§8.104.1μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἐναυμάχουν τρόπῳ τοιῷδε.
After this, they fought the sea-fight in the following manner.
οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι παρέπλεον ἐπὶ κέρως ταξάμενοι παρ’ αὐτὴν τὴν γῆν ἐπὶ τῆς Σηστοῦ, οἱ δὲ Πελοποννήσιοι αἰσθόμενοι ἐκ τῆς Ἀβύδου ἀντανῆγον καὶ αὐτοί.
The Athenians sailed along the land itself towards Sestos, having formed their line in single file; but the Peloponnesians, perceiving them, put out to meet them from Abydos on their side also.
§8.104.2καὶ ὡς ἔγνωσαν ναυμαχήσοντες, παρέτειναν τὸ κέρας οἱ μὲν Ἀθηναῖοι παρὰ τὴν Χερσόνησον, ἀρξάμενοι ἀπὸ Ἰδάκου μέχρι Ἀρριανῶν, νῆες ἓξ καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα, οἱ δ’ αὖ Πελοποννήσιοι ἀπὸ Ἀβύδου μέχρι Δαρδάνου, νῆες ἓξ καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα.
And when they resolved to engage in battle, the Athenians extended their flank along the Chersonese, stretching from Idacus as far as Arriani, being seventy-six ships; while the Peloponnesians, on their part, extended from Abydos as far as Dardanus, being eighty-six ships.
§8.104.3κέρας δὲ τοῖς μὲν Πελοποννησίοις εἶχον τὸ μὲν δεξιὸν Συρακόσιοι, τὸ δ’ ἕτερον αὐτὸς Μίνδαρος καὶ τῶν νεῶν αἱ ἄριστα πλέουσαι, Ἀθηναίοις δὲ τὸ μὲν ἀριστερὸν Θράσυλος, ὁ δὲ Θρασύβουλος τὸ δεξιόν· οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι στρατηγοὶ ὡς ἕκαστοι διετάξαντο.
Of the wings, the Peloponnesians had the right held by the Syracusans, and the other by Mindarus himself and the best-sailing of their ships; while of the Athenians, Thrasyllus held the left, and Thrasybulus the right; and the other generals were stationed as each had been appointed.
§8.104.4ἐπειγομένων δὲ τῶν Πελοποννησίων πρότερόν τε ξυμμεῖξαι, καὶ κατὰ μὲν τὸ δεξιὸν τῶν Ἀθηναίων ὑπερσχόντες αὐτοὶ τῷ εὐωνύμῳ ἀποκλῇσαι τοῦ ἔξω αὐτοὺς ἔκπλου, εἰ δύναιντο, κατὰ δὲ τὸ μέσον ἐξῶσαι πρὸς τὴν γῆν οὐχ ἑκὰς οὖσαν, οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι γνόντες, ᾗ μὲν ἐβούλοντο ἀποφάρξασθαι αὐτοὺς οἱ ἐναντίοι, ἀντεπεξῆγον καὶ περιεγίγνοντο τῷ πλῷ,
Since the Peloponnesians were eager to join battle first, and to outflank the Athenian right with their own left and cut them off, if they could, from sailing out into the open water, while pushing the center of the Athenian line onto the nearby land, the Athenians, perceiving this, extended their own line to counter them where the enemy wished to hem them in, and succeeded in keeping ahead in sailing.
§8.104.5τὸ δ’ εὐώνυμον αὐτοῖς ὑπερεβεβλήκει ἤδη τὴν ἄκραν ἣ Κυνὸς σῆμα καλεῖται.
But their left wing had already rounded the cape which is called Cynossema.
τῷ δὲ μέσῳ, τοιούτου ξυμβαίνοντος, ἀσθενέσι καὶ διεσπασμέναις ταῖς ναυσὶ καθίσταντο, ἄλλως τε καὶ ἐλάσσοσι χρώμενοι τὸ πλῆθος καὶ τοῦ χωρίου τοῦ περὶ τὸ Κυνὸς σῆμα ὀξεῖαν καὶ γωνιώδη τὴν περιβολὴν ἔχοντος, ὥστε τὰ ἐν τῷ ἐπέκεινα αὐτοῦ γιγνόμενα μὴ κάτοπτα εἶναι.
Under these circumstances, they found themselves with their center weak and their ships scattered, especially since they were fewer in number and the area around Cynossema formed a sharp and angular bend, so that what was happening on the other side of it was not visible.