History of the Peloponnesian War

In the capture of the forts many men were killed or made prisoners, and much property in all was taken; for since the Athenians used the forts as a warehouse, there were in them many wares belonging to merchants as well as food, and also much property belonging to the trierarchs[*](The trierarchs, appointed yearly from a selected list of well-to-do citizens, received from the state at the beginning of their year of service the bare ship, without rigging or equipment, which each had to provide for himself.)—in fact the sails and other tackle of forty triremes were taken there, as well as three triremes that had been drawn up on shore.

But the greatest and most serious blow suffered by the Athenian army was the taking of Plemmyrium; for the work of bringing in provisions through the entrance to the harbour could no longer be carried on with safety (since the Syracusans lying in wait there with ships hindered this, and from now on the convoys could only make their entrance by fighting), and in general this event brought consternation and discouragement to the army.

After this the Syracusans sent out twelve ships under the command of Agatharchus, a Syracusan. One of these headed for the Peloponnesus, having on board some envoys who were to explain the situation in Sicily, that they were full of hope, and to urge the still more vigorous prosecution of the war on the continent of Greece. The other eleven ships sailed to Italy,[*](In Thucydides the term is used only of the part of the peninsula south of the river Laüs and Metapontum.) since they heard that boats laden with supplies for the Athenians were approaching. And falling in with these boats, they destroyed most of them;

and they also burned some timber in the territory of Caulonia, which was lying there ready for the Athenians to use in ship-building.

After this they went to Locri, and while they were lying there at anchor, one of the merchant-ships that had sailed from the Peloponnesus arrived in port, bringing some Thespian hoplites.