History of the Peloponnesian War

Falling on them therefore, under these circumstances, in considerable disorder, and being defeated in an engagement at Epipolae, the Syracusans returned into the city, Diomilus being killed, and about three hundred of the rest.

After this, the Athenians having erected a trophy, and restored to the Syracusans their dead under a truce, came down the next day to the city itself; but when they did not come out against them, they returned, and built a fort on Labdalum, on the highest point of the cliffs of Epiolae, looking towards Megara, to be a magazine for their baggage and treasures, whenever they advanced either to fight or to work at the wall.

Not long after, there came to them from Segesta three hundred cavalry, and about a hundred from the Sicels, Naxians, and some others, while there were already two hundred and fifty from Athens, for whom they had received some horses from the Segestans and Catanaeans, and had bought others; so that altogether a body of six hundred and fifty cavalry was mustered.

Having established a garrison in Labdalum, the Athenians advanced to Syca, where they posted themselves. and built with all speed [*](ἐτειχισαν τὸν κύκλον] To avoid appearing to assert that the whole line of circumvallation was at once completed, I have rendered κύκλον in this passage by one of the terms applied to it in Arnold's note; where he says that ὁ κύκλος which is spoken of as finished, was on the one hand a part of the circumvallation, but was also a complete work in itself,—something, that is, of an entrenched camp, which was to be the point of junction and key of the two lines which were to run respectively to the sea by Trogilus, and to the great harbour, etc.) the central point of their wall of circumvallation. They struck the Syracusans with consternation by the rapidity of their building; and consequently they resolved to march out against them and give them battle, and not allow them to proceed with the work.