Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.45

[1] Now speaking of these things before the council, and how that they were come thither with full power to make agreement concerning all controversies betwixt them, they put Alcibiades into fear, lest, if they should say the same before the people, the multitude would be drawn unto their side, and so the Argive league fall off.

[2] But Alcibiades deviseth against them this plot. He persuaded the Lacedaemonians not to confess their plenary power before the people, and giveth them his faith that then Pylus should be rendered (for he said he would persuade the Athenians to it as much as he now opposed it), and that the rest of their differences should be compounded.

[3] This he did to alienate them from Nicias; and that by accusing them before the people as men that had no true meaning nor ever spake one and the same thing, he might bring on the league with the Argives, Eleians, and Mantineans. And it came to pass accordingly.

[4] For when they came before the people, and to the question whether they had full power of concluding, had, contrary to what they had said in council, answered No, the Athenians would no longer endure them, but gave ear to Alcibiades, that exclaimed against the Lacedaemonians far more now than ever; and were ready then presently to have the Argives and those others with them brought in, and to make the league; but an earthquake happening before anything was concluded, the assembly was adjourned.

[1] Upon the envoys speaking in the senate upon these points, and stating that they had come with full powers to settle all others at issue between them, Alcibiades became afraid that if they were to repeat these statements to the popular assembly, they might gain the multitude, and the Argive alliance might be rejected,

[2] and accordingly had recourse to the following stratagem. He persuaded the Lacedaemonians by a solemn assurance that if they would say nothing of their full powers in the assembly, he would give back Pylos to them (himself, the present opponent of its restitution, engaging to obtain this from the Athenians), and would settle the other points at issue.

[3] His plan was to detach them from Nicias and to disgrace them before the people, as being without sincerity in their intentions, or even common consistency in their language, and so to get the Argives, Eleans, and Mantineans taken into alliance.

[4] This plan proved successful. When the envoys appeared before the people, and upon the question being put to them, did not say as they had said in the senate, that they had come with full powers, the Athenians lost all patience, and carried away by Alcibiades, who thundered more loudly than ever against the Lacedaemonians, were ready instantly to introduce the Argives and their companions and to take them into alliance. An earthquake, however, occurring, before anything definite had been done, this assembly was adjourned.

Als diese Gesandten nun vor der Rathsversammlung über
diese Dinge sprachen und erklärten, daß sie bevollmächtigt seien, über
alle strittigen Punkte eine Vereinbarung abzuschließen, so gerieth
Alkibiades in Furcht, jene möchten, wenn sie auch vor der
Volksversammlung also redeten, die Menge für sich gewinnen, so daß diese
das Bündniß mit den Argivern von sich weise. Darum ersann er
nun gegen sie folgende List: Er beredete die Lakedämonier und
verpfändete ihnen sein Wort, wenn sie sich nicht vor der
Volksversammlung als Bevollmächtigte erklären wollten, so werde er ihnen Pylos
zurückverschaffen; dazu könne er die Athener eben so leicht überreden,
wie er sie jetzt durch seinen Widerspruch davon abhalte, — und auch
betreffs der übrigen Punkte werde er eine Aussöhnung zu Stande
bringen. Dabei war aber seine Absicht, sie dem Nikias abwendig zu
machen und sie beim Volke in Mißachtung zu bringen, als ob sie
nichts Aufrichtiges im Sinne hätten, da sie ja jetzt anders redeten
als vorher, und auf die Weise dachte er das Bündniß mit den
Argivern, Eleern und Mantineern durchzusetzen. Und so kam es auch
wirklich. Denn als jene vor dem Volke auftraten und auf Befragen
nicht Mehr wie früher vor der Rathsversammlung erklärten, daß sie
mit Vollmacht gekommen seien, da hielten die Athener ihren Unwillen
nicht mehr zurück, sondern schenkten dem Alkibiades, der nun noch
weit mehr Geschrei gegen die Lakedämonier erhob als früher,
unbedingtes Gehör und erklärten sich bereit, die Argiver und die mit
ihnen Gekommenen sogleich vorzulassen und mit ihnen ein Bündniß
abzuschließen; da aber, bevor es noch zum gültigen Beschluß kam, ¹
ein Erdbeben eintrat, so wurde diese Volksversammlung
hinausgeschoben 28).

Als sie dies im Rate vortrugen und dabei erklärten, daß
sie unbeschränkte Vollmacht hätten, alle Streitigkeiten beizulegen,
fürchtete Alkibiades, wenn sie das auch dem Volke sagten,
möchte es ihnen zufallen und aus dem Bündnis mit Argos
nichts werden. Er nahm deshalb ihnen gegenüber Zuflucht
zu einer List und versicherte ihnen mit dem ehrlichsten Gesichte,
wenn sie vor dem Volke nichts von ihrer unbeschränkten Voll­
macht sagten, so würde er ihnen Pylos verschaffen und auch
im übrigen alles ins reine bringen; denn wie jetzt gegen sie,
werde er die Athener auch für sie einzunehmen wissen. Er tat
das, um sie Nikias nicht in die Hände fallen zu lassen und
um sie beim Volke als unzuverlässige Kunden, die bald so,
bald anders sprächen, in Mißkredit zu bringen und das Bündnis
mit Argos, Elis und Mantinea durchzusetzen. Und das gelang
ihm auch. Denn als sie in der Volksversammlung auftraten
und auf Befragen nicht, wie vor dem Rate, erklärten, daß sie
mit unbeschränkter Vollmacht kämen, wollten die Athener nichts
mehr von ihnen wissen, sondern hörten nur noch auf Alkibiades,
der nun erst recht auf die Lakedämonier loszog. Am liebsten
hätten sie die Argeier und ihre Freunde gleich vorgelassen und
ein Bündnis mit ihnen geschlossen. Da jedoch, ehe es dazu
kam, ein Erdbeben eintrat, wurde die Versammlung für diesmal
vertagt.

XLV. Quand ils eurent exposé ces divers objets de leur mission dans le sénat, et déclaré qu’ils venaient munis de pleins pouvoirs pour régler toutes les difficultés, Alcibiade craignit qu’en renouvelant les mêmes déclarations devant le peuple, ils n’entraînassent la multitude et ne fissent rejeter l’alliance d’Argos. Voici le piège qu’il leur tendit : il leur persuade, en leur donnant des assurances positives, que, s’ils ne déclarent pas devant le peuple qu’ils sont munis de pleins pouvoirs, il leur fera rendre Pylos; qu’il y décidera les Athéniens, tout aussi bien qu’il les en détourne maintenant, et qu’il arrangera tout le reste. Il voulait, par là, les détacher de Nicias; en même temps il espérait, en les décriant auprès du peuple, comme n’ayant que fausseté dans l'esprit, que duplicité dans le langage, obtenir par ce moyen l’alliance d’Athènes pour les Argiens, les Éléens et les Mantinéens; ce fut ce qui arriva. Lorsque les ambassadeurs parurent devant le peuple, et qu’aux questions qu’on leur fit ils ne répondirent plus, comme au sénat, qu’ils avaient de pleins pouvoirs, les Athéniens ne se continrent plus. Alcibiade alors attaqua les Lacédémoniens avec bien plus de force encore qu’auparavant, et se fit écouter avec faveur; déjà on se disposait à introduire immédiatement les Argiens et les autres ambassadeurs, pour contracter alliance, lorsqu’un tremblement de terre, survenu avant qu’il y eût rien d’arrêté ¹ , fit ajourner l’assemblée.

[1] Speaking in the senate on these points, and saying that they had come with full power to settle all their differences, they filled Alcibiades with alarm lest, if they should say the same things to the assembly, they should win over the people and the Argive alliance might be rejected. So he adopted the following device against them:

[2] He persuaded the Lacedaemonians, by pledging them his faith, that, if they would not admit before the assembly that they had come with full powers, he would restore Pylos to them—for he himself would use his influence with the Athenians for them as now he opposed them— and would settle the other points at issue.

[3] He resorted to such methods because he wished to detach them from Nicias, and in order that he might accuse them before the assembly of having no sincere intentions and of never saying the same things, and thereby might effect an alliance with the Argives, Mantineans, and Eleans.

[4] And so it turned out. For when, on coming before the popular assembly and being asked whether they had come with full powers, they answered “No,” contrary to what they had said in the senate, the Athenians could endure it no longer, but hearkened to Alcibiades, who inveighed against the Lacedaemonians far more than before, and were ready at once to bring in the Argives and their confederates and conclude an alliance. But before anything was ratified an earthquake occurred, and this assembly was adjourned.

[1] By speaking in the council on these points, and declaring that they had come with full powers to effect a settlement of all their disputes, they made Alcibiades afraid that if they were to talk in the same strain to the popular assembly, they would win over the multitude, and the Argive alliance would be rejected. He adopted therefore the following device against them.

[2] He gained the confidence of the Lacedaemonians by giving them a solemn assurance, that if they would not acknowledge in the assembly that they had come with full powers, he would restore Pylus to them, (for lie would himself persuade the Athenians to the measure, as he now opposed it,) and would settle all other points of difference.

[3] It was with a wish to withdraw them from the influence of Nicias that he did this; and in order that by accusing them before the people, as having no sincere intentions, and never saying the same thing, he might cause the Argives, Eleans, and Mantineans, to be taken into alliance. And so it turned out.

[4] For when, on coming before the people and being asked that question, they did not say, as they had said in the council, that they were come with full powers, the Athenians could endure it no longer; but on Alcibiades' exclaiming against the Lacedaemonians much more vehemently than before, they both listened to him, and were ready straightway to bring forward the Argives and those who were with them, and take them into alliance. An earthquake, however, having occurred before any thing was finally settled, that assembly was adjourned.

[1] Quum autem et his de rebus ia senatu verba (acerent, et se cum summa potestate de componendis omnibus controversiis venisse dicerent, Alcibiadi metum incutiebant, ne, si ad populum quoque haec rettulissent, plebem allicerent, et Argivorum societas repudiaretur.

[2] Sed machinatur Alcibiades hujusmodi fraudem adversus ipsos; Lacedaemoniis, fide ipsis data, persuadet, ne coram populo fateantur, se cum summa potestate venisse, quod si fecerint, se Pylum iis redditurum, (se enim hoc Atheniensibus persuasurum, quemadmodum et nunc se adversari dicebat) et celeras controversias compositurum.

[3] Haec autem eo consilio agebat, ut eos a Nicia alienaret, ulque apud populum ipsos criminatus, quod nihil sinceri in animo haberent, nec eadem unquam dicerent, Argivorum et Eleorum et Mantineorum societatem conciliaret. EtitaeveniL

[4] Nam quum legati ad populum processissent, et interrogati non dixissent, ut io senatu, se cum summa potestate venisse, tunc vero Athenienses haud amplius rem ferendam puta bant, sed Alcibiadem multo vehementioribus, quam ante, clamoribus Lacedaemonios insectantem audiebant, animi* que propensi erant, statim Argilos Ulonimque comites in concionem introductos socios facere; sed facto terne motu, priusquam quicquam constitueretur, haec concio dilata est

E parlando essi di ciò in senato, e dicendo di aver pieno mandato per aggiustare ogni differenza, facevan temere ad Alcibiade, che ove anche dinanzi al popolo te-

Dessero i medesimi discorsi , si cattiverebbero la moltitudine , e verrebbe rigettata P alleanza con Argo. Ond’ei macchina contro loro quest’ inganno. Dà a vedere agli ambasciatori di Sparta, impegnando ad essi la sua fede, che se non dichiareranno al popolo di aver pieno mandato, egli renderà loro Pilo ; essendoché persuaderebbero di ciò gli Ateniesi, siccome finojra gli avea persuasi del contrario y ed accomoderebbe le altre differenze. Questo suo artifizio aveva per iscopo di alienare gli ambasciatori da Nicia , e di vedere ce, screditandoli dinanzi al popolo come gente noo punto sincera dell’animo né a sé coerente ne’suoi discorsi, potesse fare alleati di Atene gli Argivi, gli Elei e i Mantineesi. E la cosa andò cosi. Poiché essendosi presentati al popolo, ed alla domanda fatta loro non avendo risposto (siccome in senato) di aver pieno mandato, gli Ateniea non sapevano più contenersi ; ma davan retta ad Alcibiade che inveiva contro i Lacedemoni più di prima; ed erano pronti ad introdurre gli Argivi e gli altri con loro per farseli alleati. Innanzi che fosse nulla sanzionato sopravvenne un terremoto che fece differire l’adunanza.