Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, 6.27.3

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[3] for it seemed to be ominous for the expedition and to have been done withal in furtherance of a conspiracy with a view to a revolution and the overthrow of the democracy.

History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides. London. 1919-1923.

Funding provided by National Endownment for the Humanities.

Current edition First1KGreek

History of the Peloponnesian War (English) (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.)

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 6.27.3 focus

[3] καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα μειζόνως ἐλάμβανον· τοῦ τε γὰρ ἔκπλου οἰωνὸς ἐδόκει εἶναι καὶ ἐπὶ ξυνωμοσίᾳ ἅμα νεωτέρων πραγμάτων καὶ δήμου καταλύσεως γεγενῆσθαι.

Translations (9)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 6.27.3 focus

[3] And they took the fact exceedingly to heart as ominous to the expedition and done withal upon conspiracy for alteration of the state and dissolution of the democracy.

History of the Peloponnesian War Perseus (Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Crawley, Richard, translator. London and Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.; New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1914.) — 6.27.3 focus

[3] The matter was taken up the more seriously, as it was thought to be ominous for the expedition, and part of a conspiracy to bring about a revolution and to upset the democracy.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 6.27 focus

Da geschah es, daß in Einer Nacht an den meisten
Hermesbildern, die nach Landessitte in der Stadt Athen als viereckige
Fignren aus Stein in großer Zahl sowohl an den Thoren der
Privathäuser, als auch bei den Tempeln ausgestellt waren, die Gesichter ¹²³
verstümmelt wurden. Die Thäter kannte Niemand, es wurde ihnen
aber von Staatswegen unter Aussetzung großer Preise^)
nachgeforscht, und man beschloß dazu noch, wenn Jemand sonst einen
verübten Religionsfrevel wisse, der könne ihn ohne Furcht für seine
Person anzeigen, sei er nun Bürger, oder Fremder, oder Sklave. Die
Sache wurde für um so wichtiger gehalten, als darin ein Vorzeichen
für den Seezug 49) zu liegen schien, und man in ihr zugleich das
Werk einer Verschwörung sehen wollte, die auf Umwälzung der Ver- '
fassung und Umsturz der Volksregierung gerichtet sei.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 6.27 focus

Zu der Zeit aber wurden in der Stadt den meisten
jener viereckigen tseinernen Hermen, wie sie nach LandeSsitte
vielfach an den Eingängen der Bürgerhäuser und der Tempel
tsehen, in einer Nacht die Gesichter abgeschlagen, und niemand
wußte, wer daS getan hatte. Man forschte nach den Tätern,
setzte von Staats wegen hohe Belohnungen für die Angeber
auS und beschloß zugleich, daß jeder, der um einen anderweit
verübten derartigen Frevel wisse und ihn zur Anzeige brächte,
straflos bleiben sollte, er sei Bürger, Fremder oder Sklave.
Die Sache wurde sehr ernst genommen; denn man glaubte,
sie sei von Vorbedeutung für den Feldzug, oder sie hinge mit
einer Verschwörung zusammen, die eS auf Verfassungsände
rungen und den Sturz der Demokratie abgesehen habe.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 6.27 focus

XXVII. On était au milieu de ces préparatifs, lorsque, dans une même nuit, la plupart des Hermès de pierre qui sont à Athènes eurent la face mutilée. Ces Hermès sont des figures carrées placées en grand nombre, suivant un usage local, soit aux vestibules des maisons particulières, soit dans les fieux sacrés. Personne ne connaissait les coupables¹; mais on en faisait activement la recherche; de grandes récompenses étaient offertes au nom de l’État aux dénonciateurs; on avait en outre décrété que si quelqu’un, citoyen, étranger ou esclave, avait connaissance de quelque autre impiété, il eût à la dénoncer hardiment. On donna une grande importance à cette affaire; car on y voyait un présage pour l’expédition, et en même ²³ temps on la rattachait à un complot pour changer la face des choses et abolir le gouvernement populaire.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 6.27 focus

Sur ces entrefaites, il arriva qu’en une seule nuit les Hermès de pierre¹, figures quadrangulaires qui, suivant l'usage du pays, sont'placées en grand nombre devant les temples et les édifices particuliers, se trouvèrent pour la plupart mutilés au visage. Nul ne savait les auteurs de cette profanation ; la ville promit de fortes récompenses à qui les découvrirait. On invita aussi tout citoyen, étranger ou esclave, qui aurait connaissance de quelque autre sacrilège commis, à le déclarer librement. Cette affaire prit des proportions considérer blés ; on y voyait un présage relatif à l'expédition, un complot organisé pour bouleverser l’État et pour abolir la démocratie.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.) — 6.27.3 focus

[3] for it was considered to be an omen of the expedition, and also to have been done on the strength of a conspiracy for bringing about a revolution, and for putting down the democracy.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 6.27.3 focus

[3] Atque rem in majus interpretabantur; nam et expeditionis omen esse videbatur, et simul etiam per conjurationem factum esse rerum novandarum statusque popularis evertendi causa.

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 6.27 focus

Ma frattanto che davano opera agli apparecchiamenti , quanti Mercuri di pietra erano in Atene ebbero la maggior parte smozzicata la faccia in una sola notte. Sono essi un lavoro di figura quadrangolare, e secondo l’usanza del paese trovansene dimoiti negli atrii delle case e nei luoghi sacri. Nissuno sapeva i rei di tal misfatto, ma erano essi inquisiti, proposti pubblicamente grandi premii a chi li scoprisse; e di più fu fatto un decreto col quale davasi l’impunità a chiunque cittadino, forestiero oservo, manifestasse qualsivoglia altro sacrilegio che sapesse essere stato commesso. E davano maggior peso a questa cosa perchè pareva un malagurio per la spedizione, ed insieme fatta per congiura di tentar cose nuove ed abolire lo stato popolare.

Commentary

Commentary on Thucydides: Book 6 (Thucydides, Book VI. Marchant, Edgar C., editor. London: Macmillan and Company, 1909.) focus

ἄθροισιν —cf. Ath. Pol. c. 24 χρημάτων ἠθροισμένων πολλῶν.

ὅσοι Ἑρμαῖ ἦσαν —Plutarch says τῶν Ἑρμῶν οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ἄχειρες καὶ ἄποδες. See Mayor on Juv. VIII. 53 . Grote's account of the mutilation should be read.

ἐν τῇ πόλει —Plutarch says that Hipparchus the Pisistratid set up several of these figures. They were also put up from time to time by tribes, magistrates, and individuals, especially abont the Agora, through which ran the street of Hermes.

ἡ τετράγωνος ἐργασία —‘the well-known square figures,’

οἱ πλεῖστοι —according to Andocides ( de Myst. § 62) the bust before his house was the only one that escaped, and this is repeated by Nepos, Alcib. 3 ; perhaps also by Philochorus (280 B.C.) ap. Schol. on Aristoph. Lys. 1094 τὴν δ’ αἰτίαν οἱ μὲν τοῖς περὶ Ἀλκιβιάδην προσέγραφον, ὡς Θουκυδίδης, οἱ δὲ Κορινθίοις ὡς Φιλόχορος μόνον δέ [ leg. δ’ οὔ] φησι περικοπῆναι τὸν Ἀνδοκίδου Ἑρμῆν.

μεγάλοις μηνύτροις —the reward was 100 minae according to a proposal of Pisander, 1000 drachmae according to a proposal of Cleonymus. The sums were snbsequently awarded to two informers by the Thesmothetae (Andoc. § 27).

ἐψηφίσαντο —from Andoc. we learn that the Ecclesia delegated the duty of investigating the outrage to the Council— ψηφισαμένης τῆς βουλῆς, ἦν γὰρ αὐτοκράτωρ. The Council appointed ( Andoc. 1.10 ) special commissioners ( ζητηταί) to receive and examine the evidence. μηνύειν—μήνυσις is an information given privately by a slave, metic, woman, or by a citizen who preferred not to raise an εἰσαγγελία (‘impeachment’) because he was implicated. It could be given either εἰς τὴν βουλην or ἐν τῷ δήμῳ. The matter, if serious, was settled in a court of heliasts. The μηνυτής often received a reward if the accused person was convicted, and if a slave received freedom. If his information was proved to be false, he was put to death. εἰσαγγελία = delatio: μήνυσις = indicium.

ἀδεῶς —the ἄδεια , i.e. impunitas, exempted a μηνυτής from punishment in case he incriminated himself. Ordmarily the Ecclesia alone was competent to give the ἄδεια: but the Conncil, when as here it was αὐτοκράτωρ, could confer it on each individual μηνυτής. (Cf. Goldstaub, De ἀδείας Notione et Usu p. 99.)

τὸν βουλόμενον —stereotyped phrase, as also καὶ ἀστῶν καἱ ξένων .

μειζόνως —the form is found in Herod., Plato, Eur., and Xenophon, often in Aristides. For

λαμβάνειν cf. c. 53, 3; 61, 1.

οἰωνός —ominous of evil, because it was a gross insult to the protecting deity of market and home.

ἐπὶ ξυνωμοσίᾳ —cf. c. 60, 1.

δήμου κατάλυσις is one of the crimes to which the νόμος εἰσαγγελτικός applied. The crime was first dealt with by Solon, and is often alluded to.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 6.27.3

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