Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.102

[1] The Lacedaemonians, when the war against those in Ithome grew long, amongst other their confederates sent for aid to the Athenians, who also came with no small forces under the command of Cimon.

[2] They were sent for principally for their reputation in mural assaults, the long continuance of the siege seeming to require men of ability in that kind, whereby they might perhaps have gotten the place by force.

[3] And upon this journey grew the first manifest dissension between the Lacedaemonians and the Athenians. For the Lacedaemonians, when they could not take the place by assault, fearing lest the audacious and innovating humour of the Athenians, whom withal they esteemed of a contrary race, might, at the persuasion of those in Ithome, cause some alteration if they stayed, dismissed them alone of all the confederates, not discovering their jealousy but alleging that they had no farther need of their service.

[4] But the Athenians, perceiving that they were not sent away upon good cause but only as men suspected, made it a heinous matter, and conceiving that they had better deserved at the Lacedaemonians' hands, as soon as they were gone left the league which they had made with the Lacedaemonians against the Persian and became confederates with their enemies the Argives; and then both Argives and Athenians took the same oath and made the same league with the Thessalians.

[1] The Lacedaemonians meanwhile finding the war against the rebels in Ithome likely to last, invoked the aid of their allies, and especially of the Athenians, who came in some force under the command of Cimon.

[2] The reason for this pressing summons lay in their reputed skill in siege operations; a long siege had taught the Lacedaemonians their own deficiency in this art, else they would have taken the place by assault.

[3] The first open quarrel between the Lacedaemonians and Athenians arose out of this expedition. The Lacedaemonians, when assault failed to take the place, apprehensive of the enterprising and revolutionary character of the Athenians, and further looking upon them as of alien extraction, began to fear that if they remained, they might be tempted by the besieged in Ithome to attempt some political changes. They accordingly dismissed them alone of the allies, without declaring their suspicions, but merely saying that they had now no need of them.

[4] But the Athenians, aware that their dismissal did not proceed from the more honorable reason of the two, but from suspicions which had been conceived, went away deeply offended, and conscious of having done nothing to merit such treatment from the Lacedaemonians; and the instant that they returned home they broke off the alliance which had been made against the Mede , and allied themselves with Sparta 's enemy Argos ; each of the contracting parties taking the same oaths and making the same alliance with the Thessalians.

Als sich der Krieg gegen Jthome in die Länge zog,
riefen die Lakedämonier Bundesgenossen zu Hilfe, namentlich
auch die Athener, die dann auch mit einem ansehnlichen Heere
unter Kimons Befehl erschienen. Sie hatten sie hauptsächlich
gerufen, weil sie im Festungskriege für besonders erfahren
galten. Da aber die Belagerung so lange dauerte, schien es
ihnen damit nicht allzuviel auf sich zu haben; sonst hätten sie
das Nest doch bezwingen müssen. Erst seit diesem Feldzuge trat
die Verstimmung zwischen den Athenern und den Lakedämoniern
auch äußerlich zutage. Da man den Platz nicht nehmen konnte,
fürchteten die Lakedämonier bei der kecken und sprunghaften
Politik der Athener, zumal sie nicht mit ihres Stammes waren,
sie könnten sich bei längerem Bleiben zur Veränderung wohl
gar mit den Messeniern in Jthome einlassen, und schickten sie,
und zwar sie allein unter allen Bundesgenossen, wieder nach
Hause. Ihren Verdacht ließen sie dabei nicht durchblicken,
sondern erklärten einfach, daß sie ihrer Hilfe nicht weiter be­
dürften. Die Athener aber, weit entfernt zu glauben, daß es
damit so böse nicht gemeint gewesen sei, merkten recht gut,
daß sie nur deshalb weggeschickt wurden, weil man ihnen nicht
traute, waren darüber empört und nicht gewillt, sich eine solche
Behandlung von den Lakedämoniern gefallen zu lassen. Auch
sagten sie sich gleich nach der Rückkunft von dem noch seit den
Perserkriegen bestehenden Bündnis mit den Lakedämoniern los
und schlossen mit deren Feinden, den Argeiern, ein Bündnis,
dem dann als Dritte auch die Thessaler beitraten.

CII. Les Lacédémoniens, voyant se prolonger la guerre contre les révoltés d’Ithome, eurent recours à leurs alliés et aux Athéniens. Ces derniers vinrent en grand nombre, sous les ordres de Cimon. On les avait appelés surtout à cause de leur réputation d’habileté dans l’art des siéges ; mais, les opérations ayant continué à traîner en longueur, cette habileté parut en défaut ; car ils auraient dû emporter la place. C’est à propos de cette expédition que se manifesta pour la première fois la mésintelligence entre les Lacédémoniens et les Athéniens. Les Lacédémoniens, voyant que la ville n'était pas enlevée de vive force, s’inquiétèrent de l’audace et de l’esprit remuant des Athéniens ¹ ; ils les regardaient comme d’une autre race qu’eux et craignaient, si leur séjour devant Ithome se prolongeait, que leur fidélité ne fût pas à l’abri des suggestions des assiégés. Aussi, de tous leurs alliés, ils congédièrent les Athéniens seuls, sous prétexte qu’ils n’avaient plus besoin d’eux ; mais sans leur témoigner cependant aucun soupçon. Néanmoins, les Athéniens comprirent que le prétexte assigné à leur renvoi n’était pas sérieux et qu’il était survenu quelque défiance. Ils s’indignèrent et résolurent de ne point tolérer une pareille offense de la part des Lacédémoniens. Dès qu’ils se furent retirés, ils renoncèrent à l’alliance contractée avec eux contre les Mèdes, et en formèrent une nouvelle avec les Argiens, ennemis de Lacédémone ² . Les Thessaliens entrèrent aussi dans la même ligue et se lièrent à chacun des deux peuples par les mêmes serments.

Les Lacédémoniens, voyant se prolonger la guerre contre les insurgés d’Ithome, réclamèrent l’assistance de leurs alliés et notamment des Athéniens; ceux-ci vinrent en grand nombre sous la conduite de Cimon. Ce qui les avait fait appeler, c’était leur réputation d’habileté dans la tactique obsidionale. Mais comme, malgré leur présence, le siège n’avançait pas, cette habileté parut en défaut; avec plus de vigueur, ils auraient dit emporter la place. C’est à 'la suite de cette campagne que les Lacédémoniens et les Athéniens commencèrent à se brouiller ouvertement. Le siège traînant en longueur, les Lacédémoniens appréhendèrent la turbulence et l’audace des Athéniens, qu’ils regardaient d’ailleurs comme d’une race étrangère ; ils craignirent qu’en restant devant Ithome, ils ne finissent par prêter l’oreille aux suggestions des assiégés et par opérer quelque révolution. Aussi les congédièrent-ils seuls de leurs alliés, sous prétexte qu’ils n’avaient plus besoin d’eux, sans toutefois leur témoigner aucune défiance. Les Athéniens sentirent qu’on les renvoyait sans leur donner le véritable motif, et que l’on avait conçu contre eux quelque soupçon. Indignés de cette, offense gratuite, à peine furent-ils de retour dans leurs foyers que, brisant l’alliance conclue avec Lacédémone contre les Mèdes, ils se liguèrent avec les Argiens ses ennemis. Les deux peuples s’unirent également aux Thessaliens par des serments et par une convention.

[1] The Lacedaemonians, on the other hand, when their war with the rebels on Ithome proved a long affair, appealed to their allies in general and especially to the Athenians, who came with a considerable force under the command of Cimon.

[2] The principal reason why an appeal was made to them was that they were reputed to be skilful in siege operations, whereas the long continuance of the siege showed their own deficiency in this respect; for otherwise they would have taken the place by assault.

[3] And it was in consequence of this expedition that a lack of harmony in the relations of the Lacedaemonians and the Athenians first became manifest. For the Lacedaemonians, when they failed to take the place by storm, fearing the audacity and the fickleness of the Athenians, whom they regarded, besides, as men of another race, thought that, if they remained, they might be persuaded by the rebels on Ithome to change sides; they therefore dismissed them, alone of the allies, without giving any indication of their suspicion, but merely saying that they had no further need of them.

[4] The Athenians, however, recognized that they were not being sent away on the more creditable ground, but because some suspicion had arisen; so because they felt indignant and considered that they had not deserved such treatment at the hands of the Lacedaemonians, the instant they returned home they gave up the alliance which they had made with the Lacedaemonians against the Persians and became allies of their enemies, the Argives. And an alliance at the same time, on the same terms and confirmed by the same oaths, was concluded by both the Athenians and the Argives with the Thessalians.

[1] The Lacedaemonians, when they found the war against those in Ithome prolonged, called other allies to their aid, and the Athenians also; who went under the command of Cimon with no small force.

[2] They asked their aid, because they were considered to be skilful in conducting sieges: whereas in themselves, from the siege having been so protracted, there seemed to be a deficiency of this skill; for else they would have taken the place by assault.

[3] It was from this expedition that the first open quarrel arose between the Lacedaemonians and Athenians. For the Lacedaemonians, when the place was not taken by storm, fearing the boldness and innovating spirit of the Athenians—and moreover considering that they were of a different race from themselves—lest, if they remained, they might at the persuasion of those in Ithome attempt some revolution, dismissed them alone of all the allies; not letting their suspicion appear, but saying that they were no longer in any need of them.

[4] The Athenians, however, knew that they were dismissed, not on the more creditable reason assigned, but from some suspicion having arisen: and considering it hard usage, and not thinking that they deserved to be so treated by the Lacedaemonians, immediately on their return they broke off the alliance which they had made with them against the Mede, and became allies of the Argives, their enemies. The same oaths also were taken, and the same alliance made by both with the Thessalians.

[1] Lacedaemonii vero, ut bellum adversus eos, qui Ithomae erant, producebatur, cum alios socios tum etiam Athenienses auxilio vocaverunt Illi vero, Cimone duce, cum non exiguis copiis venerunt;

[2] potissimum autem illos evocarant, quod ad murorum oppugnationem idonei esse videbantur. Quum autem ipsis longa existeret ob*idio, parum satisfaciebat iis ars illa; vi enim locum expugnassent.

[3] Et ob hanc expeditionem dissensio tunc primum inter Lacedaemonios et Athenienses apparuit manifesti. Lacedaemonii enim, quum oppidum per vim non caperetur, npelueu-tes Atheniensium audaciam, et ingenium ad res novandas promptum, simul etiam illos alienigenas esse rati, ne quid novi, si diutius mansissent, ab iis, qui llhomae erant, im pulsi molirentur, solos eos ex sociis dimiserunt, suspicionem quidem nullam aperientes, sed se illorum auxiliis non amplius indigere dicentes.

[4] Athenienses vero intellexerunt, se non bona de causa, sed aliqua suspicione orta dimitti. Quare rem atrocem et minime ferendam judicantes, statim simul ac domum redieruut, relicta societate, quam cum illis contra Medum contraxerant, novam cum Argivis illorum hostibus inierunt; simul etiam utrique, adhibito jurejurando, iisdem conditionibus societatem cum Thessalis fecerunt.

[1] Diesen Grundsätzen, die wir von unsern Vätern überkommen und selber stets bewährt erfunden haben, lasst uns nicht ungetreu werden und nicht binnen weniger Stunden über so viel Menschenleben und Eigenthum, über Staatenglück und Ehre einen übereilten Beschluss fassen, sondern uns Zeit nehmen. Wir haben den Vortheil der Macht, um nichts zu versäumen. Nach Athen also sendet wegen Potidäas und wegen der Beschwerden der Bundesgenossen, besonders da sie eine gerichtliche Entscheidung nicht ablehnen. Wer diese anbietet, den hat man kein Recht als bereits Verurtheilten anzugreifen. Aber zugleich rüstet euch auch zum Kriege. Dies ist das Beste, was ihr beschliessen könnt, und wird bei dem Feind am meisten Eindruck machen.

I Lacedemoni poi, vedendo andare in lungo la guerra con quei d'Itome, chiamarono tra gli altri alleati auche gli Ateniesi, attesa principalmente la fama del loro valore nell' espugnare le mura, i quali vi andarono m buon numero condotti da Cimone. Nondimeno, per la lunghezza dell1 assedio, la loro bravura appariva minore dalla rinomanza; avvegnaché avrebbero altrimenti preso a viva forza la piazza. Laonde questa spedizione originò i primi manifesti disgusti tra Lacedemoni ed Ateniesi. Imperciocché i Lacedemoni, dacché non riusciva loro l7 espugnazione di quella , insospettirono dell’ audacia e dell’ amor per le cose nuove degli Ateniesi, tanto più che gli riguardavano come d'altra nazione : e temendo che continuando a trattencrvisi , non fossero indotti da quei d’Itome a tentar novità, congedarono essi soli tra gli alleati, senza dichiarare il proprio sospetto, e solo dicendo non averne più bisogno. Conobbero gli Ate niesi di non esser congedati per onesta cagione , ma esser nato qualche sospetto : se ne adontarono, e stimando non aver meritato si inonesto trattamento dai Lacedemoni, tornati appena alla patria abbandonarono la lega fatta con essi contro il Medo , entrarono in alleanza con gli Argivi nemici di quelli , ed entrambi strinsero e giurarono confederazione coi Tessali.