Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Marie Charles Zévort (Translator), 1.127

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CXXVII. Les Lacédémoniens invitèrent donc les Athéniens à rejeter loin d’eux cette souillure ; leur but, sans doute, était d’abord de venger la majesté des dieux ; mais ils savaient aussi que Périclès, fils de Xanthippe, tenait par sa mère à cette race sacrilège, et ils espé- raient , Périclès tombé, mener plus facilement à bien leurs affaires avec les Athéniens. Cependant ils comptaient moins encore le faire chasser, que soulever contre lui l’opinion publique, en laissant croire que par cette souillure il était en partie cause de la guerre. Car Périclès, l’homme le plus puissant de son temps, placé alors à la tête des affaires, était en toutes choses opposé aux Lacédémoniens, combattait leurs prétentions et excitait les Athéniens à la guerre¹.

History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides. Marie Charles Zévort (Translator). Paris. 1852.

Current edition First1KGreek

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse (French) (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.)

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 1.127.1 focus

[1] τοῦτο δὴ τὸ ἄγος οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι ἐκέλευον ἐλαύνειν δῆθεν τοῖς θεοῖς πρῶτον τιμωροῦντες, εἰδότες δὲ Περικλέα τὸν Ξανθίππου προσεχόμενον αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν μητέρα καὶ νομίζοντες ἐκπεσόντος αὐτοῦ ῥᾷον 〈ἂν〉 σφίσι προχωρεῖν τὰ ἀπὸ τῶν Ἀθηναίων.

[2] οὐ μέντοι τοσοῦτον ἤλπιζον παθεῖν ἂν αὐτὸν τοῦτο ὅσον διαβολὴν οἴσειν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν ὡς καὶ διὰ τὴν ἐκείνου ξυμφορὰν τὸ μέρος ἔσται ὁ πόλεμος.

[3] ὢν γὰρ δυνατώτατος τῶν καθ’ ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἄγων τὴν πολιτείαν ἠναντιοῦτο πάντα τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοις, καὶ οὐκ εἴα ὑπείκειν, ἀλλ’ ἐς τὸν πόλεμον ὥρμα τοὺς Ἀθηναίους.

Translations (10)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 1.127.1 focus

[1] This pollution, therefore, the Lacedaemonians required them to purge their city of, principally, forsooth, as taking part with the gods, but knowing withal that Pericles the son of 127antippus was by the mother's side one of that race. For they thought if Pericles were banished, the Athenians would the more easily be brought to yield to their desire.

[2] Nevertheless, they hoped not so much that he should be banished as to bring him into the envy of the city, as if the misfortune of him were in part the cause of the war.

[3] For being the most powerful of his time and having the sway of the state, he was in all things opposite to the Lacedaemonians, not suffering the Athenians to give them the least way but inciting them to the war.

History of the Peloponnesian War Perseus (Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Crawley, Richard, translator. London and Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.; New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1914.) — 1.127.1 focus

[1] This, then, was the curse that the Lacedaemonians ordered them to drive out. They were actuated primarily, as they pretended, by a care for the honor of the gods; but they also knew that Pericles, son of Xanthippus, was connected with the curse on his mother's side, and they thought that his banishment would materially advance their designs on Athens

[2] Not that they really hoped to succeed in procuring this; they rather thought to create a prejudice against him in the eyes of his countrymen from the feeling that the war would be partly caused by his misfortune.

[3] For being the most powerful man of his time, and the leading Athenian statesman, he opposed the Lacedaemonians in everything, and would have no concessions, but ever urged the Athenians on to war.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 1.127 focus

Diesen Gräuel also befahlen die Lakedämonier zu tilgen,
gleich als ob sie vor allen Dingen den Göttern die Ehre geben
wollten; daneben wußten sie aber auch, daß Perikles, des
Xanthippos Sohn, mütterlicher Seits mit jenem Geschlecht verwandt war,
und dursten sicher sein, mit den Athenern leichter fertig zu werden,
wenn jener ausgetrieben würde. Zwar erwarteten sie nicht sowohl,
daß ihm grade dies widerfahren müsse, aber doch, daß es in der Stadt
böses Blut gegen ihn machen werde, da er ja dieser schlimmen
Verwandtschaft wegen auch zum Theil am Kriege Schuld sei. Denn er
war zu seiner Zeit der mächtigste Mann, und da er die
Staatsgeschäste lenkte, wirkte er in allen Dingen den Lakedämonier« entgegen,
und ließ nicht zu, daß man ihnen nachgebe, sondern es war sein
Trachten, die Athener zum Krieg zu bewegen.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 1.127 focus

Diesen Frevel zu sühnen, verlangten die Lakedämonier
also von den Athenern, angeblich, um die Götter zu versöhnen,
in Wahrheit aber, weil sie wußten, daß Perikles, der Sohn
des Xanthippos, durch seine Mutter mit jenem Geschlechte
verwandt war, und sie nach dessen Vertreibung mit den Athe
nern leichter fertig zu werden dachten. Und wenn sie auch
nicht grade darauf rechneten, daß es wirklich dazu kommen l
würde, so durften sie immerhin hoffen, seine Stellung in der
Stadt würde darunter leiden, wenn es hieße, daß es doch mit
um dieser Verwandtschaft wegen zum Kriege komme. Denn
Perikles war zu der Zeit der mächtigste Mann und, solange
er an der Spitze stand, stets ein Gegner der Lakedämonier.
Von Nachgiebigkeit gegen sie wollte er nichts wissen, sondern
die Athener zum Kriege treiben.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 1.127 focus

En réclamant cette expiation, les Lacédémoniens avaient l’air de venger la majesté des dieux ; mais ils n’ignoraient pas que Périclès, fils de Xanthippos, était impliqué dans ce sacrilège par sa mère¹; et ils pensaient que, s’ils parvenaient à le faire bannir, ils trouveraient les Athéniens plus traitables. Cependant ils espéraient moins obtenir ce résultat que discréditer Périclès auprès de ses concitoyens, comme étant, par sa naissance, une des causes de la guerre. Périclès était alors l’homme le plus influent d’Athènes ; il dirigeait la république, et faisait une opposition constante aux Lacédémoniens, en empêchant qu’on ne leur cédât et en soufflant le feu de la guerre.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.) — 1.127.1 focus

[1] It was this "curse " that the Lacedaemonians now bade the Athenians drive out, principally, as they pretended, to avenge the honour of the gods, but in fact because they knew that Pericles son of Xanthippus was implicated in the curse on his mother's side,¹ and thinking that, if he were banished, they would find it easier to get from the Athenians the concessions they hoped for.

[2] They did not, however, so much expect that he would suffer banishment, as that they would discredit him with his fellow-citizens, who would feel that to some extent his misfortune² would be the cause of the war.

[3] For being the most powerful man of his time and the leader of the state, he was opposed to the Lacedaemonians in all things, and would not let the Athenians make concessions, but kept urging them on to the war.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.) — 1.127.1 focus

[1] This pollution then the Lacedaemonians ordered them to drive out; principally, as they professed, to avenge the honour of the gods; but really, because they know that Pericles, the son of Xanthippus, was connected with it on his mother's side, and thought that if he were banished, their business with the Athenians would more easily succeed.

[2] They did not, however, so much hope that he would be treated in that way, as that it would cause a prejudice against him in the city; from an idea that the war would in part be occasioned by his misfortune.

[3] For being the most powerful man of his time, and taking the lead in the government, he opposed the Lacedaemonians in every thing, and would not let the Athenians make concessions, but instigated them to hostilities.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 1.127.1 focus

[1] Hoc igitur piaculum Lacedaemonii exterminari jubebant, diis scilicet primum opem ferentes, sed scientes, Periclem Xanthippi filium huic piaculo propter maternum gentis affinem esse, et credentes illo expulso, sibi facilius successuras res Athenienses.

[2] Non tamen tam sperabant, hoc illi eventuram, quam hoc ipsum invidiam apud populum illi conflaturam, quasi ob illius labem ex parte hoc bellum esset futurum.

[3] Nam quum potenlissimus esset omnium suae aelatis hominum, io republica administranda per omnia adversabatur Lacedaemoniis, nec sinebat Athenienses illis cedere, sed ad bellum eos incitabat.

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 1.85.1 focus

[1] Diesen Grundsätzen, die wir von unsern Vätern überkommen und selber stets bewährt erfunden haben, lasst uns nicht ungetreu werden und nicht binnen weniger Stunden über so viel Menschenleben und Eigenthum, über Staatenglück und Ehre einen übereilten Beschluss fassen, sondern uns Zeit nehmen. Wir haben den Vortheil der Macht, um nichts zu versäumen. Nach Athen also sendet wegen Potidäas und wegen der Beschwerden der Bundesgenossen, besonders da sie eine gerichtliche Entscheidung nicht ablehnen. Wer diese anbietet, den hat man kein Recht als bereits Verurtheilten anzugreifen. Aber zugleich rüstet euch auch zum Kriege. Dies ist das Beste, was ihr beschliessen könnt, und wird bei dem Feind am meisten Eindruck machen.

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 1.127 focus

Questa era la contaminazione che i Lacedemoni ordinavano si espiasse , principalmente , sotto colore di vendicare l’ingiuria fatta agli Dei ; ma in sostanza perchè , sapendo esser Pericle attenente a quella schiatta dal lato di madre, avvisavano dover anch’ egli esser bandito, ed essi cosi riuscire più. facilmente in ciò che richiedevano agli Ateniesi. Nè tanto speravano che ciò gli sarebbe avvenuto , quanto di screditarlo presso la città, la quale per quella sua infausta attenenza lo accagionerebbe in parte della guerra che insorgerebbe. Perciocché essendo il più potente del suo tempo, e guidando egli la cosa pubblica si opponeva al tutto ai Lacedemoni, e non permetteva che gli Ateniesi cedessero, anzi gl' incitava alla guerra.

Notes on the current edition

History of the Peloponnesian War

1. Les comiques athéniens ont attribué cette hostilité de Péricles contre les Lacédémoniens à mille motifs ridicules ; tantôt c’cst le désir de venger Aspasie, à qui les Mégariens ont volé deux servantes, tantôt le parti pris de tout brouiller pour ne pas rendre ses comptes. Il n’est pas difficile de trouver des raisons plus sérieuses. Périclès, en politique habile, avait compris qu’Athènes et Lacédémone ne pouvaient longtemps vivre en paix, et qu’il n’y aurait aucune sécurité pour Athènes tant que Sparte serait debout. Il a engagé la lutte au moment où Athènes était toute puissante ; et il eût vraisemblablement réussi, si sa mort, arrivée au début des hostilités, n’eût privé les Athéniens du seul homme qui sût dominer les orages populaires et allier à la science de la guerre et à une rare sagacité politique une fermeté inébranlable.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.127

Marie Charles Zévort (Translator)

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