History of the Peloponnesian War

And they slew the greatest part of them during their embarkation, as they could not swim, and as those on board the boats, on seeing what was going on ashore, moored them out of bow-shot. For in the rest of the retreat the Thracians advanced in no contemptible manner to meet the Theban horse, which first fell upon them; and closing their ranks, according to their native tactics, defended themselves against them; and thus only a few were killed in that part of the affair. Some portion of them also were surprised in the city, through their eagerness in plundering, and perished. Altogether, there fell of the Thracians two hundred and fifty out of thirteen hundred;

while of the Thebans and the rest who joined in attacking them they slew about twenty, horse and foot together, and amongst the Thebans, Scirphondas, one of the Boeotarchs. On the side of the Mycalessians a considerable part of the population was cut off. With regard, then, to Mycalessus, which experienced, considering its extent, a calamity not less lamentable than any which happened in the war, such were the things which occurred there.

Now Demosthenes being at that time on his voyage for Corcyra, after he had built the fortifications on the side of Laconia, fell in with a merchant vessel anchored at Phea in the Elean territory, in which the Corinthian heavy-armed were to cross over to Sicily;

and he destroyed the ship itself, but the men escaped from it, and having subsequently got another, proceeded on their voyage. After this, having come to Zacynthus and Cephallenia, he took on board a body of heavy-armed, sent for some of the Messenians from Naupactus, and then crossed over to the opposite coast of Acarnania, on the continent, to Alyzia and Anactorium, which the Athenians had in their own hands.

While he was in these parts, he was met by Eurymedon returning from Sicily; who had been sent out with treasure at the time that has been mentioned, during the winter, and told him, amongst other tidings, that he had heard, when already on his voyage, that Plemyrium had been taken by the Syracusans.

Conon, too, who was in command at Naupactus, came to them, with information that the five and twenty Corinthian ships stationed opposite to [*](σφίσιν] In this and in many other similar passages, the reflexive pronoun is used in the plural with reference to the countrymen of the speaker in general, rather than to himself individually.) the Athenian squadron did not give up hostilities, but were prepared for an engagement.

He begged them therefore to send him some ships, as his own eighteen were not competent to fight the enemy's five and twenty. Accordingly Demosthenes and Eurymedon sent with Conon the ten best sailers of all they had, to join those at Naupactus. They themselves at the same time made preparations for the muster of their forces, Eurymedon sailing to Corcyra, urging them to man fifteen ships, and enlisting heavy-armed troops, (for he now shared. the command with Demosthenes, and had turned back again, in consequence of his election,) and Demosthenes raising slingers and dart-men from the parts about Acarnania.

As for the ambassadors who had gone at the time mentioned-after the taking of Plemyrium-from Syracuse to the cities, they had prevailed on them to join their side, and had raised and were just about to lead off the force, when Nicias, receiving early intelligence of it, sent to those of the Sicels who held the passes, and were in alliance with the Athenians, namely, the Centotripes, Alicyaeans, and some others, to beg them not to give free passage to the enemy, but to unite together and prevent their marching through their country, since there was no other by which they would attempt to do so, as the Acragantines would not grant them a passage through theirs.

When therefore the Siceliots were even on their march, the Sicels, in compliance with the request of the Athenians, laid an ambuscade for them in three different places, and falling upon them while off their guard and without any notice, killed about eight hundred of them, with all the ambassadors except one, namely, the Corinthian, who led to Syracuse those that had escaped, to the number of fifteen hundred.