Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.97

[1] The Athenians upon this news made ready, notwithstanding, twenty galleys, and called an assembly, one then presently in the place called Pnyx, where they were wont to assemble at other times, in which having deposed The Four Hundred, they decreed the sovereignty to The Five Thousand, of which number were all such to be as were charged with arms; and from that time forward to salariate no man for magistracy, with a penalty on the magistrate receiving the salary to be held for an execrable person.

[2] There were also divers other assemblies held afterwards, wherein they elected law-makers, and enacted other things concerning the government. And now first (at least in my time) the Athenians seem to have ordered their state aright; which consisted now of a moderate temper, both of the few and of the many. And this was the first thing that after so many misfortunes past made the city again to raise her head.

[3] They decreed also the recalling of Alcibiades and those that were in exile with him, and sending to him and to the army at Samos, willed them to fall in hand with their business.

[1] Nevertheless, upon receipt of the news, the Athenians manned twenty ships and called immediately a first assembly in the Pnyx, where they had been used to meet formerly, and deposed the Four Hundred and voted to hand over the government to the Five Thousand, of which body all who furnished a suit of armour were to be members, decreeing also that no one should receive pay for the discharge of any office,

[2] or if he did should be held accursed. Many other assemblies were held afterwards, in which law-makers were elected and all other measures taken to form a constitution. It was during the first period of this constitution that the Athenians appear to have enjoyed the best government that they ever did, at least in my time. For the fusion of the high and the low was effected with judgment, and this was what first enabled the state to raise up her head after her manifold disasters.

[3] They also voted for the recall of Alcibiades and of other exiles, and sent to him and to the camp at Samos , and urged them to devote themselves vigorously to the war.

Auf jene Nachricht hin bemannten die Athener gleichwohl
zwanzig Schiffe und beriefen eine Volksversammlung, und zwar jetzt
zum ersten Male auf die sogenannte Pnyx, wo sie auch sonst zu tagen
gewohnt waren, setzten die Vierhundert ab und beschlossen, die
Staatsgeschäfte den Fünftausend zu übergeben — unter dieselben wählbar
sollte Jeder sein, der als Schwerbewaffneter diente — und keinerlei
Amt und Behörde sollte Gehalt empfangen; und falls Einer sich dem
nicht fügen wollte, so legten sie den Fluch darauf. Es wurden auch
noch weitere zahlreiche Versammlungen abgehalten, in deren Folge
Gesetzgeber gewählt und auch sonst die nöthigen Beschlüsse für die
Verwaltung gefaßt wurden. Und gewiß ist in der ersten Zeit Athen,
soweit meines Lebens Erfahrung reicht, auf's Beste regiert worden;
denn es fand eine maßvolle Mischung der oligarchischen und
demokratischen Regierungsgrundsätze Statt, und das war es auch, waS
den Staat aus dem Unglück zuerst wieder emporbrachte. Es wurde ¹
auch beschlossen, daß Alkibiades und Andere mit ihm zurückkehren
durften, und an ihn selbst, sowie an das Heer aus Samos schickte
man Botschaft, daß sie sich an der Staatsführung wieder betheiligen
sollten.

Trotzdem bemannten die Athener auf jene Nachricht dann
doch zwanzig Schiffe; auch hielten sie gleich eine Volksver­
sammlung, jetzt zum erstenmal wieder an alter Stelle auf der
Pnyx, in der sie die Vierhundert absetzten und beschlossen, die
Regierung auf die Fünftausend zu übertragen. Zu ihnen aber
sollten nur solche gehören, die sich selbst bewaffnen konnten.
Auch sollte keinerlei Ämtersold mehr gezahlt werden, und wenn
es trotzdem geschähe, ein Fluch darauf stehen. Später hielten
sie dann noch verschiedene Versammlungen, in denen sie einen
Verfassungsausschuß (Nomotheten) bestellten und in betreff der
künftigen Verfassung weitere Beschlüsse faßten. Vorderhand
war das offenbar die wohlerwogenste Staatsveränderung,
welche bei meinen Lebzeiten in Athen eingeführt wurde; denn
sie kam auf eine vernünftige Mischung von Oligarchie und
Demokratie hinaus und war ein erster Schritt, die Stadt aus
der schlimmen Lage, in die sie geraten, wieder emporzuheben.
Ferner beschlossen sie, Alkibiades und mit ihm einige andere
zurückzurufen, und schickten an ihn und das Heer in Samos
die Aufforderung, sich ihrer anzunehmen.

XCVII. Cependant, sur ces nouvelles, les Athéniens équipèrent vingt vaisseaux et se formèrent aussitôt en assemblée dans le lieu nommé Pnyx, consacré autrefois à cet usage : c’était la première réunion depuis la ré- volution. Là, ils déposèrent les quatre cents, et conférèrent par décret le pouvoir aux cinq mille, en y admettant tous ceux qui étaient complètement armés. Défense fut faite, sous peine de malédiction, de recevoir aucun salaire pour quelque fonction que ce fût; il y eut ensuite un grand nombre d’autres assemblées : on y vota la création de Nomothètes et d’autres décrets organiques. Du reste, cette première période ¹ me paraît une de celles où Athènes fut le plus sagement gouvernée, du moins de mon temps : l’oligarchie et la démocratie se tempéraient mutuellement, et la république commença alors à se relever de ses précédents désastres. On y décréta le rappel d’Alcibiade et d’autres exilés, et on lui transmit, ainsi qu’à l’armée de Samos, l’invitation de prendre vigoureusement en main la conduite des affaires.

[1] However this may be, after the announcement of their defeat the Athenians, in spite of their difficulties, manned twenty ships, and also called meetings of the assembly—one immediately, which was called to meet on that occasion for the first time in the place called Pnyx, where at other times also they had been wont to meet. ¹ At this meeting they deposed the Four Hundred, voted to deliver the management of affairs to the Five Thousand (and all who could furnish themselves with a hoplite's outfit were to belong to this number), and decided that no one was to receive pay for any office, the offender to be accounted accursed.

[2] Other meetings also were held later, at frequent intervals, as a result of which they appointed supervisors of the laws ² and voted the other measures pertaining to their form of government. And during the first period the Athenians appear to have enjoyed the best government they ever had, at least in my time; for there was a moderate blending of the few and the many, and this it was that first caused the state to recover from the wretched plight into which it had fallen.

[3] And they also voted to recall Alcibiades and others with him; and sending envoys both to him and to the army at Samos, they urged them to take a hand in their affairs.

[1] On receiving therefore this news, the Athenians, notwithstanding, manned twenty ships, and called an assembly; one immediately, which was summoned to meet on that occasion for the first time in what was called the Pnyx, (where they had been accustomed to meet in other days,) and in which they deposed the Four Hundred, and resolved that the government should be put into the hands of the Five Thousand; that ¹ in that body should be included all who furnished themselves with heavy armour, and that no one should receive pay for the discharge of any office;

[2] or if any one did, they declared him to be accursed. Many other assemblies were also held subsequently, in which they appointed persons to frame a code of laws, and every thing else requisite for the government. And during the first period of this constitution the Athenians appear to have enjoyed the best polity they ever did, at least my time; for the blend into together of the few and the many was effected with moderation; and this was what raised the state up again after the disastrous occurrences which had taken place.

[3] They also passed a decree for the recall of Alcibiades, and some brothers with him; and sending to him and to the army at Samos, they urged them to attend diligently to their interests.

[1] Secundum hunc nuncium igitur Athenienses viginti tamen naves instruebant, et concionem cogebant, unam quidem, quae statim tunc primum in Pnycem, quas dicitur, vocabatur, ubi etiam alias comitia habere consueverant , in qua quidem abrogato quadringentis viris imperio rerum administrationem quinque millibus tradere decreverunt (esse autem ex hoc numero omnes, quotquot arma sua ipsi exhiberent), et mercedem ne quis ullam ullius magistratus gratia acciperet; qui aliter fecisset, eum sacrum esse iusserunt.

[2] Habebantur autem postea et aliae crebrae conciones, in quibus et legumlatores, et cetera ad reipublicae administrationem pertinentia constituerunt. Atque sane maxime per primum illud tempus mea quidem aetate apparet ‘ Alheniensessrempublicam bene administrasse; nam utrius-que factionis, paucorum et multitudinis, in unum redactae, moderatum exstitit temperamentum, et e rebus afflictis hoc primum civitatem erexit.

[3] Decreverunt autem etiam, ut Alcibiades aliique cum eo redirent, atque simul et ad illum et ad exercitum Samium legatis missis cohortabantur, ut strenue res gererent.

A tali nuove pertanto gli Ateniesi, quantunque sbigottiti, armarono venti navi, e allora subito da primo tennero un adunanza nel luogo chiamato Pnice, ove ancora altre volte eran soliti adunarsi ; nella quale abolirono il magistrato de’quattrocento, e decretarono di affidar lo stato ai cinquemila, del qual numero dovessero esser quei soli che prestassero servizio nella milizia, e che riissimo per qualsivoglia carica dovesse aver pensioni; altrimenti fosse dichiarato esecrabile. Si tennero in seguito altre frequenti adunanze con le quali stabilirono i conservatori delle leggi, ed altre cose pertinenti al reggimento del Comune. E par mi che, almeno a mia ricordanza , gli Ateniesi in questo primo tempo si sieno ben governati ; perciocché vi fu un moderato temperamento tra gli ottimati ed il popolo , ciò che fu cagione principale che le cose loro si rialzassero dal cattivo stato in che erano cadute. Decretarono altresì il ritorno d’Alcibiade e de’suoi seguaci ; e spedirono a lui e all’esercito di Samo pregandoli efficacemente ad applicarsi al governo degli affari.