History of the Peloponnesian War

After this, the remaining twelve vessels of the Corinthians, Ambraciots, and Leucadians, having eluded the observation of the Athenian guard-force, sailed into harbour, under the command of Erasinides, a Corinthian, and joined the Syracusans in completing the remainder of their works up to the cross [*](ξυνετείχισαν τὸ λοιπόν, κ. τ. λ.] Göller and Bishop Thirlwall understand this of the completion of the Syracusan counter-work, which they suppose to have been before left in an imperfect state, at some points where the position was naturally stronger than at others, but to have been now carried to an uniform height up to the Athenian wall, here called τοῦ ἐγκαρσίου τείχους as running at right angles to the counter-work. This, however, appears to be an exceedingly doubtful interpretation of the passage, like every other that has been proposed. For the supposition of the counterwork having been left in an imperfect state has nothing whatever to support it in our author's description of it in the preceding chapters, which would naturally, I think, lead one to just the opposite conclusion. Nor does the description of the actual surface of Epipole, as given in Arnold's Memoir, make it probable that there would be, in the course of the wall, any points of such natural strength as to have encouraged them to dispense, even for a time, with the ordinary means of securing their work; as it does not appear probable that it passed over any of the four decided slopes of rock, by which alone the gradual and almost imperceptible ascent is broken. And although ἐγκάρσιον as a mere relative expression, might be applied to either of the two works whose relative position it describes, it is surely most improbable, that after using it as our author undoubtedly, I think, does in every other passage with reference to the work of the Syracusans, he should in this single instance employ it in the very contrary manner. Or these grounds I think that Arnold's hypothesis is, on the whole, more probable; viz. that he alludes to some additional work carried out by the whole force of the Syracusans from the city wall, to join, and so strengthen, the counterwall. Or, if this should be thought inconsistent with the terms in which the counter-wall is afterwards described, ch. 42. 4, the joint operations here spoken of, may perhaps refer more generally to the building of out-works, extending at intervals up to it; especially as three such προτειχίσματα are actually mentioned as existing there, (ch. 43. 4,) though we are not expressly told when they were raised.—With regard to the verb ξυνετείχισαν being used with reference to the nominative αἱ νῆες, I cannot agree with Arnold that this is not the way in which Thucydides commonly writes; or suppose, for this reason at least, that something has dropped out of the text. The other conclusion mentioned by him seems much more probable, viz. that the whole passage was written carelessly. There would seem to be no abstract reason why actions should not be attributed to ships, which could only have been performed by the men in them; in the same way as they are continually attributed by our author to countries, cities, etc. And the following passages, amongst others which might be quoted, appear to prove that this is the way in which Thucydides writes, at least not unfrequently:—–I. 116. 1, ἔτυχον γὰρ αἱ μὲν (i. e. τῶν νεῶν) ἐπὶ καρίας ἐς προσκοπὴν τῶν φοινισσῶν νεῶν οἰχόμεναι, αἱ δ᾽ ἐπὶ χίου καὶ λέσβου περιαγγέλουσαι βοηθεῖν. II. 69. 1, ἑτέρας δ᾽ ἕξ ἐπὶ καρίας καὶ λυκίας καὶ μελήσανδρον στρατηγόν, ὅπως ταῦτά τε ἀργυρολογῶσι καὶ τὸ ληστικὸν τῶν πελοποννησίων μὴ ἐῶσιν, κ. τ. λ. III. 33. 1, 3, ὠφθη γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς σαλαμινιάς καὶ παράλου ἔτι περὶ κλάρον ὁρμῶν, ... αὐτάγγελοι δ᾽ αὐτὸν ἰδοῦσαι ἐν τῇ κλάρῳ ἥ τε πάραλος καὶ ἡ σαλαμινία ἔφρασαν.—Bloomfield most strangely misrepresents the meaning both of Thucydides and of Bishop Thirlwall, by giving in his note, as the translation of μέχρι τοῦ ἐγκαρσίου τείχους the words, beyond the interval where the two walls converged towards each other; which are evidently intended by the historian thus misquoted to be explanatory of ἔξω τῶν τειχῶν, ch. 6, 2.) wall.

And now Gylippus went away into the rest of Sicily for forces, intending to raise them both for sea and land service; and at the same time to bring over any of the cities that was either not hearty in the cause, or had hitherto stood entirely aloof from the war.

Other ambassadors of the Syracusans and Corinthians were also sent to Lacedaemon and Corinth, in order that a fresh force might be sent over to them, in whatever way might answer best, whether in merchantmen, or boats, or any how else; since the Athenians too were sending for reinforcements.

Moreover, the Syracusans proceeded to man and practise a fleet, for the purpose of making an attempt in that way also, and were in other respects much more full of confidence.