§7.80.1τῆς δὲ νυκτὸς τῷ Νικίᾳ καὶ Δημοσθένει ἐδόκει, ἐπειδὴ κακῶς σφίσι τὸ στράτευμα εἶχε τῶν τε ἐπιτηδείων πάντων ἀπορίᾳ ἤδη, καὶ κατατετραυματισμένοι ἦσαν πολλοὶ ἐν πολλαῖς προσβολαῖς τῶν πολεμίων γεγενημέναις, πυρὰ καύσαντας ὡς πλεῖστα ἀπάγειν τὴν στρατιάν, μηκέτι τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ᾗ διενοήθησαν, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον ἢ οἱ Συρακόσιοι ἐτήρουν, πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν.
During the night, since their army was in a wretched state due to the lack of all provisions already, and many had been wounded in the numerous attacks made by the enemy, it seemed best to Nicias and Demosthenes to kindle as many campfires as possible and lead the army away, no longer by the same road which they had intended, but in the opposite direction to that which the Syracusans were watching, towards the sea.
§7.80.2ἦν δὲ ἡ ξύμπασα ὁδὸς αὕτη οὐκ ἐπὶ Κατάνης τῷ στρατεύματι, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ ἕτερον μέρος τῆς Σικελίας τὸ πρὸς Καμάριναν καὶ Γέλαν καὶ τὰς ταύτῃ πόλεις καὶ Ἑλληνίδας καὶ βαρβάρους.
And this whole route was not for the army in the direction of Catana, but towards the other part of Sicily, that facing Camarina and Gela, and the cities, both Greek and barbarian, in that region.
§7.80.3καύσαντες οὖν πυρὰ πολλὰ ἐχώρουν ἐν τῇ νυκτί.
Having kindled many fires, therefore, they marched during the night.
καὶ αὐτοῖς, οἷον φιλεῖ καὶ πᾶσι στρατοπέδοις, μάλιστα δὲ τοῖς μεγίστοις, φόβοι καὶ δείματα ἐγγίγνεσθαι, ἄλλως τε καὶ ἐν νυκτί τε καὶ διὰ πολεμίας καὶ ἀπὸ πολεμίων οὐ πολὺ ἀπεχόντων ἰοῦσιν, ἐμπίπτει ταραχή·
And upon them—as is wont to happen to all armies, and especially to the largest, that fears and panics arise, particularly as they were marching by night through enemy territory and with the enemy not far off—a tumult fell.
§7.80.4καὶ τὸ μὲν Νικίου στράτευμα,ὥσπερ ἡγεῖτο, ξυνέμενέ τε καὶ προύλαβε πολλῷ, τὸ δὲ Δημοσθένους, τὸ ἥμισυ μάλιστα καὶ πλέον, ἀπεσπάσθη τε καὶ ἀτακτότερον ἐχώρει.
And the division of Nicias, as he was leading, kept together and got a long way ahead, but that of Demosthenes, which was about half or more, was separated and marched in greater disorder.
§7.80.5ἅμα δὲ τῇ ἕῳ ἀφικνοῦνται ὅμως πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ ἐσβάντες ἐς τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν Ἑλωρίνην καλουμένην ἐπορεύοντο, ὅπως, ἐπειδὴ γένοιντο ἐπὶ τῷ ποταμῷ τῷ Κακυπάρει, παρὰ τὸν ποταμὸν ἴοιεν ἄνω διὰ μεσογείας· ἤλπιζον γὰρ καὶ τοὺς Σικελοὺς ταύτῃ οὓς μετεπέμψαντο ἀπαντήσεσθαι.
Nevertheless, at dawn they reached the sea, and having entered upon the road called the Helorine, they marched on, so that, when they should reach the river Cacyparis, they might go up along the river through the interior; for they hoped that the Sicels whom they had sent for would meet them in this direction.
§7.80.6ἐπειδὴ δ’ ἐγένοντο ἐπὶ τῷ ποταμῷ, ηὗρον καὶ ἐνταῦθα φυλακήν τινα τῶν Συρακοσίων ἀποτειχίζουσάν τε καὶ ἀποσταυροῦσαν τὸν πόρον.
And when they reached the river, they found there too a guard of the Syracusans blocking the passage with a wall and a palisade.
καὶ βιασάμενοι αὐτὴν διέβησάν τε τὸν ποταμὸν καὶ ἐχώρουν αὖθις πρὸς ἄλλον ποταμὸν τὸν Ἐρινεόν· ταύτῃ γὰρ οἱ ἡγεμόνες ἐκέλευον.
Having forced their way through it, they crossed the river and marched again towards another river, the Erineus; for this was the way the guides directed them.