Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.137

[1] Not long after came the Lacedaemonians and the Athenians; and though they alleged much to have him, yet he delivered him not but sent him away by land to Pydna upon the other sea (a city belonging to Alexander) because his purpose was to go to the king, where finding a ship bound for Ionia, he embarked and was carried by foul weather upon the fleet of the Athenians that besieged Naxos.

[2] Being afraid, he discovered to the master (for he was unknown) who he was and for what he fled, and said that unless he would save him, he meant to say that he had hired him to carry him away for money; and that to save him, there needed no more but this, to let none go out of the ship till the weather served to be gone; to which if he consented, he would not forget to requite him according to his merit. The master did so; and having lain a day and a night at sea upon the fleet of the Athenians, he arrived afterward at Ephesus.

[3] And Themistocles having liberally rewarded him with money (for he received there both what was sent him from his friends at Athens and also what he had put out at Argos), he took his journey upwards in company of a certain Persian of the low countries and sent letters to the king Artaxerxes, the son of 137erxes, newly come to the kingdom, wherein was written to this purpose:

[4] I, Themistocles, am coming unto thee, who, of all the Grecians, as long as I was forced to resist thy father that invaded me, have done your house the maniest damages; yet the benefits I did him were more after once I with safety, he with danger, was to make retreat. And both a good turn is already due unto me, (writing here, how he had forewarned him of the Grecians' departure out of Salamis and ascribing the then not breaking of the bridge falsely unto himself) and at this time to do thee many other good services, I present myself, persecuted by the Grecians for thy friendship's sake. But I desire to have a year's respite that I may declare unto thee the cause of my coming myself.

[1] The king listened to him and raised him up with his son, as he was sitting with him in his arms after the most effectual method of supplication, and on the arrival of the Lacedaemonians not long afterwards, refused to give him up for anything they could say, but sent him off by land to the other sea to Pydna in Alexander's dominions, as he wished to go to the Persian king.

[2] There he met with a merchantman on the point of starting for Ionia . Going on board, he was carried by a storm to the Athenian squadron which was blockading Naxos . In his alarm—he was luckily unknown to the people in the vessel—he told the master who he was and what he was flying for, and said that, if he refused to save him, he would declare that he was taking him for a bribe. Meanwhile their safety consisted in letting no one leave the ship until a favorable time for sailing should arise. If he complied with his wishes, he promised him a proper recompense. The master acted as he desired, and, after lying to for a day a night out of the reach of the squadron, at length arrived at Ephesus .

[3] After having rewarded him with a present of money, as soon as he received some from his friends at Athens and from his secret hoards at Argos , Themistocles started inland with one of the Coast-Persians, and sent a letter to King Artaxerxes, Xerxes' son, who had just come to the throne.

[4] Its contents were as follows: ‘I, Themistocles, am come to you, who did your house more harm than any of the Hellenes, when I was compelled to defend myself against your father's invasion,—harm, however, far surpassed by the good that I did him during his retreat, which brought no danger for me but much for him. For the past, you are a good turn in my debt,’—here he mentioned the warning sent to Xerxes from Salamis to retreat, as well as his finding the bridges unbroken, which, as he falsely pretended, was due to him,—‘for the present, able to do you great service, I am here, pursued by the Hellenes for my friendship for you. However, I desire a year's grace, when I shall be able to declare in person the objects of my coming.’

Hierauf hieß AdmetoS ihn vom Herde aufstehen mit
feinem Sohne, den er als daS wirksamste Mittel, sich seinem
Schutze zu empfehlen, noch immer auf dem Arme hatte. Und
alS bald nachher die Lakedämonier und Athener kamen und
ihm gewaltig in den Ohren lagen, lieferte er ihn ihnen nicht
auS, sondern ließ ihn, weil er zum Könige wollte, über Land
an die andere Küste nach Pydna, der Hauptstadt Alexanders,
geleiten. Hier traf er ein Lastschiff, daS grade nach Jonien
abgehen wollte, auf welchem er sich einschiffte, mit dem er
dann aber an die athenische Flotte vor NaxoS verschlagen
wurde. Bis dahin wußte niemand an Bord, wer er war.
Jetzt aber in seiner Besorgnis teilte er dem Schiffer mit, wer
er wäre und weshalb er verfolgt werde. Zugleich drohte er
ihm, wenn er ihm nicht durchhülfe, würde er sagen, er habe
sich bestechen lassen, ihn mitzunehmen. Seine Sicherheit er­
fordere, daß niemand das Schiff verließe, bevor es weiterführe.
Würde er ihm aber zu Willen sein, so solle er zum Dank
auch eine gute Belohnung haben. Der Schiffer ging auch
darauf ein, blieb vierundzwanzig Stunden außer Bereich ders
Flotte in offener See vor Anker liegen und kam nahcher glück­
lich in Ephesos an. Zum Dank aber machte ihm Themistokles
ein ansehnliches Geldgeschenk. Inzwischen hatte er nämlich
von seinen Freunden aus Athen und Argos sein dort hinter­
legtes Geld erhalten. Mit einem Perser aus dem Westen des
Reiches machte er sich alsdann auf die Reise inS Innere und
richtete unterwegs an König Artaxerxes, den kürzlich zur Re­
gierung gelangten Sohn des Xerxes, ein Schreiben, das also
lautete: „Ich, Themistokles, komme jetzt hier zu Dir. Ich habe
eurem Hause mehr Schaden zugefügt als irgendein Grieche,
solange ich mich gegen die Angriffe Deines Vaters wehren
mußte, ihm aber noch weit mehr Gutes getan, sobald ich nichts
mehr von ihm zu befürchten, er aber die Gefahren des Rück­
zugs zu bestehen hatte, und dadurch habe ich Anspruch auf
Dank erworben." - Hier berief er sich darauf, daß er den
Rat zum Rückzüge von Salamis gegeben und den Abbruch der
Brücke verhindert habe, ein Verdienst, das er sich freilich ohne
Grund zuschrieb. - „Auch jetzt noch bin ich imstande, Dir
gute Dienste zu leisten, und zu Dir gekommen, weil man mich
in Griechenland als Deinen Freund verfolgt. Nach Jahres­
frist sollst Du von mir selbst hören, waS mich hergeführt hat."

CXXXVII. Lorsque les Lacédémoniens et les Athéniens arrivèrent, peu de temps après, il refusa de le livrer, malgré leurs pressantes sollicitations ¹ ; et, sur le désir qu’exprima Thémistocle de se rendre auprès du roi de Perse, il le fit conduire par terre jusqu’à Pydna, ville d’Alexandre ² , sur l’autre mer ³ . Il y trouva un bâtiment qui faisait voile pour l’Ionie, s’y embarqua et fut poussé par la tempête devant le camp des Athéniens qui assiégeaient Naxos. L’équipage ne le connaissait pas ; mais la crainte l’obligea à dire au commandant qui il était et les motifs de sa fuite. Il lui déclara que, s’il ne le sauvait pas, il le considérerait comme un traitre gagné à prix d’argent pour le livrer ; que le plus sûr était de ne laisser personne sortir du vaisseau, jusqu’à ce qu’on pût reprendre la mer ; qu’enfin, s’il consentait à lui rendre ce service, il n’oublierait pas de le reconnaître dignement. Le commandant accéda à sa demande ; il mouilla à distance, pendant un jour et une nuit, au-dessus du camp des Athéniens, et alla aborder à Éphèse. Thémistocle reconnut ce service par un présent en argent ; car ses amis lui envoyèrent par la suite, d’Athènes et d’Argos, les richesses qu’il y avait secrètement déposées. De là il s’avança vers l’intérieur, guidé parmi Perse de la côte, et envoya une lettre à Artaxerxès, fils de Xerxès, qui venait de monter sur le trône ⁴ . En voici le contenu : « Je suis Thémistocle ; je me rends près de toi ; j’ai fait à votre maison plus de mal qu’aucun des Grecs, tout le temps que j’ai été dans la nécessité de me défendre contre les attaques de ton père ; mais je lui ai fait beaucoup plus de bien encore dans sa retraite, lorsqu’il y avait sécurité pour moi et danger pour lui. J’ai donc droit à quelque reconnaissance. (Il rappelait ici qu’il avait prévenu Xerxès que les Grecs se préparaient à quitter Salamine ⁵ ; et que c’était lui qui, en faisant répandre faussement la nouvelle de la rupture des ponts, l’avait alors empêchée). Maintenant encore je puis, on venant à toi, te rendre de grands services, moi qui suis poursuivi par les Grecs pour l’amitié que je te porte. Je veux, dans un an, t’expliquer moi-même pourquoi je me rends auprès de toi. »

Admète releva Thémistocle, avec l’enfant qu'il continuait à tenir dans ses bras, ce qui était la supplication la plus éloquente. Bientôt survinrent les députés d’Athènes et de Lacédémone; mais malgré leurs instances, le roi refusa de le leur livrer; et, comme Thémistocle témoignait le désir de se rpndre auprès du roi de Perse, Admète le fit conduire par terre jusqu'à Pydna, ville d’Alexandre, située sur l’autre mer ¹ . Là, trouvant un vaisseau marchand en partance pour l’Ionie, Thémistocle s’y embarqua, et fut porté par une tempête vers le camp des Athéniens qui assiégeaient Naxos ² . Craignant de tomber entre leurs mains, et inconnu de l’équipage, il découvrit au patron du navire son nom et la cause de son exil; ajoutant que, s’il ne le sauvait pas, il l’accuserait de le conduire à prix d’argent; que le plus sûr était de ne laisser personne sortir du vaisseau jusqu’à ce qu’on pût reprendre la mer; qu’enfin, s’il consentait à le servir, il serait dignement récompensé. Le patron fit ce' que Thémistocle lui demandait, mouilla un jour et une nuit au-dessus du camp des Athéniens, après quoi il atteignit Ëphèse. Thémistocle le gratifia d’une somme d’argent; car il en reçut d’Athènes, d’où ses amis lui en firent passer, et d’Argos où il en avait en dépôt.

Après avoir gagné la haute Asie avec un des Perses de la côte, il écrivit au roi Artaxerxès, fils de Xerxès, monté depuis peu sur le trône, une lettre ainsi conçue :

«Mon nom est Thémistocle. Je viens à toi, après avoir fait plus de mal qu’aucun des Grecs à votre maison, aussi longtemps que j’ai dû repousser les attaques de ton père ; mais je lui ai fait encore plus de bien, lorsque je n’eus plus rien à craindre et qu’il fut lui-même en péril pour sa retraite. Aussi ai-je droit à quelque reconnaissance (c’était une allusion à l’avertissement qu’il avait donné au roi sur le départ des Grecs de Salamine, et au service qu’il lui avait soi-disant rendu en empêchant la rupture des ponts). C’est avec le pouvoir de te servir plus efficacement encore que je viens ici. victime de mon amitié pour toi. Je désire attendre un an pour te communiquer de vive voix les motifs de ma venue. »

[1] Admetus, hearing this, raised him up, together with his own son, even as he still sat holding him, this being the most potent form of supplication. And when, not long afterwards, the Athenians and Lacedaemonians came and made urgent demands for him, Admetus would not give him up, but, since he wished to go to the King, gave him an escort overland to Pydna on the other ¹ sea, the capital of Alexander. ²

[2] There he found a merchant vessel putting off for Ionia, and going on board was driven by a storm to the station of the Athenian fleet which was blockading Naxos. Themistocles became afraid and told the captain who he was (for he was unknown to those on board) and why he was in flight, adding that if he did not save him he would tell the Athenians that he had been bribed to give him passage; their only chance for safety, he explained, was that no one be allowed to leave the ship until the voyage could be resumed, and he promised that if he complied with his request he would make a fitting return for the favour. The captain did as he was bidden, and after riding out the gale for a day and a night just outside the Athenian station, duly arrived at Ephesus.

[3] And Themistocles rewarded him handsomely with a gift of money (for he soon received from his friends in Athens and from Argos the funds which he had deposited for safekeeping); then proceeding into the interior with one of the Persians who dwelt on the coast, he sent on a letter to King Artaxerxes son of Xerxes, who had lately come to the throne.

[4] And the letter ran as follows: " I, Themistocles, am come to you, who of all Hellenes did your house most harm so long as your father assailed me and I was constrained to defend myself, but still greater good by far when, his retreat being in progress, I was in security and he in dire peril. And there is a kindness due to me (here he related the timely warning to retreat given at Salamis, and the failure of the Hellenic fleet to destroy the bridges at that time, ³ which he falsely claimed to have been due to his own efforts), and now I am here, having it in my power to do you great good, being pursued by the Hellenes on account of my friendship to you; and my desire is to wait a year and then in person explain to you that for which I am come."

[1] And when the Athenians and Lacedaemonians came no long time after, he did not give him up; but as he wished to go to the king, sent him by land to the other sea, to Pydna, which was in Alexander's dominions. There he found a merchant vessel putting to sea for Ionia, and having gone on board, was carried by a storm to the armament of the Athenians, that was blockading Naxos.

[2] In his fear he told the master who he was, (for he was unknown to those in the vessel,) and on what account he was flying; and said, that if he did not save him, he would declare that he was taking him for a pecuniary consideration; that their only hope of safety lay in no one's leaving the vessel till the voyage could be continued; and that if he complied with his request, he would remember him with becoming gratitude. The master did so; and after lying out at sea off the naval encampment a day and a night, subsequently arrived at Ephesus.

[3] And Themistocles rewarded him by a present of money (for there came to him afterwards money from Athens, sent by his friends, and from Argos that which had been secretly laid up there): and having gone up the country with one of the Persians on the coast, he sent a letter to king Artaxerxes, the son of Xerxes, who was lately come to the throne. The purport of the letter was this:

[4] (he mentioned his sending to him from Salamis previous information of the retreat of the Greeks, and the non-destruction of the bridges at that time through his instrumentality, to which he falsely laid claim;)

[1] Ille vero his auditis, eum cum suo filio, ut illum tenens sedebat, surgere jussit; hoc autem maximam erat supplicandi genus; et non multo post quum Lacedaemonii et Athenienses advenissent et longa oratione usi essent , eum non prodidit sed dimisit, quum ad Regem pergere vellet, itinere pedestri ad alterum mare, ad urbem Pydnam, quae erat Alexandri.

[2] Ubi navem onerariam nactus, quae in Ioniam proficiscebatur, eam conscendit, et tempestate delatas est in castra Atheniensium, qui Naxum obsidebant. Et (ignotus enim erat iis, qui in navi vehebantur) territus nauclero declaravit, quis esset, et qua de causa fugeret, et nisi se servaret, se dixit professurum, se ab eo pecuniis adducto duci; periculum aotem vitari posse, si nullus ex navi exiret, donec idonea navigandi tempestas sese ipsis of- ferret; quod si sibi morem gessisset, dixit se memori animo pro meriti magnitudine gratiam ei relaturum. Nauclero· haec fecit, et quum diem ac noctem ad ancoras in salo stetis· set supra castra, postea Ephesum pervenit.

[3] Themistocles vero eum liberaliter est prosecutus, pecunias ei largitus (postea enim pecuniae ad eum venerunt et Athenis ab amicis missae, et Argis eae, quae depositae erant), et curo quodam illorum Persarum, qui ad oram maritimam versabantur, in loca superiora profectus, Kteras misit ad regero Artaxerxem, Xerxis filium, qui nuper regnare coeperat.

[4] Hoc autem in illis literis erat scriptum : « Themistocles ad te advenio, qui ex omnibus Graecis unus vestram familiam plurimis affeci malis, quamdiu necessitate compulsus patrem tuum, qui mihi bellum inferebat, propulsabam, sed longe pluribus etiam beneficiis, postquam mihi quidem tuta, illi vero periculosa reversio erat. Et beneficiam mihi debetur; (scripserat autem quomodo et ante monuisset de receptu ex Salamine, et de pontibus tunc sua opera non solutis, quo· solutum iri falso simulaverat) et nunc ego, qui magnis be. neficiis te afficere possum, adsum, quem Graeci persequuntur propter benevolentiam tuam. Anno autem supersedens, ipse coram adventus mei causam tibi declarare volo. »

[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.

Arrivarono poco dopo i messaggeri lacedemoni ed ateniesi, i quali con tutto che molto ne richiedessero Admeto , egli non consegnò loro Temistocle : anzi , sentendo che bramava di trasferirsi al re, lo fece accompagnare per la via di terra all’ altro lato del mare sino a Pidna città soggetta ad Alessandro. Ivi trovata una nave da carico pronta a far vela per la Ionia, imbarca ; e dalla tempesta fu spinto vicino al campo degli Ateniesi che era all’assedio di Nasso. Nessuno di quei che erano nella nave lo conosceva; ma costretto dal timore manifesta al piloto chi egli sia , e per qual cagione si trovi esule : ed aggiunge che, se non lo salvasse, direbbe agli Ateniesi lui medesimo essere quel che lo trafugava , corrotto per denaro ; nò vedere altra via di salvezza che vietar ad ognuno di sbarcare , sino a che il mare non si abbonacciasse per ripigliare il cammino : se ciò facesse, si sarebbe egli ricordato di lui conforme meritava. Il piloto acchetovvisi, e dopo aver resistito alla tempesta un giorno ed una notte , colla nave all’ ancora, sopra il campo degli Ateniesi, giunge finalmente ad Efeso : e da Temistocle fu presentato con denaro pervenutogli per mezzo dei suoi amici da Atene e da Argo , ove nascosamente lo aveva depositato. Avanzatosi poscia nell’ interno del paese con uno di quei persiani che abitavano le coste , scrive una lettera al re Artaserse figliolo di Serse poco fa succeduto al trono, in questo tenore, « Io Temistocle che più di tutti gli altri Greci apportai danni alla tua casa , tutto quel tempo che fui astretto a far fronte alle invasioni di tuo padre, ricorro ora a te. Nondimeno benefizii assai maggiori feci a lui, da che io cominciai ad essere in sicuro, ed egli in pericolo per la ritirata, e sono però creditore di benefizio ». Ciò diceva perchè lo aveva per tempo fatto consapevole che i Greci avevano risoluto di ritirarsi da Salamina, e perchè per opra sua, come ingannevolmente si attribuiva , non era stato disfatto il ponte, « Ora poi perseguitato dai Greci a cagione della tua amicizia, mi trovo qui avendo in mano di poterti moltissimo giovare. Ma voglio prima soprassedere un anno, e poi dichiararti in persona il motivo della mia venuta ».