Thus there were manned in all about a hundred and ten ships; on board which they embarked a large number of bow-men and dart-men, taken from the Acarnanian and other mercenaries, and provided every thing else, as far as it was possible for them, when acting upon a plan which necessity alone dictated, such as the present.

When most things were in readiness, Nicias, seeing the soldiers disheartened by their decided defeat at sea, and wishing, in consequence of the scarcity of provisions, to hazard a final battle as speedily as possible, assembled them, and on that παρεκελεύσατο τότε πρῶτον.] I have retained the old reading τότε, though all the editors have changed it into τε because I think it is by no means inexpressive, if taken with πρῶτον; the two words being intended, in my opinion, to make a marked distinction between the speech addressed by Nicias on that first occasion, to all the troops together, and that which he afterwards addressed to the trierarchs by themselves. See ch. 69. 2, αὖθις τῶν τριηράρχων ἕνα ἕκαστον ἀνεκάλει, κ. τ. λ. occasion addressed them all together first, and spoke as follows:

"Soldiers of the Athenians, and of the other allies, the coming struggle will be common alike to all—for the safety and country of each of us, no less than of the enemy; since if we now gain a victory with our fleet, each one may see his native city again, wherever it may be.