and their hearers informed the Athenian generals, who put off going for that night on the strength of this message, not doubting its sincerity. Since after all they had not set out at once, they now determined to stay also the following day to give time to the soldiers to pack up as well as they could the most useful articles, and, leaving everything else behind, to start only with what was strictly necessary for their personal subsistence. Meanwhile the Syracusans and Gylippus marched out and blocked up the roads through the country by which the Athenians were likely to pass, and kept guard at the fords of the streams and rivers, posting themselves so as to receive them and stop the army where they thought best;
73. Hala ere, Hermokrates Sirakusakoa, haien asmoak aurreikusita eta izugarria zatekeela pentsatuz hain gudaroste handiak, lehorrez erretiratu eta Siziliako lekuren batean egonkortu ondoren, berriro gerra piztea, agintariengana aurkeztu zen, hain zuzen ere buruan zuen arrazoi hura adieraztera, eta gaueko erretreta hura ez zitzaiela permititu behar azaldu zuen, baizik eta bide guztiak blokeatu eta mehaketan guardia jartzera aurreratu behar zitzaiela, sirakusarrak eta beren aliatuak tropa guztiekin irtenda.