defence.—Partial success at first—complete and ruinous defeat finally.—Disorder of the Athenians—great loss in the flight.—Elate spirits, and renewed aggressive plans, of the Syracusans.—Deliberation and different opinions of the Athenian generals.—Demosthenês insists on departing from Sicily—Nikias opposes him.—Demosthenês insists at least on removing out of the Great Harbor.—Nikias refuses to consent to such removal.—The armament remains in the Great Harbor, neither acting nor retiring.—Infatuation of Nikias.—Increase of force and confidence in Syracuse.—Nikias at length consents to retreat. Orders for retreat privately circulated.—Eclipse of the moon—Athenian retreat postponed.—Eclipses considered as signs—differently interpreted—opinion of Philochorus.—Renewed attacks of the Syracusans—defeat of the Athenian fleet in the Great Harbor.—Partial success ashore against Gylippus.—The Syracusans determine to block up the mouth of the harbor, and destroy or capture the whole Athenian armament.—Large views of the Syracusans against the power of Athens—new hazards now opened to endanger that power.—Vast numbers, and miscellaneous origin, of the combatants now engaged in fighting for or against Syracuse.—The Syracusans block up the mouth of the harbor.—The Athenians resolve to force their way out—preparations made by the generals.—Exhortations of Nikias on putting the crews aboard.—Agony of Nikias—his efforts to encourage the officers.—Bold and animated language of Gylippus to the Syracusan fleet.—Syracusan arrangements. Condition of the Great Harbor—sympathizing population surrounding it.—Attempt of the Athenian fleet to break out—battle in the Great Harbor.—Long-continued and desperate struggle—intense emotion—total defeat of the Athenians.—Military operations of ancient times—strong emotions which accompanied them.—Causes of the defeat of the Athenians.—Feelings of the victors and vanquished after the battle.—Resolution of Demosthenês and Nikias to make a second attempt—the armament are too much discouraged to obey.—The Athenians determine to retreat by land—they postpone their retreat, under false communications from Syracuse.—The Syracusans block up the roads, to intercept their retreat.—Retreat of the Athenians—miserable condition of the army.—Wretchedness arising from abandoning the sick and wounded.—Attempt of the generals to maintain some order—energy of Nikias.—Exhortations of Nikias to the suffering army.—Commencement of the retreat—harassed and impeded by the Syracusans.—Continued conflict—no progress made by the retreating army.—Violent storm—effect produced on both parties—change of feeling in the last two years.—Night march of the Athenians, in an altered direction, towards the southern sea.—Separation of the two divisions under Nikias and Demosthenês. The first division under Nikias gets across the river