Lamachos at once came round to this opinion, as every one else must have done who had any wisdom or any experience of practical warfare, or any knowledge of the port they were about to attack. He was a fine leader, was Lamachos, when a dash at the head of troops was wanted, but without prudence or firmness of conviction. The superior wisdom of his more gifted colleague, which was before long to mark him out as one of the greatest generals of any age, soon convinced him. Nikias then grudgingly gave way. His attitude was not one to inspire confidence in minds less hopeful than those of his two colleagues. Alkibiades started at once for Messana in the _Eros_. No troops were allowed to enter the town. He went alone into the Assembly. But his fame had gone before him. He addressed the citizens, pressing them to join the Athenians and their allies, and pointing out the advantages they would gain by the help of such a force as he had brought from Greece. The people were divided. Some were for joining the Athenians, others feared the fury of Syrakuse when the Greeks had gone away. The more wary answered they could not open their gates to an armed force on either side, but that the Athenians might, if they would, encamp in their territory away from the town, and buy what provisions they wanted at a reasonable rate. This was something gained. Alkibiades was not discouraged. He thanked the people, and before he left he managed to gain over a party amongst them, who engaged to open the gates to him whenever he should give the signal. He hastened back to Rhegion, and with a portion of the fleet sailed south to Naxos, where he was cordially received, and obtained promise of help. He went on to Katané. There he was refused admission, and thinking it unwise to begin hostilities with the small force he had, or to make certain enemies of those who might be won by management, he went on towards Syrakuse. There he met his colleague Lamachos cruising near the harbour, longing to be inside it. The two generals with their conjoined force went back to Katané, taking a Syrakusan vessel by the way. On reaching Katané, they received permission to enter the town without troops. They ventured to address an assembly of the citizens. While Alkibiades was endeavouring to persuade them to join the Athenian alliance, a party of Athenian soldiers who had landed secretly from the ships forced one of the city gates that had been left unguarded, and suddenly appeared in the assembly while Alkibiades was speaking. The Syrakusan party amongst the citizens fled; the rest, without waiting for further arguments, voted for the Athenian alliance. Alkibiades then made a reconnaissance of Syrakuse alone by sea, and landed with a body of two hundred heavy-armed men nearly two miles north of the town. He came upon an outpost on the high ground guarded by a small body of Syrakusan soldiers, whom he easily overcame, and captured a store of arms and provisions.