302 ECLIPSE OF THE MOON [vil After defeating the Libyans they sailed on to Neapolis, a Carthaginian factory which is the nearest point to Sicily, the passage taking two days and a night only ; thence they crocsed and came to Selinus. On their arrival, the Syra- cusans immediately prepared to renew their attack upon the Athenians, both by land and sea. And the Athenian generals, seeing that their enemy had been reinforced by a new army, and that their own affairs, instead of improving, were daily growing worse in every respect, and being especially troubled by the sickness of their troops, re- pented that they had not gone before. Even Nicias now no longer objected, but only made the condition that there should be no open voting. So, maintaining such secrecy as they could, they gave orders for the departure of the expedition ; the men were to prepare themselves against a given signal. The preparations were made and they were on the point of sailing, when the moon, being just then at the full, was eclipsed. The mass of the army was greatly moved, and called upon the generals to remain. Nicias himself, who was too much under the influence of divination and such like, refused even to discuss the question of their removal imtil they had remained thrice nine days, as the soothsa3'ers prescribed. This was the reason why the departure of the Athenians was finally delayed. 51 And now the Syracusans, having heard what had The Symcsans dc happened, were more eager than ever termine not to Ut their to prosecute the War to the end ; they enentksgo. Theyagain ^^^y, ^ j^g intention of the Athenians attack the Athenians . r • t 1 anddnveasnmilparty ^o t^epart a confession that they were of them within their no longer Superior to themselves, either ^*^- by sea or land ; and they did not want them to settle down in some other part of Sicily where they would be more diflicult to manage, but sought to compel them forthwith to fight at sea under the disadvan- tages of their present position. So they manned their ships and exercised for as many days as they thought
