1 86 THE CALL OF THE SEA 



thing at a time, but many things on every side — 

 while the great din from such a number of ships 

 coming into coUision both spread dismay and 

 prevented their hearing what the boatswains said. 

 For many were the orders given and the shouts 

 raised by those officers on each side, both in the 

 discharge of their duty, and from their present 

 eagerness for the battle : while they cried out to 

 the Athenians " to force the passage," and now, if 

 ever they meant to do it hereafter, to exert them- 

 selves heartily for a safe return to their country ; 

 and to the Syracusans and their allies, "that it 

 would be a glorious achievement for them to 

 prevent the enemy's escape, and by gaining the 

 victory to confer honour on their respective 

 countries." The commanders, moreover, on each 

 side, if they saw any captain in any part un- 

 necessarily rowing astern, called out on him by 

 name and asked him, on the side of the Athenians, 

 " whether they were retreating because they con- 

 sidered the land, which was in the possession of ■ 

 their bitterest enemies, as more their own than the 

 sea, which had been won with no small trouble?" 

 on that of the Syracusans, " whether they were 

 themselves flying from the flying Athenians, whom 

 they knew for certain to be anxious to escape from 

 them in any way whatever?" 



The troops on shore, too, on both sides, when 

 the sea-fight was so equally balanced, suffered a 



