Meanwhile the Syracusans who had fled into the city, observing the
temporary defeat of the Athenians, had taken courage again, and they
returned to the field, having first sent a detachment to attack the
Athenian Circle, where Nicias, who was disabled by sickness, had been
left in charge with a small garrison. Thinking to make an easy
capture, the party sent on this service ran up the slope of Epipolae,
and reached the breastwork of the Circle, which they took and
demolished. With the scanty force at his disposal, Nicias had little
hope of repelling the attack, so he had recourse to a desperate
expedient. He ordered the camp-servants to set fire to a great pile of
timber, which was lying, together with a number of siege engines, in
front of the wall. They did as he directed, and a great flame arose,
which drove back the assailants, and gave warning of his danger to the
Athenians in the plain below, where the whole Syracusan army was now
in full retreat. Almost at the same moment the Athenian fleet was seen
sailing into the Great Harbour, and a strong contingent from the
victorious army came swarming up the hill to the rescue. Thereupon the
storming party from Syracuse turned and fled back to the city, where
they found the streets thronged by their beaten and dispirited
comrades.
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