Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.81

[1] The Peloponnesians therefore, as soon as night came, sailed speedily home, keeping still the shore and causing their galleys to be carried over at the isthmus of Leucas that they might not come in sight as they went about.

[2] But the people of Corcyra, hearing of the Attic galleys coming in and the going off of the Peloponnesians, brought into the city those Messenians which before were without and appointing the galleys which they had furnished to come about into the Hillaique haven, whilst accordingly they went about, slew all the contrary faction they could lay hands on, and also afterwards threw overboard out of the same galleys all those they had before persuaded to embark, and so went thence. And coming to the temple of Juno, they persuaded fifty of those that had taken sanctuary to refer themselves to a legal trial, all which they condemned to die.

[3] But the most of the sanctuary men, that is, all those that were not induced to stand to trial by law, when they saw what was done, killed one another there right in the temple; some hanged themselves on trees; everyone as he had means made himself away.

[4] And for seven days together that Eurymedon stayed there with his sixty galleys, the Corcyraeans did nothing but kill such of their city as they took to be their enemies, laying to their charge a practice to have everted the popular government. Amongst whom some were slain upon private hatred and some by their debtors for the money which they had lent them. All forms of death were then seen;

[5] and (as in such cases it usually falls out) whatsoever had happened at any time happened also then, and more. For the father slew his son; men were dragged out of the temples and then slain hard by; and some immured in the temple of Bacchus died within it. So cruel was this sedition and seemed so the more because it was of these the first.

[1] The Peloponnesians accordingly at once set off in haste by night for home, coasting along shore; and hauling their ships across the Isthmus of Leucas , in order not to be seen doubling it, so departed.

[2] The Corcyraeans, made aware of the approach of the Athenian fleet and of the departure of the enemy, brought the Messenians from outside the walls into the town, and ordered the fleet which they had manned to sail round into the Hyllaic harbor; and while it was so doing, slew such of their enemies as they laid hands on, dispatching afterwards as they landed them, those whom they had persuaded to go on board the ships. Next they went to the sanctuary of Hera and persuaded about fifty men to take their trial, and condemned them all to death.

[3] The mass of the suppliants who had refused to do so, on seeing what was taking place, slew each other there in the consecrated ground; while some hanged themselves upon the trees, and others destroyed themselves as they were severally able.

[4] During seven days that Eurymedon stayed with his sixty ships, the Corcyraeans were engaged in butchering those of their fellow-citizens whom they regarded as their enemies: and although the crime imputed was that of attempting to put down the democracy, some were slain also for private hatred, others by their debtors because of the monies owed to them.

[5] Death thus raged in every shape; and, as usually happens at such times, there was no length to which violence did not go; sons were killed by their fathers, and suppliants dragged from the altar or slain upon it; while some were even walled up in the temple of Dionysus and died there.

Die Peloponnesier nun machten sich trotz der Nacht allsogleich
auf die Rückfahrt nach Hause, indem sie an der Küste hinruderten,
und kamen auch glücklich an, nachdem sie bei Leukas ihre Schiffe über
die Landenge hatten bringen lassen, um nicht bei der Umschiffnng
derselben entdeckt zu werden. Die Kerkyräer aber, als sie das Ansegeln
der attischen Schiffe und die Flucht der feindlichen wahrnahmen,
zogen sogleich die Messenier in die Stadt, welche früher außerhalb
gelagert hatten, befahlen die Schiffe, welche sie bemannt hatten, nach
dem Hylläischen Hafen hinüber zu führen, und tödteten auf dieser
Fahrt wen sie von ihren Feinden trafen. Auch diejenigen, welche sie
die Schiffe zu besteigen beredet hatten, schifften sie aus und tödteten
sie, dann drangen sie in das Heraheiligthum und überredeten ungefähr
fünfzig der Schutzflehenden, sich dem gesetzlichen Spruche zu
unterwerfen , und verurtheilten sie dann Alle zum Tod. Die Mehrzahl der
Schutzflehenden aber, die sich nicht hatten bereden lassen, als sie sahen,
was geschah, tödteten sich im Heiligthum selbst Einer den Andern;
Einige erhängten sich an den Bäumen, die Andern nahmen sich das
Leben, wie sie eben konnten. Und die sieben Tage hindurch, welche
Eurymedon seit seiner Ankunft mit den sechzig Schiffen dort stehen
blieb, mordeten so die Kerkyräer diejenigen unter ihren Mitbürgern, die
sie für ihre Feinde hielten, indem sie ihnen Schuld gaben, daß sie
Staatsfeinde seien; Mancher fand aber auch den Tod aus Privathaß
und wieder Andere durch ihre Schuldner, die von ihnen Geld entlehnt
hatten. Da war jegliche Todesart zu sehen, und was sonst bei solchen
Gelegenheiten zu geschehen pflegt, das kam Alles auch hier vor und
wurde noch überboten. Denn der Vater tödtete den Sohn, und von
den Altären wurden die Menschen weggerissen und neben ihnen
geschlachtet. Einige sogar wurden im Heiligthum des Dionysos
eingemauert und fanden so ihren Tod. Bis zu solcher Grausamkeit verstieg
sich die Parteiwuth, und der Eindruck war um so furchtbarer, weil es
einer der ersten Fälle der Art war.

Noch in der Nacht brachen die Peloponnesier in aller
Eile auf und machten sich an der Küste entlang auf den Rück­
weg. Bei Leukas zogen sie, um bei der Fahrt um die Insel
nicht gesehen zu werden, ihre Schiffe über die Nehrung und
kamen auch glücklich nach Hause. Als die Kerkyräer hörten,
daß die athenische Flotte im Ansegeln nnd die feindliche ab­
gezogen sei, nahmen sie die Messenier, die bis dahin draußen
gelegen hatten, in die Stadt auf und ließen die von ihnen be­
mannten Schiffe nach dem hylläischen Hafen herumfahren,
töteten auch auf der Fahrt alles, was ihnen von Gegnern in
die Hände fiel. Die Leute, welche sich auf ihr Zureden zum
Schiffsdienst verstanden hatten, setzten sie wieder an Land und
brachten sie um. Dann zogen sie nach dem Heratempel und
überredeten etwa fünfzig der darin befindlichen Flüchtlinge,
sich einem gerichtlichen Verfahren zu unterwerfen, und ver­
urteilten sie alle zum Tode. Die meisten aber, die sich dem
nicht unterworfen hatten und nun sahen, wie es den anderen
erging, brachten einander im Heiligtum um, erhängten sich an
den Bäumen oder nahmen, so gut eben jeder konnte, sich selbst
das Leben. Sieben Tage, solange Eurymedon nach seiner
Ankunft mit den sechzig Schiffen dort blieb, währte das Morden
der Kerkyräer gegen alle, welche ihrer Meinung nach in der
Stadt zu ihren Gegnern gehörten. War es dabei zunächst nur
auf diejenigen abgesehen, die den Sturz der Demokratie ver­
schuldet, so wurden doch auch manche aus Privatfeindschaft
oder Gläubiger von ihren Schuldnern umgebracht. Ein grausiger
Zug des Todes! Was immer bei solchen Gelegenheiten Ent­
setzliches vorzukommen pflegt, wurde hier womöglich noch über­
boten. Väter töteten ihre Söhne; die Menschen wurden von
den Altären gerissen und an den Stufen niedergemacht. Einige
mauerte man im Tempel des Dionysos ein und ließ sie darin
verschmachten.

Quand les Gorcyréens connurent l’arrivée de la flotte athénienne, et la retraite des ennemis, ils firent entrer dans la ville les Messéniens qui jusque'à étaient restés dehors, et envoyèrent dans le port Hyllaïque les vaisseaux qu’ils avaient équipés. Pendant ce trajet, ils égorgèrent ceux de leurs adversaires qu'ils purent saisir. Quant à ceux qu’ils avaient engagés à monter sur les vaisseaux, ils les firent descendre à terre et les massacrèrent jusqu’au dernier ; puis, allant au temple de Junon, ils obtinrent d’une cinquantaine des suppliants qu’ils se soumissent à un jugement et les condamnèrent tous à mort. Ceux qui n’avaient pas été leurs dupes, — c’était le plus grand nombre, — voyant ce qui se passait, se tuèrent mutuellement dans le temple même; quelques-uns se pendirent aux arbres; enfin chacun se donna la mort comme il put.

Durant les sept jours que la flotte d’Eurymédon fut à Gorcyre, les Gorcyréens massacrèrent tous ceux qu’ils regardaient comme ennemis de la démocratie. Quelques-uns furent victimes d’inimitiés particulières; des créanciers furent tués par leurs débiteurs. La mort parut sous mille formes. De toutes les horreurs communes en pareille circonstance, il n’y en eut point qui ne fût commise et même surpassée. Le père tuait son fils; on arrachait des asiles sacrés tes suppliants ou on les égorgeait au pied des autels. Enfin quelques-uns périrent murés dans le temple de Bacchus. Tant fut atroce cette sédition; elle le parut encore davantage, parce qu’elle fut la première.

[1] The Peloponnesians accordingly set sail that very night for home, going with all speed and keeping close to the shore; and hauling their ships across the Leucadian isthmus, ¹ in order to avoid being seen, as they would be if they sailed around, they got away.

[2] Now the Corcyraeans had no sooner perceived that the Athenian fleet was approaching and that the enemy's fleet had gone than they secretly brought the Messenians, ² who had till then been outside the walls, into the city, and ordered the ships which they had manned to sail round into the Hyllaic harbour ³ ; then while these were on their way thither they slew any of their personal enemies whom they could lay hands upon. They also put ashore and despatched all those on board the ships whom they had persuaded to go aboard, then went into the temple of Hera, persuaded about fifty of the suppliants there to submit to trial, and condemned them all to death.

[3] But most of the suppliants, not having consented to be tried, when they saw what was happening set about destroying one another in the sacred precinct itself, while a few hanged themselves on trees, and still others made away with themselves as best they could.

[4] And during the seven days that Eurymedon, after his arrival, stayed there with his sixty ships, the Corcyraeans continued slaughtering such of their fellow-citizens as they considered to be their personal enemies. The charge they brought was of conspiring to overthrow the democracy, but some were in fact put to death merely to satisfy private enmity, and others, because money was owing to them, were slain by those who had borrowed it.

[5] Death in every form ensued, and whatever horrors are wont to be perpetrated at such times all happened then—aye, and even worse. For father slew son, men were dragged from the temples and slain near them, and some were even walled up in the temple of Dionysus and perished there.

[1] The Peloponnesians then immediately proceeded homeward by night with all haste, passing along shore; and having hauled their ships over the isthmus of Leucas, that they might not be seen doubling it, they sailed back.

[2] The Corcyraeans, on learning the approach of the Athenian fleet and the retreat of the enemy, took and brought into the city the Messenians, who before had been without the walls: and having ordered the ships they had manned to sail round into the Hyllaic harbour, while they were going round, they put to death any of their opponents they might have happened to seize; and afterwards despatched, as they landed them from the ships, all that they had persuaded to go on board. They also went to the sanctuary of Juno, and persuaded about fifty men to take their trial, and condemned them all to death.

[3] The majority of the suppliants, who had not been prevailed on by them, when they saw what was being done, slew one another there on the sacred ground; while some hanged themselves on the trees, and others destroyed themselves as they severally could.

[4] During seven days that Eurymedon stayed after his arrival with his sixty ships, the Corcyraeans were butchering those of their countrymen whom they thought hostile to them; bringing their accusations, indeed, against those only who were for putting down the democracy; but some were slain for private enmity also, and others for money owed 'them by those who had borrowed it. Every mode of death was thus had recourse to;

[5] and whatever ordinarily happens in such a state of things, all happened then, and still more For father murdered son, and they were dragged out of the sanctuaries, or slain in them; while in that of Bacchus some were walled up and perished. So savagely did the sedition proceed; while it appeared to do so all the more from its being amongst the earliest.

[1] Peloponnesii igitur ea nocte stattim magna celeritate domum redierunt oram legentes; et navibus per Leucadium Isthmum transportatis, ne circumvehentes conspicerentur, se receperunt.

[2] Corcyraei vero, quum et Atticas naves adventare, et hostiles discessisse intellexissent, Messenios receperunt, et in urbem introduxerunt, qui prius erant extra, jussisque navibus, quas instruxerant, in portum Hyllaicum circumire, dum illae circumvehuntur, si quem de inimicis cepissent, eum interficiebant; quinetiam eos omnes, quibus persuaserant, ut naves conscenderent, ex navibus ejicientes discesserunt, et ad Junonis templum profecti ex supplicibus cirdter quinquaginta ad judicium subeundum verbis adduxerunt, omnesque capite damnaverunt.

[3] Sed plerique supplicum, qui verbis illorum adduci non potuerant, quum viderent ea, quae gerebantur, ibidem in templo se mutuo interfecerunt; et nonnulli eorum ex arboribus se suspendebant, alii vero, quo quisque poterat, mortis genere peribant.

[4] Et per septem dies, per quos Eurymedon cum sexaginta navibus eo profectus, ibi mansit, Corcyraei eos interfecerunt, quos inimicos esse ducebant, crimine quidem arcessentes eos, qui popularem statum everterent, sed nonnulli etiam ob inimicitias privatas interfecti sunt, alii etiam propter pecunias iis debitas ab iis, qui eas acceperant;

[5] omnisque mortis species visebatur, et quemadmodum in hujusmodi rerum statu solet accidere, nihil erat, quod non contingeret, atque eo etiam amplius. Etenim pater filium occidit, et homines a templis abstrahebantur, et prope ipsa caedebantur; quinetiam nonnulli muro circumsepti in Bacchi templo perierunt.

[6] Adeo in saevum erupit seditio, idque visa est etiam magis, propterea quod haec fere prima exstitit;

[1] Akanthier! Die Absicht Spartas bei Aussendung meines Heeres ist keine andere, als den Zweck unseres Krieges mit Athen, als welchen wir in der Kriegserklärung die Befreiung Griechenlands angekündigt, zur Wirklichkeit zu machen. An unserm späten Erscheinen aber ist die durch die bisherigen Feldzüge getäuschte Hoffnung schuld, euch den Kampf zu ersparen und in kurzer Zeit allein mit Athen fertig zu werden; und es kann uns dasselbe um so weniger zum Vorwurf gemacht werden, da wir jetzt die erste Gelegenheit ergreifen, hieher zu kommen und auch euch zur Theilnahme an dem Vernichtungskampfe einzuladen. Um so mehr befremdet es mich, aus dem Sperren der Thore auf eine unfreundliche Stimmung bei euch schliessen zu müssen. In dem guten Glauben, in euch längst, vor unserer Ankunft schon, entschiedene Bundesgenossen zu finden, denen wir nur willkommen sein würden, haben wir Lacedämonier die Gefahr nicht angesehen, die mit einem so weiten Marsch durch fremdes Gebiet verbunden war, und jedes mögliche Opfer gebracht, — und wie, ihr solltet ganz andere Gesinnungen hegen, solltet eurer eigenen und aller Griechen Befreiung euch widersetzen wollen? Denn nicht allein, dass ihr zu dem Feinde stehet, es müsste auch alle folgenden Städte zurückhaltend und besorgt machen, wenn gleich anfangs eine so ansehnliche und einflussreiche Stadt wie die eurige mich abwiese. Der Glaube an meine Sendung wäre dahin ¹ , man argwohnte nur Böses in der Freiheit, die ich bringe ² , oder sähe in meinem Heere einen zu schwachen und nichtssagenden Schutz gegen Athens drohende Rache. Zwar es war dasselbe Heer, mit dem ich vor Nisäa zog, wo die Athener trotz ihrer Uebermacht keinen Angriff wagten, und ein so zahlreiches Heer wie das nisäische würden sie ohnehin in keinem Fall gegen euch über's Meer schicken. ³

Adunque i Peloponnesi appena notte si affrettavano di tornare a casa radendo la costa; e trasportate le wi sopra T istmo di Leucade , per non essere osservati nel farne il giro, si riconducono in patria. I Corfuotti udito che le navi attiche si avvicinavano, e che quelle de:nemici se n’ erano andate , accolsero ed introdussero in città i Messenii restati prima di fuori. Ordinarono alle navi che avevano armate di volteggiare dinanzi al porto Ulaico ; ed intanto che queste giravanlo intorno , essi uccidevano qualunque della parte contraria capitasse loro nelle mani ; e cavando per forza dalle navi coloro cui avevano indotti a montarle , li uccidevano. Entrarono medesimamente nel tempio di Giunone, e persuasero da cinquanta di quelli che vi erano rifuggiti a sottomettersi a giuridico processo , e li condannarono tutti a morte. La maggior parte però di quei supplichevoli che non si erano lasciati svolgere, vedendo come le cose procedevano, si uccidevano l' un l' altro ivi nel tempio stesso : alcuni appiccarono sè medesimi agli alberi ; altri poi si toglieano di vita in quel modo che ciascuno poteva. E ne’sette giorni che Eurimedonte dopo il suo arrivo vi si fermò con sessanta navi, i Corfuotti uccidevano quei ch' e’ credevano di parte contraria, dando loro la colpa di sovvertitori dello stato popolare. Alcuni poi furono uccisi per private nimicizie, altri dai debitori che avevan preso denaro in prestanza. Fuvvi insomma ogni genere di morte; nessuna reità fu pretermessa come in simili perturbazioni suole accadere , ed anche delle più inusitate. Imperciocché il padre uccideva il figliolo, e la gente divelta dai templi era li dappresso ammazzata ; ed alcuni furono persino murati dentro al tempio di Bacco , e così morti. Cotanto progredì quella sedizione crudele, che tale parve anche più , perchè nel corso di queste cose ella era stata la prima.