Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Marie Charles Zévort (Translator), 3.23

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XXIII. Pendant ce temps les Platéens escaladaient le mur : les premiers arrivés au sommet s’emparèrent des deux tours, massacrèrent les gardes, occupèrent les issues¹, et les gardèrent eux-mêmes, afin que personne ne pût les traverser pour venir au secours. Du haut des murs, ils appliquèrent des échelles contre les tours et y firent monter un grand nombre des leurs. Ceux-ci, maîtres de ces positions, accablaient de traits, et d’en haut et d’en bas², ceux qui venaient pour les reprendre, et les tenaient en respect. En même temps, d’autres, en plus grand nombre, appliquaient plusieurs échelles à la fois, renversaient les créneaux, et esca- ladaient le mur dans l’intervalle des tours. Chacun d’eux, à mesure qu’il passait, s’arrêtait sur le bord du fossé³, et de là lançait des flèches et des javelots à ceux des ennemis qui se portaient à la défense du mur et s’opposaient au passage. Lorsque tous furent passés, ceux qui étaient dans les tours descendirent les derniers, non sans peine, et allèrent se ranger aussi au bord du fossé. A ce moment les trois cents Péloponnésiens arrivaient à leur poursuite, des torches à la main. Mais les Platéens, plongés dans l’obscurité, avaient, l’avantage de les mieux voir : du bord du fossé où ils se tenaient, ils les accablaient de flèches et de javelots, visant au défaut des armes, tandis que l’ennemi, ébloui par la lueur des torches, les distinguait moins bien, plongés comme ils l’étaient dans les ténèbres. Aussi les derniers mêmes des Platéens eurent-ils le temps de franchir le fossé ; mais ce ne fut pas sans peine, ni sans être serrés de près ; car la glace qui s’y était formée ne présentait pas assez de consistance pour qu’on pût passer dessus ; elle était à demi fondue, comme il arrive quand le vent souffle plutôt de l’est que du nord. C’était là précisément le vent qui soufflait cette nuit : la neige qui tombait avait, en se fondant, rempli d’eau le fossé, si bien qu’ils le traversèrent ayant à peine la tête hors de l’eau. Cependant leur évasion fut surtout favorisée par la violence même de la tempête.

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).) — 3.23.1 focus

[1] οἱ δ’ ὑπερβαίνοντες τῶν Πλαταιῶν ἐν τούτῳ, ὡς οἱ πρῶτοι αὐτῶν ἀνεβεβήκεσαν καὶ τοῦ πύργου ἑκατέρου τοὺς φύλακας διαφθείραντες ἐκεκρατήκεσαν, τάς τε διόδους τῶν πύργων ἐνστάντες αὐτοὶ ἐφύλασσον μηδένα δι’ αὐτῶν ἐπιβοηθεῖν, καὶ κλίμακας προσθέντες ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους τοῖς πύργοις καὶ ἐπαναβιβάσαντες ἄνδρας πλείους, οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν πύργων τοὺς ἐπιβοηθοῦντας καὶ κάτωθεν καὶ ἄνωθεν εἶργον βάλλοντες, οἱ δ’ ἐν τούτῳ οἱ πλείους πολλὰς προσθέντες κλίμακας ἅμα καὶ τὰς ἐπάλξεις ἀπώσαντες διὰ τοῦ μεταπυργίου ὑπερέβαινον.

[2] ὁ δὲ διακομιζόμενος αἰεὶ ἵστατο ἐπὶ τοῦ χείλους τῆς τάφρου καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἐτόξευόν τε καὶ ἠκόντιζον, εἴ τις παραβοηθῶν παρὰ τὸ τεῖχος κωλυτὴς γίγνοιτο τῆς διαβάσεως.

[3] ἐπεὶ δὲ πάντες διεπεπεραίωντο, οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν πύργων χαλεπῶς οἱ τελευταῖοι καταβαίνοντες ἐχώρουν ἐπὶ τὴν τάφρον, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ οἱ τριακόσιοι αὐτοῖς ἐπεφέροντο λαμπάδας ἔχοντες.

[4] οἱ μὲν οὖν Πλαταιῆς ἐκείνους ἑώρων μᾶλλον ἐκ τοῦ σκότους ἑστῶτες ἐπὶ τοῦ χείλους τῆς τάφρου, καὶ ἐτόξευόν τε καὶ ἐσηκόντιζον ἐς τὰ γυμνά, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἐν τῷ ἀφανεῖ ὄντες ἧσσον διὰ τὰς λαμπάδας καθεωρῶντο, ὥστε φθάνουσι τῶν Πλαταιῶν καὶ οἱ ὕστατοι διαβάντες τὴν τάφρον, χαλεπῶς δὲ καὶ βιαίως·

[5] κρύσταλλός τε γὰρ ἐπεπήγει οὐ βέβαιος ἐν αὐτῇ ὥστ’ ἐπελθεῖν, ἀλλ’ οἷος ἀπηλιώτου [ἢ βορέου] ὑδατώδης μᾶλλον, καὶ ἡ νὺξ τοιούτῳ ἀνέμῳ ὑπονειφομένη πολὺ τὸ ὕδωρ ἐν αὐτῇ ἐπεποιήκει, ὃ μόλις ὑπερέχοντες ἐπεραιώθησαν. ἐγένετο δὲ καὶ ἡ διάφευξις αὐτοῖς μᾶλλον διὰ τοῦ χειμῶνος τὸ μέγεθος.

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.) — 3.23.1 focus

[1] In the meantime those Plataeans, which having scaled the wall first and slain the watch were now masters of both the towers, not only guarded the passages by standing themselves in the entries but also, applying ladders from the wall to the towers and conveying many men to the top, kept the enemies off with shot both from above and below. In the mean space, the greatest number of them having reared to the wall many ladders at once and beaten down the battlements passed quite over between the towers.

[2] And ever as any of them got to the other side, they stood still upon the brink of the ditch without and with arrows and darts kept off those that came by the outside of the wall to hinder their passage.

[3] And when the rest were over, then last of all, and with much ado, came they also down to the ditch which were in the two towers. And by this time the three hundred that were to assist the watch came and set upon them and had lights with them,

[4] by which means the Plataeans that were on the further brink of the ditch discerned them the better from out of the dark and aimed their arrows and darts at their most disarmed parts; for standing in the dark, the lights of the enemy made the Plataeans the less discernible, insomuch as these last passed the ditch, though with difficulty and force.

[5] For the water in it was frozen over, though not so hard as to bear, but watery, and such as when the wind is at east rather than at north. And the snow which fell that night, together with so great a wind as that was, had very much increased the water, which they waded through with scarce their heads above. But yet the greatness of the storm was the principal means of their escape.

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.) — 3.23.1 focus

[1] Meanwhile the first of the scaling-party that had got up, after carrying both the towers and putting the sentinels to the sword, posted themselves inside to prevent any one coming through against them; and rearing ladders from the wall, sent several men up on the towers, and from their summit and base kept in check all of the enemy that came up, with their missiles, while their main body planted a number of ladders against the wall, and knocking down the battlements, passed over between the towers;

[2] each as soon as he had got over taking up his station at the edge of the ditch, and plying from thence with arrows and darts any who came along the wall to stop the passage of his comrades.

[3] When all were over, the party on the towers came down, the last of them not without difficulty, and proceeded to the ditch, just as the three hundred came up carrying torches.

[4] The Plataeans, standing on the edge of the ditch in the dark, had a good view of their opponents, and discharged their arrows and darts upon the unarmed parts of their bodies, while they themselves could not be so well seen in the obscurity for the torches; and thus even the last of them got over the ditch, though not without effort and difficulty;

[5] as ice had formed in it, not strong enough to walk upon, but of that watery kind which generally comes with a wind more east than north, and the snow which this wind had caused to fall during the night, had made the water in the ditch rise, so that they could scarcely breast it as they crossed. However, it was mainly the violence of the storm that enabled them to effect their escape at all.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 3.23 focus

Unterdessen erstieg ein Theil der Platäer die Mauer, und
so wie die Vordersten hinaufgekommen waren, bemächtigten sie sich
der beiden ^nächsten) Thürme, indem sie die Wachen daselbst tödteten,
und besetzten dann selbst die Durchgänge unter den Thürmen, um zu
verhindern, daß da Keiner zu Hülfe kommen könne. Dann legten sie
von der Mauerhöhe Leitern an die Thürme, hießen eine Zahl Männer
hinaufsteigen und konnten nun vom Fuß der Thürme wie von oben
herab heranrückende Feinde durch Schießen abwehren. Unterdeß hatte
aber auch der große Haufe der Platäer viele Leitern zugleich angelegt,
rissen die Brustwehren ab und setzten zwischen den beiden Thürmen
über die Mauer. War einer glücklich hinübergekommen, so stellte er
sich am Rand des Grabens auf, und so schossen und schleuderten sie
von dort aus, wenn Einer etwa längs der säußeren) Mauer
herankäme, das Uebersteigen zu hindern. Als nun auch die von den
Thürmen alle herabgekommen waren, gelangten die, welche zuletzt nieder-
stiegen, nur noch mit Mühe bis an den Graben, denn jetzt stießen die
dreihundert auf sie mit Fackeln. Die Platäer nun, die am Rand des
Grabens im Dunkeln standen, konnten jene viel besser sehen und
zielten mit Pfeilen und Wurfspießen nach den unbedeckten Körpertheilen;
sie selbst aber, wie sie im Finstern standen, konnten wegen des
Fackelscheins nicht so leicht gesehen werden. So kamen denn auch die Letz«
ten der Platäer rechtzeitig über den Graben, wenn auch mit Mühe
nnd Gefahr; denn es hatte zwar Eis drüber gefroren, aber nicht stark
genug, um Menschen zu tragen, sondern mehr wässerig,. da grade
Nord- oder Nord-Ost-Wind blies. Dieser Wind hatte in der Nacht
auch Schnee gebracht und das Wasser im Graben so geschwellt, daß
beim Uebersetzen kaum noch die Köpfe hervorragten. Doch wurde ¹
ihnen auch die Flucht um so leichter bei so stürmischem Wetter. l

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 3.23 focus

Unterdessen hatten diese gleich, nachdem die ersten oben
angekommen waren, die Wachen niedergestoßen und sich beider
Türme bemächtigt, zur Sicherung gegen Angriffe von der
anderen Seite die Durchgänge besetzt, auch von der Mauer
Leitern an die Türme gelegt und eine Anzahl ihrer Leute
hinaufsteigen lassen, um sich durch Schießen von unten und
oben die Feinde vom Leibe zu halten. Mittlerweile setzten
auch alle die übrigen drunten am Fuße der Mauer immer
mehr Leitern an, rissen die Zinnen ab und stiegen zwischen
den Türmen durch über die Mauer. Wer glücklich hinüber
war, stellte sich gleich am Grabenrande auf, um jeden Feind,
der sich etwa an der Mauer vorwagen und das Übersteigen
hindern wollte, mit Pfeilen und Wurfspießen zu beschießen.
Als alle hinüber waren, kamen zuletzt auch die Leute wieder
von den Türmen herunter und gelangten mit knapper Not an
den Graben grade in dem Augenblick, wo die Dreihundert mit
Fackeln in den Händen auf sie zukamen. Die Platäer aber
im Dunkeln am Grabenrande konnten diese besser sehen und
zielten mit Pfeilen und Wurfspießen auf ihre ungeschützten
Körperteile, während sie selbst im Dunkeln beim Fackelschein
nicht so gut zu sehen waren. So gelangten sie dann alle bis
auf den letzten Mann glücklich über den Graben, allerdings
nur unter großen Schwierigkeiten und Anstrengungen; denn er
war zwar zugefroren, aber das Eis hielt nicht, sondern war
bloßes Wassereis, wie es sich bei dem herrshcenden Nord- oder
Ostwinde gebildet hatte, und infolge des dabei die Nacht durch
gefallenen Schnees war das Wasser im Graben so gestiegen,
daß es ihnen fast bis an den Kopf ging. In mancher Hin
sicht freilich kam ihnen das Unwetter bei ihrer Flucht auch
zustatten.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 3.23 focus

Pendant ce temps, les Platée ns exécutaient leur escalade. Les premiers arrivés au sommet s’emparèrent des deux tours en massacrant les sentinelles, et occupèrent les passages pour les intercepter à l'ennemi. Ensuite ils appliquèrent des échelles de la plate-forme contre les tours et y firent monter quelques-uns des leurs, afin d'écarter à coups de traits, d’en haut comme d’en bas, les adversaires qui s’approchaient. An même instant le reste des Platéens dresse à la fois beaucoup d’échelles, arrache les créneaux et franchit la plate-forme. A mesure qu’ils traversaient, ils s’arrêtaient sur le bord du fossé¹, d’où ils lançaient des flèches et des javelots contre les ennemis 1 qui longeaient le mur pour s’opposer à leur passage. Quand tous eurent traversé, ceux qui étaient dans les tours descendirent les derniers, non sans peine, et gagnèrent le fossé. En ce moment les trois cents s’avançaient contre eux avec des torches. Mais les Platéens, qui se trouvaient dans Tobscurite, les discernaient mieux, et, du bord du fossé, les perçaient de flèches et de javelots, en visant aux endroits découverts², tandis que l’ennemi, ébloui par la lueur des flambeaux, avait peine à les distinguer eux-mêmes au milieu des ténèbres. Ainsi tous les Platéens jusqu’au dernier parvinrent à franchir le fossé. Ce ne fut pas sans difficulté ni sans efforts ; car il s’y était formé une glace mince et sans consistance, comme il arrive par un vent d’est plutôt que de nord. La neige tombée pendant la nuit avait tellement rempli d’eau le fossé qu'ils en eurent jusqu’aux aisselles. Au reste, la violence de l’orage facilita leur évasion.

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.) — 3.23.1 focus

[1] Meanwhile, when the foremost of the Plataeans who were scaling the walls had mounted, slain the guards, and got possession of the two towers, they themselves took position inside the towers and guarded the passageways, that no one might come through these against them. Then from the top of the wall they placed ladders against the towers, got up a number of men, and kept all assailants away from the towers, shooting at them from below and above.¹ Meanwhile the others, the main body, had put up a large number of ladders and thrown down the battlements, and were climbing over through the space between the towers.

[2] And as each one got over he halted on the edge of the ditch; and from there they shot arrows and hurled javelins at any enemy who tried to approach along the wall and interfere with their crossing.

[3] And when all these had reached the other side, the men who had held the towers, the last of whom descended with difficulty, advanced toward the ditch; and at the same time the three hundred bore down upon them, carrying torches.

[4] Now the Plataeans, as they stood on the edge of the ditch, saw them better out of the darkness, and kept launching arrows and javelins at their uncovered sides, while they themselves, being in the shadow, were rendered less visible by the enemy's torches. Consequently even the last of the Plataeans got safely across the ditch, though only with difficulty and after a hard struggle;

[5] for in the ditch ice had formed that was not firm enough to walk on but mushy, such as is formed when the wind is east instead of north; and since the night, the wind being from that quarter, was somewhat snowy, the water in the ditch had become so deep that they could scarcely keep their heads above it as they crossed. It was, however, chiefly the violence of the storm that enabled them to escape at all.

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.) — 3.23.1 focus

[1] In the mean time, with regard to the party of Plataeans that were scaling the wall, when the first of them had mounted, and after putting the sentinels to the sword, had taken possession of each of the two towers, they posted themselves in them, and kept guard, to prevent any reinforcement coming through them; and when they had raised ladders to them from the wall, and sent up a considerable party of men, those at the towers kept in check with their missiles, ¹ both from above and below, such as were coming to the rescue; while the other and greater part of them had in the mean time planted many ladders, and thrown down the battlements, and were passing over between the towers.

[2] As each successively effected his passage, he took his stand on the edge of the ditch; and thence they used their bows and darts against any one that came to the rescue along the wall, and tried to stop the passage [of their comrades].

[3] When all were over, those on the towers descended—the last of them with great difficulty— and proceeded to the ditch; and in the mean time the three hundred were coming against them with torches.

[4] Now the Plataeans, as they stood in the dark on the edge of the ditch, had a better view of them, and discharged their arrows and darts against the exposed parts of their bodies; while they themselves, in the obscurity of their position, were the less acen for the torches; so that even the last of the Plataeans got clear over the ditch, though with difficulty and by a violent effort;

[5] for ice had frozen over it, not strong enough to allow of their walking on it, but rather watery, as it usually is with a ² wind more east than north; and the night being somewhat snowy in consequence of such a wind, had swollen the water in it, which they crossed with their heads barely above it. ³ But at the same time their escape was mainly effected through the violence of the storm.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 3.23.1 focus

[1] Qui autem muros conscendebant Plataeensium, inter haec, ubi primi suorum murum conscenderunt et utramque turrim custodibus occisis in suam potestatem redegerunt, ipsi et ad turrium transitus constiterunt eosque custodiebant, ne quis per eas penetrans ad opem suis Terendam veniret; et scalis e summo muro turribus admotis suo-rumque pluribus per scalas ascendere jussis, hi quidem ex turribus, et ex inferioribus et ex superioribus earum partibus eos, qui subsidio veniebant, missilibus arcebant; ceteri vero interea, quorum major erat numerus, multis scalis simul admotis pinnisque dejectis per spatium, quod erat inter turres, transcendebant;

[2] et pervadens quisque consistebat in fossae margine et hinc sagittis atque jaculis defendebant, si quis subsidio veniens praeter murum impedire co naretur transitum.

[3] Ubi autem omnes transierunt, illi, qui e turribus veniebant postremi difficulter descendentes vadebant ad fossam atque inter hoc trecenti illi iis occurrebant faces gestantes.

[4] Itaque Plataeenses quidem illos ex tenebris facilius conspiciebant, stantes in fossae margine , et sagittis jaculisque nuda eorum latera petebant, ipsi vero, quod in tenebris essent, propter faces minus conspiciebantur.

[5] Itaque et Plataeensium qui postremi erant, fossam quidem non retardati transierunt, sed aegre et per vim; nara et glacies in ea concreverat, quae non erat solida, ita ut transeuntes sustinere posset, sed potius erat aquosa, qualis fieri solet subsolano aut borea spirante, et nox illa, propter hujusmodi ventum nivibus conspersa aquam in ea vehementer auxerat, quam vix supra exstantes transierunt. Atque etiam ut fuga evaderent, factum est potissimum propter hujus tempestatis magnitudinem.

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.) — 3.23 focus

In questo mezzo i Plateesi che erano neiratto di scalare il muro, quando i primi di loro vi furono già saliti , e trucidate le guardie si furono fatti padroni delle due torri, di piè fermo guardavano i passi delle torri stesse, acciò niuno potesse, traversandole, recar soccorso. E di sul muro avendo appoggiate scale alle torri, e fattavi salire molta gente, alcuni dall’alto e dal basso delle torri occupate tenevano coi colpi di frecce indietro chi venisse in aiuto : altri (e questi erano i più) appoggiate ad un tempo molte scale atterravano i merli, e passando di mezzo alle torri traversavano il muro : e di mano in mano chi trapassava ferma vasi sull’orlo della fossa, e di lì lanciavano saette e strali contro chiunque lungo il muro accorresse per impedire il tragitto. Quando poi furono tutti passati, quelli che eran montati sulle due torri rimasti essendo gli ultimi a gran pena scendevano, e si avviavano alla fossa. In questo , la truppa de' trecento si scaglia con torce accese sovr'essi : ciò non pertanto i Plateesi che stavano fermi sull’orlo della fossa, trovandosi nell’oscurità meglio vedevano, e sbagliavano strali e frecce contro le parti inermi dei nemici, dai quali, a cagione delle fiaccole, con più difficoltà potevano essere osservati, appunto perché stavano dalla parte del buio : cosicché anche gli ultimi de' Plateesi furono in tempo a varcare la fossa ma con gran pena e fatica; avvegnaché in essa si fosse rappreso un glriaccio non sodo da passarvi sopra, ma più presto acquidoso come suol essere a vento sussolano e non tramontana. Inoltre la notte al soffiar di quel vento essendo caduto un nevischio, vi aveva resa l'acqua copiosa, talché appena colla testa fuori poterono passare. Nondimeno, la grandezza di quel temporale facilitò loro lo scampo.

Notes on the current edition

History of the Peloponnesian War

1. Les assiégeants, qui campaient entre les deux murs, ne pouvaient communiquer entre eux que par les passages établis sous les tours. Les assiégés, maitres de deux tours et de l’intervalle qui les séparait, avaient un passage défendu à droite et à gauche par ces mêmes tours.

2. Du haut des tours et des passages inférieurs qu’ils avaient occupés.

3. Le fossé extérieur. Les Péloponnésiens étaient sortis de leur camp, et arrivaient extérieurement pour s’opposer au passage.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.23

Marie Charles Zévort (Translator)

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