§13.18.1οἱ δʼ Ἀθηναῖοι συνδραμόντες ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν ἡγεμόνων σκηνὰς ἐδέοντο τῶν στρατηγῶν, μὴ τῶν νεῶν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν φροντίζειν σωτηρίας.
And the Athenians, running together to the tents of their commanders, begged the generals to care not for the ships, but for their own safety.
Δημοσθένης μὲν οὖν ἔφη δεῖν, λελυμένου τοῦ ζεύγματος, κατὰ τάχος πληροῦν τὰς τριήρεις, καὶ ἀπροσδοκήτως ἐπιθεμένους ἐπηγγέλλετο ῥᾳδίως κρατήσειν τῆς ἐπιβολῆς·
Demosthenes, on his part, said that since the barrier had been broken, they must man the triremes with all speed, and he promised that if they made an unexpected attack they would easily succeed in their attempt.
§13.18.2Νικίας δὲ συνεβούλευε καταλιπόντας τὰς ναῦς διὰ τῆς μεσογείου πρὸς τὰς συμμαχίδας πόλεις ἀναχωρεῖν.
But Nicias advised them to abandon the ships and retreat through the interior to the allied cities.
ᾧ πάντες ὁμογνώμονες γενόμενοι τῶν νεῶν τινας ἐνέπρησαν καὶ τὰ πρὸς τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν παρεσκευάζοντο.
Since everyone came to the same opinion on this, they burned some of the ships and began to make preparations for their departure.
§13.18.3φανεροῦ δʼ ὄντος ὅτι τῆς νυκτὸς ἀναζεύξουσιν, Ἑρμοκράτης συνεβούλευε τοῖς Συρακοσίοις ἐξάγειν τῆς νυκτὸς ἅπαν τὸ στρατόπεδον καὶ τὰς ὁδοὺς ἁπάσας προκαταλαβέσθαι.
Since it was clear that they would march away during the night, Hermocrates advised the Syracusans to lead out their entire army by night and occupy all the roads beforehand.
§13.18.4οὐ πειθομένων δὲ τῶν στρατηγῶν διὰ τὸ πολλοὺς μὲν τραυματίας εἶναι τῶν στρατιωτῶν, πάντας δʼ ὑπὸ τῆς μάχης κατακόπους ὑπάρχειν τοῖς σώμασιν, ἀπέστειλέ τινας τῶν ἱππέων ἐπὶ τὴν παρεμβολὴν τῶν Ἀθηναίων τοὺς ἐροῦντας, ὅτι προαπεστάλκασιν οἱ Συρακόσιοι τοὺς τὰς ὁδοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐπικαιροτάτους τόπους προκαταληψομένους.
But since the generals would not agree because many of the soldiers were wounded and everyone was physically exhausted by the battle, he sent some of the cavalry to the camp of the Athenians to say that the Syracusans had already sent out troops to occupy the roads and the most strategic positions beforehand.
§13.18.5ποιησάντων δὲ τῶν ἱππέων τὸ προσταχθὲν ἤδη νυκτὸς οὔσης, οἱ μὲν Ἀθηναῖοι νομίσαντες τῶν Λεοντίνων τινὰς εἶναι τοὺς διʼ εὔνοιαν ἀπηγγελκότας, διεταράχθησαν οὐ μικρῶς καὶ τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν ὑπερέθεντο· ᾧπερ εἰ μὴ παρεκρούσθησαν, ἀσφαλῶς ἂν ἐχωρίσθησαν.
When the cavalry had done what they were ordered to do, it being already night, the Athenians, thinking that those who had brought the news were some of the Leontines acting out of goodwill, were thrown into no small confusion and postponed their departure; if they had not been deceived by this, they would have departed in safety.
§13.18.6οἱ μὲν οὖν Συρακόσιοι τῆς ἡμέρας ὑποφωσκούσης ἀπέστειλαν τοὺς προκαταληψομένους τὰ στενόπορα τῶν ὁδῶν· οἱ δὲ τῶν Ἀθηναίων στρατηγοὶ διελόμενοι τοὺς στρατιώτας εἰς δύο μέρη, καὶ τὰ μὲν σκευοφόρα καὶ τοὺς ἀρρώστους εἰς μέσον λαβόντες, τοὺς δὲ δυναμένους μάχεσθαι προηγεῖσθαι καὶ οὐραγεῖν τάξαντες, προῄεσαν ἐπὶ Κατάνης, ὧν μὲν Δημοσθένους, ὧν δὲ Νικίου καθηγουμένων.
Thus, as day was dawning, the Syracusans sent out those who were to occupy the narrow passes of the roads beforehand; and the Athenian generals, having divided their soldiers into two parts, and having placed the baggage-animals and the sick in the center, and having ordered those who were able to fight to lead the way and to bring up the rear, proceeded toward Catana, Demosthenes leading one part and Nicias the other.