Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.53

[1] The same summer fell out a war between the Epidaurians and the Argives; the pretext thereof was about a beast for sacrifice, which the Epidaurians ought to have sent in consideration of their pastures to Apollo Pythius, and had not done it, the Argives being the principal owners of the temple. But Alcibiades and the Argives had indeed determined to take in the city, though without pretence at all, both that the Corinthians might not stir and also that they might bring the Athenian succours from Aegina into those parts, a nearer way than by compassing the promontory of Scyllaeum. And therefore the Argives prepared, as of themselves, to exact the sacrifice by invasion.

[1] The same summer war broke out between the Epidaurians and Argives. The pretext was that the Epidaurians did not send an offering for their pasture-land to Apollo Pythaeus, as they were bound to do, the Argives having the chief management of the temple; but, apart from this pretext, Alcibiades and the Argives were determined, if possible, to gain possession of Epidaurus , and thus to insure the neutrality of Corinth and give the Athenians a shorter passage for their reinforcement from Aegina than if they had to sail round Scyllaeum. The Argives accordingly prepared to invade Epidaurus by themselves, to exact the offering.

In demselben Sommer kam eS auch zum Kampfe zwischen
den Epidauriern und den Argivern, angeblich wegen des Opfers für ¹
den Pythischen Apollo, welches den Epidauriern für die Benützung ²
von Weidegeländen oblag, das sie aber nicht abgeführt hatten. Es l
haben nämlich die Argiver das meiste Recht an den betreffenden
Tempelz aber auch ohne diesen Vorwand hätte es wohl dem Alkibiades
und den Argivern vortheilhaft geshcienen, Epidauros wo möglich an
sich zu ziehen, einmal um die Korinther zwingen zu können, sich
ruhig zu verhalten, und dann weil sie glaubten, daß es in diesem
Falle den Athenern möglich wäre, von Aegina aus auf kürzerem
Wege Zuzug zu leisten als mit Umschiffung des Skylläischen
Vorgebirges. Indessen rüsteten sich die Argiver, in ihrem eigenen Namen
zur Eintreibunq des Opfers in Epidauros einzufallen.

In demselben Sommer kam es zum Kriege zwischen den
Epidauriern und den Argeiern. Vorwand war, daß die Epi­
daurier dem pythischen Apollon das Opfer wegen der Ufer­
ländereien, wozu sie verpflichtet waren, nicht gebracht hatten.
Der Tempel dort aber stand unter besonderem Schutz der
Argeier. Doch ganz abgesehen davon wünschten Alkibiades
und die Argeier, Epidauros womöglich in ihre Gewalt zu
bringen, einmal um die Neutralität von Korinth zu sichern,
dann aber auch, damit die Athener auf kürzerem Wege von
Agina herüberkommen könnten und nicht erst um das Vor­
gebirge Skyllaion zu fahren brauchten. Indessen wußten die
Argeier die Sache so zu wenden, als ob sie ihrerseits nur
nach^Epidauros einrückten, um die Vollziehung des Opfers zu
erzwingen.

Le même été, il y eut une guerre entre les Épidau-riens et les Argiens au sujet d’un Sacrifice que les Ëpidau-riens devaient offrir à Apollon Pythéen ¹ pour les terres riveraines, et dont ils négligeaient de s’acquitter. Les Argiens étaient les maîtres absolus de ce temple. Indépendamment de ce motif, Alcibiade et les Argiens voulaient, s'il était possible, s’assurer d’Épidaure, afin de tenir Corinthe en respect et d’ouvrir aux Athéniens, allant d’Êgine au secours d’Argos, une route plus directe, sans avoir à doubler le cap ScyIléon ² . Les Argiens se disposèrent donc à envahir l’Épidaurie pour obliger les habitants à fournir la victime.

[1] During the same summer war broke out between the Epidaurians and Argives. The alleged ground for this was that the Epidaurians were not sending the sacrifice to Apollo Pythaeus, which it was incumbent on them to render in payment for pasturage, and the Argives exercised chief authority over the sanctuary; ¹ but even apart from this motive Alcibiades and the Argives deemed it advisable, if they could, to bring Epidaurus into the Argive alliance, both for the sake of keeping Corinth quiet, and because they thought the Athenians would be able to bring aid to Argos by a shorter way, from Aegina as base, than by sailing round Scyllaeum. ² The Argives, then, were preparing, as of their own motion, to invade Epidaurus for the exaction of the offering.

[1] The same summer a war broke out between the Epidaurians and Argives; nominally, about the offering to Apollo Pythaeus, which the Epidaurians were bound to make, but did not, for ¹ certain lands by the river side; (the Argives had the chief management of the temple;) but even independently of this charge, Alcibiades and the Argives thought it desirable to get possession of Epidaurus, if they could; both to insure the neutrality of Corinth, and thinking that the Athenians would find it a shorter passage for their succours through Aegina, than by sailing round Scyllaeum. The Argives therefore prepared to invade Epidaurus by themselves, in order to exact the offering.

[1] Eadem aestate bellum inter Epidaurios et Argivos gestum est, praetextu quidem hostiae, quam ad Apollinem Pythium Epidaurii pascuorum nomine adducere debuerant, nec tamen mittebant (ipsum autem templum erat potissimum in Argivorum potestate); sed vel sine ista causa Alcibiades et Argivi Epidaurum, si possent, occupare statuerant, tum ut Corinthus esset pacata, tum etiam quod Athenienses auxilium ex jEgina Argivis itinere compendiosiore latum iri putarent, quam si Scyllaeum circumveherentur. Argivi igitur se praeparabant ad irruptionem in Epidaurum radendam , ut ipsimet hostiam exigerent.

Nella estate medesima vi fu guerra anche tra gK Epidaurii e gli Argivi, sotto il pretesto delle vittime per Apollo Pitio , le quali dovendosi condurre dagli Epidaurii in tributo dei pascoli, non le avevano mandate. Ora il padronato del tempio spettava sopra tutto agli Argivi ; e tanto essi quanto Alcibiade , anche senza questo pretesto, avevano risoluto di fare il possibile per prendere Epidauro; perchè così Corinto starebbe tranquilla, e gli Ateniesi da Egina vedendo soccorrere Argo avrebbero a far più corto tragitto di quello che non è il giro dal capo Scilleo. Gli Argivi adunque si preparavano ad assaltare da per sè Epidauro per esiger le vittime.