§13.61.1τῆς δὲ μάχης ταύτης ἤδη τέλος ἐχούσης κατέπλευσαν πρὸς τὴν Ἱμέραν πέντε πρὸς ταῖς εἴκοσι τριήρεις παρὰ τῶν Σικελιωτῶν, ἃς πρότερον μὲν ἀπεστάλκεισαν τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις ἐπὶ συμμαχίαν, τότε δʼ ἀνέστρεψαν ἀπὸ τῆς στρατείας.
When this battle had already come to an end, twenty-five triremes from the Siceliots put in at Himera, which they had previously dispatched to the Lacedaemonians for an alliance, but at that time they had returned from the expedition.
§13.61.2διεδόθη δὲ καὶ φήμη τις κατὰ τὴν πόλιν, ὅτι Συρακόσιοι μὲν πανδημεὶ μετὰ τῶν συμμάχων πορεύονται τοῖς Ἱμεραίοις βοηθεῖν, Ἀννίβας δὲ μέλλοι τὰς ἐν Μοτύῃ τριήρεις πληροῦν τῶν κρατίστων ἀνδρῶν καὶ περιπλεύσας ἐπὶ Συρακούσας ἔρημον τὴν πόλιν τῶν ἀμυνομένων καταλαβέσθαι.
And a rumor was also spread throughout the city that, while the Syracusans with all their forces and their allies were marching to the aid of the Himeraeans, Hannibal was about to man the triremes in Motya with the best men and, sailing around to Syracuse, seize the city when it was destitute of defenders.
§13.61.3διόπερ Διοκλῆς ὁ τῶν ἐν Ἱμέρᾳ στρατηγὸς συνεβούλευσε τοῖς ναυάρχοις τὴν ταχίστην ἐκπλεῖν εἰς Συρακούσας, ἵνα μὴ συμβῇ κατὰ κράτος ἁλῶναι τὴν πόλιν, ἀπόντων ἐν τῇ μάχῃ τῶν κρατίστων ἀνδρῶν.
Therefore Diocles, the commander of the forces in Himera, advised the naval commanders to sail away to Syracuse as quickly as possible, in order that it might not happen that the city was taken by storm, while its best men were absent in the war.
§13.61.4διόπερ ἐφαίνετο συμφέρειν αὐτοῖς ἐκλιπεῖν τὴν πόλιν καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἡμίσεις εἰς τὰς τριήρεις ἐμβιβάσαι—ταύτας γὰρ κατακομιεῖν αὐτούς, μέχρι ἂν ἐκτὸς τῆς Ἱμεραίας γένωνται χώρας—, τοῖς δʼ ἡμίσεσι τηρεῖν, ἕως ἂν πάλιν αἱ τριήρεις ἐπιστρέψωσιν.
For this reason, it seemed advantageous to them to abandon the city and to embark half of the population on the triremes—for these would convey them until they should be outside the territory of Himera—while the other half should keep guard until the triremes should return.
§13.61.5τῶν δʼ Ἱμεραίων σχετλιαζόντων μὲν ἐπὶ τοῖς λεγομένοις, οὐκ ἐχόντων δὲ ὃ πράξειαν ἕτερον, αἱ μὲν τριήρεις νυκτὸς ἐπληροῦντο κατὰ σπουδὴν ἀναμὶξ γυναικῶν τε καὶ παίδων, ἔτι δὲ τῶν ἄλλων σωμάτων, ἐπὶ τούτων ἀποπλεόντων ὡς ἐπὶ Μεσσήνην·
Although the Himeraeans complained bitterly at what was told to them, since they had no other course of action, the triremes were filled in haste during the night with a mixed crowd of women and children, and also of other persons, and with these on board they sailed away toward Messene.
§13.61.6Διοκλῆς δὲ τοὺς ἰδίους στρατιώτας ἀναλαβὼν καὶ τοὺς πεσόντας ἐν τῇ μάχῃ καταλιπών, ὥρμησεν ἐπʼ οἴκου τὴν πορείαν ποιούμενος.
But Diocles, taking his own soldiers and leaving behind those who had fallen in the battle, set out on his march homeward.
πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν Ἱμεραίων μετὰ τέκνων καὶ γυναικῶν ἐξώρμησαν σὺν τοῖς περὶ τὸν Διοκλῆν, μὴ δυναμένων χωρῆσαι τῶν τριήρων τὸν ὄχλον.
Many of the Himeraeans also set out with their children and wives along with Diocles and his men, since the triremes were unable to hold the crowd.