History of the Peloponnesian War

When it seemed to the Syracusans that enough of their counter-wall had been constructed with stone-work and stockade,[*](The ὑποτείχισμα seems to have consisted partly of palisading and partly of stone-work.) and the Athenians did not come to hinder them—for they feared that the enemy might more easily deal with them if their forces were divided, and at the same time they were pushing on their own wall of circumvallation—leaving one division as a guard for their cross-wall, they withdrew to the city. Meanwhile the Athenians destroyed their pipes which ran underground into the city and supplied it with drinking-water. Then watching when most of the Syracusans were in their tents at midday—some of them having even gone to their homes in the city—and when those at the stockade were guarding the place carelessly, they stationed in front three hundred picked Athenians and a chosen body of the light-armed troops in heavy armour to go at a run suddenly against the counter-wall; while the rest of the army advanced in two divisions, one with one general against the city, in case they should come to the rescue, the other with the other general to that part of the stockade which is by the postern gate.

The three hundred attacked and took the stockade, the guards leaving it and fleeing to the outwork around Temenites.[*](cf. 6.75.1.) And their pursuers burst in with them; but these, after getting in, were forced out again by the Syracusans, some of the Argives and a few of the Athenians being slain there.

Then the whole army withdrew and pulled down the counter-wall and tore up the stockade, bringing the stakes over to their own lines, and set up a trophy.