Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.130

[1] Pausanias having received these letters, whereas he was before in great authority for his conduct at Plataea, became now many degrees more elevated and endured no more to live after the accustomed manner of his country but went apparelled at Byzantium after the fashion of Persia, and when he went through Thrace, had a guard of Medes and Egyptians, and his table likewise after the Persian manner. Nor was he able to conceal his purpose, but in trifles made apparent beforehand the greater matters he had conceived of the future.

[2] He became moreover difficult of access, and would be in such choleric passions toward all men indifferently that no man might endure to approach him, which was also none of the least causes why the confederates turned from him to the Athenians.

[1] Before held in high honor by the Hellenes as the hero of Plataea , Pausanias, after the receipt of this letter, became prouder than ever, and could no longer live in the usual style, but went out of Byzantium in a Median dress, was attended on his march through Thrace by a bodyguard of Medes and Egyptians, kept a Persian table, and was quite unable to contain his intentions, but betrayed by his conduct in trifles what his ambition looked one day to enact on a grander scale.

[2] He also made himself difficult of access, and displayed so violent a temper to every one without exception that no one could come near him. Indeed, this was the principal reason why the confederacy went over to the Athenians.

Pausanias, der schon vorher als Oberbefehlshaber bei
Platää als großer Herr aufgetreten war, überhob sich nach
Empfang dieses Schreibens erst recht; er meinte schon nicht
mehr nach Landessitte leben zu können, legte persische Kleidung
an, umgab sich nach dem Aufbruch von Byzanz auf dem Wege
durch Thrakien mit einer aus Persern und Ägyptern bestehenden
Leibwache, richtete seine Tafel persisch ein und vermochte auS
seiner Gesinnung so wenig Hehl zu machen, daß er schon da­
mals im kleinen verriet, wie er es später im großen treiben
würde. Nicht leicht erhielt man Zutritt bei ihm, und sein
hochfahrendes Benehmen gegen jedermann ohne Unterschied
machte jeden Verkehr mit ihm unmöglich. Hauptsächlich da­
durch wurden ja auch die Bundesgenossen den Athenern in
die Arme getrieben.

CXXX. Après la réception de cette lettre, Pausanias, qui déjà jouissait d’une grande considération chez les Grecs pour avoir commandé à Platée, conçut encore plus d’orgueil, et ne voulut plus s’en tenir aux moeurs de son pays : il sortait de Byzance en costume médique ; lorsqu’il traversait la Thrace, des Mèdes et des Égyptiens l’escortaient, armés de lances ; sa table était servie à la manière persique ; déjà il ne pouvait plus contenir sa pensée, et, dans de petites choses, il trahis- sait les grands desseins dont il méditait l’accomplissement. Il ne se laissait aborder que difficilement, et se montrait, avec tout le monde sans exception, d’une humeur si intraitable, que personne ne pouvait plus paraître devant lui. Ce ne fut pas là un des moindres motifs qui déterminèrent les alliés à passer aux Athéniens.

A la réception de cette lettre, Pausanias, déjà en grand renom parmi les Grecs à cause du commandement qu'il avait exercé à Platée, ne mit plus de bornes à son orgueil. Renonçant aux coutumes nationales, il sortit de Byzance en costume médique, et parcourut la Thrace avec une escorte de Mèdes et d’Égyptiens. Sa table était servie à la manière des Perses. Il n’avait plus la force de dissimuler ; mais, dans les choses de peu d’importance, il laissait entrevoir les grands desseins qu’il avait l’intention d’exécutçr dans la suite. Il se rendait inabordable, et affichait tant de hauteur et d’emportement que nul n’osait plus l’approcher. Ce ne fut pas un des moindres motifs qui déterminèrent les alliés à passer du côté des Athéniens.

[1] When Pausanias received this letter, although even before this he had been held in high consideration by the Hellenes because he had led them at Plataea, he was then far more elated and could no longer bring himself to live in the usual manner of his people, but clad himself in Persian apparel whenever he went forth from Byzantium, and when he travelled through Thrace a body-guard of Medes and Egyptians attended him; he had his table served in Persian style, and indeed could not conceal his real purpose, but by such trifling acts showed plainly what greater designs he purposed in his heart to accomplish thereafter.

[2] And so he made himself difficult of access, and indulged in such a violent temper towards everybody that no one could come near him; and this was one of the chief reasons why the allies went over to the Athenians.

[1] On the receipt of this letter, Pausanias, though he was even before held in high repute by the Greeks for his generalship at Plataea, was then much more exalted; and could no longer live in the ordinary style, but went out of Byzantium clothed in a Median dress; and when he went through Thrace, Medes and Egyptians formed his body-guard; and he had a Persian table laid for him, and could not conceal his purpose, but betrayed beforehand by trifling actions what he intended to practise in future on a larger scale.

[2] He also made himself difficult of access, and indulged such a violent temper towards all, that no one dared to approach him; and this was none of the least reasons why the confederates went over from him to the Athenians.

[1] His litteris Pausanias acceptis, quum magnam auctoritatem jam ante apud Graecos haberet, propter imperium ad Plataeas gestum, tunc longe majores spiritus sumpsit nec amplius consuetis institutis vivere poterat, sed cultu Medico ornatus prodiit Byzantio, ejusque per Thraciam euntis latera Medi et iEgyptii satellites armati stipabant,

[2] mensamque Persicam sibi apponi curabat, neque cogitationes suas amplius continere poterat, sed rebus levibus aperte prodebat, quae apud animum suum magnificentius in posterum agere destinabat. Praeterea se aditu difficilem praebebat, et iracundia adeo gravi in omnes pariter utebatur, ut nemo posset accedere. Quae res etiam non minima causa fuit, cur socii ad Atheniensium partes transirent.

[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.

Pausania, che per essere stato comandante a Platea era avuto anche di prima appresso i Greci in grandissima estimazione, allora tanto più insuperbì , nè sapeva più vivere dentro ai termini delle costumanze spartane : anzi diportandosi fuori di Bizanzio vestiva alla foggia dei Medi, e viaggiando per la Tracia lo corteggiavano guardie di Medi ed Egiziani armati di asta. Si faceva imbandir la mensa alla persesca, nè più sapeva contenere le sue intenzioni : e nei fatti stessi di minor conto mostrava sino d’allora la grandezza dei suoi disegni che a suo tempo meditava di effettuare. Erasi resa cosa difficile avere accesso a lui , usando egli con tutti indistintamente maniere cosi strane che nissuno poteva comparirgli innanzi ; ciò che mosse sopra tutto gli alleati ad accostarsi a parte ateniese.