Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.51

[1] The same summer, after the recovery of Lesbos the Athenians, under the conduct of Nicias the son of Niceratus, made war on Minoa, an island adjacent to Megara. For the Megareans had built a tower in it and served themselves of the island for a place of garrison.

[2] But Nicias desired that the Athenians might keep their watch upon Megara in that island as being nearer and no more at Budorum and Salamis, to the end that the Peloponnesians might not go out thence with their galleys undescried nor send out pirates as they had formerly done, and to prohibit the importation of all things to the Megareans by sea.

[3] Wherefore, when he had first taken two towers that stood out from Nisaea, with engines applied from the sea, and so made a free entrance for his galleys between the island and the firm land, he took it in with a wall also from the continent in that part where it might receive aid by a bridge over the marshes; for it was not far distant from the main land.

[4] And, that being in few days finished, he built a fort in the island itself and, leaving there a garrison, carried the rest of his army back.

[1] During the same summer, after the reduction of Lesbos , the Athenians under Nicias, son of Niceratus, made an expedition against the island of Minos, which lies off Megara and was used as a fortified post by the Megarians, who had built a tower upon it.

[2] Nicias wished to enable the Athenians to maintain their blockade from this nearer station instead of from Budorum and Salamis ; to stop the Peloponnesian triremes and privateers sailing out unobserved from the island, as they had been in the habit of doing; and at the same time prevent anything from coming into Megara .

[3] Accordingly, after taking two towers projecting on the side of Nisaea , by engines from the sea, and clearing the entrance into the channel between the island and the shore, he next proceeded to cut off all communication by building a wall on the mainland at the point where a bridge across a morass enabled succors to be thrown into the island, which was not far off from the continent.

[4] A few days sufficing to accomplish this, he afterwards raised some works in the island also, and leaving a garrison there, departed with his forces.

Desselbigen Sommers nach der Einnahme von Lesbos
unternahmen die Athener unter Führung des Nikias, des Sohnes des
Nikeratos', einen Zug wegen der Insel Minoa, welche vor Megara
liegt. Auf derselben hatten die Megarenser einen Thurm gebaut und
bedienten sich ihrer anstatt eines Vorwerks. Nikias dachte aber, die
Athener könnten auf derselben einen Wachposten halten, der ihnen
näher gelegen sei als Budoron und Salamis, damit die
Peloponnesier nicht mehr, wie früher geschehen war, mit ihren Dreiruderern oder
Kaperschiffen von dort unbemerkt auslaufen könnten , und ihnen auch
die Zufahrt nach Megara abgeschnitten wäre. Er warf also zuerst mit
seinem Sturmzeug vom Meere aus zwei vorspringende Thürme von
Nisäa nieder, machte darauf die Einfahrt in den Raum zwischen der
Insel und dem Festlande frei , und sperrte dann die dem Festlande
gegenüberliegende Seite der Insel durch eine Mauer ab, da man hier
der vom Lande nicht weit abliegenden Insel vermittelst einer über die
Untiefen geschlagenen Brücke zu Hülse kommen konnte. Nachdem er
dieß in wenigen Tagen ausgeführt und auf der Insel noch eine
Verschanzung sammt Besatzung zurückgelassen hatte, zog er mit dem Heere
wieder ab.

In demselben Sommer nach der Unterwerfung von Lesbos
unternahmen die Athener unter Nikias, Nikeratos' Sohn, einen
Zug nach der Insel Minoa, Megara gegenüber, wo die Me­
garer einen Turm erbaut hatten und eine Besatzung unter-
hielten. Nikias hielt es für besser, Megara statt von Budoron
auf Salamis künftig von hier ans nächster Nähe überwachen zu
lassen, damit die Peloponnesier nicht von da, wie das früher
vorgekommen war, unbemerkt mit ihren Trieren und Freibeuter-
schiffen auskaufen könnten, zugleich auch, um Megara die Zu­
fuhr abzuschneiden. Zunächst zerstörte er von der See aus
mit seinem Geschütz auf der Seite nach Nisaia zu zwei vor­
springende Türme, und nachdem er sich dadurch den Zugang
in den Sund zwischen der Stadt und der Insel geöffnet hatte,
sperrte er diese durch eine Mauer gegen das Festland ab, wo
man der nicht weit vom Lande liegenden Insel auf einer über
das flache Wasser geschlagenen Brücke zu Hilfe kommen konnte.
Nachdem man damit in wenig Tagen fertig geworden war,
legte er auf der Insel eine Schanze an, in der er eine Besatzung
zurückließ, und zog darauf mit seinem Heere wieder ab.

LI. Le même été, après la prise de Lesbos, les Athéniens, sous la conduite de Nicias, fils de Nicératus, firent une expédition contre l’île de Minoa, située en face de Mégare ¹ . Elle servait de fort aux Mégariens qui y avaient construit une tour. Le dessein de Nicias était d’y établir pour les Athéniens une station fortifiée, plus à portée que Boudoron et Salamine, pour empècher les Péloponnésiens de faire de là des expéditions clandestines et d’envoyer, comme ils l’avaient fait précédemment ² , des galères et des bâtiments armés en course. Il voulait en même temps intercepter toute importation à Mégare. Il s’empara d’abord par mer, au moyen de machines de guerre, de deux tours avancées qui dépendaient de Nisée, et rendit ainsi libre le passage entre l’île de cette place. Puis il fortifia la partie par où l’on pouvait, du continent, introduire des secours au moyen d’un pont jeté sur les marais ; car l’île est peu éloignée de la terre ferme. Tout cela fut l’ouvrage de quelques jours. Il fortifia ensuite l’île, y laissa garnison, et rentra avec son armée.

[1] In the same summer, after the capture of Lesbos, the Athenians, under the command of Nicias son of Niceratus, made an expedition against the island of Minoa, which lies in front of Megara and was used as a garrison-station by the Megarians, who had built a tower upon it.

[2] But Nicias was desirous that the watch which the Athenians kept should be maintained at that point, which would be at closer range for them, instead of at Budorum in Salamis, the purpose of the watch being to prevent the Peloponnesians from using the harbour of Megara as a base from which to send out unobserved either triremes, as they had done once before, ¹ or expeditions of privateers, and at the same time to see to it that nothing was brought in by sea for the Megarians.

[3] Accordingly, by an attack from the sea he took by means of engines of war two projecting towers—first that on the island opposite Nisaea—and when he had thus cleared the way into the channel between the island and the mainland he walled off also the point on the side toward the mainland, where by a bridge across a morass aid could be brought to the island, which is not far distant from the mainland. ²

[4] And when, after a few days, this work was completed, Nicias built a fort on the island also, left a garrison in it, and then withdrew his army to Athens.

[1] In the course of the same summer, after the reduction of Lesbos, the Athenians made an expedition under the command of Nicias, son of Niceratus, against the island of Minoa, which lies off Megara, and which the Megareans used as a fortress, having built a tower on it.

[2] From this spot, being more close at hand, Nicias wished the Athenians to keep their guard [over Nisaea], instead of from Budorum and Salamis, and to prevent the Peloponnesians from sailing out thence unobserved, as was formerly the case, with triremes and privateers; and at the same time to see that nothing was imported by the Megareans.

[3] Having therefore in the first instance taken by engines from the sea two towers which projected on the side of Nisaea, and having cleared the entrance to ¹ the strait between the island [and the continent], he proceeded to cut off all communication on the side of the mainland also, where there was a passage by a bridge over a morass for succouring the island, which lay not far off from the continent.

[4] This having been accomplished by them in a few days, he afterwards left works on the island also, with a garrison, and retired with his forces.

[1] Eadem autem aestate post receptam Lesbum Athenienses, duce Nicia, Nicerati filio, adversus Minoam insulam Megaris adjacentem profecti sunt; utebantur autem ea Megarenses, turri ibi exstructa, pro propugnaculo.

[2] Nicias autem volebat, ut Athenienses illinc breviore loci spatio, nonaulehi a Budoroaut Salamine, hostes navium statione posita observarent, et Peloponnesii ne clam eruptiones illinc facerent vel triremibus, quemadmodum ante fecerant, Tei praedonibus emissis, simul etiam ne quid Megarensibus importaretur.

[3] Quum igitur ab ea parte primum, quae Nisaeam spectat, duas turres prominentes machinis e mari expugnasset, liberamque ibi inter insulam coniinentemque navigationem reddidisset, ab ea quoque continentis parte, qua ponte in vado exstructo auxilium insulae a continente non ita multum distanti ferri poterat, munitionibus eam intersepsit.

[4] Quum autem hoc opus intra paucos dies confecissent, postea in ipsa quoque insula castello et praesidio relicto cum exercitu domum rediit.

[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 —

Nella medesima estate , dopo la presa di Lesbo, gli Ateniesi condotti da Nicia figliolo di Nicerato portaron la guerra a Minoa , isola situata di faccia a Megara , ove i Megaresi avevano fabbricata una torre che serviva loro di fortezza. Intendeva Nicia che gli Ateniesi avessero quivi un presidio in osservazione meno lontano che da Budoro e da Salamina ; che i Peloponnesi non potessero da quel luogo correre , come prima, furtivamente il mare collo spedir fuori triremi e corsari ; e che nulla si potesse introdurre a’ Megaresi dalla parte di mare. Adunque prima di tutto espugnò con macchine due torri in sul mare che sporgeano in fuori da Nisea , e rese libero alle sue navi il corso tra Nisea e l’isola. Intanto edificava un riparo di mura dalla parte di terraferma , per dove mediante un ponte attraverso il pantano recavasi soccorso all’ isola stessa che ne è poco distante. Ultimato in pochi giorni questo lavoro , fabbricò anche poi nell’ interno dell’isola un forte per lasciarvi presidio , e parti con l' armata.