§7.4.1καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐτείχιζον οἱ Συρακόσιοι καὶ οἱ ξύμμαχοι διὰ τῶν Ἐπιπολῶν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως ἀρξάμενοι ἄνω πρὸς τὸ ἐγκάρσιον τεῖχος ἁπλοῦν, ὅπως οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι, εἰ μὴ δύναιντο κωλῦσαι, μηκέτι οἷοί τε ὦσιν ἀποτειχίσαι.
After this, the Syracusans and their allies began to build a single cross-wall, starting from the city and running upward through Epipolae, so that the Athenians, if they should be unable to prevent it, would no longer be able to invest them with a wall.
§7.4.2καὶ οἵ τε Ἀθηναῖοι ἀνεβεβήκεσαν ἤδη ἄνω, τὸ ἐπὶ θαλάσσῃ τεῖχος ἐπιτελέσαντες, καὶ ὁ Γύλιππος (ἦν γάρ τι τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις τοῦ τείχους ἀσθενές) νυκτὸς ἀναλαβὼν τὴν στρατιὰν ἐπῄει πρὸς αὐτό.
The Athenians had already gone up, having completed their wall by the sea; and Gylippus, knowing that there was a certain weak part in the Athenian wall, took his army by night and advanced against it.
§7.4.3οἱ δ’ Ἀθηναῖοι (ἔτυχον γὰρ ἔξω αὐλιζόμενοι) ὡς ᾔσθοντο, ἀντεπῇσαν· ὁ δὲ γνοὺς κατὰ τάχος ἀπήγαγε τοὺς σφετέρους πάλιν.
But the Athenians, who happened to be bivouacking outside, perceived it and advanced to meet him; and he, realizing this, led his men back in haste.
ἐποικοδομήσαντες δὲ αὐτὸ οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ὑψηλότερον αὐτοὶ μὲν ταύτῃ ἐφύλασσον, τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους ξυμμάχους κατὰ τὸ ἄλλο τείχισμα ἤδη διέταξαν, ᾗπερ ἔμελλον ἕκαστοι φρουρεῖν.
The Athenians, having rebuilt this part higher, guarded it themselves, and they now disposed the other allies along the rest of the wall, each where they were to keep guard.
§7.4.4τῷ δὲ Νικίᾳ ἐδόκει τὸ Πλημμύριον καλούμενον τειχίσαι· ἔστι δὲ ἄκρα ἀντιπέρας τῆς πόλεως, ἥπερ προύχουσα τοῦ μεγάλου λιμένος τὸ στόμα στενὸν ποιεῖ, καὶ εἰ τειχισθείη, ῥᾴων αὐτῷ ἐφαίνετο ἡ ἐσκομιδὴ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἔσεσθαι·
Nicias now resolved to fortify the place called Plemmyrion; this is a headland opposite the city, which projects into and narrows the mouth of the Great Harbor, and if it were fortified, it seemed to him that the introduction of supplies would be easier.
δι’ ἐλάσσονος γὰρ πρὸς τῷ λιμένι τῷ τῶν Συρακοσίων ἐφορμήσειν σφᾶς, καὶ οὐχ ὥσπερ νῦν ἐκ μυχοῦ τοῦ λιμένος τὰς ἐπαναγωγὰς ποιήσεσθαι, ἤν τι ναυτικῷ κινῶνται.
For they would be able to watch the Syracusan harbor from a shorter distance, and would not, as now, have to make their sallies from the very bottom of the harbor if they should make any movement with their fleet.
προσεῖχέ τε ἤδη μᾶλλον τῷ κατὰ θάλασσαν πολέμῳ, ὁρῶν τὰ ἐκ τῆς γῆς σφίσιν ἤδη, ἐπειδὴ Γύλιππος ἧκεν, ἀνελπιστότερα ὄντα.
Indeed, he was now turning his attention more to the war by sea, seeing that on land, since the arrival of Gylippus, their prospects were more hopeless.
§7.4.5διακομίσας οὖν στρατιὰν καὶ τὰς ναῦς ἐξετείχισε τρία φρούρια· καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς τά τε σκεύη τὰ πλεῖστα ἔκειτο καὶ τὰ πλοῖα ἤδη ἐκεῖ τὰ μεγάλα ὥρμει καὶ αἱ ταχεῖαι νῆες.
Therefore, having transported troops and the ships, he built three forts; in these, most of their stores were deposited, and the large merchant vessels and the fast-sailing ships were now anchored there.
§7.4.6ὥστε καὶ τῶν πληρωμάτων οὐχ ἥκιστα τότε πρῶτον κάκωσις ἐγένετο·
Consequently, for the crews also, then for the first time arose a serious deterioration of their condition.
τῷ τε γὰρ ὕδατι σπανίῳ χρώμενοι καὶ οὐκ ἐγγύθεν, καὶ ἐπὶ φρυγανισμὸν ἅμα ὁπότε ἐξέλθοιεν οἱ ναῦται, ὑπὸ τῶν ἱππέων τῶν Συρακοσίων κρατούντων τῆς γῆς διεφθείροντο·
For they had to use water that was scarce and not nearby; and whenever the sailors went out to gather firewood, they were cut off by the Syracusan cavalry, who were masters of the country.
τρίτον γὰρ μέρος τῶν ἱππέων τοῖς Συρακοσίοις διὰ τοὺς ἐν τῷ Πλημμυρίῳ, ἵνα μὴ κακουργήσοντες ἐξίοιεν, ἐπὶ τῇ ἐν τῷ Ὀλυμπιείῳ πολίχνῃ ἐτετάχατο.
Indeed, a third part of the Syracusan cavalry had been posted at the small town near the Olympieum on account of those at Plemmyrion, so that they might not go out to do mischief.
§7.4.7ἐπυνθάνετο δὲ καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς τῶν Κορινθίων ναῦς προσπλεούσας ὁ Νικίας· καὶ πέμπει ἐς φυλακὴν αὐτῶν εἴκοσι ναῦς, αἷς εἴρητο περί τε Λοκροὺς καὶ Ῥήγιον καὶ τὴν προσβολὴν τῆς Σικελίας ναυλοχεῖν αὐτάς.
Nicias was also informed that the remaining ships of the Corinthians were sailing up; and he sent twenty ships to watch for them, with orders to lie in wait for them about Locri, Rhegium, and the approach to Sicily.