Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Élie-Ami Bétant (Translator), 3.48

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«.Reconnaissez donc la supériorité de mon avis; et, sans trop accorder à la. pitié ni à l’indulgence, — contre lesquelles je serais le premier à vous prémunir, — écoutez uniquement la voix de la raison. Jugez de sang-froid ceux des Mytiléniens que Pachès a envoyés comme coupables, et laissez les autres daus leurs foyers. C’est pour l’avenir le parti le plus sage, et c’est celui qui dans le présent effrayera le plus nos ennemis. Contre des adversaires, la prudence est une arme plus sûre que la force aveugle. »

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).) — 3.48.1 focus

[1] ‘ὑμεῖς δὲ γνόντες ἀμείνω τάδε εἶναι καὶ μήτε οἴκτῳ πλέον νείμαντες μήτ’ ἐπιεικείᾳ, οἷς οὐδὲ ἐγὼ ἐῶ προσάγεσθαι, ἀπ’ αὐτῶν δὲ τῶν παραινουμένων πείθεσθέ μοι Μυτιληναίων οὓς μὲν Πάχης ἀπέπεμψεν ὡς ἀδικοῦντας κρῖναι καθ’ ἡσυχίαν, τοὺς δ’ ἄλλους ἐᾶν οἰκεῖν.

[2] τάδε γὰρ ἔς τε τὸ μέλλον ἀγαθὰ καὶ τοῖς πολεμίοις ἤδη φοβερά· ὅστις γὰρ εὖ βουλεύεται πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους κρείσσων ἐστὶν ἢ μετ’ ἔργων ἰσχύος ἀνοίᾳ ἐπιών.’

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.) — 3.48.1 focus

[1] You, therefore, upon knowledge that this is the best course, not upon compassion or lenity (for neither would I have you won by that) but upon consideration of what hath been advised, be ruled by me, and proceed to judgment at your own leisure against those whom Paches hath sent hither as guilty, and suffer the rest to enjoy their city.

[2] For that will be both good for the future and also of present terror to the enemy. For he that consulteth wisely is a sorer enemy than he that assaulteth with the strength of action unadvisedly.

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.) — 3.48.1 focus

[1] Confess, therefore, that this is the wisest course, and without conceding too much either to pity or to indulgence, by neither of which motives do I any more than Cleon wish you to be influenced, upon the plain merits of the case before you, be persuaded by me to try calmly those of the Mitylenians whom Paches sent off as guilty, and to leave the rest undisturbed.

[2] This is at once best for the future, and most terrible to your enemies at the present moment; inasmuch as good policy against an adversary is superior to the blind attacks of brute force.’

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 3.48 focus

„Ihr also seid überzeugt, daß meine Ansichten richtiger
sind, und gebt weder dem Mitleiden noch auch der Nachsicht zu viel
Raum; denn auch ich will nicht, daß ihr euch durch sie bestimmen
lasset; sondern den Gründen zu Liebe, die ich vorgebracht, folget mir:
diejenigen Mytilenäer, welche Paches als die Gefährlichen hieher
geschickt hat, die richtet in aller Ruhe, und die übrigen lasset im Besitze
ihrer Stadt. Das verbürgt Nutzen für die Zukunft und ist abschreckend
genug für unsere Feinde. Denn wer vernünftig zu Rathe geht, ist
stärker dem Feind gegenüber, als wer zwar mit kräftiger That, jedoch
ohne alle Vernunft auf ihn losgeht."

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 3.48 focus

„Darum, wenn ihr überzeugt seid, daß ich recht habe,
und nicht an Mitleid und Milde zu viel tun wollt - denn
auch ich bin keineswegs dafür, darin zu weit zu gehen-, so
macht es aus den angeführten Gründen, wie ich vorschlage,
urteilt die Mytilener, welche Paches als die Schuldigen hierher
geschickt hat, ruhig ab, die übrigen aber laßt in Frieden. Das
ist für die Zukunft das beste und Warnung genug für unsere
Feinde. Mit vernünftiger Überlegung kommt man seinen
Feinden gegenüber weiter als mit unverständigen Gewalt
streichen."

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 3.48 focus

XLVIII. « Quant à vous, reconnaissez que c’est là ce qu’il y a de mieux : cédez, non point à la pitié et à l’indulgence, sentiments auxquels je ne veux pas non plus que vous vous laissiez entraîner, mais aux raisons que je vous ai fait entendre ; jugez avec calme les Mytiléniens que Pachès vous a envoyés comme les plus coupables, et laissez les autres dans leurs foyers. Voilà ce qui est véritablement avantageux pour l’avenir et inquiétant dès à présent pour vos ennemis ; car on prend plus d’avantage sur ses adversaires en agissant avec une sage maturité, qu’en recourant à des mesures énergiques, mais inconsidérées. »

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.) — 3.48.1 focus

[1] “Do you, then, recognize that mine is the better course, and without being unduly swayed by either pity or clemency—for neither would I have you influenced by such motives—but simply weighing the considerations I have urged, accede to my proposal: pass sentence at your leisure upon the Mytilenaeans whom Paches sent here as guilty,¹ but let the rest dwell in peace.

[2] Such a course will be best for the future, and will cause alarm among our enemies at once; for he who is wise in counsel is stronger against the foe than he who recklessly rushes on with brute force.”

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.) — 3.48.1 focus

[1]

Being convinced then that this is the better course, and not allowing too much weight either to pity or to lenity (for neither do I, [any more than Cleon,] wish you to be influenced by these,) but judging from the advice itself which is given you, be persuaded by me to try calmly those of the Mytilenaeans whom Paches sent off as guilty, and to allow the rest to live where they are.

[2]

For this is both profitable for the future, and terrible to your enemies at the present moment; since whoever takes good advice against his adversaries is stronger than one who recklessly proceeds against them with violence of action.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 3.48.1 focus

[1] « Vos autem quum intellexeritis, hanc meam sententiam meliorem esse, neque misericordiae neque leni; tali plus tribuentes, quibus ne ego quidem vos adduci sino, sed ex ipsis rebus, quae vobis suadentur, obedite mihi, ut de Mytilenaeis, quos Paches ut sontes misit, quaestionem per otium habeatis, ceteros vero habitare permittatis.

[2] Haec enim et in posterum bona sunt et hostibus jam formidabilia ; quisquis enim recte consulit adversus hostes, is magis pollet, quam qui facto vim adhibens temere eos invadit.»

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 2.46.1 focus

[1] Und nun, da ich als Festredner nach bestem Wissen dem Gesetze genügt, und die Veranstaltungen zur Ehre der Bestatteten theils schon beendigt, theils die alsbaldige Uebemahme der Erziehung ihrer Söhne bis zum Mannesalter vom Staate freigebig beschlossen ist — und solche Aufopferung jetzt und in Zukunft nicht ungelohnt zu lassen, ist er sich schuldig; denn je grösser der Ehrenpreis, der den Tapfern erwartet, desto mehr zuverlässige Männer hat der Staat —

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 3.48 focus

« Voi dunque conoscendo esser questo il miglior partito, senza accordar più del giusto alla compassione od alla lenità (dalle quali cose nè io pure consento che vi lasciate trasportare) seguite il mio consigliò, per le propostevi considerazioni, di far maturamente il processo di quei Mitilenei spediti qua da Pachete come rei, e di lasciare stare gli altri alle proprie case. Queste sono le maniere che formeranno in avvenire , e già formano anche adesso , lo spavento dei nemici i conciossiachè chiunque segue ottimi consigli è più potente dirimpetto a' nemici , di chi inconsideratamente gli assalga colla prepotenza dei fatti ».

Commentary

Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3 (Thucydides, Book III. Marchant, Edgar C., editor. London: Macmillan and Company, 1909.) focus

τάδε —viz. the proposals about to be made.

πλέον νείμαντες —see c. 3, 1 n.

οὐδὲ ἐγώ —see c. 40, 2.

προσάγεσθαι —middle, as regularly in this sense; the indef. subject must be supplied.

ἀπέπεμψεν —see c. 37, 1.

καθ’ ἡσυχίαν —‘calmly.’

τοῖς πολεμίοις —thinking of the Peloponnesians. That Athens should show wisdom (1) calmly judging the guilty, (2) acquitting the democratic party, would be more effective against her enemies than a hasty exercise of brute strength, of vis consili expers.

πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους is to be taken with κρείσσων ἐστί.

ἐπιών —‘if he goes to work.’

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.48

Élie-Ami Bétant (Translator)

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