　a　sea…fight；　and　by
the　stratagem　of　Ariston；　the　Corinthian　pilot　（his　trick；　described
by　Thucydides；　about　the　men's　dinners）；　they　were　worsted；　and　lost
many　of　their　men；　causing　the　greatest　dejection　to　Nicias；　who　had
suffered　so　much　from　having　the　sole　command；　and　now　again
miscarried　through　his　colleagues。
　　But　now　by　this　time　Demosthenes　with　his　splendid　fleet　came　in
sight　outside　the　harbour；　a　terror　to　the　enemy。　He　brought　along；　in
seventy…three　galleys；　five　thousand　men…at…arms；　of　darters；　archers；
and　slingers；　not　less　than　three　thousand　with　the　glittering　of
their　armour；　the　flags　waving　from　the　galleys；　the　multitude　of
coxswains　and　flute…players　giving　time　to　the　rowers；　setting　off　the
whole　with　all　possible　warlike　pomp　and　ostentation　to　dismay　the
enemy。　Now　one　may　believe　the　Syracusans　were　again　in　extreme　alarm；
seeing　no　end　or　prospect　of　release　before　them；　toiling；　as　it
seemed；　in　vain；　and　perishing　to　no　purpose。　Nicias；　however；　was　not
long　overjoyed　with　the　reinforcement；　for　the　first　time　he　conferred
with　Demosthenes；　who　advised　forthwith　to　attack　the　Syracusans；
and　to　put　all　to　the　speediest　hazard；　to　win　Syracuse；　or　else
return　home；　afraid；　and　wondering　at　his　promptness　and　audacity；
he　besought　him　to　do　nothing　rashly　and；　desperately；　since　delay
would　be　the　ruin　of　the　enemy；　whose　money　would　not　hold　out；　nor
their　confederates　be　long　kept　together；　that　when　once　they　came
to　be　pinched　with　want；　they　would　presently　come　again　to　him　for
terms；　as　formerly。　For；　indeed；　many　in　Syracuse　held　secret
correspondence　with　him；　and　urged　him　to　stay；　declaring　that　even
now　the　people　were　quite　worn　out　with　the　war　and　weary　of　Gylippus。
And　if　their　necessities　should　the　least　sharpen　upon　them　they　would
give　up　all。
　　Nicias　glancing　darkly　at　these　matters；　and　unwilling　to　speak
out　plainly；　made　his　colleagues　imagine　that　it　was　cowardice　which
made　him　talk　in　this　manner。　And　saying　that　this　was　the　old　story
over　again；　the　well…known　procrastinations　and　delays　and　refinements
with　which　at　first　he　let　slip　the　opportunity　in　not　immediately
falling　on　the　enemy；　but　suffering　the　armament　to　become　a　thing
of　yesterday；　that　nobody　was　alarmed　with；　they　took　the　side　of
Demosthenes；　and　with　ado　forced　Nicias　to　comply。　And　so　Demosthenes；
taking　the　land…forces；　by　night　made　an　assault　upon　Epipolae；　part
of　the　enemy　he　slew　ere　they　took　the　alarm；　the　rest　defending
themselves　he　put　to　flight。　Nor　was　he　content　with　this　victory
there；　but　pushed　on　further；　till　he　met　the　Boeotians。　For　these
were　the　first　that　made　head　against　the　Athenians；　and　charged
them　with　a　shout；　spear　against　spear；　and　killed　many　on　the
place。　And　now　at　once　there　ensued　a　panic　and　confusion　throughout
the　whole　army；　the　victorious　portion　got　infected　with　the　fears
of　the　flying　part；　and　those　who　were　still　disembarking　and　coming
forward　falling　foul　of　the　retreaters；　came　into　conflict　with
their　own　party；　taking　the　fugitives　for　pursuers；　and　treating　their
friends　as　if　they　were　the　enemy。
　　Thus　huddled　together　in　disorder；　distracted　with　fear　and
uncertainties；　and　unable　to　be　sure　of　seeing　anything；　the　night　not
being　absolutely　dark；　nor　yielding　any　steady　light；　the　moon　then
towards　setting；　shadowed　with　the　many　weapons　and　bodies　that
moved　to　and　fro；　and　glimmering　so　as　not　to　show　an　object　plain；
but　to　make　friends　through　fear　suspected　for　foes；　the　Athenians
fell　into　utter　perplexity　and　desperation。　For；　moreover；　they　had
the　moon　at　their　backs；　and　consequently　their　own　shadows　fell
upon　them；　and　both　hid　the　number　and　the　glittering　of　their　arms；
while　the　reflection　of　the　moon　from　the　shields　of　the　enemy　made
them　show　more　numerous　and　better　appointed　than；　indeed；　they
were。　At　last；　being　pressed　on　every　side；　when　once　they　had　given
way；　they　took　to　rout；　and　in　their　flight　were　destroyed；　some　by
the　enemy；　some　by　the　hand　of　their　friends；　and　some　tumbling　down
the　rocks；　while　those　that　were　dispersed　and　straggled　about　were
picked　off　in　the　morning　by　the　horsemen　and　put　to　the　sword。　The
slain　were　two　thousand；　and　of　the　rest　few　came　off　safe　with
their　arms。
　　Upon　this　disaster；　which　to　him　was　not　wholly　an　unexpected　one；
Nicias　accused　the　rashness　of　Demosthenes；　but　he；　making　his　excuses
for　the　past；　now　advised　to　be　gone　in　all　haste；　for　neither　were
other　forces　to　come；　nor　could　the　enemy　be　beaten　with　the
present。　And；　indeed；　even　supposing　they　were　yet　too　hard　for　the
enemy　in　any　case；　they　ought　to　remove　and　quit　a　situation　which
they　understood　to　be　always　accounted　a　sickly　one；　and　dangerous　for
an　army；　and　was　more　particularly　unwholesome　now；　as　they　could
see　themselves；　because　of　the　time　of　year。　It　was　the　beginning　of
autumn；　and　many　now　lay　sick；　and　all　were　out　of　heart。
　　It　grieved　Nicias　to　hear　of　flight　and　departing　home；　not　that
he　did　not　fear　the　Syracusans；　but　he　was　worse　afraid　of　the
Athenians；　their　impeachments　and　sentences；　he　professed　that　he
apprehended　no　further　harm　there；　or　if　it　must　be；　he　would　rather
die　by　the　hand　of　an　enemy　than　by　his　fellow…citizens。　He　was　not　of
the　opinion　which　Leo　of　Byzantium　declared　to　his　fellow…citizens：　〃I
had　rather；〃　said　he；　〃perish　by　you；　than　with　you。〃　As　to　the　matter
of　place　and　quarter　whither　to　remove　their　camp；　that；　he　said；
might　be　debated　at　leisure。　And　Demosthenes；　his　former　counsel
having　succeeded　so　ill；　ceased　to　press　him　further；　others　thought
Nicias　had　reasons　for　expectation；　and　relied　on　some　assurance
from　people　within　the　city；　and　that　this　made　him　so　strongly　oppose
their　retreat；　so　they　acquiesced。　But　fresh　forces　now　coming　to
the　Syracusans　and　the　sickness　growing　worse　in　his　camp；　he；　also；
now　approved　of　their　retreat；　and　commanded　the　soldiers　to　make
ready　to　go　aboard。
　　And　when　all　were　in　readiness；　and　none　of　the　enemy　had　observed
them；　not　expecting　such　a　thing；　the　moon　was　eclipsed　in　the
night；　to　the　great　fright　of　Nicias　and　others；　who；　for　want　of
experience；　or　out　of　superstition；　felt　alarm　at　such　appearances。
That　the　sun　might　be　darkened　about　the　close　of　the　month；　this　even
ordinary　people　now　understood　pretty　well　to　be　the　effect　of　the
moon；　but　the　moon　itself　to　be　darkened；　how　that　could　come　about；
and　how；　on　the　sudden；　a　broad　full　moon　should　lose　her　light；　and
show　such　various　colours；　was　not　easy　to　be　comprehended；　they
concluded　it　to　be　ominous；　and　a　divine　intimation　of　some　heavy
calamities。　For　he　who　the　first；　and　the　most　plainly　of　any；　and
with　the　greatest　assurance　committed　to　writing　how　the　moon　is
enlightened　and　overshadowed；　was　Anaxagoras；　and　he　was　as　yet　but
recent；　nor　was　his　argument　much　known；　but　was　rather　kept　secret；
passing　only　amongst　a　few；　under　some　kind　of　caution　and　confidence。
People　would　not　then　tolerate　natural　philosophers；　and　theorists；　as
they　then　called　them；　about　things　above；　as　lessening　the　divine
power；　by　explaining　away　its　agency　into　the　operation　of
irrational　causes　and　senseless　forces　acting　by　necessity；　without
anything　of　Providence　or　a　free　agent。　Hence　it　was　that　Protagoras
was　banished；　and　Anaxagoras　cast　in　prison；　so　that　Pericles　had　much
difficulty　to　procure　his　liberty；　and　Socrates；　though　he　had　no
concern　whatever　with