XI.  As besides this Alkibiades had some suspicions of treachery among them, he rode away.  On the fifth day however, when the Athenians, after their customary offer of battle, had returned as usual, in a careless and negligent manner, Lysander sent out some ships to reconnoitre, with orders to row back again with all speed as soon as they saw the Athenians disembark, and when they reached the middle of the straits to hoist a brazen shield over their bows as a signal for advance.  He himself sailed from ship to ship, addressing the steersmen and captains of each, urging them to be in their place with their full complement both of rowers and fighting-men on deck, and at the signal to row strongly and cheerfully against the enemy.

When the shield was raised, and the signal given by trumpet from the flag-ship, the fleet put to sea, while the land force marched rapidly along the shore towards the promontory.  The straits here are only fifteen furlongs wide, a distance which was soon passed by the zeal of the Lacedaemonian rowers.  Konon was the first of the Athenian generals who perceived the fleet approaching.  He at once called out to the men to embark, and in his agony of distress at the disaster, ordered, implored, and forced them into their ships.  But all his zeal was useless, scattered as the crews were; for as soon as they disembarked they at once, not expecting any attack, began some to purchase food in the market, some to stroll about, while some went to sleep in their tents, and some began to cook, without the least mistrust of that which befel them, through the ignorance and inexperience of their leaders.  As by this time the enemy were close upon them, with loud cries and noise of oars, Konon with eight ships made his way safely through the enemy, and escaped to the court of Evagoras, king of Cyprus.  As to the rest of the ships, the Peloponnesians took some of them empty, and sank the others as the sailors endeavoured to get on board of them.  Of these men, many perished near their ships, as they ran to them in disorderly crowds, without arms, while others who fled away on land were killed by the enemy, who landed and went in pursuit of them.  Besides these, three thousand men, including the generals, were taken prisoners.  Lysander also captured the entire fleet, with the exception of the sacred trireme called the Paralus, and the eight ships which escaped with Konon.  After plundering the camp, and taking all the captured ships in tow, he sailed back to Lampsakus with triumphal music of flutes and paeans of victory, having won a great victory with little labour, and in a short time brought to a close the longest and most uncertain war ever known in his times.  There had been innumerable battles, and frequent changes of fortune, in which more generals had perished than in all the previous wars in Greece, and yet all was brought to a close by the wisdom and conduct of one man:  which thing caused some to attribute this victory to the interposition of the gods.