History of the Peloponnesian War

After this the Syracusans sent out twelve ships under the command of Agatharchus, a Syracusan. One of these headed for the Peloponnesus, having on board some envoys who were to explain the situation in Sicily, that they were full of hope, and to urge the still more vigorous prosecution of the war on the continent of Greece. The other eleven ships sailed to Italy,[*](In Thucydides the term is used only of the part of the peninsula south of the river Laüs and Metapontum.) since they heard that boats laden with supplies for the Athenians were approaching. And falling in with these boats, they destroyed most of them;

and they also burned some timber in the territory of Caulonia, which was lying there ready for the Athenians to use in ship-building.

After this they went to Locri, and while they were lying there at anchor, one of the merchant-ships that had sailed from the Peloponnesus arrived in port, bringing some Thespian hoplites.