# The Final Catastrophe explained — History of the Peloponnesian War > Chapter companion for History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides. ## What happens The Athenians, trapped in the Great Harbour of Syracuse, are defeated in a decisive naval battle. Demosthenes and Nicias attempt a desperate retreat by land, but the Syracusans under Gylippus and Hermocrates block their path, leading to the annihilation of the Athenian expeditionary force. ## Themes in this chapter ### War and Its Consequences The chapter depicts the catastrophic end of the Athenian expedition, with the army's desperate retreat and the psychological and physical toll of war on both sides. ### Leadership and Strategy Nicias and Demosthenes struggle to command a demoralized army, while Gylippus and Hermocrates effectively coordinate the Syracusan defense and pursuit. ### Fate and Human Agency The Athenians interpret thunder and rain as omens of ruin, reflecting the interplay between human decision-making and perceived divine will in the face of disaster. ## Character check-ins ### Nicias Appalled by the crisis, Nicias addresses the captains by name and tribe, urging them not to betray their personal and ancestral honor. He later leads the army in a hollow square formation during the retreat. ### Demosthenes Demosthenes supports Nicias in the retreat and addresses his part of the army with similar exhortations. He later proposes manning the remaining ships for another naval attempt, but the sailors refuse. ### Gylippus Gylippus, along with the Syracusan generals, perceives the Athenian preparations and immediately mans the Syracusan ships. He later sends troops to fortify the pass and block the Athenian retreat. ### Hermocrates Hermocrates suspects the Athenian intention to retreat by land and warns the Syracusan authorities, urging them to block the roads and guard the passes to prevent the enemy's escape. ## Key lines > Men make the city and not walls or ships without men in them. A city's strength lies in its people, not in its physical defenses or vessels. _Nicias exhorts his soldiers to be brave, emphasizing that human courage and resolve are more important than material resources._ > When men are once checked in what they consider their special excellence, their whole opinion of themselves suffers more than if they had not at first believed in their superiority, the unexpected shock to their pride causing them to give way more than their real strength warrants. When people fail at what they pride themselves on, their confidence is shattered more than if they had never been confident, and they collapse beyond what their actual abilities would suggest. _A Syracusan general argues that the Athenians, having been defeated at sea, are now psychologically vulnerable despite their remaining strength._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xxiii - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters