Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.33

[1] From Ephesus Alcidas went away in haste, indeed fled; for he had been described by the Salaminia and the Paralus (which by chance were then in their course for Athens) whilst he lay at anchor about Claros and, fearing to be chased, kept the wide sea, meaning by his good will to touch no land till he came into Peloponnesus.

[2] But the news of them came to Paches from divers places, especially from Erythraea. For the cities of Ionia being unwalled were afraid extremely lest the Peloponnesians, sailing by without intention to stay, should have pillaged them as they passed. But the Salaminia and the Paralus, having seen him at Claros, brought the news themselves. And Paches thereupon made great haste after and followed him as far as Latmos the island.

[3] But when he saw he could not reach him, he came back again and thought he had a good turn, seeing he could not overtake those galleys upon the wide sea that the same were not compelled, by being taken in some place near land, to fortify themselves and so to give him occasion with guards and galleys to attend them.

[1] From Ephesus Alcidas set sail in haste and fled. He had been seen by the Salaminian and Paralian galleys, which happened to be sailing from Athens , while still at anchor off Clarus and fearing pursuit he now made across the open sea, fully determined to touch nowhere, if he could help it, until he got to Peloponnese .

[2] Meanwhile news of him had come in to Paches from the Erythraeid, and indeed from all quarters. As Ionia was unfortified great fears were felt that the Peloponnesians coasting along shore, even if they did not intend to stay, might make descents in passing and plunder the towns; and now the Paralian and Salaminian, having seen him at Clarus, themselves brought intelligence of the fact.

[3] Paches accordingly gave hot chase, and continued the pursuit as far as the isle of Patmos , and then finding that Alcidas had got on too far to be overtaken, came back again. Meanwhile he thought it fortunate that, as he had not fallen in with them out at sea, he had not overtaken them anywhere where they would have been forced to encamp, and so give him the trouble of blockading them.

Von Ephesos aber machte sich Alkidas mit der Flotte in
aller Eile auf und davon. Er war nämlich, als er noch bei Klaros
vor Anker lag, von der „Salamina" und der „Paralos" '^)
entdeckt worden, die gerade von Athen aus ansegelnd in Sicht kamen,
und aus Furcht verfolgt zu werden, suchte er nun die offene See, in
der Absicht, ohne Noth nirgends anders zu landen, als im
Peloponnes. - Nun kam dem Paches und den Athenern auch von Erythräa
und sonst überallher Botschaft; denn da Jonien unbefestigt war, so
war die Besorgniß sehr groß, die Peloponnesier möchten aus ihrer
Kreuzung, wenn sie auch nicht gerade sich festzusetzen im Sinne hätten,
so doch gelegentlich landen und die Städte plündern. Dazu meldeten
nun die „Paralos" und die „Salamina", daß sie selbst den Feind
bei Klaros in Sicht gehabt hätten. Paches lief nun mit vollen
Segeln zur Verfolgung aus und setzte sie auch bis auf die Höhe der
Insel Patmos fort; da er aber dann sah, daß er sie nicht mehr
einholen könne, so kehrte er wiederum und erachtete es nun, da er sie
schon einmal auf hoher See nicht mehr getroffen, für Gewinn, ihnen
nirgendwo ^an der Küste) begegnet zu sein, wodurch jene zur Ver­ ^{1 2}
schanzung in einem Schiffslager und er selbst zur Ueberwachung und
Blokade gezwungen worden wäre

Von Ephesos machte sich Alkidas mit der Flotte eiligst
davon auf die Flucht. Schon als er noch bei Klaros vor
Anker lag, war er nämlich von der Salaminia und der Paralos,
die grade von Athen kamen, gesehen worden. Aus Furcht,
daß man ihn verfolgen werde, hielt er sich deshalb von nun
an immer in offener See in der Absicht, bis zum Peloponnes
ohne Not nirgends wieder anzulaufen. Paches und die Athener
aber hatten aus Erythrai und auch sonst von allen Seiten
Nachricht davon erhalten. Denn da die Städte in Jonien
nicht befestigt waren, fürchtete man, wenn auch die Peloponnesier
sich dort nicht dauernd festsetzen wollten, so könnten sie doch
auf ihrer Fahrt die Städte gelegentlich überfallen und brand-
schätzen. Nun versicherten ihn die Paralos und die Salaminia,
daß sie ihn bei Klaros selbst gesehen hätten. Er machte sich
also eilig auf, um ihn zu verfolgen, und kam dabei auch bis
zur Insel Patmos. Da er hier einsah, daß er ihn doch nicht
mehr einholen würde, kehrte er wieder um. Immerhin war es
ihm erwünscht, daß er die feindliche Flotte, die er auf hoher
See nicht mehr erreicht, nicht noch irgendwo an Land betroffen
hatte, wo er sie in ihrem Schiffslager hätte bewachen und
beobachten müssen.

XXXIII. D’Éphèse, Alcidas fit voile à la hâte, et se mit à fuir. Car il avait été aperçu, lorsqu’il mouillait encore devant Claros, par la Salaminienne et le Paralus ¹ , qui venaient d’Athènes. Craignant d’être poursuivi, il tenait la haute mer, résolu à n’aborder nulle part ailleurs qu’au Péloponnèse, à moins d’y être forcé. La nouvelle de sa présence fut apportée d’Erythrée à Pachès et aux Athéniens ; elle arriva bientôt de toutes parts. Comme les villes d’Ionie ne sont pas fortifiées, on craignait fort que, tout en suivant les côtes, et sans avoir même l’intention de s’arrêter, il n’attaquât et ne mit au pillage les villes qui seraient sur son passage. La Salaminienne et le Paralus vinrent elles-mêmes annoncer qu’elles avaient vu Alcidas à Claros ² . Pachès se mit à le poursuivre en toute hâte, et poussa jusqu’à I’ile de Patmos. Mais, comme l’ennemi ne se montrait plus nulle part, il désespéra de l’atteindre, et s’en retourna. Il regardait comme un avantage, du moment où il n’avait pas rencontré l’ennemi en pleine mer, de ne pas l’avoir rejoint sur quelque côte ; car alors, Alcidas étant obligé d’y prendre ses campements, les Athéniens se fussent eux-mêmes trouvés dans la né- cessité de le surveiller et d’établir des croisières.

[1] From Ephesus Alcidas sailed in haste and took to flight; for while still at anchor near Clarus ¹ he had been sighted by the Salaminia and Paralus, ² which happened to be on a voyage from Athens, and in fear of pursuit he sailed through the open sea, determined that he would not, unless obliged to do so, put into land anywhere except in the Peloponnesus.

[2] Reports of him had been brought from Erythraea to Paches and the Athenians, and now kept coming from all quarters. For since Ionia was unfortified, a great alarm arose everywhere lest the Peloponnesians, while following the coast—even if, under the circumstances, ³ they had no intention of remaining—might in passing fall upon their cities and plunder them. And finally the Paralus and the Salaminia brought the news that they had themselves seen him at Clarus. So Paches eagerly undertook the pursuit;

[3] and he followed him as far as the island of Patmos, but when it was clear that Alcidas could no longer be overtaken he turned back again. And since he had not come up with the Peloponnesian fleet in the open sea, he considered it a piece of good fortune that they had not been overtaken in some port and compelled to set up a camp there, thus giving the Athenian fleet the trouble of watching and blockading them. ⁴

[1] From Ephesus Alcidas sailed as quickly as possible, and took to flight. For while still lying at anchor off Clarus, he had been seen by the Salaminian and the Paralus ships, (which happened to be sailing from Athens,) and fearing pursuit, he took his course across the open sea, intending to make no land voluntarily but the Peloponnese.

[2] Now tidings of him had been sent to Paches and the Athenians from the Erythraean country, and indeed from every quarter; for as Ionia had no fortified towns, the alarm was great lest the Peloponnesians in coasting along, even though they did not intend to stay, might at the same time assault and plunder the cities. And now the Paralus and Salaminian, having seen him at Clarus, themselves brought intelligence of the fact. Accordingly he made chase with all speed, and continued in pursuit of him as far as the isle of Patmos, but returned when he found that he was not within distance to be overtaken.

[3] He considered it, however, a lucky thing, as he did not fall in with them out at sea, that they had not been overtaken any where near shore, and obliged to form an encampment, and so give his forces the trouble of watching and blockading them.

[1] Ab Epheso vero A Ici das celeritate adhibita navi· gabat et Unquam fugiebat. Nam conspectus erat ab Salaminia et Paralo navibus, quum adhuc ad Clarum esset, (lue autem tum forte ab Athenis cursum tenebant}, et hostis insequentis adventum metuens per altum ferebatur, ut sua quidem sponte ad nullam aliam regionem nisi ad Peloponnesum appulsurus.

[2] Pacheti vero Atheniensibusque et ex Erythraea hujus rei nuntius afferebatur et ab aliis undique locis; quum enim in Ionia nullae munitiones essent, metus ingens fuit ne Peloponnesii maritimam oram navibus legentes, quamvis et sic in animo non haberent ibi manere, tamen in ipso impetu urbes diriperent. Paralus vero et Salaminia naves, quum ipsum Alcidam ad Clamm vidissent, rem nuntiarunt.

[3] Ille vero eum magno studio persequebatur, et usque ad insulam Patmon eum est insecutus, sed quum Alcidas nusquam amplius appareret, ita ut eum prehendere posset, revertebatur. In lucro autem posuit, postquam hostium naves non assecutus est in alto, quod nusquam deprehensas et coactae essent castra munire et sibi excubias agendi obsidendique necessitatem praebere.

[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.

Ma Alcida , fino da quando stava sull’ ancora a Claro , essendo stato osservato dalle due navi Paralo e Salaminia che casualmente venivano d’Atene, partì frettolosamente da Efeso , e si diede a fuggire. E temendo di essere inseguito, navigava in alto mare, determinato di non approdare , in quanto per lui stesse , altrove che nel Peloponneso. Erano intanto venuti avvisi dall' Eritrea a Pachete ed agli Ateniesi, e continuamente ne venivano da ogni parte , per cui udivasi esservi gran timore (trovandosi sguernita la Ionia) che i Peloponnesi, correndo le costiere non togliessero ad assaltare le città per farvi saccheggio , quantunque e’ non intendessero di fermarvisi. La Paralo istessa e la Salaminia avendo veduto le navi nemiche a Claro, di per sè stesse riferironlo a Pachete j ed ei tenne loro dietro con gran sollecitudine , e le perseguitò fino all' isola di Latmo. Ma come vide di non le poter più raggiungere, tornò in dietro ; attribuendo a proprio vantaggio il non averle incontrate in alto, o sorprese in verun luogo, dappoiché non erano elleno state costrette a fermarsi , nè avevano ridotto gli Ateniesi alla necessità di mettersi in istato di difesa insieme e di offesa.