Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Élie-Ami Bétant (Translator), 2.19

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Après avoir assailli sans résultat OEnoé et tout mis en ,œuvre pour s’en rendre maîtres, les Péloponésiens, ne voyant venir d’Athènes aucun héraut, levèrent le siège et pénétrèrent en Àttique, quatre-vingts jours après l’entrée des Thébains à Platée, et au moment où la moisson était en pleine maturité. Archidamos, fils de Zeuxidamos et roi de Lacédémone, les commandait. Ils campèrent d’abord près d’Eleusis, dans la plaine de Thria, ravagèrent la contrée et remportèrent un léger avantage sur la cavalerie athénienne dans l’endroit appelé les Rhites. Ensuite ils s’avancèrent, en laissant à droite le mont Égaléos, traversèrent Cropies et atteignirent Acharnes, le plus grand des dèmes de l’Attique ¹. Ils y campèrent et étendirent leurs ravages sur les environs.

History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides. Élie-Ami Bétant (Translator). Paris. 1863.

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Current edition First1KGreek

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

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 2.19.1 focus

[1] ἐπειδὴ μέντοι προσβαλόντες τῇ Οἰνόῃ καὶ πᾶσαν ἰδέαν πειράσαντες οὐκ ἐδύναντο ἑλεῖν, οἵ τε Ἀθηναῖοι οὐδὲν ἐπεκηρυκεύοντο, οὕτω δὴ ὁρμήσαντες ἀπ’ αὐτῆς μετὰ τὰ ἐν Πλαταίᾳ [τῶν ἐσελθόντων Θηβαίων] γενόμενα ἡμέρᾳ ὀγδοηκοστῇ μάλιστα, θέρους καὶ τοῦ σίτου ἀκμάζοντος, ἐσέβαλον ἐς τὴν Ἀττικήν· ἡγεῖτο δὲ Ἀρχίδαμος ὁ Ζευξιδάμου, Λακεδαιμονίων βασιλεύς.

[2] καὶ καθεζόμενοι ἔτεμνον πρῶτον μὲν Ἐλευσῖνα καὶ τὸ Θριάσιον πεδίον καὶ τροπήν τινα τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἱππέων περὶ τοὺς Ῥείτους καλουμένους ἐποιήσαντο· ἔπειτα προυχώρουν ἐν δεξιᾷ ἔχοντες τὸ Αἰγάλεων ὄρος διὰ Κρωπιᾶς, ἕως ἀφίκοντο ἐς Ἀχαρνάς, χωρίον μέγιστον τῆς Ἀττικῆς τῶν δήμων καλουμένων, καὶ καθεζόμενοι ἐς αὐτὸ στρατόπεδόν τε ἐποιήσαντο χρόνον τε πολὺν ἐμμείναντες ἔτεμνον.

Translations (10)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 2.19.1 focus

[1] But after, when they had assaulted Oenoe and tried all means but could not take it, and seeing the Athenians sent no herald to them, then at length arising from thence—about eighty days after that which happened to the Thebans that entered Plataea, the summer and corn being now at the highest—they fell into Attica, led by Archidamus the son of Zeuxidamus, king of the Lacedaemonians.

[2] And when they had pitched their camp, they fell to wasting of the country, first about Eleusis and then in the plain of Thriasia, and put to flight a few Athenian horsemen at the brooks called Rheiti. After this, leaving the Aegaleon on the right hand, they passed through Cecropia till they came unto Acharnas, which is the greatest town in all Attica of those that are called Demoi, and pitching there, both fortified their camp and stayed a great while wasting the country thereabout.

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.) — 2.19.1 focus

[1] But after he had assaulted Oenoe, and every possible attempt to take it had failed, as no herald came from Athens , he at last broke up his camp and invaded Attica . This was about eighty days after the Theban attempt upon Plataea , just in the middle of summer, when the corn was ripe, and Archidamus, son of Zeuxis, King of Lacedaemon , was in command.

[2] Encamping in Eleusis and the Thriasian plain, they began their ravages, and putting to flight some Athenian horse at a place called Rheiti, or the Brooks, they then advanced, keeping Mount Aegaleus on their right, through Cropia, until they reached Acharnae, the largest of the Athenian demes or townships. Sitting down before it, they formed a camp there, and continued their ravages for a long while.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 2.19 focus

Nachdem sie nun Oenoe berannt und den Ort auf jede
Weise zu nehmen vergeblich sich bemüht hatten, die Athener aber sich
keineswegs zu Unterhandlungen herbeiließen, so zogen sie von dort ab,
ungefähr am achtzigsten Tage nach dem Einfall der Thebaner in
Platäa, — zur Sommerszeit, da die Feldfrncht in Blüthe stand, — und
fielen in Attika ein. Archidamos, des Zeuxidamos Sohn, König der ¹
Lakedämonier, befehligte. Und nachdem sie ein Lager geschlagen,
verheerten sie zuerst Eleusis und die thriasische Ebene und gewannen auch
in der Nähe der sogenannten Rheiloi einen Vortheil über einen
Haufen athenischer Reiter. Daraus drangen sie, das ägaleische Gebirg zur
rechten Hand lassend, durch Kropeia weiter vor, bis sie nach Acharnä
kamen, unter den attischen Gemeinden, den sogenannten Deinen, der
größten. Dort schlugen sie ein Lager, und eine geraume Zeit sitzen
bleibend, verheerten sie das Land.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 2.19 focus

Da alle Versuche der Peloponnesier, das von ihnen be
lagerte Oinoe zu nehmen, erfolglos blieben, auch die Athener
sich nicht auf Verhandlungen einließen, brachen sie, etwa acht
zig Tage nach dem Überfall von Platää durch die Thebaner,
im Sommer, als das Korn zur Reife stand, von dort auf und
rückten nach Attika ein. Archidamos, Zeuxidamos' Sohn, König
der Lakedämonier, befehligte das Heer. Nachdem sie ein Lager
bezogen, verheerten sie erst Eleusis und die Ebene von Thria,
lieferten auch bei den sogenannten Rheitoi ein glückliches Ge
fecht gegen athenische Reiterei. Darauf zogen sie weiter, das
Gebirge Aigaleos zur Rechten, durch Kropeia nach Acharnai, i
dem größten unter den sogenannten attischen Demen. Hier !
machten sie halt und schlugen ein Lager auf, von wo sie längere
Zeit die Umgegend verheerten.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 2.19 focus

XIX. Cependant, après avoir inutilement attaqué oenoé et tout mis en oeuvre sans pouvoir s’en rendre maîtres, sans même que les Athéniens fissent faire de propositions, les Lacédémoniens levèrent le siége et envahirent l’Attique, quatre-vingts jours après la tentative des Thébains sur Platée. On était alors au fort de l’été et au moment de la moisson¹. Archidamus, fils de Zeuxidamus, roi des Lacédémoniens, commandait. Ils campèrent d’abord à Éleusis et dans la plaine de Thria², ravagèrent cette plaine, et remportèrent une sorte d’avantage sur la cavalerie athénienne, vers le lieu nommé Rhité³. Ensuite ils s’avancèrent à travers la Cropie, ayant à droite le mont Égaléon⁴, et arrivèrent à Acharné⁵, le plus considérable des dèmes de l’Attique. Ils s'y arrêtèrent, y assirent leur camp et restèrent longtemps à le dévaster.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.) — 2.19.1 focus

[1] When, however, after assaulting Oenoe and trying in every way to take it they were not able to do so, the Athenians meanwhile making no overtures, then at length they set off from there, about eighty days after the events at Plataea, when it was midsummer¹ and the corn was ripe, and invaded Attica, under the command of Arehidamus son of Zeuxidamus, king of the Lacedaemonians.

[2] Making a halt they proceeded to ravage, first of all, the territory of Eleusis and the Thriasian plain, and they routed the Athenian cavalry near the streams called Rheiti; then they advanced, keeping Mount Aegaleos on their right through Cropia,² until they came to Acharnae, the largest of the demes of Attica, as they are called. Halting in the town they made a camp, where they remained for a long time ravaging the country.

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.) — 2.19.1 focus

[1] When, however, after assaulting Oenoe, and trying every method, they were unable to take the place, and the Athenians sent no herald to them, then indeed they set out from before it, and about eighty days after the events at Plataea, caused by the Thebans who had entered it, when the summer was at its height, and the corn ripe, they made their incursion into Attica; Archidamus son of Zeuxidamus, king of the Lacedaemonians, being their commander.

[2] After pitching their camp there, they first ravaged Eleusis and the Thriasian plain, and put to flight some Athenian cavalry near a place called Rheiti [or

the brooks

]. Afterwards they continued their march, keeping Mount Aegaleos on their right through Cropaea, till they came to Acharnae, a place which is the largest of the demes, [or townships,] as they are called, of Attica. And sitting down before it they formed an encampment, and stayed a long time in the place, and continued ravaging it.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 2.19.1 focus

[1] Postquam tamen CEnoen adorti, omni oppugnationis genere tentato, expugnare non poterant, et Athenienses nullum caduceatorem mittebant, ita demum castris inde motis circiter octogesimum ferme diem ab iis quae Plataeae Thebanis ingressis acciderant, vigente jam aestate, flo-rentibusque frumentis, in Atticam irruperunt; dux vero erat Archidamus Zeuxidami filius, Lacedaemoniorum rex.

[2] Castrisque positis vastabant primum quidem agrum Eleusinium et Thriasium campum, et nonnullos Atheniensium equites ad rivulum, qui Rheti vocantur, in fugam verterunt. Deinde vero procedebant ad dextram habentes iEgaleon montem per Cropiam, donec ad Acharnas pervenerunt, maximum locum Atticae ex iis, qui pagi vocantur. Considentesque ad Iioc oppidum castra fecerunt et diu illic commorati agrum vastabant.

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 2.35.1 focus

[1] Wenn es bisher bei den Rednern an dieser Stätte fast allgemeiner Brauch geworden, den Mann zu rühmen, der mit der Bestattung diese Rede verband, weil an dem Grabe gefallener Krieger ein ehrendes Wort sich zieme, so würde ich es für hinreichend gehalten haben, dass man Helden der That mit einer festlichen Handlung ehre, — wie das denn der Staat durch die Bestattung gethan hat, deren Zeugen ihr so eben gewesen — und würde die Verherrlichung so vieler Männer nicht einem Einzelnen und der zufälligen Wirkung seines Vortrags anheimgegeben haben.

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 2.19 focus

Ma poiché dato l’assalto ad Enoa e fattovi ogni prova non poterono espugnarla , e vedevano che gli Ateniesi non facevano proposizione veruna ; allora finalmente (ottanta giorni incirca dopo il fatto dei Tebani entrati in Platea), sotto la condotta del medesimo Archidamo figliolo di Zeusidamo re di Sparta, mossero il campo da Enoa, nel colmo dell’ estate, quando è già matura la messe, ed entrarono nell’Attica. Quivi accampatisi scorrevano pel territorio di Eieusi e per la pianura triasia , e fugarono una frotta di cavalli ateniesi nei contorni del luogo detto Reiti. Quindi si avanzarono per la Cecropia, avendo a destra il monte Egaleo , sino a che pervennero ad Acarne , luogo il più considerabile dell’Attica fra quei che si chiamano villate. Qui fecero alto, piantarono il campo, e vi restarono molto tempo guastando la campagna.

Notes on the current edition

History of the Peloponnesian War

Les dèmes (bourgs ou communes rurales) de l’At-tique étaient une division territoriale du pays. Autre est la division par tribus; celle-ci était basée sur l’origine des citoyens. Du temps de Clisthénès (509 av. J. C.), auteur dé la division des Athéniens en dix tribus. il y avait cent dèmes, dix par tribu (Hérodote, V, lxix) ; mais le nombre en fut ensuite augmenté; et, du temps de Strabon, contemporain de l’ère chrétienne, il y avait cent soixante-quatorze dèmes. Us étaient d’inégale importance. Leurs noms se tiraient des villes ou villages qui s’y trouvaient.

Commentary

Commentary on Thucydides Book 2 (Thucydides, Book II. Marchant, Edgar C., editor. London: Macmillan and Company, 1891.) focus

Πᾶσαν ἰδέαν —adverbial, = πάντα τρόπον. πειρά‐ σαντες —se. αὐτῆς. In Attic πειρῶμαι = conari. Only Herod. and Thuc. among prose writers use the aetive in this sense. [

τῶν ἐ. Θηβαίων ]—Intr. p. xxxix.

ὀγδοηκοστῇ — i.e. about June 20th.

ἀκμάζοντος —denotes the time preeeding ripeness, in Attica the end of May and the greater part of June.

ἡγεῖτο δὲ —Archidamus has been already referred to again and again as the general. But ef. c. 47, 2, 71, 1; III. 1, 1, 26, 2, 89, 1; IV. 2, 1; V. 54, 1, 57, 1; VII. 19, 1. ὴγεμὼν is the technieal word for the Peloponnesian general, cf. I. 128 Παυσανίας ὁ ἡγεμὼν τῆς Σπάρτης, and the name of the ἡγεμὼν —generally one of the kings—in command of a Spartan expedition is regularly given as a matter of form. As regards Sparta, ἡγεμὼν is regularly the title of a king or regent. Thus Brasidas is ealled only στρατηγὸς or ἄρχων .

Καθεζόμενοι —for the tense, ef. c. 18, 1.

Ἐλευ‐ σῖνα καὶ τὸ Θ. πεδίον —the country round Eleusis.

περὶ τοὺς Ῥειτοὺς —two salt lakes on the boundary between the land of Athens and Eleusis, at the eorner of the Thriasian plain. From Eleusis Archidamus had followed the Sacred Way.

Αἰγάλεων —instead of ‘turning off to the eastward,’ as Grote says, Archidamus probably continued along the direct road to Athens, i.e. the Saered Way, erossing the pass of Daphni, and only then turned north towards Mount Parnes. This agrees better with ἐν δεξιᾷ ἔχοντες τὸ Αἰ. (Mount Skarmanga). The question is eomplicated by the uneertainty of the position of the deme Cropia.

χρόνον πολὺν —with ἔτεμνον. ἐμμείναντες—‘having settled there.’ ἐμμένειν is regularly used of persons: thus ἐμμένω ταῖς σπονδαῖς, not αἱ σπονδαὶ ἐμμένουσιν is the ordinary idiom. For exeeptions, see c. 2, 1 not. crit.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.19

Élie-Ami Bétant (Translator)

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