Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.58

[1] The Argives, having had notice both formerly of the preparation of the Lacedaemonians and afterward of their marching on to join with the rest at Phlius, brought their army likewise into the field. They had with them the aids of the Mantineans and their confederates and three thousand men of arms of the Eleians;

[2] and marching forward, met the Lacedaemonians at Methydrium, a town of Arcadia, each side seizing on a hill. And the Argives prepared to give battle to the Lacedaemonians whilst they were single. But Agis, dislodging his army by night, marched on to Phlius to the rest of the confederates, unseen.

[3] Upon knowledge hereof, the Argives betimes in the morning retired first to Argos and afterwards to the forest of Nemea, by which they thought the Lacedaemonians and their confederates would fall in.

[4] But Agis came not the way which they expected, but with the Lacedaemonians, Arcadians, and Epidaurians, whom he acquainted with his purpose, took another more difficult way to pass and came down into the Argive plains. The Corinthians also, and Pellenians and Phliasians, marched another troublesome way. [Only] the Boeotians, Megareans, and Sicyonians were appointed to come down by the way of the forest of Nemea, in which the Argives were encamped, to the end that if the Argives should turn head against the Lacedaemonians, these might set upon them at the back with their horse.

[5] Thus ordered, Agis entered into the plains and spoiled Saminthus and some other towns thereabouts.

[1] The preparations of the Lacedaemonians from the first had been known to the Argives, who did not, however, take the field until the enemy was on his road to join the rest at Phlius. Reinforced by the Mantineans with their allies, and by three thousand Elean heavy infantry,

[2] they advanced and fell in with the Lacedaemonians at Methydrium in Arcadia . Each party took up its position upon a hill, and the Argives prepared to engage the Lacedaemonians while they were alone; but Agis eluded them by breaking up his camp in the night, and proceeded to join the rest of the allies at Phlius.

[3] The Argives discovering this at daybreak, marched first to Argos and then to the Nemean road, by which they expected the Lacedaemonians and their allies would come down.

[4] However, Agis, instead of taking this road as they expected, gave the Lacedaemonians, Arcadians, and Epidaurians their orders, and went along another difficult road, and descended into the plain of Argos . The Corinthians, Pellenians, and Phliasians marched by another steep road; while the Boeotians, Megarians, and Sicyonians had instructions to come down by the Nemean road where the Argives were posted, in order that if the enemy advanced into the plain against the troops of Agis, they might fall upon his rear with their cavalry.

[5] These dispositions concluded, Agis invaded the plain and began to ravage Saminthus and other places.

Die Argiver ^abcr hatten schon von vorn herein von den
Rüstungen der Lakedämonier Kenntniß Erhalten, und auch/daß diese
jetzt gegen'Phlius marshcirten^ um sich dort mit den Andern
zu'vereinigen, und so zogen auch-sie auS. Zu ihnen-waren gestoßen die
Mantineer mit ihren Bundesgenossen und von den Eleern drei
Tausend Schwerbewaffnete. Im Vorrücken nun trafen sie bei
Methydrion in Arkadien auf-'dle Lakedämonier, und beide Theile besetzten
einen Hügel. Da schickten sich denn die Argiver an; den
Lakedämoniern, da sie noch vereinzelt seien ,'eine Schlacht'zu liefern ; Agis
aber ließ sein Heer in der Nacht aufbrechen und marschirte, ohne daß
die Argiver eS gewahr wurden, nach PhliuS zu den andern
Bundesgenossen. Als die Argiver das bei Tagesanbruch merkten, zogen sie
sich zuerst nach Argos' zurück und besetzten dann die Straße nach Ne­ ^{1 2}
mea, wo sie erwarteten, daß die Lakedämonier mit ihren Verbündeten
Herabkommen würden. Agis wandte sich aber nicht nach der Seite,
wo jene ihn erwarteten, sondern befahl den Lakedämoniern, Arkadiern
und Epidauriern, mit ihm einen andern schwierigeren Weg
einzuschlagen, und stieg so in die Arglvische Ebene hinab. Die Korinther
und Pelleneer und Phliasier nahmen einen andern, auch steilen Weg;
den Böotern aber und Megarern und Sikyoniern war besohlen, auf
der Straße nach Nemea hinabzusteigen, wo die Argiver Stellung
genommen hatten, damit wenn die Argiver gegen die Lakedämonier in
der Ebene rücken sollten, sie ihnen mit der Reiterei, in den Rücken
fallen könnten.

Die Argeier, die schon länger und vollends, als die Lake­
dämonier, um sich mit den anderen zu vereinigen, nach Phlius
zogen, von deren kriegerischen Absichten überzeugt waren, er­
schienen nun auch ihrerseits im Felde, und die Mantineer mit
ihren Verbündeten, sowie dreitausend Hopliten aus Elis
schlossen sich ihnen an. Im Vormarsch trafen sie die Lake­
dämonier bei Methydrion in Arkadien, wo beide Heere eine
Anhöhe besetzten. Aber während die Argeier Anstalt machten,
den Lakedämoniern noch vor deren Vereinigung mit ihren
Bundesgenossen eine Schlacht zu liefern, brach König Agis bei
Nacht in aller Stille mit dem Heere auf, um sich mit ihnen
bei Phlius zu vereinigen. Als die Argeier das merkten, zogen
auch sie bei Tagesanbruch ab, zuerst nach Argos, dann aber
auf die Straße nach Nemea, auf der die Lakedämonier mit
ihren Verbündeten ihrer Meinung nach Herabkommen würden.
Agis aber wählte wider Erwarten diesen Weg nicht, sondern
zog mit den Lakedämoniern, Arkadiern und Epidauriern, denen
er dazu Befehl erteilte, auf einem anderen beschwerlichen Wege
in die Ebene von Argos hinunter, während die Korinther,
Pellener und Phliasier den graden Weg dahin einschlugen. Die
Böotier, Megarer und Sikyoner aber waren angewiesen, die
Straße nach Nemea hinabzuziehen, auf der die Argeier sich
befanden, und ihnen, falls sie sich von dort gegen die Lake­
dämonier in der Ebene wenden würden, mit der Reiterei auf
den Fersen zu bleiben. So gegliedert rückte er in die Ebene
ein und verheerte Salinthos und andere Orte.

LVIII. Les Argiens avaient été tout d’abord informés des préparatifs des Lacédémoniens; lors qu’ils les surent en marche pour rejoindre leurs alliés à Phlionte, ils se mirent eux-mêmes en campagne. Les Mantinéens, assistés de leurs alliés, et trois mille hoplites éléens, vinrent à leur secours. Ils se portèrent en avant, et rencontrèrent les Lacédémoniens à Méthydrion, en Arcadie; chacune des deux armées occupa une colline. Les Argiens se disposaient à profiter de l’isolement des Lacédémoniens pour attaquer, lorsque Agis leva secrètement son camp pendant la nuit et se porta vers Phlionte à la rencontre de ses alliés. Lorsque les Argiens s’en aperçurent, au point du jour, ils marchèrent d’abord vers Argos et suivirent ensuite la route de Némée, par où ils supposaient que les Lacédémoniens descendraient avec leurs alliés. Mais Agis, au lieu de suivre ce chemin, comme ils s’y étaient attendus, prit avec lui les Lacédémoniens, les Arcadiens et les Épidauriens, s’engagea dans une autre ¹ route d'un difficile accès, et déboucha dans la plaine d’Argos. Les Corinthiens, les Pelléniens et les Phliasiens prirent un autre chemin par les hauteurs. Les Béotiens, les Mégariens et les Sicyoniens avaient ordre de descendre par la route de Némée, occupée par les Argiens, afin de les prendre par derrière avec la cavalerie, s’ils venaient attaquer les Lacédémoniens dans la plaine. Ces dispositions prises, Agis, après avoir débouché dans la plaine, ravagea Saminthos et d’autres points.

[1] The Argives had been aware of the preparations of the Lacedaemonians from the first, and when the latter were on the march to Phlius where they intended to join the rest, they now took the field themselves. And the Mantineans came to their aid with their own allies and three thousand Elean hoplites.

[2] As they were going forward they came upon the Lacedaemonians at Methydrium in Arcadia. Each party took position on a hill, and the Argives prepared to fight with the Lacedaemonians, thinking to find them still isolated; but Agis, rousing up his force during the night and eluding detection, marched to Phlius to join the rest of the allies.

[3] The Argives, perceiving this, set out at daybreak, marching first to Argos and then taking the road to Nemea, where they expected the Lacedaemonians with their allies to come down.

[4] Agis, however, did not take the way they were expecting him to follow, but giving the word to the Lacedaemonians, Arcadians, and Epidaurians, he advanced by a more difficult route and descended to the Argive plain. The Corinthians, Pellenians, and Phliasians advanced by another steep road; while the Boeotians, Megarians and Sicyonians had been told to come down by the road to Nemea, where the Argives were posted, in order that if the Argives should attack their main force as it advanced into the plain, they might hang on their rear and use their cavalry against them.

[5] Having, then, so disposed his troops, Agis came down into the plain and proceeded to ravage Saminthus and other places.

[1] Now the Argives had from the first been aware of the preparations of the Lacedaemonians; and when they were on their march for the purpose of joining the rest at Phlius, then they also took the field. They were reinforced by the Mantineans with their allies, and by three thousand heavy-armed of the Eleans.

[2] And as they advanced, they met the Lacedaemonians at Methydrium in Arcadia, and each army occupied a hill. The Argives then prepared to engage the Lacedaemonians, cut off as they were by themselves: but Agis broke up in the night, and eluding them, proceeded to the rest of the allies at Phlius.

[3] The Argives, on finding this, marched, as soon as it was morning, to Argos first, and then to where they expected the Lacedaemonians with their allies would descend into their country, namely, the road running by Nemea.

[4] Agis, however, did not take that road, as they expected him to do; but having given orders to the Lacedaemonians, Arcadians, and Epidaurians, he advanced by another and more difficult route, and so came down into the plain of Argos. The Corinthians, Pellenians, and Phliasians marched by another steep road; while the Boeotians, Megareans, and Sicyonians had been ordered to descend by that leading to Nemea, where the Argives were posted, in order that, if the Argives should advance into the plain against his own division, they might hang on their rear, and use their cavalry with effect.

[5] He then, having made these arrangements and entered the plain, proceeded to ravage Saminthus and other places.

[1] Argivi autem quum et initio Lacedaemoniorum apparatum praesensissent, et postea quam Phliuntem ibant, ut cum celeris se conjungerent, tunc demum et ipsi cum exercitu prodierunt; auxilium autem tulerunt iis et Mantinei cum suis sociis, et Eleorum tria gravis armaturae millia.

[2] Et progressi occ irrunt, Lacedaemoniis ad Mr-thydrium Arcadiae oppidum et utrique collem occupant. Et Argivi quidem ad proelium cum Lacedaemoniis ut sociorum auxilio nudatis committendum sese praeparabant; Agis vero castris noctu motis et clam Argivis Phliuntem ad ceteros socios contendebat.

[3] Quod quum Argivi cognovissent, primo diluculo statim discedebant, primo quidem Argos, deinde vero ad illam viam, quae ad Nemeam ducit v qua Lacedaemonios cum sociis descensuros exspectabant.

[4] Agis vero non convertit se ad illud iter, qua exspectabant, sed re Lacedaemoniis et Arcadibus et Epidauiriis denuntiata aliud asperum iniit, et in Argivorum planitiem descendit; et Corinthii et Pellenenses et Phliasii alia ardua via iter faciebant; Boeotis vero et Megarensibus et Sicyoniis praeceptum erat, ut via, quae ducit ad Nemeam, descenderent, ubi consederant Argivi, ut si Argivi contra ipsoe in plauitiem ad vim arcendam venirent, Oli equis uterentur eos a tergo insequenles.

[5] Atque Agis quidem exercita sic disposito et irruptione in planitiem facta Saminthum et alia vastabat;

Gli Argivi che aveano da primo presentito quest’apparecchio de’ Lacedemoni , quando li videro avviarsi verso Fliunte per riunirsi con gli altri, allora anch’essi uscirono in campagna rinforzati dai Mnntineesi con gli alleati, e da tremila Elei di grave armatura. Kell’avanzarsi incontrano i Lacedemoni a Metridio dell’Arcadia, ed ambi gli eserciti occupano un colle. Gli Argivi si disponevano a battagliare coi Lacedemoni che erano ancor soli ; ma Agide mosso di notte celatamente il campo, marciava verso Hiunte per raggiungere gli altri alleati. Diche accortisi gli Argivi, al sorgere deiraurora si mossero prima verso Argo, poi per la strada di IVemea, dove aspettavansi che scenderebbero i Lacedemoni con gli alleati. Agide però non si voltò per la strada ch’ei credevano ; anzi avvisati i Lacedemoni, gli Arcadi e gli Epidaurii prese un’altra via scoscesa, e calò nella pianura degli Argivi, mentre i Corinti coi Pellenesi e i Fliasii marciavano da altra parte su per un’erta. I Beozii poi, i Megaresi e gli Sicionesi avevano avuto l’ordine di scendere per la strada di Nemea ove si erano fermati gli Argivi ; affinchè se mai e’ si avanzassero ad assalirli nella pianura, gli assaltassero alle spalle colla cavalleria. Ordinate cosi le sue genti, entrò Agide nella pianura dando il guasto a Sa minto ed agli altri luoghi.