Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Marie Charles Zévort (Translator), 1.67

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LXVII. «Mais quand ils virent Potidée assiégée, ils ne se donnèrent aucun repos ; car il y avait des Corinthiens dans la ville, et ils craignaient qu’elle ne succombât. Ils mandèrent à Lacédémone leurs alliés, s’y rendirent de leur côté, et là se plaignirent hautement de la rupture du traité et de l’injure faite au Péloponnèse par les Athéniens. Les Éginètes n’envoyèrent pas ostensiblement d’ambassade, par crainte des Athéniens ; mais secrètement ils n’en poussaient pas moins à la guerre, sous prétexte qu’ils ne jouissaient pas de l’indépendance que leur avaient garantie les traités¹.

Les Lacédémoniens convoquèrent, avec leurs alliés, tous ceux qui se prétendaient lésés par les Athéniens ; et, réunis dans leur assemblée ordinaire², ils les engagèrent à s’expliquer. Chacun vint tour à tour énoncer ses griefs ; les Mégariens en particulier, parmi beaucoup d’autres chefs d’accusation, exposèrent qu’ils étaient exclus, contrairement au traité, des ports de domination athénienne et du marché de l’Attique³. Les Corinthiens s'avancèrent les derniers, et, après avoir laissé les autres aigrir d’abord les Lacédémoniens, ils parlèrent ainsi :

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).) — 1.67.1 focus

[1] πολιορκουμένης δὲ τῆς Ποτειδαίας οὐχ ἡσύχαζον, ἀνδρῶν τε σφίσιν ἐνόντων καὶ ἅμα περὶ τῷ χωρίῳ δεδιότες· παρεκάλουν τε εὐθὺς ἐς τὴν Λακεδαίμονα τοὺς ξυμμάχους καὶ κατεβόων ἐλθόντες τῶν Ἀθηναίων ὅτι σπονδάς τε λελυκότες εἶεν καὶ ἀδικοῖεν τὴν Πελοπόννησον.

[2] Αἰγινῆταί τε φανερῶς μὲν οὐ πρεσβευόμενοι, δεδιότες τοὺς Ἀθηναίους, κρύφα δὲ οὐχ ἥκιστα μετ’ αὐτῶν ἐνῆγον τὸν πόλεμον, λέγοντες οὐκ εἶναι αὐτόνομοι κατὰ τὰς σπονδάς.

[3] οἱ δὲ Λακεδαιμόνιοι προσπαρακαλέσαντες τῶν ξυμμάχων τε καὶ εἴ τίς τι ἄλλο ἔφη ἠδικῆσθαι ὑπὸ Ἀθηναίων, ξύλλογον σφῶν αὐτῶν ποιήσαντες τὸν εἰωθότα λέγειν ἐκέλευον.

[4] καὶ ἄλλοι τε παριόντες ἐγκλήματα ἐποιοῦντο ὡς ἕκαστοι καὶ Μεγαρῆς, δηλοῦντες μὲν καὶ ἕτερα οὐκ ὀλίγα διάφορα, μάλιστα δὲ λιμένων τε εἴργεσθαι τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἀθηναίων ἀρχῇ καὶ τῆς Ἀττικῆς ἀγορᾶς παρὰ τὰς σπονδάς.

[5] παρελθόντες δὲ τελευταῖοι Κορίνθιοι καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐάσαντες πρῶτον παροξῦναι τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ἐπεῖπον τοιάδε.

Translations (9)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 1.67.1 focus

[1] But when Potidaea was once besieged, both for their men's sakes that were within and also for fear to lose the place they could no longer hold. But out of hand they procured of their confederates to go to Lacedaemon; and thither also they went themselves with clamours and accusations against the Athenians that they had broken the league and wronged the Peloponnesians.

[2] The Aeginetae, though not openly by ambassadors for fear of the Athenians, yet privily instigated them to the war as much as any, alleging that they were not permitted to govern themselves according to their own laws, as by the articles they ought to have been.

[3] So the Lacedaemonians having called together the confederates, and whosoever else had any injustice to lay to the charge of the Athenians, in the ordinary council of their own state commanded them to speak.

[4] Then presented everyone his accusation; and amongst the rest the Megareans, besides many other their great differences, laid open this especially, that contrary to the articles they were forbidden the Athenian markets and havens.

[5] Last of all, the Corinthians, when they had suffered the Lacedaemonians to be incensed first by the rest, came in and said as followeth.

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.) — 1.67.1 focus

[1] But the siege of Potidaea put an end to her inaction; she had men inside it: besides, she feared for the place. Immediately summoning the allies to Lacedaemon , she came and loudly accused Athens of breach of the treaty and aggression on the rights of Peloponnese .

[2] With her, the Aeginetans, formally unrepresented from fear of Athens , in secret proved not the least urgent of the advocates for war, asserting that they had not the independence guaranteed to them by the treaty.

[3] After extending the summons to any of their allies and others who might have complaints to make of Athenian aggression, the Lacedaemonians held their ordinary assembly, and invited them to speak.

[4] There were many who came forward and made their several accusations; among them the Megarians, in a long list of grievances, called special attention to the fact of their exclusion from the ports of the Athenian empire and the market of Athens , in defiance of the treaty.

[5] Last of all the Corinthians came forward, and having let those who preceded them inflame the Lacedaemonians, now followed with a speech to this effect:—

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 1.67 focus

Da aber nun Potidäa belagert wurde, so hatten sie nicht
Ruhe und Rast, weil von ihren Leuten dort lagen und sie auch den
Verlust des Platzes befürchteten. Deßhalb beriefen sie sogleich die
Bundesgenossen nach Lakedämon und verklagten dort die Athener mit
großem Geschrei, daß sie die Verträge gebrochen hätten und gegen den
Peloponnes Ungerechtigkeit verübten. Auch die Aegineten
halfen den Krieg eifrigst betreiben, zwar nicht in offener Gesandtschaft, ¹²
sondern aus Furcht vor den Athenern heimlich, indem sie klagten, daß
man sie den Verträgen zuwider sich nicht ihrer eigenen Gesetze
bedienen lasse. Die Lakedämonier nun beriefen auch die übrigen
Bundesgenossen und wer sonst von den Athenern Unrecht zu leiden glaubte,
und nachdem sie ihre gewöhnliche Volksversammlung I veranstaltet
hatten, hießen sie jene reden. Da traten außer den Andern, welche
der Reihe nach ihre Beschwerden erhoben, auch die Megarer ³⁴⁵⁶
auf und brachten neben vielen andern Klagepunkten vorzüglich den
vor, daß sie gegen die Verträge von den Häscn auf athenischem
Gebiet und von dem attischen Markte ausgeschlossen seien Zuletzt
traten die Korinther aus, und nachdem sie die Andern erst die
Lakedämonier hatten aufreizen lassen, machten sie mit folgender Rede den
Schluß:

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 1.67 focus

Denen aber ließ die Belagerung von Potidäa keine Ruhe,
nicht nur weil ihre Landsleute sich in der Stadt befanden,
sondern auch weil sie sich selbst Sorge darüber machten. Sie
luden auch gleich zu einer Versammlung nach Lakedämon ein,
wo sie dann gegen die Athener, die Friedensbrecher, die sich
gegen den Peloponnes jede Gewalttat erlaubten, gewaltig ins
Zeug gingen. Auch die Ägineten, welche zwar aus Furcht
vor den Athenern die Versammlung nicht offen beschickt hatten,
hetzten dort unter der Hand um so eifriger zum Kriege, indem
sie sich darüber beschwerten, daß man die ihnen vertragsmäßig
gewährleistete Unabhängigkeit ihnen vorenthalte. Aber auch
die Lakedämonier luden ihre Bundesgenossen und alle, die sich
sonst über die Athener zu beshcweren hätten, zu einer ihrer
regelmäßigen Versammlungen ein und forderten sie auf, ihre
Beschwerden vorzubringen. Und da traten sie denn einer nach
dem anderen auf, um sich zu beschweren, insbesondere beklagten
sich die Megarer namentlich auch darüber, daß man ihnen
vertragswidig die Häfen innerhalb des athenischen Macht
bereichs und den attischen Markt verschlossen habe. Zuletzt
traten die Korinther auf, die damit gewartet hatten, um die
Lakedämonier durch die anderen erst scharf machen zu lassen,
und redeten also:

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 1.67 focus

Mais quand ils virent Potidée investie, ils ne se tinrent plus en repos. Craignant et pour la place et pour ceux des leurs qui s’y trouvaient, ils invitèrent leurs alliés à se rencontrer à Lacédémone. Eux-mêmes s’y rendirent et accusèrent hautement les Athéniens d’avoir rompu le traité et offensé le Péloponèse. Les tëginètes n’osèrent pas envoyer ostensiblement une ambassade; mais ils poussèrent sourdement à la guerre, sous prétexte qu’ils ne jouissaient pas de l’indépendance qui leur avait été garantie par le traité. Les Lacédémoniens, après avoir convoqué ceux de leurs alliés qui avaient à se plaindre d’Athènes, à quelque titre que ce fût, tinrent leur assemblée ordinaire¹ et les invitèrent à parler. Plusieurs répondirent à cet appel et firent successivement entendre leurs griefs. En particulier les Méga-riens articulèrent diverses accusations graves ; ils se plaignirent surtout de ce que les Athéniens, contrairement au traité, leur fermaient tous les ports de leur obéissance ainsi que le marché d’Athènes². Les Corinthiens, après avoir laissé les autres alliés aigrir les Lacédémoniens, parurent les derniers et s’exprimèrent ainsi :

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.) — 1.67.1 focus

[1] But when siege was laid to Potidaea they did not take it quietly, not only because Corinthians were in the town, but also because they were in fear about the place; and they immediately summoned the allies to Lacedaemon and, once there, they proceeded to inveigh against the Athenians on the ground that they had broken the treaty and were wronging the Peloponnesus.

[2] The Aeginetans also sent delegates—not openly, to be sure, for they feared the Athenians, but secretly—and, acting with the Corinthians, took a leading part in fomenting the war, saying that they were not autonomous as stipulated in the treaty.

[3] Then the Lacedaemonians sent out a summons to all the other allies who claimed to have suffered any wrong at the hands of the Athenians, and calling their own customary assembly bade them speak.

[4] Others came forward and stated their several complaints, and particularly the Megarians, who presented a great many other grievances, and chiefly this, that they were excluded from the harbours throughout the Athenian dominions and from the Athenian market, contrary to the treaty.

[5] Lastly the Corinthians, after they had first allowed the others to exasperate the Lacedaemonians, spoke as follows:

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.) — 1.67.1 focus

[1] When, however, Potidaea was being besieged, they did not remain quiet, as they had men in it, and were alarmed for the place. And immediately they summoned the allies to Lacedaemon, and came and cried out against the Athenians, as having broken the treaty, and as injuring the Peloponnese.

[2] And the aeginetans, though they did not openly send ambassadors, for fear of the Athenians, yet in secret most of all urged on the war in conjunction with them, saying that they were not independent according to the treaty.

[3] So the Lacedaemonians, after summoning any one of the allies besides, who said that in any other respect he had been injured by the Athenians, held their ordinary assembly, and told them to speak.

[4] And others came forward and severally made their complaints, and especially the Megareans, who urged no few other grounds of quarrel, but most of all their being excluded from the ports in the Athenian dominions, and from the Attic market, contrary to the treaty.

[5] And the Corinthians came forward last, after permitting the others first to exasperate the Lacedaemonians; and they spoke after them as follows.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 1.67.1 focus

[1] Sed cum Potidaea obsideretur, non amplius quiescebant , quod et suorum nonnulli una inclusi essent, et de oppido etiam timerent; et protinus socios orare coeperunt, ut Lacedaemona venirent, et profecti eo magnis clamoribus in Athenienses invehebantur, quod et foederum violatores exstitissent et Peloponnesum injuria allicerent.

[2] Atque jEginetae, non palam illi quidem legatione missa, quia Athenienses metuebant, sed clam praeter ceteros cum iis bellum suadebant, dicentes se non esse sui juris ex fcedere.

[3] Lacedaemonii vero, sociis praeterea advocatis, et si quis alia quapiam in re se ab Atheniensibus injuriam accepisse diceret, legitimo suae gentis concilio convocato, dicere eos jusserunt.

[4] Tunc vero quum alii in concionem progressi pro se quique querelas proferebant, tum etiam Megarenses, demonstrantes cum alias non paucas controversiarum causas, tum vero praecipue, quod a portubus qui in potestate Atheniensium essent, Atticoque foro, praeter loedus arcerentur.

[5] Corinthii vero, quum Lacedaemonios ab aliis prius ad bellum instigari permisissent, in medium novissimi prodierunt, et haec i»super addiderunt:

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 1.67 focus

I quali, vedendo assediata Potidea , nonistettero più alle mosse , temendo per quella città e per la gente che vi avevano. E senza perder tempo invitavano gli alleati a Sparta , ove andati essi pure inveivano contro gli Ateniesi, imputando loro d' aver trasgredito alle tregue, c di ingiuriare il Peloponneso. E gli Egincti, quantunque senza pubblica ambasceria per paura degli Ateniesi, non meno degli altri segretamente insistevano d’ accordo coi Corintii per la guerra ; allegando esser loro tolto l' uso delle proprie leggi pattuito negli accordi. Tennero i Lacedemoni la loro consueta adunanza; ed oltre agli alleati, vi chiamarono chiunque dicesse essere stato ingiuriato dagli Ateniesi , ed ordinarono a ciascuno di parlare. Diversi si fecero innanzi a produrre le loro querele secondo che ciascuno credeva : ma i Megaresi, oltre a molte altre non piccole differenze, esposero principalmente d" esser sequestrati dai porti del dominio d'Atene e dal mercato dell’Attica , in dispetto delle convenzioni. I Corintii poi, avendo lasciato che gli altri fossero primi ad inacerbire i Lacedemoni, si presentarono gli ultimi e parlarono così.

Notes on the current edition

History of the Peloponnesian War

1. Il est difficile de déterminer de quels traités il est ici question : ce ne peut être la trêve de trente ans, puisque la soumission des Éginètes était antérieure. Le scoliaste de Thucydide assigne à ces réclamations un motif assez peu plausible : « Les « traités proclamaient l’indépendance des villes qui n’y étaient « pas inscrites, et les Éginètes, quoique se trouvant dans ce cas, « étaient cependant sujets des Athéniens. »

2. « Il l’appelle l’assemblée ordinaire, parce qu’elle avait tou- « jours lieu à la pleine lune. » (Scol.)

3. Le décret qui interdisait le marché de l’Attique aux Mégariens avait été rendu sur la proposition de Périclès. Le scoliaste de Thucydide et Aristophane ( Archaniens) rapportent que Périclès était irrité personnellement contre les Mégariens, parce qu’ils avaient appelé Aspasie une prostituée.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.67

Marie Charles Zévort (Translator)

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