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Show 998 The fifth Bookeofthe yift pare) Cutar.r.g.4 , Caarry.4.$.3. of the Aiftory oftheWorld. admitted:into their fociety:, withiequall freedome. So the Athehians, who hoped ta follicite the citiesiof Sicil to. confederacy,againft the Syracufians|&Sclinuntine',wherby to torce themvnto reftitution ofallthar they hadtaken fromthe Licontines; Lawa- haue greatned themfelues in Siciljby thediuifion and ciuill warrewere difappointed of their expectation,by the good agreementof the Sicilians,and faine to be gone withthe chus,he perfwadesithenyto affaile Syracufeit felf, beforeit were. prepared againft them, broken remainder oftheir fleet. This they knew not how to amend ybut (according to thecuftomeiof popular Eftates) by taking reuenge vpon theirowne Commanders, So But in the end(being excluded out ofdiuers Cities)they furprize\Carana: & there they takenew,counfaile, how to proceede, Thence they imploied Wicidstothofe of Egefta; who receiied from them thirtytalents towards his charges;& one hundred andtwentie theybanithed. Pythodorts,and Sophectes,andlaid an heauie fine vpon Eurymedon, Shortly afterthis,followed the moft memorable war, that euer was made by the Greeks'in Sjcil: whichiwas that ofthe Athenians, againft the Selinuntines & Syracufians, in favour ofthe cities of Egefta,Leontium,& Catana. Theyof Selinus had oppreft the Egeftans ; & theyiof Sytacufethe Leontines,8the Catanians :'which was the ground ofthewar, 19 For,the Athenians vndertooke theprotection oftheiroldfriends : and,in hatred ofthe Athehiais,!dide froimLacedemon was fent to the Syracufians. The Lacedemonians : talents more there were of the {poiles they had gotten inthe Hand... Thus,the Summer being {pentin idle confultations, & vain attempts,the Athenians prepare toaffaile Sy= racule.But Alcibiades hauing been accufed avhome,in his abfence, was fent for back by ro the Athenians,to make his anfwer: and the Army was leftro the conduét ofWitiasand Lamachus.. Thefe Commanders obtaine a landing place very netre|vato Syracufe,by this denice, Theyiniploy to Sytacufe aninhabitant of Catana, whom they tuft; & inftruct him, dealt. plainly,bauing none other end,than that which they pretended,namely,tochelpa people oftheir owne Tribe,that craued their fuccour,beingin diftretfe. The Athenians icarceknew whattoipretend): fortheir preparations were fo great, as difcouered their intentto be none other,than the conqueft of the whole Iland. Yet they which had cal. led themin,were fo blinded wich their owne paffions,thatthey would not beleeuetheir ownecies ; which prefented vnto thema Fleet,and Army,far greater,than thetertible report offamehad madeit: Iathis expedition, the city ofAthenshad engaged all her power ; as regarding, not ‘ onely the greatneffe ofthe enterprife,ibut-the neceffity offinifhing it in a fhort fpaceof time.Forthe Lacedzmonians(as hath already been fhewed in due place) ftood at that timein fach brokenterms ofpeace with Athens,as differed. not:much from open war, Wheteforeit was thought neceffary,cither to {pare coft in this great expedition, oraltogetherto forbeare it: which waslikely to be hindred by warres'at home,if their proceedings wereflackeabroad. And furely, had notthedefire of the Atheniansbin oucrpailionate, the arguments of /Vscied had caufedthem to abftaine from fo chargeable a bufineffe; and to referue their forces for a more heedfull vfe.But young counfailes preuailed againftthe authority ofancient nen , that: were more regardfull offafety than of honours 30 Of this bafineffe, mention hath beene already made;in that which vvee have written ofthe Peloponnefi.n war.But whiat was there delivered ingeneralcermes, asnot concerning the affairs of Greece,otherwife than by confequence;dothinthis place require amore perfect relation,asa matter,wherin the whole State ofSicil was like to havefelt a great.conuerfion. Though Ascibiades had preuailed againkt Nitids, in exhorting the people to this great Voyage;yet Nvetastogether with Alcibiades, and: Lamathus, was appointed to be one 0 the chiefe Commanders therein. . Thefe had comihiffion & dire@ion;as welltofuecour the Segeftans, cto re-eftablifh the Leontines,caftout oftheir places by the Syracufians ; asalfobyforce of:aries, to 49 fubieét the Syracufiansandall their adherents in Sicill,andcompellthem b cribute,to acknowledge the Atheniansfortheir fupreme Lords. To effect which,thefore-name Captaines were fent off;with an hundred and thirty Gallies,and fiue thoufand one hut dred Souldiers,befides thethirty thips of burden; which tranfportedtheir victuals, et Thucia. 46,¢.9, to promife vnto the Syracufians, that he would deliver into their handsall the Atheni« ans within Catana, Hereupon the Syracufians draw thitherward with their beft forces; Butin the mean while,the Athenians,fetting faile from Catana;arriueat Syracufe;where they land at faire cafe, & fortifie themfelues againft the Towne.Shortlyafterthis; they fight,8¢the Syracufians hadthe loffe: but the Athenians, wanting horfe, could norpurs {ue their Vitory toany greateftect. They then retire themfelues, with a refolution to 2 refteth their Army at Catana,for the winter-{cafon. Fromthencethey made amattetnpt vpon Meffana, hoping:ro have taken it by.an intelligeace,but in vain. For A/eibiades had difcouered fuch as were Traitors within the Kir tothe Meffenians.. This henowdid, in defpightof his own Citizens ,the Athenians ; becanfethey.had.recalled him from his command, with a purpofecitherto haue put himte death; or to‘haue banifhed him : whereofbeing affured by his friends; hetooke his way towards the'Lacedzmonians,& tothemheegaue mifchieuous counfaile againft his country. While this Winter yerla- fted,the Syracufians fend Embafladors to Lacedemon,and Corinth, foraides as! likewife the een Captainesin Sicil,fendto Athens,for fupplies. Which both theene and the other obtained. 39, 3 Inthe Spring following (which was the beginning ofthe eighteenth yeare of the Pes loponnefian war)the Athenians in Sicil,faile from the Port of Cataha,to Megara,forfa- ken ofthe Inhabitants ; from whence forraging the Country, they obtaine fome fmall vitorics overthe ftraggling Syracufians: & at theirxetusne to\ Catania, they receiue.2a fapply oftwo'hundred men at armes,but without horfe,which they hoped to furnifhin the fland,from the Segeftans, and other their adherents: they were-allo ftrengthened witha company of Archers,and with three hundred talents in mony. Hereupon they take courage,and incamp ncere Syracufe,vponthte banks of the great Port,tepelling the Syracufians,that {allied to impeach their intrenchments: They alfo receiuedfromtheir Confederates foure hundred horfe-men, with two hundred) other 49 horfe,to mounttheir men at arms.Syracufe was nowin effect blockt vp,foas hardly any fuccours could enter,but fuclras wereable to force their paflage s yet the Athenians receiue diners loffes ; among whichit was northeleaft,that Lamachus-, one oftheir bef ommanders,was flaine. J : Tnthemean while,Gy/ippus,8c Pythos,with the Lacedemonian,and Corinthian forces gines, and other munitions for the war : and thefewere Athenians, Mantinzans, Rho artiue,and take land at Hymera.The Citizens ofHymera,and ofGclastogether withthe withthirty horfe-men. With thefetroups & fleets they arriuéat Rhegium,where the Rhegians refafero glue tured to march ouer-land toward Syracufe.The Syracufians fend ja partof their forces dians, andCandians': there were, befides thefe, fixethoufand Megarians light-atmee them entry ; but {ell them vidtualls for their mony. From thence they fentto the : flatissto know whattreafiure they would contribute towards the warre, feeing for the fe fakes they had entred thereinto.. But they found by their anfwers, that thefe Egefian Were poore, and that they had abufed the Athenian Embaffadours with falfe fhewe? gold.beving in all bur 30.talents.: The Athenians farther were difcouraged,when ‘ound thar.the Rhegiars, their ancient friends; andallied vnto the Leontines truft then within their Walls. /Hereupon Wicias aduifeth to: depart towards the 3 Ununtinesand to force them;or perfwadethemto.af agreement-with the Egeltans es likewife to fee whatdisbuirfements the Egeftanscould make,/and foreturneagame Greecesand notto walte Athens ima ncedleiic wariudlsibiades,onthe other Ap elinuntines,ioyne with them ; fothat with thefeand his own troupes, Gylippwaduen> to meethim, & conduc him. The Athenians prepareto encounter them, expecting bis 4mitall neere vnto the City,vpona place ofaduantage. At the firftencounter,they had the better oftheir enemies,by reafon thatthe Syracufian horf{e-mien, could not come to so Sghtin thofe-ftreights : but sn aftet,Gylippus charging them againe,brake them, and Conftrained Wicias to fortifie himfelfe within his Campe., Whereupon Wicias madethe tate ofhis affaires knowne,byhis letterstothe Athenians ; thewing that; without gteat {applies by Sea & Land,the enterprife would be loft, rogether with thefmalt Army Sad Maining.Thefeletters receined,the Athenians appoint two other Generals, Burymedons and Demofihenes, to ioyne with Nici asthe onethey difpatch prefenrlywith fome fup- Ply sthe other they. fendafter him in the Spring following, [ 5 aor Ta the mean while,Gylippusat Sycagwlesights with the Athenians,bothby om= . |
