History of the Peloponnesian War

The Syracusans were encouraged, and at once went out with their whole army to meet Gylippus;

for they were informed that he was already near. He, after taking on his way the Sicel fort of Ietae and marshalling his men in readiness for battle, reached Epipolae; and ascending it by way of Euryelus, where the Athenians also had made their ascent at first,[*](cf. 6.97.2.) he formed a junction with the Syracusans and advanced against the wall of the Athenians.

And he happened to have come at the critical moment when the double wall[*](cf. 6.103.1.) of seven or eight stadia in extent had already been completed by the Athenians down to the Great Harbour, except for a short stretch next to the sea, where they were still building. As for the rest of the encircling line, stones had already been dumped along the greater part of the stretch which ran to Trogilus and the outer sea, and it was left so, some parts half finished, other parts quite finished. So close had Syracuse come to destruction.