Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 6.50

[1] Lamachus said, but came afterwards to the opinion of Alcibiades. After this, Alcibiades, with his own galley having passed over to Messana, and propounded to them a league and not prevailed, they answering that they would not let the army in but allow them only a market without the walls, returned back to Rhegium.

[2] And presently the generals, having out of the whole fleet manned threescore galleys and taken provision aboard, went along the shore to Naxos, having left the rest of the army with one of the generals at Rhegium.

[3] The Naxians having received them into the city, they went on by the coast to Catana. But the Catanaeans receiving them not (for there were some within that favoured the Syracusians), they entered the river of Terias;

[4] and having stayed there all that night, went the next day towards Syracuse leisurely with the rest of their galleys; but ten they sent before into the great haven, [not to stay, but] to discover if they had launched any fleet there, and to proclaim from their galleys that the Athenians were come to replant the Leontines on their own, according to league and affinity, and that therefore such of the Leontines as were in Syracuse, should without fear go forth to the Athenians as to their friends and benefactors.

[5] And when they had thus proclaimed, and well considered the city and the havens and the region where they were to seat themselves for the war, they returned to Catana.

[1] After speaking to this effect, Lamachus nevertheless gave his support to the opinion of Alcibiades. After this Alcibiades sailed in his own vessel across to Messina with proposals of alliance, but met with no success, the inhabitants answering that they could not receive him within their walls, though they would provide him with a market outside. Upon this he sailed back to Rhegium .

[2] Immediately upon his return the generals manned and victualled sixty ships out of the whole fleet and coasted along to Naxos , leaving the rest of the armament behind them at Rhegium with one of their number.

[3] Received by the Naxians, they then coasted on to Catana , and being refused admittance by the inhabitants, there being a Syracusan party in the town, went on to the river Terias.

[4] Here they bivouacked, and the next day sailed in single file to Syracuse with all their ships except ten which they sent on in front to sail into the great harbour and see if there was any fleet launched, and to proclaim by herald from shipboard that the Athenians were come to restore the Leontines to their country, as being their allies and kinsmen, and that such of them, therefore, as were in Syracuse should leave it without fear and join their friends and benefactors the Athenians.

[5] After making this proclamation and reconnoitring the city and the harbours, and the features of the country which they would have to make their base of operations in the war, they sailed back to Catana .

Lamachos also hatte zwar diese Meinung ausgesprochen,
stimmte aber dann doch dem Alkibiades bei; und dieser fuhr daraus
mit seinem eigenen Schiffe nach Messana hinüber und knüpfte mit
ihnen Unterhandlungen wegen der Bundesgenossenschaft an. Er
konnte sie jedoch nicht überreden, sondern kehrte mit der Antwort
nach Rhegion zurück, daß man sie in die Stadt nicht aufnehmen
werde, ihnen aber einen Markt außerhalb derselben gewähren -wolle.
Nun bemannten die Feldherren sofort sechzig Schiffe aus allen
Flottenabtheilungen, nahmen Lebensmittel ein und fuhren gen Naxos,
das übrige Heer unter Einem der Ihrigen zurücklassend. Da die
Naxier sie in die Stadt aufgenommen hatten, so schifften sie weiter
an der Küste hin nach Katana. Als aber die Katanäer sie nicht
aufnahmen, — denn, es gab in ihrer Stadt Männer, welche für die
Syrakusaner, gesinnt waren, — so steuerten sie weiter gegen den Fluß
Terias zu, und nachdem sie daselbst eine Nacht zugebracht, segelten
sie am folgenden Tage weiter gegen Syrakus, mit allen übrigen
Schiffen in Einer Linie hinter einander; nur zehn Schiffe schickten
sie voraus, welche in den großen Hasen einlaufen und sich überzeugen
sollten, ob daselbst bereits eine Flotte auf dem Wasser sei. Es war
ihnen auch befohlen, näher gegen die Stadt zu segeln-und durch
einen Herold von Bord herab ausrufen zu lassen, sie seien Athener und
gekommen, um die Leontiner in ihre Stadt zurückzuführen, gemäß
ihrer Bundesgenossenschaft und Verwandtschaft, und wer von den
Leontinern in Syrakus sei, der könne ohne Furcht zu den Athenern,
als zu Freunden und Beschützern, übergehen. Nachdem der Herold ¹
dieß ausgerufen und sie die Stadt und die Häfen und das Land
ringsum, wo sie zum Angriff festen Fuß fassen könnten, in Augen-
schein genommen hatten, fuhren sie wieder nach Katana zurück.

Nachdem Lamachos sich in diesem Sinne geäußert, schloß
er sich dann doch der Meinung des Alkibiades an. Alkibiades
aber fuhr nun gleich mit seinem Schiffe nach Messene hinüber
und verhandelte dort über ein Bündnis; als man darauf
jedoch nicht einging, sondern erklärte, draußen wolle man den
Athenern wohl einen Markt eröffnen, in die Stadt einlassen
aber könne man sie nicht, fuhr er wieder ab nach Rhegion.
Nun bemannten die Feldherren sofort sechzig, aus allen drei
Geschwadern entnommene Schiffe, versahen sie mit Lebens­
mitteln und fuhren damit nach Naxos, während die übrige
Flotte und einer von ihnen bei Rhegion zurückblieb. Von
Naxos, wo sie in die Stadt eingelassen wurden, fuhren sie nach
Katana und von da, wo man sie nicht einließ, weil eS dort
manche mit Syrakus hielten, weiter an den Fluß Terias, wo
sie übernachteten. Von hier gingen sie am folgenden Tage in
Kiellinie nach Syrakus unter Segel. Sie schickten jedoch zehn
Schiffe voraus, um in den großen Hafen einzulaufen und sich
darnach umzusehen, ob schon Schiffe zu Wasser gelassen wären,
und um dort nahe am Lande von Bord aus öffentlich aus­
rufen zu lassen, sie wären Athener und kämen, um die Leon­
tiner, ihre Bundesgenossen und Stammverwandten, in ihre
Stadt zurückzuführen; die in Syrakus befindlichen Leontiner
hätten also nichts zu fürchten und würden von den Athenern
mit offenen Armen aufgenommen werden. Nachdem sie daS
bekanntgemacht und sich die Stadt, die Häfen und das Gelände,,
von wo der Angriff erfolgen mußte, angesehen hatten, fuhren
sie wieder nach Katana zurück.

L. Lamachos, tout en émettant personnellement cet avis, se rangea à celui d’Alcibiade. Celui-ci se fit transporter par son vaisseau à Messène, et fit, sans succès, des propositions d’alliance : on lui répondit que les Athéniens ne seraient pas reçus dans la ville, mais qu’on leur ouvrirait un marché au dehors. Il retourna à Rhégium. Aussitôt les généraux embarquèrent des troupes sur soixante de leurs vaisseanx, prirent des vivres et cinglèrent en côtoyant vers Naxos. — Un d’entre eux gardait à Rhégium le reste de l’armée.— Reçus à Naxos, ils suivirent la côte jusqu’à Catane; mais on ne voulut pas les y recevoir; car les Syracusains avaient des partisans dans la ville. Ils entrèrent dans le fleuve Térias, y passèrent la nuit et firent voile le lendemain pour Syracuse. Toute la flotte marchait à la file, à l’exception de dix vaisseaux expédiés en avant, avec ordre de pénétrer dans le grand port, d’observer s’il y avait quelques bâtiments mis à flot, et de procla- ¹ mer du haut des vaisseaux, en rangeant le rivage, que les Athéniens venaient, en vertu de l'alliance et de la communauté d’origine, pour rétablir les Léontins; que ceux d’entre eux qui étaient à Syracuse, pouvaient sans crainte se rendre auprès des Athéniens, leurs amis et leurs bienfaiteurs. Après cette proclamation, ils inspectèrent la ville, les ports, et toutes les positions sur lesquelles ils pourraient s’appuyer pour l’attaque; puis ils retournèrent à Catane.

[1] Lamachus, though speaking to this effect, nevertheless gave his support to the opinion of Alcibiades. After this Alcibiades sailed in his own ship over to Messene and made proposals to the Messenians for an alliance; but as they could not be persuaded, answering that they would not receive him within the city, but would furnish a market outside, he sailed back to Rhegium.

[2] Then the generals straightway manned sixty ships out of their whole number, and taking provisions sailed along the coast to Naxos, leaving at Rhegium the rest of the army and one of the generals.

[3] The Naxians received them into their city, and they sailed on then to Catana.

[4] When the Catanaeans would not receive them—for there were in that place men who favoured the cause of the Syracusans—they moved on to the river Terias, and having bivouacked there sailed next day to Syracuse with all their ships in single file, except ten, for this number they had sent forward to sail into the Great Harbour and observe whether any fleet was launched. After sailing up the commanders of these were to proclaim from the ships that the Athenians had come to reinstate the Leontines in their own country on the ground of alliance and kinship; any Leontines therefore who were in Syracuse should come over without fear to the Athenians as friends and benefactors.

[5] When this proclamation had been made and they had observed the city and the harbours and the features of the country which they would have to make their base for warlike operations, they sailed back to Catana.

[1] Though Lamachus spoke to this effect, he nevertheless gave his support to the opinion of Alcibiades. After this, Alcibiades sailed across in his own ship to Messana, and made proposals to them for forming an alliance; but when he did not prevail on them, but they answered that they could not receive him within their city, though they would afford him a market outside, he sailed back again to Rhegium.

[2] Then the generals immediately joined in manning sixty ships out of the whole number, and, taking provisions for them, coasted along to Naxus, leaving the rest of the armament at Rhegium with one of their own body.

[3] On the Naxians' receiving them within their city, they coasted on to Catana; and when the inhabitants refused to admit them, (for there was in that place a party that favoured the cause of the Syracusans,) they proceeded to the river Terias.

[4] Having spent the night there, the next day they sailed in column towards Syracuse, with the rest of the ships; for ten of their squadron they had sent on before, to sail into the great harbour, and observe whether there were any fleet launched; and to proclaim from their ships, .

[5] So when this proclamation had been made, and they had reconnoitred the city, the harbours, and the features of the country which they would have to make the base of their operations in the war, they sailed back again to Catana.

[1] Lamachus autem quamvis haec dixisset, tamen et ipse in Alcibiadis sententiam ivit. Postea vero Alcibiades sua navi Messanam profectus de societate ineunda apud Messanenses verba fecit, et quum rem iis persuadere non posset, sed illi respondissent, in urbem quidem se aequa-quam recepturos, forum tamen rerum venalium iis praebituros, ad Rhegium redibat.

[2] Duces autem quum ex omni numero sexaginta naves confestim implevissent et res necessarias assumpsissent, reliquo exercitu cum uno de se ipsis ad Rhegium relicto, classe praetervecti Naxum petebant.

[3] Quum autem Naxii eos urbe recepissent, illinc oram legentes ad Catanam navigabant. Et quum Catanaei eos non recepissent (illic enim aderant quidam, qui Syracusanorum partibus favebant), ad flumen Teriam delati sunt,

[4] et quum illic pernoctassent, postero die Syracusas versus navigarunt, agmine longo ceteris navibus instructis. Decem vero naves praemiserunt, ut in magnum portum navigarent et explorarent, si quid navium deductum esset, utque accedentes ex navibus per praeconis vocem significarent, Athenienses, venire, ut Leontinos in suas pristinas sedes restituerent propter societatis atque cognationis jus; Leontini igitur, quotquot Syracusis essent, intrepide transirent ad Athenienses ut ad amicos et de ipsis bene meritos.

[5] Postquam autem per praeconis vocem hoc illis denuntiatum est, et urbisportuumque situm, omnem-que circa regionem, unde sibi ad bellum faciendum prodeundum esset, contemplati sunt, rursus Catanam redierunt.

Quantunque Lamaco avesse parlato cosi, pure si ??costò anch’egli al consiglio di Alcibiade , il quale dipoi ??dò colla sua nave a Messina, e parlò dell’alleanza coi Messinesi. E perchè non gli potè persuadere, ed anzi gli fisserò chiaro che non riceverebbero gli Ateniesi in città, e solo al di fuori gli accorderebbero il mercato, ritornò a Reggio. I generali, armate subito tra tutte sessanta navi e sreso il bisognevole, passarono a Nasso, lasciando in Reggio uno di loro col resto dell’armata. Accolti in città dai Nassii seguitarono il corso verso Catana ove dai Catanesi ion furono ricevuti, perchè in città vi erano dei fautori li Siracusa, e vennero al fiume Teria e vi pernottarono.

Il giorno dopo colle altre navi attelate in una sola fila si jwiarono verso Siracusa ; e già ne aveano spedite innanzi dieci perchè nel loro corso osservassero se alcun naviglio fosse tirato in mare, e perchè avanzandosi dappresso bandissero da bordo , che arrivavano gli Ateniesi a rimettere nella patria i Leontini per titolo d’alleanza e parentela ; e die però quanti Leontini si trovavano a Siracusa si accostassero senza timore agli Ateniesi come ad amici e benefattori. Avendo bandito ciò, esaminarono la città ed i porti ed il paese all’ intorno, per vedere donde avessero a muovere le armi, e rinavigarono a Catana.