Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.2

[1] The peace, which after the winning of Euboea was concluded for thirty years, lasted fourteen years. But in the fifteenth year, being the forty-eighth of the priesthood of Chrysis in Argos, Aenesias being then ephor at Sparta and Pythadorus, archon of Athens, having then two months of his government to come, in the sixth month after the battle at Potidaea and in the beginning of the spring, three hundred and odd Thebans led by Pythangelus the son of Phyleides and Diemporus the son of Onetoridas, Boeotian rulers, about the first watch of the night entered with their arms into Plataea, a city of Boeotia and confederate of the Athenians.

[2] They were brought in and the gates opened unto them by Naucleides and his accomplices, men of Plataea that for their own private ambition intended both the destruction of such citizens as were their enemies and the putting of the whole city under the subjection of the Thebans.

[3] This they negotiated with one Eurymachus the son of Leontiadas, one of the most potent men of Thebes. For the Thebans, foreseeing the war, desired to preoccupy Plataea, which was always at variance with them, whilst there was yet peace and the war not openly on foot. By which means they more easily entered undiscovered, there being no order taken before for a watch.

[4] And making a stand in their arms in the market place, they did not, as they that gave them entrance would have had them, fall presently to the business and enter the houses of their adversaries, but resolved rather to make favourable proclamation and to induce the city to composition and friendship. And the herald proclaimed, that if any man, according to the ancient custom of all the Boeotians, would enter into the same league of war with them, he should come and bring his arms to theirs, supposing the city by this means would easily be drawn to their side.

[1] The thirty years' truce which was entered into after the conquest of Euboea lasted fourteen years. In the fifteenth, in the forty-eighth year of the priestess-ship of Chrysis at Argos , in the Ephorate of Aenesias at Sparta , in the last month but two of the Archonship of Pythodorus at Athens , and six months after the battle of Potidaea , just at the beginning of spring, a Theban force a little over three hundred strong, under the command of their Boeotarchs, Pythangelus, son of Phyleides, and Diemporus, son of Onetorides, about the first watch of the night, made an armed entry into Plataea , a town of Boeotia in alliance with Athens .

[2] The gates were opened to them by a Plataean called Naucleides, who, with his party, had invited them in, meaning to put to death the citizens of the opposite party, bring over the city to Thebes , and thus obtain power for themselves.

[3] This was arranged through Eurymachus, son of Leontiades, a person of great influence at Thebes . For Plataea had always been at variance with Thebes ; and the latter, foreseeing that war was at hand, wished to surprise her old enemy in time of peace, before hostilities had actually broken out. Indeed this was how they got in so easily without being observed, as no guard had been posted.

[4] After the soldiers had grounded arms in the marketplace, those who had invited them in wished them to set to work at once and go to their enemies' houses. This, however, the Thebans refused to do, but determined to make a conciliatory proclamation, and if possible to come to a friendly understanding with the citizens. Their herald accordingly invited any who wished to resume their old place in the confederacy of their countrymen to ground arms with them, for they thought that in this way the city would readily join them.

Vierzehn Jahre hatte der nach Euböa's Eroberung abge- «45
schlossene dreißigjährige Friede zu Kraft bestanden, im fünfzehnten^
Jahre aber, — .im achtundvierzigsten der Priesterschaft der Chrysis 43l
in Argos, da Aenesias das Ephorat in Sparta führte^), und der Chr.
Archont Pythodoros in Athen noch zwei Monate Amtszeit übrig
hatte, nach der Schlacht bei Potidäa im sechsten Monat, — zu
Frühlings Anfang geschah es, daß drei Hundert und etliche^)
Thebanische Männer unter Führung der Böotarchen Pythangelos, des
Sohnes des Phylidas, und Tiömporos, des Onetoridas Sohn, zur Zeit ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7}
des ersten Nachtschlafs bewaffnet in die Böotische Stadt Platäa
eindrangen, welche den Athenern verbündet war. Platäensische Bürger,
Nauklides nämlich und sein Anhang, hatten sie herbeigerufen und ihnen
die Thore geöffnet in der Absicht, die feindlich Gesinnten unter ihren
Mitbürgern zu verderben und die Stadt den Thebanern zuzuwenden;
denn auf diese Weise dachten sie selbst zur Herrschaft zu gelangen. Durch
Eurymachos, des Leontiades Sohn, der unter den Thebanern ein sehr
mächtiger Mann war, hatten sie die Sache in's Werk gesetzt. Denn
die Thebaner sahen wohl den unvermeidlichen Krieg voraus und woll»
ten sich der Stadt Platäa, die sich ihnen immer feindlich gezeigt hatte^),
lieber noch zur Friedenszeit und noch ehe der Krieg entschieden aus- ⁸
bräche, im Voraus verischern, und da Wachen nicht ausgestellt waren, ⁹
kamen sie auch um so leichter hinein. Sie faßten aus dem Marktplatz
Posto, gaben aber denen nicht nach, welche sie herbeigerufen hatten und
nun verlangten, man solle sich gleich an? Werk machen und die Feinde
in ihren Häusern überfallen, sondern beschlossen, durch den Herold
zweckmäßige Aufforderungen ergehen zu lassen und die Stadt lieber auf
freundschaftlichem Weg durch Vergleich zu gewinnen. Es verkündigte
nun der Herold, wer nach väterlicher Weise aller Böotier an ihrem
Bund Theil haben wolle, der möge bewaffnet zu ihnen treten. Auf
diese Weise, glaubten sie, werde die Stadt leichter zu ihnen übergehen.

Vierzehn Jahre hatte der nach der Eroberung von Euboia
geschlossene dreißigjährige Friede vorgehalten. Im fünfzehnten
Jahre aber, als Drysis ahctundvierzig Jahre Priesterin in Argos,
Ainesios Ephor in Sparta und das Amtsjahr des Archon
^Pythodoros in Athen bis auf vier Monate abgelaufen war,
im sechsten Monat nach der Schlacht bei Potidäa, zu Anfang
des Frühlings überfiel eine Anzahl bewaffneter Thebaner, etwas
über dreihundert Mann, unter den Böotarchen Pythangelos,
Phyleides' Sohn, und Diemporos, Onetorides' Sohn, das
mit Athen verbündete böotische Platää und drang, als die
Einwohner eben im ersten Schlafe lagen, in die Stadt. Bürger
von Platää, Naukleides und seine Anhänger, waren es, die
sie gerufen und ihnen das Stadttor geöffnet hatten, weil sie,
um selbst ans Ruder zu kommen, ihre Gegner in der Bürger­
schaft stürzen und die Stadt den Thebanern in die Hände
spielen wollten. Eurymachos, Leontiades' Sohn, ein besonders
einflußreicher Mann in Theben, hatte dabei den Mittelsmann
gemacht. Denn da die Thebaner den Krieg kommen sahen,
wollten sie Platää, ihre alte Feindin, lieber im Frieden, bevor
es förmlich zum Kriege käme, noch schnell in ihre Gewalt
bringen. So konnten sie auch um so leichter unbemerkt in
die Stadt gelangen, da keine Wachen ausgestellt waren. Als
sie hier auf dem Markte haltmachten, forderten ihre Freunde,
die sie gerufen hatten, sie dazu auf, gleich in die Häuser der
Gegner zu dringen und kurzen Prozeß mit ihnen zu machen.
Darauf gingen sie jedoch nicht ein, beschlossen vielmehr, eine
versöhnliche Kundgebung zu erlassen, um die Bürgerschaft zu
einem gütlichen Vergleich zu bewegen, und ließen auch öffentlich
ausrufen, alle guten Böotier, welche für den alten Bund wären,
möchten sich waffnen und ihnen anschließen. Auf diese Weise
hofften sie die Stadt leicht zu sich herüberziehen zu können.

La paix de trente ans, conclue après la conquête de l’Eubée, n’en subsista que quatorze. La quinzième année ¹ , alors que Chrysis était prêtresse à Argos depuis quarante-huit ans, Énésias éphore à Sparte, Pythodoros encore pour deux mois archonte à Athènes, le sixième mois après la bataille de Potidée et au commencement du printemps, des Thébains, au nombre d’un peu plus de trois cents, conduits par les béo-tarques ² Pythangélos fils de Philidès et Diemporos fils d’Oné-toridès, environ l’heure du premier sommeil, entrèrent en armes à Platée, ville de Béotie, alliée d’Athènes. Ce furent des Platéens, Nauclidès et ses adhérents ³ , qûi les appelèrent et leur ouvrirent les portes. Ils voulaient, pour s’assurer l’autorité, se défaire de leurs antagonistes et livrer la ville aux Thébains. Le complot avait été ourdi entre eux et Eurymachos fils de Léontiadès, un des hommes les plus marquants de Thèbes ⁴ . Les Thébains, qui voyaient venir la guerre, désiraient, avant qu’elle eût éclaté, se saisir de Platée, leur éternelle ennemie. Il ne leur fut pas difficile d’entrer sans être aperçus; car on ne faisait pas encore la garde. Ils prirent position sur la place publique ; mais, au lieu de se mettre aussitôt à l'œuvre, comme l’auraient voulu les meneurs, et d’aller droit aux maisons de leurs adversaires, ils préférèrent user de proclamations conciliantes, afin d’amener la ville à composition. Le héraut publia que, si quelqu’un voulait entrer dans Tal-liance, suivant les institutions nationales de la confédération béotienne, il eût à venir en armes se ranger auprès d’eux. Ils espéraient que, par ce moyen, Platée se soumettrait sans peine.

[1] For fourteen years the thirty years' truce which had been concluded after the capture of Euboea remained unbroken; but in the fifteenth year, when Chrysis was in the forty-eighth year of her priesthood ¹ at Argos, and Aenesias was ephor at Sparta, and Pythodorus had still four months to serve as archon at Athens, in the sixteenth month after the battle of Potidaea, at the opening of ² spring, some Thebans, a little more than three hundred in number, under the command of the Boeotarchs Pythangelus son of Phyleidas and Diemporus son of Onetoridas, about the first watch of the night entered under arms into Plataea, a They had been invited over by some Plataeans, Naucleides and his partisans, who opened the gates for them, intending, with a view to getting power into their hands, to destroy the citizens who were of the opposite party and make over the city to

[2] the Thebans. And they had conducted their intrigue through Eurymachus son of Leontiades, a man of great influence

[3] at Thebes. For, as Plataea was always at variance with them, the Thebans, foreseeing that the war ³ was coming, wished to get possession of it while there was still peace and before the war had yet been openly declared. And so they found it easier to make their entry unobserved, because no watch had been set to guard

[4] the city. And when they had grounded their arms in the market-place, instead of following the advice of those who had invited them over, namely to set to work at once and enter the houses of their enemies, they determined rather to try conciliatory proclamations and to bring the city to an amicable agreement. The proclamation made by herald was that, if anyone wished to be an ally according to the hereditary usages of the whole body of the Boeotians, he should take his weapons and join them. For they thought that in this way the city would easily be induced to come over to their side.

[1] For the thirty years' truce which was made after the reduction of Euboea lasted fourteen years; but in the fifteenth year, when Chrysis was in the forty-eighth year of her priesthood at Argos, and Aenesias was ephor at Sparta, and Pythodorus had still two months to be archon at Athens; in the sixth month after the battle at Potidaea, and in the beginning of spring, rather more than three hundred men of the Thebans, (led by Pythangelus, son of Phylidas, and Diemporus, son of Onetorides, Boeotarchs,) about the first ¹ watch entered with their arms into Plataea, a town of Boeotia, which was in alliance with the Athenians.

[2] There were certain men of the Plataeans who called them in, and opened the gates to them, namely, Nauclides and his party, who wished, for the sake of their own power, to put to death those of the citizens who were opposed to them, and to put the city into the hands of the Thebans.

[3] They carried on these negotiations through Eurymachus, the son of Leontiades, a very influential person at Thebes. For the Thebans, foreseeing that the war would take place, wished to surprise Plataea, which had always been at variance with them, while it was still time of peace, and the war had not openly broken out. And on this account, too, they entered the more easily without being observed, as no guard had been set before [the gates].

[4] After piling their arms in the market-place, they did not comply with the wish of those who called them in by immediately setting to work, and going to the houses of their adversaries; but determined to make a proclamation in friendly terms, and to bring the city to an agreement rather, and to friendship; and the herald proclaimed, that whoever wished to make alliance according to the hereditary principles of all the Boeotians, should come and ² pile his arms with them, supposing that the city would easily come over to them by this method.

[1] Quatuor enim et decem annos duraverant tricennalia foedera, quae post captam Euboeam inita sunt; quinto autem et decimo anno, quum Chrysis sacerdos Argis duodequinquagesimum sacerdotii annum ageret, et vEnesias Spartae ephorus esset, et Pythodoro, tunc Athenis archonti, duo menses adhuc supecessent, sexto mense a pugna ad Potidaeam commissa, statim ineunte vere, Thebanorum quidam paulo plures trecentis (praeerant vero ipsis Boeotarchae Pythangelus Phylidae, et Diemporus Onetoridae filius), ingressi sunt circa primum somnum cum armis Plataeam Boeotiae urbem, Atheniensium sociam.

[2] Illos autem advocaverant et portas illis aperuerant quidam Plataeenses, Nauclides, et qui cum eo erant; qui, ut privatam potentiam sibi pararent, dves sibi inimicos de medio tollere, urbemque Thebanis adjungere volebant.

[3] Egerunt autem haec per Euryma-chum Leontiadae filium, virum Thebanorum potentissimuni. Thebani enim, quum bellum fore praeviderent, volebant Plataeam, quae simultates secum semper gerebat, rebus adhuc tranquillis belloque nondum palam moto, intercipere. Quamobrem etiam facilius clam ingressi sunt, nulla dum posita custodia.

[4] Et quum in foro constitissent, illis quidem, a quibus inducti erant, morem non gerebant, ita ut statim rem aggrederentur* et in inimicorum aedes ingrederentur ; sed decreverant et edictis humanis praeconis voce promulgatis uti, et civitatem potius ad compositionem et amicitiam adducere. Quare praeco edixit, si quis ex patriis Boeotorum universorum institutis belli societatem sequi vellet, apud ipsos arma poneret, rati sibi facile hoc modo adjunctum iri civitatem.

[1] Wenn es bisher bei den Rednern an dieser Stätte fast allgemeiner Brauch geworden, den Mann zu rühmen, der mit der Bestattung diese Rede verband, weil an dem Grabe gefallener Krieger ein ehrendes Wort sich zieme, so würde ich es für hinreichend gehalten haben, dass man Helden der That mit einer festlichen Handlung ehre, — wie das denn der Staat durch die Bestattung gethan hat, deren Zeugen ihr so eben gewesen — und würde die Verherrlichung so vieler Männer nicht einem Einzelnen und der zufälligen Wirkung seines Vortrags anheimgegeben haben.

La tregua dei trent9 anni, fatta dopo la presa di Eubea, dvea durato quattordici : ma nel decimoquinto, essendo Criside già da quarantott’ anni sacerdotessa in Argo, Enesio eforo in Sparta, e Pitodoro ancora per un bimestre arconte in Atene, sei mesi dopo la battaglia di Potidea, al cominciar della primavera poco più di trecento Tebani, guidati da Pitàngelo figliolo di Filida, e da Diemporo di Onetoride, ambidue Beotarchi, sul primo sonno entrarono armati in Platea della Beozia, città confederata con Atene, invitati da alcuni Plateesi che apersero loro le porte (ciò furono Nauclide e i suoi partigiani), i quali a procacciarsi potenza, volevano trucidare i cittadini della fazione contraria, e soggettare la città ai Tebani. La trama riuscì, favoreggiandoli Eurimaco figliolo di Leonziade, personaggio potentissimo in Tebe: perocché i Tebani, prevedendo insorgerebbe la guerra , innanzi che ella manifestamente scoppiasse, e mentre ancora durava la pace, bramavano preoccupare Platea città mai sempre loro nemica. Il perchè, non essendovi di prima posta guarnigione , agevolmente e non avvertiti vi entravano : e fermatisi armati nella piazza, non vollero, secondo che gli confortavano quci che li avevano introdotti, venir subito ai fatti ed investire le case dei nemici. Erano anzi di avviso di usare gride discrete, e piuttosto indurre ad amichevole accomodamento la città, stimando che per queste maniere ella si sarebbe più facilmente accostata alla loro parte. Promulgavano adunque per il banditore , che qualunque , conforme la patria usanza di tutti i Beozii, volesse entrar nella lega, prendesse le armi coi Tebani.