292 THE BATTLE RENEWED ON THE NEXT DAY [vil 39 On the next day, in the same manner as before but The second day is ^t an earlier hour, the Syracusans u'cai-iug away ivithout attacked the Athenians both by sea and a serious engagement, ^^^^ Again the ships faced one ivhen the Syracnsnns , , . ^ ^ c ..v. retire and 'take their another, and agam a great part of the midday meal on the day vvas passed in skirmishing. At
- f««'^- length Ariston the son of Pyrrhichus,
a Corinthian, who was the ablest pilot in the Syracusan fleet, persuaded the commanders to send a message to the proper authorities in the city desiring them to have the market transferred as quickly as possible to the shore, and to compel any one who had food for sale to bring his whole stock thither. The sailors would thus be enabled to disembark and take their midday meal close to the ships ; and so after a short interval they might, without waiting until the next day, renew the attack upon the Athenians when least expected. 40 The generals, agreeing to the proposal, sent the message, and the market was brought down to They soon return, to o jj 1 ^u c the great surprise of the the shorc. Suddenly the Syracusans Athenians, -who are now backed Water and rowed towards the compelled to charge and ^,jjy . ^^^^ disembarking they at once took their meal on the spot. The Athenians, regarding their retreat as a confession of defeat, disembarked at leisure, and among other matters set about preparing their own meal, taking for granted that there would be no more fighting that day. Suddenly the Syra- cusans manned their ships and again bore down upon them ; the Athenians, in great disorder and most of them fasting, hurried on board, and with considerable difficulty got under weigh. For some time the two fleets looked at one another, and did not engage ; after a while the Athen- ians thought they had better not delay until they had fairly tired themselves out, but attack at once. So, cheering on one another, they charged and fought. The Syracusans remained firm, and meeting the enemy prow to prow, as they had resolved, stove in by the strength of their beaks
