Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.65

[1] Aristeus, seeing the city enclosed on every side and without hope of safety save what might come from Peloponnesus or some other unexpected way, gave advice to all but five hundred, taking the opportunity of a wind, to go out by sea that the provision might the longer hold out for the rest, and of them that should remain within offered himself to be one.

[2] But when his counsel took not place, being desirous to settle their business and make the best of their affairs abroad, he got out by sea unseen of the Athenian guard, and staying amongst the Chalcideans, amongst other actions of the war, laid an ambush before Sermylius and slew many of that city and solicited the sending of aid from Peloponnesus. And Phormio, after the siege laid to Potidaea, having with him his sixteen hundred men of arms, wasted the territory of the Chalcideans and Bottiaeans, and some small towns he took in.

[1] Aristeus, seeing its investment complete, and having no hope of its salvation, except in the event of some movement from the Peloponnese , or of some other improbable contingency, advised all except five hundred to watch for a wind, and sail out of the place, in order that their provisions might last the longer. He was willing to be himself one of those who remained. Unable to persuade them, and desirous of acting on the next alternative, and of having things outside in the best posture possible, he eluded the guardships of the Athenians and sailed out.

[2] Remaining among the Chalcidians, he continued to carry on the war; in particular he laid an ambuscade near the city of the Sermylians, and cut off many of them; he also communicated with Peloponnese , and tried to contrive some method by which help might be brought.

[3] Meanwhile, after the completion of the investment of Potidaea , Phormio next employed his sixteen hundred men in ravaging Chalcidice and Bottica: some of the towns also were taken by him.

Als nun Aristeus nach Einschließung der Stadt keine
Hofsnung auf Rettung mehr hatte, außer wenn vom Peloponnes oder
sonst woher wider Erwarten Hilfe käme, so rieth er, daß Alle bis auf
Fünfhundert einen günstigen Wind zum Auslaufen benutzen sollten,
damit die Lebensmittel um so länger ausreichen könnten, und er selbst
erbot sich unter den Bleibenden zu sein. Da er aber kein Gehör fand
und doch das zur Erhaltung des Platzes Erforderliche vorzukehren
und zugleich auch die Dinge auswärts möglichst günstig zu gestalten
bedacht war, so ging er in See, als er es unbemerkt von den Wach­ ^{1 2}
Posten der Athener thun konnte, landete auf Chalkidike und führte
im Verein mit den dortigen Bundesgenossen verschiedene Kriegsthaten
aus, wie er denn unter andern den Sermyliern durch einen bei ihrer
Stadt gelegten Hinterhalt viele Leute tödtete. Zugleich verkehrte er
wegen Hilfeleistung mit dem Peloponnes. Phormion aber verheerte
nach der Einschließung Potidäa's mit seinen sechzehnhundert Mann
Chalkidike und Bottiäa und nahm auch einige kleine Städte.

Nachdem die Stadt auf diese Weise eingesperrt war, hatte
Aristeus keine Hoffnung auf Errettung, wenn nicht vom Pelo­
ponnes oder sonst woher wider Erwarten noch Hilfe käme.
Er schlug deshalb vor, damit die Lebensmittel länger vorhielten,
sollten alle bis auf fünfhundert beim ersten günstigen Winde
die Stadt zu Schiffe verlassen, und erbot sich, selbst mit drin
zu bleiben. Damit fand er jedoch keinen Anklang. Um trotzdem
nichts zu versäumen und auch auswärts für die Stadt sein
möglichstes zu tun, setzte er sich selbst in ein Schiff und ge­
langte damit unbemerkt durch die athenischen Posten. Während
seines Aufenthaltes in Chalkidike beteiligte er sich dort mehrfach
an kriegerischen Unternehmungen, insbesondere brachte er den
Sermyliern durch einen ihnen in der Nähe ihrer Stadt gelegten
Hinterhalt eine blutige Niederlage bei. Zugleich setzte er auch
im Peloponnes alle Hebel in Bewegung, um von dort Hilfe
zu erhalten. Unterdessen verheerte Phormion mit seinen sech­
zehnhundert Hopliten Chalkidike und Bottike und eroberte dort
auch einige kleinere Plätze.

Aristéus, voyant la place investie et sans espoir de salut, à moins d’un secours du Péloponèse ou de quelque autre événement inespéré, conseilla aux Potidéates de ne laisser dans la ville que cinq cents hommes, pour ménager les vivres, et de profiter du premier vent favorable pour faire sortir le reste de la population. Il offrait d’être lui-même au nombre des demeurants; mais son avis ne fut pas goûté. Voulant donc prendre les dispositions devenues nécessaires et mettre dans le meilleur ordre possible les affaires du dehors, il sortit par mer, en se dérobant à la croisière athénienne. Il se rendit chez les Chalcidéens, et fit la guerre de concert avec eux. C’est ainsi qu’il tua bon nombre de Sermyüens ¹ dans une embuscade qu’il leur tendit sous les murs de leur ville. En même temps, il agissait dans le Péloponèse pour obtenir quelque secours. Après l’investissement de Potidée, Phormion prit avec lui sa troupe de seize cents hommes et alla ravager la Chalcidique etla Bottique ² , où il s’empara de quelques bourgades.

[1] As for Aristeus, now that Potidaea was cut off by the blockade and he had no hope of saving it unless help should come from the Peloponnesus or something else should happen beyond his expectation, he advised all the garrison except five hundred men to wait for a wind and sail out of the harbour, that the food might hold out longer, and he himself was ready to be one of those who should remain. But since he could not gain their consent, wishing to do the next best thing and to provide that their affairs outside should be put into the best possible condition, he sailed out, unobserved by the Athenian guard.

[2] He then remained among the Chalcidians, whom he assisted generally in carrying on the war, and especially by destroying a large force of Sermylians, whom he ambushed near their city; and meanwhile he kept up negotiations with the Peloponnesians to see if some aid could not be obtained. Phormio, however, after the investment of Potidaea was complete, took his sixteen hundred troops and ravaged Chalcidice and Bottice; and he also captured some towns.

[1] Now Aristeus, when it was surrounded with works, and he had no hope of its escape, unless some movement from the Peloponnese, or something else beyond their calculation, should occur, advised all, except five hundred, to watch for a wind and sail out of it, that their provisions might hold out the longer; and he was willing himself to be one of those who remained. But when he did not persuade them, from a wish to provide what was the next best thing to be done, and in order that affairs out of the place might proceed in the best way possible, he sailed out, without being observed by the guard-ships of the Athenians.

[2] And remaining amongst the Chalcidians, he joined in the other measures of the war; and laid an ambuscade near the city of the Sermylians, and cut off many of them; and sending to the Peloponnese, ¹ endeavoured to contrive a way in which some assistance might be brought. After the works round Potidaea were finished, Phormio with his sixteen hundred men proceeded to ravage Chalcidice and Bottice, and took some of the towns also.

[1] Aristeus vero, urbe jam circumvallata, quum nullam salutis spem haberet, nisi si quid ex Peloponneso, aut aliud insperatum accideret, auctor erat, ut, quingentis exceptis, ceteri observato vento navibus abirent, ut res frumentaria diutius suppeteret; atque ipse unus esse volebat de numero eorum, qui remanerent. Sed quum illis persuadere non potuisset, cupiens ea, quae his consectaria erant, parare, et, ut quae loris erant, quam optime sese haberent, clam Atheniensium praesidio enavigavit.

[2] Et apud Chalcidenses manens, quum alias res bellicas administravit, tum etiam, insidiis ad Hermyliorum urbem locatis, multos occidit, et in Peloponneso agebat, ut aliquod auxilium mitteretur.

[3] Post Potidaeam circumvallatam Phormio cum illis mille et sexcentis militibus, quos habebat, Chalcidensem et Bot-ticum agrum vastabat, et nonnulla etiam oppidula cepit.

Attorniata di mura la città, Aristeo non vedendo via di salvezza senza un qualche inaspettato soccorso dal Peloponneso o altro prodigio, proponeva che da cinquecento in fuori, gli altri aspettando buon vento scapolassero per mare, acciò più lungamente durasse la vettovaglia , ed ei voleva essere tra quei che resterebbero : ma non talentando agli altri il suo consiglio, premuroso di ovviare ai presenti mali, e di ordinare nel miglior modo possibile le cose di fuori, imbarca e parte non osservato dalle guardie ateniesi. Si trattenne presso i Calcidesi, ed oltre la guerra che faceva ad altri luoghi, con imboscata tesa in vicinanza della citta de9 Sermilii, ne uccise parecchi, senza però intermettere le pratiche nel Peloponneso, per averne qualche soccorso. E Formione attorniato che ebbe col muro Potidea, dava co’ suoi milleseicento il guasto alla campagna calcidica e bottica ; e prese eziandio alcune castella.