Textus Originalis

ARGUMENTUM LIBRI XIII.

Cap. 8. Athenienses proelio commisso, in quo perit Lamachus, superiores discesserunt, paulo post Epipolas relinquere coacti sunt. Gylippus et ex Sicilia et ex Graecia nova auxilia arcessivit. Itemque Niciae ab Atheniensibus subsidium mittitur. Lacedaemonii indutias cum Atheniensibus factas (XII 74, 5) Alcibiade auctore ruperunt. Ol. 91, 4 : 413 a. Chr. 9. Lacedaemonii ducibus Agide et Alcibiade Atticam invadunt Deceleamque castello muniunt. Vicissim Athenienses classem in Laconiam expediunt. In Sicilia terra marique pugnatur: terra Syracusani, mari Athenienses vincunt. 10. Syracusani cum Demosthenem Athenis nova classe brevi adventurum comperissent, priusquam adveniret, Athenienses ad proelium lacessunt novoque usi navium genere magnam reportant victoriam. 11. Demosthenes et Eurymedon cum octoginta navibus et quinque milibus militum Atheniensibus auxilio venerunt. Qui Epipolas adorti magna cum clade a Syracusanis repulsi sunt. 12. Ingruente pestilentiae morbo et Syracusanorum exercitu multis auxiliis aucto Athenienses de reditu deliberant. Profectionis dies iam constituta propter lunae defectum differtur. 13. Denuo pugna navali commissa occidit Eurymedon, Athenienses funduntur. 14. Syracusani victores hostem ad internecionem persequi et copiis navibusque dispositis undique constrictum tenere statuunt. 15. Nicias et pedestres et navales copias ab hoste circumventas ad summum periculum et certamen de salute subeundum exhortatur. Pugnam navalem ineunt. 16. Pugna atrocissima describitur. 17. Atheniensium tota classis fusa et attrita. 18. Athenienses pedestri itinere in sociorum urbes se recipere constituunt. Sed ab Hermocrate decepti rem propositam differunt. 19. Omnibus itineribus interceptis Atheniensium milites

Traduzione

ARGUMENT OF BOOK XIII.

Ch. 8. The Athenians, having joined battle, in which Lamachus perishes, came off superior, but a little later were compelled to abandon Epipolae. Gylippus summoned new reinforcements both from Sicily and from Greece. Likewise, reinforcements were sent to Nicias by the Athenians. The Lacedaemonians, on the advice of Alcibiades, broke the truce they had made with the Athenians (XII 74, 5). Ol. 91, 4 : 413 BC 9. The Lacedaemonians, under the leadership of Agis and Alcibiades, invade Attica and fortify Decelea with a stronghold. In turn, the Athenians dispatch a fleet to Laconia. In Sicily, fighting occurs by land and sea: on land the Syracusans are victorious, on sea the Athenians. 10. When the Syracusans learned that Demosthenes would soon arrive from Athens with a new fleet, they provoked the Athenians to battle before his arrival and, employing a new type of ship, won a great victory. 11. Demosthenes and Eurymedon came to the aid of the Athenians with eighty ships and five thousand soldiers. They attacked Epipolae but were repulsed by the Syracusans with great loss. 12. As the plague was raging and the Syracusan army was increased by many reinforcements, the Athenians deliberated about returning home. The already appointed day of departure was postponed because of an eclipse of the moon. 13. A naval battle was again joined; Eurymedon fell, and the Athenians were routed. 14. The victorious Syracusans decided to pursue the enemy to annihilation and, having deployed their forces and ships, to hold them hemmed in on all sides. 15. Nicias exhorts both the land and naval forces, surrounded by the enemy, as they face extreme danger and a struggle for survival. They enter into a naval battle. 16. The most atrocious battle is described. 17. The entire Athenian fleet is routed and shattered. 18. The Athenians decide to withdraw by land to the cities of their allies. But, deceived by Hermocrates, they postpone their intended plan. 19. With all routes cut off, the Athenian soldiers,