Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Marie Charles Zévort (Translator), 3.2

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II. Aussitôt après l'invasion des Péloponnésiens, l’ile de Lcsbos¹, à l’exception de Méthymne², se détacha des Athéniens. Dès avant la guerre, les Lesbiens avaient médité cette défection ; mais les Lacédémoniens ne les avaient pas accueillis alors. Dans cette circonstance même, ils furent contraints de se révolter plus tôt qu'ils ne l’avaient projeté ; car ils attendaient pour agir qu’ils eussent comblé l’entrée des ports³, élevé des murailles, achevé la construction des navires, et qu’il leur fût arrivé du Pont-Euxin des secours sur lesquels ils comptaient, des archers, du blé, en un mot tout ce qu’ils avaient réclamé. Mais les ha- bitants de Ténédos, ennemis des Lesbiens, ainsi que ceux de Mélhymne, et même quelques particuliers de Mytilène, hommes de parti et proxènes des Athéniens⁴, dénoncèrent l’entreprise. Ils firent savoir aux Athéniens que l’on contraignait tous les habitants de l’ile à se concentrer dans Mitylène ; que, d’accord avec les Lacédémoniens et les Béotiens, unis aux Lesbiens par la communauté d’origine⁵, tout se préparait à la hâte pour une prochaine défection, et qu’il était temps qu’Athènes prévint la révolte, si elle ne voulait que Lesbos fût perdue pour elle.

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).) — 3.2.1 focus

[1] μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐσβολὴν τῶν Πελοποννησίων εὐθὺς Λέσβος πλὴν Μηθύμνης ἀπέστη ἀπ’ Ἀθηναίων, βουληθέντες μὲν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου, ἀλλ’ οἱ Λακεδαιμόνιοι οὐ προσεδέξαντο, ἀναγκασθέντες δὲ καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἀπόστασιν πρότερον ἢ διενοοῦντο ποιήσασθαι.

[2] τῶν τε γὰρ λιμένων τὴν χῶσιν καὶ τειχῶν οἰκοδόμησιν καὶ νεῶν ποίησιν ἐπέμενον τελεσθῆναι, καὶ ὅσα ἐκ τοῦ Πόντου ἔδει ἀφικέσθαι, τοξότας τε καὶ σῖτον, καὶ ἃ μεταπεμπόμενοι ἦσαν.

[3] Τενέδιοι γὰρ ὄντες αὐτοῖς διάφοροι καὶ Μηθυμναῖοι καὶ αὐτῶν Μυτιληναίων ἰδίᾳ ἄνδρες κατὰ στάσιν, πρόξενοι Ἀθηναίων, μηνυταὶ γίγνονται τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις ὅτι ξυνοικίζουσί τε τὴν Λέσβον ἐς τὴν Μυτιλήνην βίᾳ καὶ τὴν παρασκευὴν ἅπασαν μετὰ Λακεδαιμονίων καὶ Βοιωτῶν ξυγγενῶν ὄντων ἐπὶ ἀποστάσει ἐπείγονται· καὶ εἰ μή τις προκαταλήψεται ἤδη, στερήσεσθαι αὐτοὺς Λέσβου.

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.) — 3.2.1 focus

[1] After the Peloponnesians were entered Attica, Lesbos immediately, all but Methymne, revolted from the Athenians, which though they would have done before the war and the Lacedaemonians would not then receive them, yet even now they were forced to revolt sooner than they had intended to do.

[2] For they stayed to have first straitened the mouth of their haven with dams of earth, to have finished their walls and their galleys then in building, and to have gotten in all that was to come out of Pontus, as archers, and victual, and whatsoever else they had sent for.

[3] But the Tenedians, with whom they were at odds, and the Methymnaeans, and of the Mytilenaeans themselves certain particular men upon faction, being hosts to the Athenians, made known unto them that the Lesbians were forced to go all into Mytilene; that by the help of the Lacedaemonians and their kindred, the Boeotians, they hastened all manner of provision necessary for a revolt; and that unless it were presently prevented, all Lesbos would be lost.

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.) — 3.2.1 focus

[1] Immediately after the invasion of the Peloponnesians all Lesbos , except Methymna , revolted from the Athenians. The Lesbians had wished to revolt even before the war, but the Lacedaemonians would not receive them; and yet now when they did revolt, they were compelled to do so sooner than they had intended.

[2] While they were waiting until the moles for their harbors and the ships and walls that they had in building should be finished, and for the arrival of archers and corn and other things that they were engaged in fetching from the Pontus ,

[3] the Tenedians, with whom they were at enmity, and the Methymnians, and some factious persons in Mitylene itself, who were Proxeni of Athens , informed the Athenians that the Mitylenians were forcibly uniting the island under their sovereignty, and that the preparations about which they were so active, were all concerted with the Boeotians their kindred and the Lacedaemonians with a view to a revolt, and that unless they were immediately prevented, Athens would lose Lesbos .

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 3.2 focus

Gleich nach diesem Einfalle der Peloponnesier fiel Lesbos
mit Ausnahme der Stadt Methymne') von den Athenern ab, was ¹²³⁴
sie schon vor dem Kriege hatten thun wollen; aber die Lakedämonier
nahmen sie damals nicht an. Auch dieses Mal waren sie genöthigt, ⁵⁶
den Abfall früher in's Werk zu setzen, als sie zu thun im Sinne hatten; ⁷
denn sie hatten warten wollen, bis die Häfen abgedämmt, die Mauern
ausgebaut und die Ausrüstung der Schiffe vollendet und Alles
angelangt wäre, was aus dem Pontos Euxinos kommen sollte,
Bogenschützen , Getreide und was sie sonst von dort erwarteten. Aber die
Tenedier^), die ihnen gram waren, wie auch die Methymnäer und
selbst eine Partei unter den Mytilenäern, Gastfreunde der Athener,
hatten in Folge eines Zwistes unter den Bürgern den Athenern die
Anzeige gemacht, das; jene mit Gewalt alle Bewohner der Insel nach
Mytilene verpflanzen wollten, und daß sie mit Beihülfe der
Lakedämonier und der Böotier, die ihnen blutsverwandt waren, sich eifrig
rüsteten, um in Bälde abzufallen, und wenn man nicht zuvorkomme,
so würde Lesbos verloren gehen.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 3.2 focus

Gleich nach dem Einfall der Peloponnesier fielen die Les
bier, mit Ausnahme von Methymna, von den Athenern ab.
Sie hatten das schon vor dem Kriege gewollt, damals aber
hatten die Lakedämonier sie nicht angenommen, und auch jetzt
sahen sie sich dazu eher genötigt, als eigentlich ihre Absicht
war. Sie wollten nämlich damit warten, bis ihr Hafendamm,
ihre Stadtmauer und ihre Flotte fertig, auch alles, was sie
an Bogenschützen und was sie sonst vom Schwarzen Meere
erwarteten, bei ihnen eingetroffen wäre. Allein ihre Feinde
in Tenedos und Methymna und einzelne Parteigänger in Myti
lene selbst, welche Staatsgatsfreunde der Athener waren, hatten
den Athenern gesteckt, daß man die ganze Bevölkerung von
Lesbos zwangsweise nach Mytilene versetzen wolle und mit
Hilfe der Lakedämonier und stammverwandten Böotier alles
zu einem Abfall vorbereite, so daß, wenn man dem nicht zu
vorkäme, Lesbos für sie verloren sein würde.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 3.2 focus

L’invasion des Péloponésiens était à peine terminée, lorsque Lesbos, à l’exception de Méthymne, se souleva contre les Athéniens¹. Ce projet, déjà conçu avant la guerre, mais repoussé alors par les Lacédémoniens, dut se réaliser plus tôt que les Lesbiens n'auraient voulu. Leur intention, était, avant tout, d’obstruer l’entrée de leurs ports, d’élever des murailles, de construire des vaisseaux, enfin d’attendre l’arrivée de tout ce qui devait leur venir du Pont-Euxin, savoir des archers, des vivres et d’autres objets qu’ils avaient demandés. Mais l'entreprise fut dénoncée par les Ténédiens, leurs ennemis, par les Méthymniens et même par quelques citoyens de Mytilène, hommes de parti et proxènes des Athéniens. Ils firent savoir à Athènes qu’on forçait tous les habitants de Lesbos à se concentrer dans Mytilène, qu’on activait la défection, de concert avec les Lacédémoniens et les Béotiens, unis aux Lesbiens par l’identité de race ² ; enfin que, si l’on n’y mettait ordre, Lesbos serait perdue sans retour.

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.) — 3.2.1 focus

[1] Directly after the invasion of the Peloponnesians, all Lesbos,¹ except Methymna, revolted from Athens. The Lesbians had wished to do this even before the war, but the Lacedaemonians had not taken them into their alliance, and even in this instance they were forced to revolt sooner than they had intended.

[2] For they were waiting until the work should be finished of blocking their harbours, building walls, and constructing ships, and until the arrival of what they needed from the Pontus—archers and grain, and whatever else they were sending for.

[3] But the people of Tenedos, who were at variance with them, and of Methymna, and some of the Mytilenaeans themselves, men in private station who were proxeni² of the Athenians, were moved by partisanship to turn informers and notify the Athenians that the Mytilenaeans were attempting to bring all Lesbos into a political union centred in Mytilene; that all their preparations were being hurried forward, in concert with the Lacedaemonians and with their kinsmen the Boeotians, with the purpose of revolting; and that unless someone should forestall them forthwith, Lesbos would be lost to Athens.

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.) — 3.2.1 focus

[1] Immediately after the invasion of the Peloponnesians, all Lesbos, with the exception of Methymna, revolted from the Athenians; having wished indeed to do so before the commencement of the war, (the Lacedaemonians, however, did not accept their offers,) and yet compelled even now to execute their purpose sooner than they intended.

[2] For they were inclined to wait the completion of the moles for the security of their harbours, and of the building of their walls and ships, and the arrival of all that was to come from the Pontus, namely, bowmen and corn, and whatever they had sent for.

[3] [But this they were prevented doing;] ¹ for the Tenedians, who were at variance with them, and the Methymnaeans, and even some private individuals of the Mytilenaeans, under the influence of party spirit, as proxeni of the Athenians informed that people that the Mytilenaeans were forcibly bringing [the rest of] Lesbos into union with their own city, and hurrying all their preparations for a revolt, in conjunction with the Lacedaemonians and Boeotians, ² who were of the sale face as themselves, and that if some one did not at once anticipate their designs, they would lose Lesbos.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 3.2.1 focus

[1] Post hanc autem Peloponnesiorum irruptionem statim Lesbus praeter Methymnam ab Atheniensibus defecit, quod illi voluerant quidem jam ante hoc bellum, sed Lacedaemonii eos recipere noluerant, tum vero vi necessitatis coacti hanc quoque defectionem maturius, quam secum ipsi constituerant, fecerunt

[2] Etenim et portuum munitionem, quos aggere cingebant, et murorum aedificationem navium-que fabricationem opperiebantur, donec ad finem essent perducta, item auxilia, quae ex Ponto venire oportebat, sagittarios et frumentum, et quae tunc ipsum adhuc accerse-bant.

[3] Tenedii enim, qui iis erant inimici, et Methymnaei, atque etiam privatim quidam ex ipsis Mytilenaeis homines propter factionem, quibus publicum erat cum Atheniensibus hospitium, Atheniensibus indicarunt, adduci ab iis omnes Lesbios per vim in Mytilenen omnemque apparatum cum Lacedaemoniis et Boeotis, qui gentis ejusdem erant, defectionis faciendae causa urgeri et nisi quis illos jam antevertat, ipsos Lesbo privatum iri.

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.) — 3.2 focus

Dopo l’invasione de9 Peloponnesi Lesbo, eccettuata Metimna, subito si ribellò dagli Ateniesi. Ciò aveano i Lesbiani disegnato di fare anche prima di questa guerra, ma i Lacedemoni non vollero acconsentirvi : ora poi si trovarono costretti a ribellare più presto di quel che avevano in mente ; perchè aspettavano che fosse finito di bastionare i porti, di fabbricare le mura e le navi, e che dal Ponto fosse arrivato il bisognevole, arcieri, grano e quant’altro avevano mandato a prendere. Ma quei di Tenedo loro nemici, i Metimnei, ed alcuni degli stessi Mitilenei, che per ispirito di parte erano privatamente in dilazione di ospitalità con gli Ateniesi, dichiarano a questi che tutta Lesbo era forzatamente riunita in Mitilene, i cui cittadini d’accordo con gli Spartani e co’Beozi d’ un medesimo sangue sollecitavano ogni maniera di apparecchio per la ribellione; ed essere ornai la cosa a tale che senza prevenirli avrebbero perduta Lesbo.

Notes on the current edition

History of the Peloponnesian War

1. Toutes les villes de Lesbos formaient alors une sorte de confédération, à la tête de laquelle était Mytilène, gouvernée ellemême par l’aristocratie.

2. Méthymne était située à 280 stades (environ 50 kilom.) à l’est de Mytilène.

3. Il s’agit évidemment ici des remparts de Mytilène.

4. Mytilène, comme toutes les villes alliées des Athéniens, était partagée en deux factions, le peuple et les grands ; les projets de défection furent, sans doute, dénoncés par les chefs du parti populaire ; car nous voyons plus tard le peuple, aussitôt qu’il eut reçu des armes, forcer les magistrats à traiter avec les Athéniens. — Sur les causes de cette guerre voir Aristote, Polit. v, chap. 3, et Diodore.

5. Les Lesbiens étaient Éoliens, et les Éoliens descendaient des Béotiens.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.2

Marie Charles Zévort (Translator)

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