§13.39.1οὗτοι μὲν οὖν περὶ ταῦτα διέτριβον.
These men, then, were occupied with these matters.
Μίνδαρος δʼ ὁ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων ναύαρχος νυκτὸς μετὰ τοῦ στόλου παντὸς ἐκπλεύσας εἰς Ἑλλήσποντον ἐκομίζετο κατὰ σπουδήν, καὶ δευτεραῖος εἰς Σίγειον κατέπλευσεν.
But Mindarus, the admiral of the Lacedaemonians, having set sail by night with the entire fleet, was sailing in haste to the Hellespont, and on the second day put in at Sigeum.
οἱ δʼ Ἀθηναῖοι πυθόμενοι τὸν παράπλουν, οὐκ ἀνέμειναν ἁπάσας τὰς παρὰ τῶν συμμάχων τριήρεις, τριῶν δὲ μόνον προσγενομένων αὐτοῖς, ἐδίωκον τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους.
The Athenians, having learned of their sailing past, did not wait for all the triremes from the allies, but with only three having joined them, pursued the Lacedaemonians.
§13.39.2ἐπεὶ δʼ ἦλθον εἰς Σίγειον, εὗρον τὸν μὲν στόλον ἐκπεπλευκότα, τρεῖς δὲ ναῦς ὑπολελειμμένας, ὧν εὐθέως ἐκυρίευσαν· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτʼ εἰς Ἐλεοῦντα καταπλεύσαντες τὰ περὶ τὴν ναυμαχίαν παρεσκευάζοντο.
When they arrived at Sigeum, they found that the fleet had sailed out, but that three ships had been left behind, which they immediately captured; and after this, having sailed down to Elaeus, they prepared themselves for the sea-fight.
§13.39.3Λακεδαιμόνιοι δὲ θεωροῦντες τοὺς πολεμίους τὰ πρὸς τὴν μάχην ἑτοιμαζομένους, καὶ αὐτοὶ πένθʼ ἡμέρας ἀναπείρας ποιούμενοι καὶ γυμνάσαντες τοὺς ἐρέτας, ἐξέταξαν τὸν στόλον εἰς ναυμαχίαν, ὄντα νεῶν δυεῖν ἐλάττω τῶν ἐνενήκοντα.
And the Lacedaemonians, seeing the enemy preparing themselves for the battle, themselves also made trial-maneuvers for five days and, having trained their oarsmen, drew up the fleet for the sea-fight, which was two ships fewer than ninety.
οὗτοι μὲν οὖν ἐκ τοῦ πρὸς τὴν Ἀσίαν μέρους ἔστησαν τὰς ναῦς, οἱ δʼ Ἀθηναῖοι τὸ πρὸς τὴν Εὐρώπην ἔχοντες ἀντανήγοντο, τῷ μὲν πλήθει λειπόμενοι, ταῖς δʼ ἐμπειρίαις ὑπερέχοντες.
These, then, stationed their ships on the side facing Asia, while the Athenians, holding the side facing Europe, put out against them, being inferior in number but superior in experience.
§13.39.4Λακεδαιμόνιοι μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τοῦ δεξιοῦ κέρατος ἔταξαν τοὺς Συρακοσίους, ὧν Ἑρμοκράτης ἀφηγεῖτο, τὸ δʼ εὐώνυμον αὐτοὶ συνεπλήρουν Πελοποννήσιοι, Μινδάρου τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἔχοντος.
The Lacedaemonians, then, stationed on the right wing the Syracusans, whom Hermocrates led, and they themselves, the Peloponnesians, filled up the left, Mindarus having the command.
τῶν δʼ Ἀθηναίων ἐπὶ μὲν τὸ δεξιὸν ἐτάχθη Θράσυλλος, ἐπὶ δὲ τὸ εὐώνυμον Θρασύβουλος.
On the side of the Athenians, Thrasyllus was stationed on the right, and Thrasybulus on the left.
καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἔσπευδον ἀμφότεροι φιλοτιμούμενοι περὶ τοῦ τόπου, ὅπως μὴ τὸν ῥοῦν ἔχωσιν ἐναντίον.
And at first both hastened, contending eagerly for the position, so that they might not have the current against them.
§13.39.5διὸ καὶ πολὺν χρόνον ἀλλήλους περιέπλεον, διακλείοντες τὰ στενὰ καὶ περὶ τῆς στάσεως τοπομαχοῦντες· μεταξὺ γὰρ Ἀβύδου καὶ Σηστοῦ τῆς ναυμαχίας γινομένης συνέβαινε τὸν ῥοῦν οὐ μετρίως ἐμποδίζειν ἐν στενοῖς τόποις.
Therefore, they also sailed around each other for a long time, blocking the straits and fighting for the position; for since the sea-fight was taking place between Abydus and Sestus, it happened that the current was no small hindrance in the narrow places.
οὐ μὴν ἀλλʼ οἱ τῶν Ἀθηναίων κυβερνῆται πολὺ ταῖς ἐμπειρίαις προέχοντες πολλὰ πρὸς τὴν νίκην συνεβάλοντο.
Nevertheless, the pilots of the Athenians, being far superior in their experience, contributed much toward the victory.