Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.6

[1] When they had done, they sent a messenger to Athens and gave truce to the Thebans to fetch away the bodies of their dead, and ordered the city as was thought convenient for the present occasion.

[2] The news of what was done coming straightway to Athens, they instantly laid hands on all the Boeotians then in Attica and sent an officer to Plataea to forbid their farther proceeding with their Theban prisoners till such time as they also should have advised of the matter; for they were not yet advertised of their putting to death.

[3] For the first messenger was sent away when the Thebans first entered the town; and the second, when they were overcome and taken prisoners; but of what followed after they knew nothing. So that the Athenians, when they sent, knew not what was done; and the officer arriving found that the men were already slain.

[4] After this, the Athenians sending an army to Plataea, victualled it and left a garrison in it, and took thence both the women and children and also such men as were unserviceable for the war.

[1] This done, the Plataeans sent a messenger to Athens , gave back the dead to the Thebans under a truce, and arranged things in the city as seemed best to meet the present emergency.

[2] The Athenians meanwhile, having had word of the affair sent them immediately after its occurrence, had instantly seized all the Boeotians in Attica , and sent a herald to the Plataeans to forbid their proceeding to extremities with their Theban prisoners without instructions from Athens . The news of the men's death had of course not arrived;

[3] the first messenger having left Plataea just when the Thebans entered it, the second just after their defeat and capture; so there was no later news. Thus the Athenians sent their orders in ignorance of the facts; and the herald on his arrival found the men slain.

[4] After this the Athenians marched to Plataea and brought in provisions, and left a garrison in the place, also taking away the women and children and such of the men as were least efficient.

Nachdem dies geschehen, fertigten sie einen Boten nach Athen
ab und gaben unter sicherem Geleite den Thebanern ihre Todten
heraus; die Angelegenheiten ihrer Stadt aber ordneten sie für den
Augenblick nach eigenem Gutbefinden. Die Athener hatten nun nicht
sobald Meldung erhalten, was in Platäa vorgefallen, als sie auch
sogleich alle Böotier auf Attischem Gebiete festnahmen, und nach ¹
Platäa schickten sie einen Herold, der jenen einschärfen sollte, mit den
von ihnen gefangenen Thebanern Nichts weiter vorzunehmen, bevor
sie nicht selbst darüber Beschluß gefaßt hätten. Denn daß sie bereits
hingerichtet seien, war ihnen nicht gemeldet worden, da der erste Bote
gleich bei dem Eindringen der Thebaner von dort abging, und der
zweite unmittelbar nachdem ihre Niederlage entschieden und sie in
Gefangenschaft gerathen waren. Was später vorgefallen war, davon
wußten die Athener Nichts, und in dieser Unwissenheit ließen sie ihre
Botschaft abgehen. Als aber ihr Herold ankam, fand er die Leute
bereits hingerichtet. Daraus hin Nun schickten die Athener einen
Heerhansen nach Platäa, führten Proviant in die Stadt und ließen
eine Besatzung dort. Was aber an Mannsleuten untauglich war,
samt Weibern und Kindern, zogen sie heraus.

Hierauf sandten sie einen Boten nach Athen, gaben den
Thebanern ihre Toten unter freiem Geleit heraus und richteten
sich in der Stadt einstweilen auf eigene Hand ein. Die Athener
aber, welche von den Ereignissen in Platää gleich Nachricht
erhalten hatten, ließen sofort alle Böotier in Attika festnehmen
und schickten einen Herold nach Platää mit der Weisung, den
gefangenen Thebanern nichts weiter zuleide zu tun, bis man
sich auch in Athen ihretwegen schlüssig gemacht hätte; denn
davon, daß sie bereits getötet waren, hatten sie noch keine
Nachricht. Ein erster Bote war nämlich gleich nach dem Ein­
bruch der Thebaner an sie abgegangen, der zweite unmittelbar
nachdem sie überwältigt und in Gefangenschaft geraten waren.
Seitdem hatten sie nichts weiter gehört. So sandten sie denn
auch jetzt ihren Herold ab, ohne zu wissen, wie die Dinge in
Platää tsanden, und als dieser dort ankam, fand er die Ge­
fangenen schon nicht mehr am Leben. Darauf schickten die
Athener Truppen nach Platää, versahen die Stadt mit Lebens­
mitteln und ließen eine Besatzung darin zurück, nachdem sie
die nicht wehrfähigen Männer sowie die Weiber und Kinder
hinausgeschafft hatten.

Là-dessus ils dépêchèrent un courrier à Athènes, permirent aux Thébains d’enlever leurs morts, et firent dans leur ville toutes les dispositions que réclamaient les circonstances.

Les Athéniens ne tardèrent pas à être informes des événements de Platée. A l’instant ils mirent en arrestation tous les Béotiens qui étaient en Attique ; puis ils envoyèrent aux Platéens un héraut pour leur dire de ne rien statuer sur les Thébains prisonniers, avant qu’ils en eussent délibéré eux-mêmes. Ils ne savaient pas encore qu’ils fussent morts. Un premier courrier était parti de Platée au moment de l’entrée des Thébains; un second lorsqu’ils venaient d’être vaincus et pris; là s’arrêtaient les informations reçues à Athènes, et ce fut dans cette ignorance qu’on expédia le héraut. A son arrivée, il trouva les prisonniers massacrés. Les Athéniens firent passer des troupes et des vivres à Platée, y laissèrent garnison et emmenèrent les hommes les moins valides, ainsi que les femmes et les enfants.

[1] When they had done this, they sent a messenger to Athens, gave back the dead under a truce to the Thebans, and settled the affairs of the city as seemed best to them in the emergency.

[2] The report of what had been done in Plataea was made to the Athenians promptly; and they instantly apprehended all the Thebans who were in Attica and sent a herald to Plataea, bidding him tell them to take no extreme measures regarding the Thebans whom they held captive until they themselves should have taken counsel about them;

[3] for the news had not arrived that the men had been put to death. For the first messenger had set out at the time the Thebans were entering the city, the second immediately after their defeat and capture, and the Athenians knew nothing of later events. Consequently the Athenians sent their orders without knowing the facts; and the herald on his arrival found the men slain.

[4] After this the Athenians, marching to Plataea, brought in food and left a garrison, ¹ taking away the least efficient of the men along with the women and children.

[1] When they had done this, they sent a messenger to Athens, and gave back the dead to the Thebans under a truce, and arranged matters in the city to suit their present circumstances, as seemed best to them.—Now news had immediately been taken to the Athenians of what had been done with respect to the Plataeans;

[2] and they straightway seized as many of the Boeotians as were in Attica, and sent a herald to Plataea, with orders to forbid their proceeding to extremities, in the case of the Thebans whom they had in their hands, till they also should take counsel about them:

[3] for tidings of their being dead had not yet reached them. For the first messenger [of the Plataeans] had gone out at the very time of the entering of the Thebans; and the second, when they had just been conquered and taken: so that of the subsequent events they knew nothing. Thus then the Athenians were in ignorance when they sent their order; and the herald, on his arrival, found the men slain.

[4] After this the Athenians marched to Plataea, and brought in provisions, and left a garrison in it, and took out the least efficient of the men with the women and children.

[1] His autem peractis, Athenas nuntium mittebant, et militum a se caesorum cadavera Thebanis per inducias reddiderunt; et res urbanas, pro praesenti rerum statu, arbitratu suo constituerunt.

[2] Rerum autem a Plataeensibus gestarum nuntii statim ad Athenienses venerant, et Boeotos, quotquot erant in Attica, protinus comprehenderant; et praeconem Plataeam cum mandatis miserant, ut ipsis denuntiaret, nequid novi statuerent in Thebanos, quos habebant, antequam et ipsi aliquid de illis statuissent;

[3] nondum enim illis nuntiatum erat, eos jam esse mortuos. Nam simul ac Thebani Plataeam sunt ingressi, primus nuntius exierat; secundus vero, illis modo victis et captis; et eorum nihil intellexerant, quae postea contigerunt. Sic igitur Athenienses, rerum istarum prorsus ignari, mittebant. Sed praeco quum Plataeam pervenisset, viros illos comperit interfectos.

[4] Postea autem Athenienses cum exercitu Plataeam profecti et frumentum importarunt et praesidium in urbe reliquerunt, et hominum inutilissimos cum foeminis ac pueris exportarunt.

[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.

Fatto ciò mandarono avviso ad Atene, restituirono con salvocondotto i cadaveri ai Tebani, ed ordinarono lo stato della città nel modo il più acconcio alle cose presenti. Gli Ateniesi ragguagliati tostamente dei fatti di Platea y arrestarono subito quanti Beozi erano nell’Attica, e spedirono araldo ai Plateesi con ordine di dir loro che non facessero innovazione su quei Tebani che avevano prigionieri, prima che anche in Atene si fosse risoluto qualche cosa intorno ad essi. Ignoravano gli Ateniesi che i prigioni erano stati morti, essendo partito il primo nunzio in subentrar dei Tebani, ed il secondo appena ch' ei furono vinti e rinchiusi : laonde erano, interamente all’ oscuro dei fatti posteriori, e però avevano mandato quell’ araldo, che al suo arrivo trovò coloro già uccisi. Allora gli Ateniesi mandarono delle truppe a Platea, portaronvi vettovaglie , lasciaronvi presidio, e condussero via gli invalidi colle donne ed i bambini.