Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.56

[1] Presently after this, it came to pass that other differences arose between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians to induce the war.

[2] For whilst the Corinthians studied to be revenged, the Athenians, who had their hatred in jealousy, commanded the citizens of Potidaea, a city seated in the Isthmus of Pallene, a colony of the Corinthians but confederate and tributary to the Athenians, to pull down that part of the wall of their city that stood towards Pallene, and to give them hostages, and also to send away and no more receive the Epidemiurgi (magistrates so called) which were sent unto them year by year from Corinth, fearing lest through the persuasion of Perdiccas and of the Corinthians they should revolt and draw to revolt with them their other confederates in Thrace.

[1] Almost immediately after this, fresh differences arose between the Athenians and Peloponnesians, and contributed their share to the war.

[2] Corinth was forming schemes for retaliation, and Athens suspected her hostility. The Potidaeans, who inhabit the isthmus of Pallene , being a Corinthian colony, but tributary allies of Athens , were ordered to raze the wall looking towards Pallene , to give hostages, to dismiss the Corinthian magistrates, and in future not to receive the persons sent from Corinth annually to succeed them. It was feared that they might be persuaded by Perdiccas and the Corinthians to revolt, and might draw the rest of the allies in the direction of Thrace to revolt with them.

Sehr bald aber kamen auch noch die folgenden
Zwistigkeiten zwischen Athenern und Peloponnesiern als neue Veranlassung
zum Kriege hinzu: da die Korinther auf Rache sannen, und die
Athener diese feindliche Gesinnung bei ihnen auch voraussetzten, so
befahlen diese ihren Bundesverwandten und Zinsholden, den Potidäern,
— dem Ursprung nach Korinthische Pflanzer, auf der Landenge von
Pallene angesessen —, ihre Mauern gegen Pallene hin niederzureißen,
außerdem Geißeln zu stellen und die Beamten (Epidemiurgen) ¹
wegzuschicken, welche die Korinther alljährlich dorthin zu senden
pflegten, und auch keine neuen mehr aufzunehmen. Sie fürchteten nämlich,
jene möchten sich von Perdikkas und den Korinthern zum Abfall
bereden lassen und durch ihr Beispiel auch die übrigen Thrakischen
Bundesgenossen nachziehen.

Unmittelbar nachher wurde noch ein anderes Ereignis
ein weiterer Anlaß zum Kriege zwischen den Athenern und den
Peloponnesiern. Die Korinther brannten darauf, sich an Athen
zu rächen, und den Athenern waren ihre feindlichen Absichten
kein Geheimnis geblieben. Sie befahlen deshalb der korin­
thischen Kolonie Potidäa auf der Landenge von Pallene, einer
der steuerpflichtigen Städte ihres Bundes, ihre Mauer auf der
Seite nach Pallene abzubrechen, Geiseln zu stellen und die
Epidemiurgen, von Korinth alljährlich dorthin geschickte Be­
amte, auszuweisen und auch künftig nicht mehr aufzunehmen.
Sie fürchteten nämlich, Potidäa könnte sich von Perdikkas
und Korinth zum Abfall verleiten lassen und ihnen auch ihre
übrigen thrakischen Bundesstädte abtrünnig machen.

Bientôt après ces événements, on vit éclore de nouveaux germes de discorde entre les Athéniens et les Péloponésiens. Les Corinthiens aspiraient à se venger des Athéniens; ceux-ci, pressentant leurs intentions hostiles, ordonnèrent à Potidée, ville située sur l’isthme de Pallène et colonie de Corinthe, mais alliée et tributaire d’Athènes, d’abattre la muraille qui regardait la Pallène ¹ , de livrer des otages, enfin de chasser les épidé-miurges ² que Corinthe y envoyait chaque année, et de n’en plus recevoir à l’avenir. Ils craignaient que les Potidéates ne se révoltassent à l’instigation de Perdiccas et des Corinthiens, et que leur exemple ne fût suivi par les autres alliés du littoral de la Thraces ³ .

[1] Immediately after this the following events also occurred, which caused differences between the Athenians and the Peloponnesians and led to the war.

[2] While the Corinthians were devising how they should take vengeance on the Athenians, the latter, suspecting their enmity, required of the Potidaeans (who dwell on the isthmus of Pallene and are colonists of the Corinthians but tributary allies of the Athenians), to pull down their wall on the side of Pallene and give hostages, and, furthermore, to send away and not receive in the future the magistrates whom the Corinthians were accustomed to send every year. For they were afraid that the Potidaeans, persuaded by Perdiccas' and the Corinthians, would revolt and cause the rest of the allies in Thrace to revolt with them.

[1] Immediately after this the following disagreements arose between the Athenians and Peloponnesians, to lead them to war.

[2] While the Corinthians were contriving how to avenge themselves on them, the Athenians, suspecting their hostility, ordered the Potidaeans, who live on the isthmus of Pallene, being colonists of the Corinthians, but their own subjects and tributaries, to throw down the wall towards Pallene, and give hostages; and to dismiss, and not receive in future, the magistrates ¹ whom the Corinthians used to send every year; being afraid that they might revolt at the instigation of Perdiccas and the Corinthians, and lead the rest of their allies Thrace-ward ² to revolt with them.

[1] Post haec autem statim accidit, ut illae quoque simultates inter Athenienses et Peloponnesios orerentur ad bellum movendum.

[2] Cum enim Corinthii hoc studerent, ut illos ulciscerentur, Athenienses, quod eorum inimicitias haberent suspectas, Potidaeatas, qui in Pallenes isthmo habitant, Corinthiorum colonos, suosque socios vectigales, muros Pallenen versus aedificatos demoliri et obsides dare iusserunt, et magistratus expellere, nec in posterum recipere , quos Corinthii quotannis mittebant, veriti, ne a Perdicca et Corinthiis sollicitati deficerent, ceterosque socios, qui in Thracia erant, ad defectionem secum traherent.

Ma subito dopo intervenne, che tra gli Ateniesi e i Peloponnesi insorsero, per mettersi in guerra, queste differenze. I Corintii macchinavano di vendicarsi degli Ateniesi , e questi entrati in sospetto della lor nimicizia commettevano ai Potideati ( abitanti sull' istmo di Pailene , coloni dei Corintii, ma alleati e tributari d’Atene), di demolire le mura che guardano Pallene , dare degli ostaggi, licenziare i Demiurghi, e non ricever più quelli che annualmente vi mandavano i Corintii ; perchè sospettavano che adescati da Perdicca e dai Corintii non facessero ribellione, e non vi inducessero anche gli altri alleati di Tracia.