Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.58

[1] The Potidaeans having sent ambassadors to Athens to try if they could persuade the people not to make any alteration amongst them, by other ambassadors, whom they sent along with the ambassadors of Corinth to Lacedaemon, dealt with the Lacedaemonians at the same time, if need required, to be ready to revenge their quarrel. When after long solicitation at Athens and no good done, the fleet was sent away against them no less than against Macedonia, and when the magistrates of Lacedaemon had promised them if the Athenians went to Potidaea, to invade Attica, then at last they revolted, and together with them the Chalcideans and Bottiaeans, all mutually sworn in the same conspiracy.

[2] For Perdiccas had also persuaded the Chalcideans to abandon and pull down their maritime towns and to go up and dwell at Olynthus and that one city to make strong, and unto those that removed gave part of his own and part of the territory of Mygdonia, about the lake Bolbe, to live on so long as the war against the Athenians should continue. So when they had demolished their cities and were gone up higher into the country, they prepared themselves to the war.

[1] Meanwhile the Potidaeans sent envoys to Athens on the chance of persuading them to take no new steps in their matters; they also went to Lacedaemon with the Corinthians to secure support in case of need. Failing after prolonged negotiation to obtain anything satisfactory from the Athenians; being unable, for all they could say, to prevent the vessels that were destined for Macedonia from also sailing against them; and receiving from the Lacedaemonian government a promise to invade Attica , if the Athenians should attack Potidaea , the Potidaeans, thus favoured by the moment, at last entered into league with the Chalcidians and Bottiaeans, and revolted.

[2] And Perdiccas induced the Chalcidians to abandon and demolish their towns on the seaboard, and settling inland at Olynthus , to make that one city a strong place: meanwhile to those who followed his advice he gave a part of his territory in Mygdonia round Lake Bolbe as a place of abode while the war against the Athenians should last. They accordingly demolished their towns, removed inland, and prepared for war.

Die Potidäer aber schickten Gesandte an die Athener,
um sie womöglich zu bewegen, von den neuerdings gegen sie
beschlossenen Maßregeln Abstand zu nehmen; indessen wandten
sie sich in Verbindung mit Korinth auch nach Lakedämon, um
sich dort für alle Fälle nach Beistand umzusehet. Da sie in
Athen auch nach längeren Verhandlungen nichts erreichten
und die nach Makedonien gehenden Schiffe nun doch zugleich
auch gegen sie bestimmt wurden, die lakedämonische Regierung
aber ihnen für den Fall eines Angriffs der Athener auf Poti­
däa einen Einfall nach Attika in Aussicht stellte, hielten sie
es jetzt für an der Zeit, mit den Chalkidiern und Bottiaiern,
die sich zu dem Ende mit ihnen verbunden hatten, von Athen
abzufallen. Perdikkas aber überredete die Chalkidier, ihre
Städte an der See aufzugeben und zu zerstören und sich weiter
landeinwärts in Olynth anzusiedeln nnd nur dies zu einer
festen Stadt zu machen. Auch räumte er den abziehenden
Einwohnern für die Dauer des Krieges mit den Athenern ein
Stück der ihm gehörenden Landschaft Mygdonia am See Bolbe
zur Benutzung ein. Diese zerstörten auch ihre Städte, siedelten
sich weiter landeinwärts an und rüsteten zum Kriege.

LVIII. Les Potidéates envoyèrent une députation à Athènes pour obtenir qu’il ne fût rien innové à leur égard. Mais en même temps ils se rendirent à Lacédémone, assistés des Corinthiens, pour s’y ménager des secours en cas de besoin. Voyant qu’après de longues démarches ils n’avaient rencontré à Athènes aucune disposition favorable, et que la flotte dirigée contre les Macédoniens devait aussi agir contre eux, forts d’ailleurs des promesses que leur avaient faites les magis- trats lacédémoniens d’envahir l’Attique, si les Athéniens attaquaient Potidée, ils profitèrent de l’occasion et rompirent avec Athènes, de concert avec les Chalcidéens et les Bottiéens auxquels ils s’unirent par un traité. Perdiccas persuada aux Chalcidéens d’aban- donner les places maritimes et de les détruire ; puis de s’établir à Olynthe ¹ , et de se borner à cette seule ville en la fortifiant. A ceux qui quittaient ainsi leurs foyers il abandonna, pour tout le temps de la guerre contre les Athéniens, une partie de ses domaines en Mygdonie, aux environs du lac Bolbé. Ils rasèrent leurs villes, émigrèrent vers l’intérieur, et se préparèrent à la guerre.

Les Potidéates envoyèrent une ambassade à Athènes pour obtenir qu’on ne prît pas de mesures nouvelles à leur égard. Ils députèrent aussi à Lacédémone, concurremment avec les

Corinthiens, afin de s’y ménager des secours à tout événement. Mais, lorsqu’ils eurent reconnu l’inutilité de leurs longues démarches à Athènes, qu’ils virent diriger aussi contre eux la flotte destinée pour la Macédoine, qu’enfin les autorités de Lacédémone leur eurent promis d’envahir l’Attique, si Potidée était attaquée par les Athéniens, alors croyant l’instant propice, ils s’empressèrent de former une ligue avec les Chalcidéens et les Bottiéens et de se mettre en révolte ouverte. Perdiccas persuada aux Chalcidéens d’abandonner leurs villes maritimes, de les détruire et d’aller s’établir loin de la mer, à Olynthe, dont ils feraient leur place d’armes. A ces émigrants il donna, pour toute la durée de la guerre avec les Athéniens, la jouissance de terres à lui appartenant, et situées en Mygdonie, aux environs du lac Bolbé ¹ . Ces peuples donc détruisirent leurs villes, se retirèrent dans l’intérieur et se préparèrent à la guerre.

[1] The Potidaeans, on the other hand, sent envoys to Atlens, to see if they could persuade them not to take any harsh measures with reference to themselves; but envoys of theirs went also to Lacedaemon in the company of the Corinthians, with the object of having assistance ready to hand in case of need. From the Athenians, with whom they carried on protracted negotiation, they obtained no satisfactory result, but on the contrary the ships destined to attack Macedonia proceeded to sail against themselves as well, whereas the magistrates of the Lacedaemonians promised them to invade Attica if the Athenians went against Potidaea; so they seized this opportunity and revolted. entering into a formal alliance with the Chalcidians ¹ and Bottiaeans.

[2] Perdiccas at the same time per suaded the Chalcidians to abandon and pull dowr their cities on the sea-coast and settle inland at Olynthus, making there a single strong city; and he gave them, when they abandoned their cities, a part of his own territory of Mygdonia around Lake Bolbe to cultivate as long as they should be at war with the Athenians. And so they proceeded to dismantle their cities, move inland, and prepare for war.

[1] Now the Potidaeans sent ambassadors to the Athenians, to try if by any means they might persuade them to adopt no new measures against them; and went also to Lacedaemon in company with the Corinthians, to provide themselves with assistance, should it be necessary; and when, after long negotiating, they obtained no favourable answer from the Athenians, but the ships commissioned against Macedonia were sailing just as much against them and when the authorities at Lacedaemon promised them, that should the Athenians go against Potidaea, they would make an incursion into Attica; then indeed, at that favourable moment, they revolted with the Chalcidians and Bottiaeans, having entered into a league together.

[2] And Perdiccas persuaded the Chalcidians to abandon and throw down their cities on the sea, and remove inland to Olynthus, and make that one city a place of strength for themselves. And to those who abandoned them he gave a part of his own territory in Mygdonia, round lake Bolbe, to enjoy as long as the war with the Athenians lasted. And so, throwing down their cities, they removed inland, and prepared for war.

[1] At Potidaeatae, missis ad Athenienses legatis, si forte ipsis persuadere possent, ne quid novi de se statuerent, Lacedaemonem etiam cum Corinthiis profecti [agebant], ut, si foret opus, auxilium sibi pararent, quando opera diu consumpta nihil pacati ab Atheniensibus impetrare potuerant , sed naves in Macedoniam et in se pariter veniebant, et summi magistratus Lacedaemoniorum ipsis promiserant, se, si Athenienses contra Potidaeam irent, in Atticam irrupturos, tunc demum cum Chalcidensibus et Bottiaeis communiter conjurati deficiunt.

[2] Perdiccas quoque Chalcidensibus persuasit, ut relictis et excisis urbibus maritimis commigrarent Olynthum, et hanc unam sibi urbem firmam facerent; atque illis qui pristinas suae patriae sedes relinquebant, agri sui Mydonii partem circa paludem Bolben dedit incolendam, quamdiu bellum contra Athenienses duraret. Atque illi quidem urbes demoliti in loca mediterranea commigrabant, et ad bellum se parabant;

I Potideati inviarono legati ad Atene per indurli a non far innovazioni intorno a loro, ed andarono insieme coi Corintii anche a Sparta, e si adopravano perchè, occorrendo , vi si tenesse pronto un sussidio. Or siccome dopo lungo deliberare non ottenevano dagli Ateniesi cosa alcuna che loro soddisfacesse, anzi le navi spedite contro la Macedonia andavano egualmente che prima contro di loro ; e dall’altra parte i magistrati di Sparta avevano promessodi invader l’Attica se gli Ateniesi andavano sopra Potidea, colta allora quest’ occasione e congiuntisi insieme co’ Calcidesi e co’Bottiesi si ribellano dagli Ateniesi. E Perdicca persuade i Calcidesi ad abbandonare e rovinare le città marittime, trasferirsi ad Olinto, e fortificar solo questa città : ed a quei che le città proprie abbandonavano, diede a possedere, finché durasse la guerra con gli Ateblesi, parte del suo territorio e del Migdonio, che è in« tomo alla palude Bolba. Essi passarono ad abitare più dentro terra, distruggendo le città, e si apparecchiavano alla guerra.