History of the Peloponnesian War

But although the Syracusans had thus fared with regard to the sea-fight, they were still in possession of the three forts on Plemyrium, and erected three trophies for them. One of the two forts last taken they razed, but the other two they repaired, and held with garrisons.

In the capture of the forts many men were killed, and many made prisoners, and a large amount of property in all was taken: for inasmuch as the Athenians used them as a magazine, there was in them much property and corn belonging to merchants, and much also belonging to trierarchs, since there were taken in them, besides other things, masts for forty triremes, with the rest of their equipments, and also three triremes which had been drawn up on shore.

Indeed, what most and principally ruined the army of the Athenians was the taking of Plemyrium; since even the entrance into the harbour was no longer secure for carrying in provisions; (for the Syracusans, blockading them at that point with their vessels, prevented it, and their getting them in was now always effected by battle;) and in other respects it struck consternation and dismay into their forces.

After this, the Syracusans sent out twelve ships, with Agatharchus, a Syracusan, on board of them as commander One of these went to the Peloponnese, carrying ambassadors, both to tell of their own affairs, "of the hopes they were fill of, and to excite them to the still more vigorous prosecution of the war in those parts. The other eleven ships sailed to Italy, hearing that some vessels laden with treasure were on their way to the Athenians.