Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Marie Charles Zévort (Translator), 2.34

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XXXIV. Le même hiver, les Athéniens firent, suivant l’usage du pays, de solennelles funérailles à ceux qui les premiers périrent dans cette guerre¹. Voici l’ordre établi : trois jours avant les obsèques² on expose les ossements des morts sous une tente dressée à cet effet, et chacun apporte ce qu’il veut en offrande à celui qu’il a perdu. Quand arrive le moment de la cérémonie funèbre, des chars s’avancent chargés de cercueils de cyprès, un pour chaque tribu ; les ossements³ y sont déposés suivant la tribu à laquelle chacun appartenait. On porte aussi un lit funéraire tout dressé, mais vide, pour les absents, ceux dont on n’a pu retrouver les corps. Chacun peut, à volonté, se joindre au cortège, citoyens et étrangers. Les parentes sont auprès du tombeau, poussant des gémissements. On dépose les ossements dans le monument funèbre de la république, au plus beau faubourg de la ville⁴ ; c’est là que sont ensevelis tous les guerriers morts dans les combats. Il n’y eut qu’une exception, pour ceux de Marathon⁵, que leur incomparable bravoure fit juger dignes d’être inhumés sur le champ de bataille. Lorsque la terre a recouvert les morts, un orateur officiellement désigné et choisi parmi les hommes les plus éminents par le talent, les plus élevés en dignité, prononce sur eux un éloge approprié à la cir- constance ; après quoi chacun se retire.

Ainsi se font les funérailles⁶ ; et cet usage fut invariablement suivi, toutes les fois qu’il y eut lieu, dans le cours de cette guerre. Périclès, fils de Xanthippe, fut choisi pour prononcer l’éloge des premiers guerriers morts. Le moment venu, il s’avança du tombeau sur un tertre élevé, afin d’être entendu le plus loin possible par la foule, et parla 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).) — 2.34.1 focus

[1] ἐν δὲ τῷ αὐτῷ χειμῶνι Ἀθηναῖοι τῷ πατρίῳ νόμῳ χρώμενοι δημοσίᾳ ταφὰς ἐποιήσαντο τῶν ἐν τῷδε τῷ πολέμῳ πρώτων ἀποθανόντων τρόπῳ τοιῷδε.

[2] τὰ μὲν ὀστᾶ προτίθενται τῶν ἀπογενομένων πρότριτα σκηνὴν ποιήσαντες, καὶ ἐπιφέρει τῷ αὑτοῦ ἕκαστος ἤν τι βούληται·

[3] ἐπειδὰν δὲ ἡ ἐκφορὰ ᾖ, λάρνακας κυπαρισσίνας ἄγουσιν ἅμαξαι, φυλῆς ἑκάστης μίαν· ἔνεστι δὲ τὰ ὀστᾶ ἧς ἕκαστος ἦν φυλῆς. μία δὲ κλίνη κενὴ φέρεται ἐστρωμένη τῶν ἀφανῶν, οἳ ἂν μὴ εὑρεθῶσιν ἐς ἀναίρεσιν.

[4] ξυνεκφέρει δὲ ὁ βουλόμενος καὶ ἀστῶν καὶ ξένων, καὶ γυναῖκες πάρεισιν αἱ προσήκουσαι ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον ὀλοφυρόμεναι.

[5] τιθέασιν οὖν ἐς τὸ δημόσιον σῆμα, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ καλλίστου προαστείου τῆς πόλεως, καὶ αἰεὶ ἐν αὐτῷ θάπτουσι τοὺς ἐκ τῶν πολέμων, πλήν γε τοὺς ἐν Μαραθῶνι· ἐκείνων δὲ διαπρεπῆ τὴν ἀρετὴν κρίναντες αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν τάφον ἐποίησαν.

[6] ἐπειδὰν δὲ κρύψωσι γῇ, ἀνὴρ ᾑρημένος ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως, ὃς ἂν γνώμῃ τε δοκῇ μὴ ἀξύνετος εἶναι καὶ ἀξιώσει προήκῃ, λέγει ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς ἔπαινον τὸν πρέποντα· μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο ἀπέρχονται.

[7] ὧδε μὲν θάπτουσιν· καὶ διὰ παντὸς τοῦ πολέμου, ὁπότε ξυμβαίη αὐτοῖς, ἐχρῶντο τῷ νόμῳ.

[8] ἐπὶ δ’ οὖν τοῖς πρώτοις τοῖσδε Περικλῆς ὁ Ξανθίππου ᾑρέθη λέγειν. καὶ ἐπειδὴ καιρὸς ἐλάμβανε, προελθὼν ἀπὸ τοῦ σήματος ἐπὶ βῆμα ὑψηλὸν πεποιημένον, ὅπως ἀκούοιτο ὡς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον τοῦ ὁμίλου, ἔλεγε τοιάδε.

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.) — 2.34.1 focus

[1] The same winter the Athenians, according to their ancient custom, solemnized a public funeral of the first slain in this war in this manner.

[2] Having set up a tent, they put into it the bones of the dead three days before the funeral; and everyone bringeth whatsoever he thinks good to his own.

[3] When the day comes of carrying them to their burial, certain cypress coffins are carried along in carts, for every tribe one, in which are the bones of the men of every tribe by themselves. There is likewise borne an empty hearse covered over for such as appear not nor were found amongst the rest when they were taken up.

[4] The funeral is accompanied by any that will, whether citizen or stranger; and the women of their kindred are also by at the burial lamenting and mourning.

[5] Then they put them into a public monument which standeth in the fairest suburbs of the city, in which place they have ever interred all that died in the wars except those that were slain in the field of Marathon, who, because their virtue was thought extraordinary, were therefore buried thereright.

[6] And when the earth is thrown over them, someone thought to exceed the rest in wisdom and dignity, chosen by the city, maketh an oration wherein he giveth them such praises as are fit; which done, the company depart. And this is the form of that burial;

[7] and for the whole time of the war, whensoever there was occasion, they observed the same.

[8] For these first the man chosen to make the oration was Pericles the son of 34antippus, who, when the time served, going out of the place of burial into a high pulpit to be heard the farther off by the multitude about him, spake unto them in this manner:

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.) — 2.34.1 focus

[1] In the same winter the Athenians gave a funeral at the public cost to those who had first fallen in this war. It was a custom of their ancestors, and the manner of it is as follows.

[2] Three days before the ceremony, the bones of the dead are laid out in a tent which has been erected; and their friends bring to their relatives such offerings as they please.

[3] In the funeral procession cypress coffins are borne in cars, one for each tribe; the bones of the deceased being placed in the coffin of their tribe. Among these is carried one empty bier decked for the missing, that is, for those whose bodies could not be recovered.

[4] Any citizen or stranger who pleases, joins in the procession: and the female relatives are there to wail at the burial.

[5] The dead are laid in the public sepulchre in the most beautiful suburb of the city, in which those who fall in war are always buried; with the exception of those slain at Marathon, who for their singular and extraordinary valor were interred on the spot where they fell.

[6] After the bodies have been laid in the earth, a man chosen by the state, of approved wisdom and eminent reputation, pronounces over them an appropriate panegyric; after which all retire.

[7] Such is the manner of the burying; and throughout the whole of the war, whenever the occasion arose, the established custom was observed.

[8] Meanwhile these were the first that had fallen, and Pericles, son of Xanthippus, was chosen to pronounce their eulogium. When the proper time arrived, he advanced from the sepulchre to an elevated platform in order to be heard by as many of the crowd as possible, and spoke as follows:

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 2.34 focus

In diesem Winter feierten nach väterlicher Weise die
Athener öffentlich das Leichenbegängniß der zuerst in diesem Kriege
Gefallenen. Hiebei wurde es so gehalten: Drei Tage vorher wird ein
Zelt aufgeschlagen, und darin die Gebeine der Gebliebenen zur Schau
ausgestellt, und ein Jeder bringt seinem Todten eine Gabe, wenn er
will. Wenn uuu die Gebeine hinausgesührt werden, so kommen
Wagen mit Särgen von Cypressenholz, Einem für jede Gemeinde, lind die
Gebeine eines Jeden kommen in den Sarg seiner Gemeinde. Ein
gepolstertes Todtenbett wird leer nachgetragen für die Vermißten, welche
man nicht finden und aufheben konnte. Mit dem Zuge kann aber Jeder
gehen, wer will, sei er Bürger oder Fremder, und auch die verwandten
Frauen sind bei dem Begräbniß, zur Wehklage. Darauf nun setzt
man sie in dem öffentlichen Grabmale bei, welches in der schönsten
Vorstadt Athens ist, — und hier begräbt man immer die im Kampfe
Gefallenen; ausgenommen sind nur die von Marathon; denn da die
Athener deren Tapferkeit für hell vorleuchtend erklärten, so gaben sie
ihnen auch ihr eigenes Grab. Wenn nun die Erde sie bedeckt hat, so
hält ein von der Stadt gewählter Mann, der für einsichtig gilt nnd
an Ansehen vor-ragt, ihnen die geziemende Lobrede. Danach gehen sie
auseinander. Dies ist die Art und Weise ihres Begräbnisses, und den
ganzen Krieg hindurch, so oft es vorkam, hielt man sich an diese Sitte.
Für diese Ersten nun wurde Perikles, des Xanthippos Sohn, zum
Reden gewählt, und als der Augenblick dazu gekommen war, trat er
von dem Grabmal auf eine hohe Bühne, die man dazu errichtet hatte,
damit er weithin durch die ganze Versammlung gehört werde, und
redete so:

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 2.34 focus

In diesem Winter wurden in Athen, wie es dort altes
Herkommen ist, die im ersten Kriegsjahre Gefallenen von
Staats wegen feierlich bestattet, und zwar in folgender Weise:
Drei Tage vorher werden die Gebeine der Gefallenen in einem
dazu hergerichteten Zelte zur Schau gestellt, und jeder bringt
seinem Toten, wie ihm ums Herz ist, eine Gabe dar. Wenn
sich der Leichenzug in Bewegung setzt, werden Särge aus
Zypressen holz zu Wagen hinausgefahren, für jede Phyle ein
Sarg, in dem sich die Gebeine aller, die dieser Phyle angehört
haben, befinden. Ein leeres, mit Teppichen belegtes Parade
bett wird mit hinausgetragen für die Vermißten, die man
nicht hat auffinden und mitnehmen können. Jeder, wer will,
kann sich dem Zuge anschließen. Einheimische und Fremde;
auch Frauen nehmen daran teil, um am Grabe ihrer An
gehörigen zu weinen. Die Beisetzung erfolgt in dem Staats-
grabe in der schönsten Vorstadt von Athen, wo die Athener
ihre im Kriege gefallenen Toten immer bestattet haben mit
alleiniger Ausnahme der bei Marathon Gebliebenen, welche!
zu Ehren ihrer unvergleichlichen Tapferkeit auf der Walstatt,
selbst beerdigt wurden. Ist das Grab zugeschüttet, so hält,
jemand, den man dazu mit Rücksicht auf Befähigung und An-
se hen von Staats wegen auswählt, eine Rede zu Ehren der
Gefallenen, worin er ihre Verdienste gebührend hervorhebt.
Darauf geht jeder wieder nach Hause. In dieser Weise ver
läuft die Feier, und während des ganzen Krieges wurde es,
sooft sie stattfand, immer so damit gehalten. Dies erste Mal
war Perikles, Xanthippos' Sohn, zum Redner gewählt, und
als es so weit war, trat er vom Grabe her auf eine hohe Bühne,
die man dort errichtet hatte, damit man ihn in der Menshcen-
menge möglichst weit verstehen könnte, und hielt folgende Rede:

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 2.34 focus

Le même hiver, les Athéniens, conformément à la coutume du pays, célébrèrent aux frais de l’Etat les funérailles des premières victimes de cette guerre ¹. Voici en quoi consiste la cérémonie. On expose les ossements dés morts sous une tente (a) Voyez liv. IV, chap. lxvi. dressée trois jours d’avance, et chacun apporte ses offrandes à celui qu’il a perdu. Quand vient le moment du convoi, des chars amènent des cercueils de cyprès, un pour chaque tribu; les ossements y sont placés d'après la tribu dont les morts faisaient partie. Un lit vide, couvert de tentures, est porté en l’honneur des invisibles, c’est-à-dire de ceux dont les corps n’ont pu être retrouvés. Tout citoyen ou étranger est libre de se joindre au cortège. Les parentes viennent auprès du tombeau faire entendre leurs lamentations. Les cercueils sont déposés au monument public, dans le plus beau faubourg de la ville². C’est toujours là qu’on enterre ceux qui ont perdu la vie dans les combats ; les guerriers de Marathon furent seuls exceptés : leur vaillance incomparable les fit juger dignes d’être inhumés dans le lieu même où ils avaient trouvé la mort³. Dès que les ossements ont été recouverts de terre, un orateur, choisi par la république parmi les hommes les plus habiles et les plus considérés, prononce un éloge digne de la circonstance ; après quoi l’on se sépare. Telle est la cérémonie des funérailles; l’usage en fut régulièrement observé dans tout le cours de la guerre, à mesure que l’occasion s’en présenta. Cette fois, ce fut Périclès fils de Xanthippos qui fut chargé de porter la parole. Quand le moment fut venu, il s’avança vers une estrade élevée, d’où sa voix pouvait s'entendre au loin, et il prononça le discours suivant :

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.) — 2.34.1 focus

[1] In the course of the same winter the Athenians, following the custom of their fathers, celebrated at the public expense the funeral rites of the first who had fallen in this war.

[2] The ceremony is as follows. The bones of the departed lie in state for the space of three days in a tent erected for that purpose, and each one brings to his own dead any offering he desires.

[3] On the day of the funeral coffins of cypress wood are borne on wagons, one for each tribe, and the bones of each are in the coffin of his tribe. One empty bier, covered with a pall, is carried in the procession for the missing whose bodies could not be found for burial.

[4] Any one who wishes, whether citizen or stranger, may take part in the funeral procession, and the women who are related to the deceased are present at the burial and make lamentation.

[5] The coffins are laid in the public sepulchre, which is situated in the most beautiful suburb' of the city; there they always bury those fallen in war, except indeed those who fell at Marathon; for their valour the Athenians judged to be preeminent and they buried them on the spot where they fell.

[6] But when the remains have been laid away in the earth, a man chosen by the state, who is regarded as best endowed with wisdom and is foremost in public esteem, delivers over them an appropriate eulogy. After this the people depart.

[7] In this manner they bury; and throughout the war, whenever occasion arose, they observed this custom.

[8] Now over these, the first victims of the war, Pericles son of Xanthippus was chosen to speak. And when the proper time came, he advanced from the sepulchre and took his stand upon a platform which had been built high in order that his voice might reach as far as possible in the throng, and 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.) — 2.34.1 focus

[1] In the course of this winter the Athenians, in accordance with the custom of their forefathers, buried at the public expense those who had first fallen in this war, after the following manner.

[2] Having erected a tent, they lay out the bones of the dead three days before, and each one brings to his own relative whatever [funeral offering] he pleases.

[3] When the funeral procession takes place, cars convey coffins of cypress wood, one for each tribe; in which are laid the bones of every man, according to the tribe to which he belonged; and one empty bier is carried, spread in honour of the missing, whose bodies could not be found to be taken up.

[4] Whoever wishes, both of citizens and strangers, joins in the procession; and their female relatives attend at the burial to make the wailings.

[5] They lay them then in the public sepulchre, which is in the fairest suburb of the city, and in which they always bury those who have fallen in the wars (except, at least, those who fell at Marathon; but to them, as they considered their valour distinguished above that of all others, they gave a burial on the very spot).

[6] After they have laid them in the ground, a man chosen by the state—one who in point of intellect is considered talented, and in dignity is pre-eminent— speaks over them such a panegyric as may be appropriate; after which they all retire. In this way they bury them:

[7] and through the whole of the war, whenever they had occasion, they observed the established custom. Over these who were first buried ¹ at any rate, Pericles son of Xanthippus was chosen to speak.

[8] And when the time for doing so came, advancing from the sepulchre on to a platform, which had been raised to some height, that he might be heard over as great a part of the crowd as possible, he spoke to the following effect:

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 2.34.1 focus

[1] Eadem hieme Athenienses patrio instituto publice humarunt eos, qui in hoc bello primi mortem obierant, in hunc fere modum.

[2] Triduo antequam funus efferatur, tabernaculum faciunt et sub eo defunctorum ossa proponuqt; et suis quisque inferias affert, si quas velit.

[3] Quum autem funeris efferendi dies venit, plaustra adducuntur, quae arcas ex cupresso factas singularum tribuum singulas portant; in his autem insunt ossa singularum tribuum, ex qua quisque erat. Unus autem inanis lectus fertur stratus ignotorum, quorum corpora reperiri suscipique non potuerunt.

[4] Prosequitur autem funus quilibet tara de civibus quam de peregrinis : et mulieres, quae cum illis propinquitatis vinculo sunt conjunctae, ad sepulcrum adsunt ejulantes.

[5] Haec autem in publico monumento condunt, quod est in pulcherrimo urbis suburbio, atque hic semper sepeliunt eos, qui in bello ceciderunt; illis exceptis, qui in campis Marathoniis obierunt: nam quum illorum virtutem insignem esse judicassent, in ipso loco sepulcrum fecerunt.

[6] Postquam autem eos humarunt, vir aliquis ab ipsa civitate delectus, qui et prudentia haud vulgari esse et dignitate praestare videatur, orationem illorum laudibus convenientem super ipsis habet; postea vero discedunt.

[7] Hoc igitur modo mortuos sepeliunt; et toto belli tempore, quoties accidebat, hoc ritu utebantur.

[8] Super primis igitur his Pericles Xanthippi filius delectus est, qui diceret Atque postquam tempus permisit, progressus a sepulcro in suggestum, quod in altum exstructum erat, ut quam longissime per circumstantem hominum multitudinem exaudiretur, haec verba fecit.

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 2.35.1 focus

[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 storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 2.34 focus

In quel medesimo inverno gli Ateniesi, seguendo le patrie costumanze, fecero le pubbliche esequie ai primi morti in questa guerra: ed eccone le cerimonie. Tre giorni innanzi alzano un gran padiglione, ove espongono alla pubblica vista gli ossami degli spenti, e ciascuno fa al proprio parente quell’offerta che più gli aggrada. Giunto il di del trasporto al sepolcro, portano su carri delle arche di cipresso (una per tribù) entrovi le ossa di ciascheduno, secondo la tribù cui apparteneva : una sola bara per onorar quei, dei quali, per non essere stati ritrovati , non si sia potuto riavere il cadavere , coperta di coltre è portata vuota. Chiunque voglia, cittadino o straniero , accompagna la funerea pompa, e le donne parenti intervengono alla sepoltura e vi fanno gran corrotto. Vengono poscia locati in un pubblico monumento situato nel più bel sobborgo della città, ed ivi sempre usano di seppellire i morti in guerra , da quei di Maratona in fuori, ai quali, per lo straordinario loro valore, diedero là, a Maratona stessa, la sepoltura. Or coperti che gli hanno di terra , un personaggio a ciò dalla città scelto, che per prudenza e dignità tra i primi si annoveri , pronunzia su di essi il conveniente elogio, e dopo ciò si ritirano. Queste sono le cerimonie onde danno sepoltura ; e in tutto il tempo della guerra f quando ciò fare accadesse, cosi praticavano. Ad encomiar pertanto questi primi fu scelto Pericle tìglio di Xantippo : giunta l’ora opportuna si avanzò egli dal monumento alla ringhiera situata in alto , acciò potesse essere inteso più in lontananza dalla moltitudine, e così favellò :

Notes on the current edition

History of the Peloponnesian War

1. Au combat des Ruisseaux.

2. C’était l’usage à Athènes d’exposer les corps pendant trois Jours avant les obsèques. V. Aristophane, Lysistr., 611 et suiv.

3. Les ossements sont pris ici pour les cendres ; car l’usage était à Athènes de brûler les morts.

4. Le Céramique.

5. Pausanias dit également : « Dans la plaine (de Marathon) « est le tombeau des Athéniens ; sur des colonnes sont inscrits « les noms des morts, par tribu. »

6. L’usage des funérailles publiques paraît fort ancien chez les Grecs ; mais, avant Périclès, nous ne trouvons aucune trace de ces éloges prononcés sur le tombeau.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.34

Marie Charles Zévort (Translator)

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