344 THUCYDIDES
were from the others, they were easily hemmed in by the STaeusaii cavahy and driven into a narrow space. The division of Nicias was as much as six miles in ad- vance, for he marched faster, thinking that their safety depended at such a time, not in remaining and fight- ing, if they could avoid it, but in retreating as quickly as they could, and resisting only when they were posi- tively compelled. Demosthenes, on the other hand, who had been more incessantly harassed throughout the retreat, because marching last he was first at- tacked by the enemy, now, when he saw the Syracu- sans pursuing him, instead of pressing onward, had ranged his army in order of battle. Thus lingering he was surrounded, and he and the Athenians under his command were in the gi'eatest danger and confu- sion. For they were crushed into a walled enclosure, having a road on both sides and planted thickly with olive-trees, and missiles were hurled at them from all points. The Syracusans naturally preferred this mode of attack to a regular engagement. For to risk themselves against desperate men would have been only playing into the hands of the Athenians. More- over, every one was sparing of his life ; their good fortune was already assured, and they did not want to fall in the hour of victory. Even by this irregular mode of fighting they thought that they could over- power and capture the Athenians.
And so when they had gone on all day assailing them with missiles from every quarter, and saw that they were quite worn out with their wounds and all their other sufferings, Gylippus and the Syracusans made a proclamation, first of all to the islanders, that any of them who pleased might come over to them and have their freedom. But only a few cities ac-
