Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Adolf Wahrmund (Translator), 2.12

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Nach dieser Rede hob Archidamos die Versammlung auf
und sandte zuerst den Melesippos, des Diakritos Sohn, einen
spartanischen Bürger, nach Athen, ob vielleicht jetzt die Athener gelindere
Saiten aufzögen, da sie den Feind im Anzüge sahen. Diese aber
ließen ihn weder in die Stadt, noch durfte er öffentlich auftreten;
den schon war ein Antrag des .Perikles durchgegangen, von Seiten
der Lakedämonier, wenn sie einmal im Felde stünden, weder mehr
einen Herold noch eine Gesandtschaft anzunehmen. Sie schickten ihn
also ungehört zurück und schärften ihm ein, noch am selben Tags ihre
Gränze hinter den Rücken zu nehmen, und wollten die Lakedämonier
jemals wieder eine Gesandtschaft schicken, so möchten sie zuvor erst
auf ihren eigenen Grund und Boden zurückgehen. Damit er mit
Niemanden zu reden komme, gaben sie dem Melesippos einige Männer
zum Geleite. Da dieser auf der Gränze angekommen war und sich
verabschieden wollte, sprach er nur die Worte: „Dieser Tag wird für
die Hellenen großen Uebels Anfang sein," und ging damit seiner Wege.
Als er aber in's Lager gekommen war, und Archidamos sah, daß die
Athener in Nichts nachgeben würden, so brach er auf und ließ das
Heer auf Jener Gebiet rücken. Die Böotier hatten ihren Truppen-
antheil und ihre Reiter zu den Peloponnesiern stoßen lassen, mit ihrer
übrigen Macht zogen sie vor Platäa und verwüsteten das Land.

History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides. Adolf Wahrmund (Translator). Stuttgart. 1864.

Current edition First1KGreek

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs (German) (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.)

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 2.12.1 focus

[1] τοσαῦτα εἰπὼν καὶ διαλύσας τὸν ξύλλογον ὁ Ἀρχίδαμος Μελήσιππον πρῶτον ἀποστέλλει ἐς τὰς Ἀθήνας τὸν Διακρίτου ἄνδρα Σπαρτιάτην, εἴ τι ἄρα μᾶλλον ἐνδοῖεν οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι ὁρῶντες σφᾶς ἤδη ἐν ὁδῷ ὄντας.

[2] οἱ δὲ οὐ προσεδέξαντο αὐτὸν ἐς τὴν πόλιν οὐδ’ ἐπὶ τὸ κοινόν· ἦν γὰρ Περικλέους γνώμη πρότερον νενικηκυῖα κήρυκα καὶ πρεσβείαν μὴ προσδέχεσθαι Λακεδαιμονίων ἐξεστρατευμένων· ἀποπέμπουσιν οὖν αὐτὸν πρὶν ἀκοῦσαι καὶ ἐκέλευον ἐκτὸς ὅρων εἶναι αὐθημερόν, τό τε λοιπὸν ἀναχωρήσαντας ἐπὶ τὰ σφέτερα αὐτῶν, ἤν τι βούλωνται, πρεσβεύεσθαι. ξυμπέμπουσί τε τῷ Μελησίππῳ ἀγωγούς, ὅπως μηδενὶ ξυγγένηται.

[3] ὁ δ’ ἐπειδὴ ἐπὶ τοῖς ὁρίοις ἐγένετο καὶ ἔμελλε διαλύσεσθαι, τοσόνδε εἰπὼν ἐπορεύετο ὅτι ‘ἥδε ἡ ἡμέρα τοῖς Ἕλλησι μεγάλων κακῶν ἄρξει.’

[4] ὡς δὲ ἀφίκετο ἐς τὸ στρατόπεδον καὶ ἔγνω ὁ Ἀρχίδαμος ὅτι οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι οὐδέν πω ἐνδώσουσιν, οὕτω δὴ ἄρας τῷ στρατῷ προυχώρει ἐς τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν.

[5] Βοιωτοὶ δὲ μέρος μὲν τὸ σφέτερον καὶ τοὺς ἱππέας παρείχοντο Πελοποννησίοις ξυστρατεύειν, τοῖς δὲ λειπομένοις ἐς Πλάταιαν ἐλθόντες τὴν γῆν ἐδῄουν.

Translations (10)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 2.12.1 focus

[1] Archidamus, having thus spoken and dismissed the council, first sent Melesippus the son of Diacritus, a man of Sparta, to Athens to try if the Athenians, seeing them now on their journey, would yet in some degree remit of their obstinacy.

[2] But the Athenians neither received him into their city nor presented him to the state; for the opinion of Pericles had already taken place, not to receive from the Lacedaemonians neither herald nor ambassador as long as their army was abroad. Therefore they sent him back without audience with commandment to be out of their borders the selfsame day, and that hereafter if they would anything with them, they should return everyone to his home and send their ambassadors from thence.

[3] They sent with him also certain persons to convoy him out of the country to the end that no man should confer with him, who, when he came to the limits and was to be dismissed, uttered these words, This day is the beginning of much evil unto the Grecians, and so departed.

[4] When he returned to the camp, Archidamus, perceiving that they would not relent, dislodged and marched on with his army into their territory.

[5] The Boeotians with their appointed part and with horsemen aided the Peloponnesians, but with the rest of their forces went and wasted the territory of Plataea.

History of the Peloponnesian War Perseus (Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Crawley, Richard, translator. London and Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.; New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1914.) — 2.12.1 focus

[1] With this brief speech dismissing the assembly, Archidamus first sent off Melesippus, son of Diacritus, a Spartan, to Athens , in case she should be more inclined to submit on seeing the Peloponnesians actually on the march.

[2] But the Athenians did not admit him into the city or to their assembly; Pericles having already carried a motion against admitting either herald or embassy from the Lacedaemonians after they had once marched out. The herald was accordingly sent away without an audience, and ordered to be beyond the frontier that same day; in future, if those who sent him had a proposition to make they must retire to their own territory before they dispatched embassies to Athens . An escort was sent with Melesippus to prevent his holding communication with any one.

[3] When he reached the frontier and was just going to be dismissed, he departed with these words: ‘This day will be the beginning of great misfortunes to the Hellenes.’

[4] As soon as he arrived at the camp, and Archidamus learnt that the Athenians had still no thoughts of submitting, he at length began his march, and advanced with his army into their territory.

[5] Meanwhile the Boeotians, sending their contingent and cavalry to join the Peloponnesian expedition, went to Plataea with the remainder and laid waste the country.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 2.12 focus

Nach diesen Worten entließ Archidamos die Versammlung
und schickte nun zunächst den Spartaner Melesippos, Dia
kritos' Sohn, nach Athen, um zu sehen, ob man dort jetzt
nicht schon eher mit sich handeln ließe, nachdem man sich über
zeugt, daß das feindliche Heer bereits unterwegs war. Die
Athener aber ließen ihn gar nicht in die Stadt und vor dem
Volke auftreten; denn schon vorher hatte Perikles den Antrag
durchgesetzt, daß weder ein Herold noch eine Gesandtschaft der
Lakedämonier aus dem Felde angenommen werden sollte. Sie
schickten ihn also, ohne ihn zu hören, wieder weg mit dem
Befehl, noch an demselben Tage wieder über die Grenze zu
sein und den Lakedämoniern zu sagen, wenn sie sonst was
wollten, möchten sie erst wieder nach Hause gehen, ehe sie
Gesandte schickten. Und damit er unterwegs mit niemand in
Berührung käme, gaben sie ihm einige Leute zum Geleit mit.
Als er an die Grenze gelangt und im Begriff war, sich von
seinen Begleitern zu trennen, sagte er beim Abschied: „Dieser
Tag wird für Griechenland der Anfang großen Herzeleids sein."
Als er ins Lager zurückgekehrt war und Archidamos einsah,
daß die Athener auf keinen Fall nachgeben würden, brach er
unverzüglich mit dem Heere auf und rückte ihnen ins Land.
Auch die Böotier ließen ihr Kontingent und ihre Reiterei zu
den Peloponnesiern stoßen; mit ihren übrigen Truppen zogen
sie nach Platää und verheerten das Land.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 2.12 focus

XII. Après ces paroles, Archidamus congédia l’assemblée. Il envoya d’abord à Athènes le Spartiate Mélésippus, fils de Diacritus, afin de savoir si les Athéniens, voyant l’armée déjà en marche, seraient plus traitables. Mais ils ne l’admirent ni à l’assemblée, ni même dans la ville. Conformément à l’avis de Périclès, ils avaient précédemment décidé de ne recevoir ni héraut, ni députés, du moment où les Lacédémoniens seraient en campagne. Ils le renvoyèrent donc sans l’entendre, et lui signifièrent d’être hors des frontières le jour même, ajoutant que les Lacédémoniens devaient d’abord rentrer chez eux, et alors seulement envoyer des ambassadeurs, s’ils voulaient présenter quelque réclamation. On fit accompagner Mélésippus , pour qu’il ne communiquât avec personne ; arrivé à la frontière et sur le point de quitter ses conducteurs, il ne prononça que ces paroles : « Ce jour sera pour les Grecs le commencement de grands malheurs ; » puis il continua sa route.

Lorsqu’il fut de retour, Archidamus, voyant que les Athéniens ne feraient aucune concession, se décida à lever le camp et à marcher vers l’Attique. Les Béotiens, qui avaient fourni aux Lacédémoniens, pour l’expédition commune, leur contingent en cavalerie, entrèrent avec le reste de leurs forces sur le territoire de Platée et le ravagèrent.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 2.12 focus

Lorsqu’il eut achevé ce discours et congédié l’assemblée, Archidamos fit partir pour Athènes le Spartiate Mélésip-pos, fils de Diacritos, afin de savoir si les Athéniens, voyant l’armée en marche, se montreraient pins accommodants; mais ils ne l’admirent ni dans l’assemblée, ni même dans la ville. Déjà en effet avait prévalu l’avis de Périclès, de ne recevoir ni héraut ni députation de la part des Lacédémoniens en campagne. Ils le renvoyèrent donc sans l’entendre et avec l’ordre de repasser la frontière le jour même; ajoutant que, si les Lacédémoniens voulaient parlementer, ils eussent préalablement à retourner chez eux. On donna une escorte à Mélésip-pos pour l’empêcher de communiquer avec personne. Arrivé à la frontière et sur le point de s’éloigner, il prononça, dit-on, ce ptfu dte paroles : « Ce jour sera pour les Grecs l’origine de grands malheurs. » Son retour à l’armée convainquit Archi-damos que les Athéniens ne feraient aucune concession ; en conséquence il donna l’ordre du départ et s’avança vers l’At-tique. Les Béotiens avaient fourni aux Péloponésiens leur contingent de guerre et leurs cavaliers. Le reste de leurs forces entra dans le pays de Platée et le ravagea.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.) — 2.12.1 focus

[1] With these words Archidamus dismissed the assembly. He then first sent Melesippus son of Diocritus, a Spartan, to Athens, in the hope that the Athenians, when they saw that the Lacedaemonians were already on the march, might be somewhat more inclined to yield.

[2] But they did not allow him to enter the city, much less to appear before the assembly; for a motion of Pericles had already been carried not to admit herald or embassy after the Lacedaemonians had once taken the field. They accordingly dismissed him without hearing him, and ordered him to be beyond their borders that same day; and in future, they added, the Lacedaemonians must first withdraw to their own territory before sending an embassy, if they had any communication to make.

[3] They also sent an escort along with Melesippus, in order to prevent his having communication with anyone. And when he arrived at the frontier and was about to leave his escort, he uttered these words before he went his way, "

[4] This day will be the beginning of great evils for the Hellenes." When he came to the army, and Archidamus had learned that the Athenians would not as yet make any concession, then at length they broke camp and advanced into Athenian territory.

[5] And the Boeotians not only supplied their contingent¹ and the cavalry to serve with the Peloponnesians, but also went to Plataea with their remaining troops and proceeded to ravage the country.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.) — 2.12.1 focus

[1] Having thus spoken, and dismissed the assembly, Archidamus first sent Melesippus son of Diacritus, a Spartan, to Athens; in case the Athenians might be more disposed to submit, when they saw that the Peloponnesians were now on their march. But they did not admit him into the city, nor to their assembly;

[2] for the opinion of Pericles had previously been adopted, not to admit any herald with an embassy from the Lacedaemonians, when they had once marched out from their frontiers. They sent him back therefore before hearing him, and ordered him to beyond the borders that same day, and [to tell those who sent him] that in future, if they wished to propose any thing, they should send ambassadors after they had retired to their own territories.

[3] And they sent an escort with Melesippus, to prevent his holding communication with any one. When he was on the frontiers, and was about to be dismissed, he spoke these words and departed

This day will be the beginning of great evils to Greece.

[4] When he arrived at the camp, and Archidamus found that the Athenians would not yet submit at all, he then set out and advanced with his army into their territory.

[5] At the same time, the Boeotians, while they furnished their contingent and their cavalry to join the Peloponnesians in their expedition, went to Plataea with the remainder of their force, and laid waste their land.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 2.12.1 focus

[1] Haec locutus, dimisso concilio Archidamusprimum Melesippum Diacriti filium, virum Spartanum , Athenas misit, si forte Athenienses de sua pertinacia remitterent, quum se in itinere jam viderent.

[2] Illi vero nec in urbem , nec publice eum admiserunt; Periclis enim sententia jam ante obtinuerat, ut neque caduceatorem neque legatum Lacedaemoniorum admitterent, si exercitum eduxissent. Uhim igitur remiserunt, antequam audirent, et illo ipso die finibus excedere iusserunt, et in posterum, in sua prius regressi, si quid vellent, legatos mitterent; addiderunt etiam Melesippo, qui eum deducerent, ne cum quoquam colloqueretur.

[3] Ille vero, quum ad fines pervenisset, et jamjam discessurus esset, hoc tantum locutus abiit: hic dies ingentium malorum Graecis erit initium.

[4] Quum autem ad castra redisset, et Archidamus cognovisset, Athenienses nondum quicquam remissuros, ita demum motis castris cum exercitu in ipsorum agrum est profectus.

[5] Boeoti vero suam quidem militum partem et equites Peloponnesiis dederant, ut illos ad bellum sequerentur; cum reliquis vero ad Plataeam profecti, agrum vastare coeperunt.

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 2.35.1 focus

[1] Wenn es bisher bei den Rednern an dieser Stätte fast allgemeiner Brauch geworden, den Mann zu rühmen, der mit der Bestattung diese Rede verband, weil an dem Grabe gefallener Krieger ein ehrendes Wort sich zieme, so würde ich es für hinreichend gehalten haben, dass man Helden der That mit einer festlichen Handlung ehre, — wie das denn der Staat durch die Bestattung gethan hat, deren Zeugen ihr so eben gewesen — und würde die Verherrlichung so vieler Männer nicht einem Einzelnen und der zufälligen Wirkung seines Vortrags anheimgegeben haben.

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 2.12 focus

Archidamo ciò detto e sciolta l’adunanza, prima di tutto spedisce ad Atene Melesippo, cittadino spartano, figliolo di Diacrita , per tentare se gli Ateniesi, al vederli già in cammino, più facilmente cedessero in qualche cosa. Ma egli non fu ricevuto in Atene e molto meno in consiglio , essendo innanzi prevalsa l’opinione di Pericle, di non ammettere araldo nè ambasceria dei Lacedemoni, condotto che avessero l' esercito in campagna. Lo rimandano adunque prima di udirlo , intimandoli uscisse dai confini il giorno 6tesso ; e per l’avvenire i Lacedemoni, quando fossero rientrati nelle loro terre, mandassero pure le ambascerie che volevano : spediscono quindi gente con Melesippo ad accompagnarlo, affinchè non si abboccasse con alcuno. Giunto egli ai confini ed essendo presso a dipartirsi , proseguì la sua gita dette queste sole parole : « Questo medesimo giorno sarà principio ai Greci di grandi calamità ». AI suo ritorno, quando Archidamo ebbe inteso che gli Ateniesi non cederebbero in nulla, levò il campo, e s' avanzava coll' esercito verso il loro territorio. I Beo- ^ii, che uniti in questa spedizione davano ai Pelopotmesi parte dei loro fanti c cavalli, andarono col rimanente a Platea e saccheggiavano la campagna.

Commentary

Commentary on Thucydides Book 2 (Thucydides, Book II. Marchant, Edgar C., editor. London: Macmillan and Company, 1891.) focus

τοσαῦτα — haec tantum, the regular word after a short speech instead of τοιαῦτα. εἴ τι ἄρα —c. 5, 1 .

τι μᾶλλον —not for μᾶλλόν τι, but τι belongs to ἐνδοῖεν, as below, οὐδὲν ἐνδωσείουσι.

οὐδ’ — οὐδέ, μηδέ, sometimes as here = nedum ‘much less.’

τὸ κοινὸν —the βουλὴ and ἐκκλησία. ἦν ... νενικηκυῖα —except with this periphrasis in the perfect passive and middle forms, the tense of εἰμὶ must precede the participle, and is emphatic, representing a state of things existing at the time referred to, Cf. c. 67 ἦν ... πολιορκοῦν, 80 ἦσαν ... ξυμπροθυμούμενοι, 93 ἦν προφυλάσσον. Then the participle often resembles an adjective.

κήρυκα ... προσδέχεσθαι —a formal expression for breaking off all political relations. Cf. V, 80. .

ἐκτὸς ὅρων —without article, as a local expression, akin to ἐν ἄστει. Rutherford, Syntax, p. 4.

τὸ λοιπὸν — with πρεσβεύεσθαι. ἀναχωρήσαντας — i.e. retire before thinking of sending any more. The participle is emphatic.

διαλύσεσθαι —‘part from his escort.’

τοσόνδε — ‘merely this.’

ὅτι —this convenient form of quasi-oblique speech, where the speaker's actual words follow ὅτι, is colloquial and limited to prose.

ἥδε ἡ ἡμέρα —Aristoph. Pax 435 εὐχόμεσθα τὴν νῦν ἡμέραν Ἕλλησιν ἄρξαι πᾶσι πολλῶν κἀγαθῶν. Verg. Aen. IV. 169

ille dies primus leti, primusque malorum causa fuit.

ἔγνω —ingressive, ‘learnt.’

ἐνδωσείουσι —though Cobet and Sta. reject this, it is more probable than ἐνδώσουσι, since πω is not used with future, and Archidamus' object was to find out what the Athenians were now intending.

οὕτω δὴ —like τότε δή, gives the decisive moment. Cf. c. 19.

μέρος —of infantry. So the Boeotians did not supply cavalry only. See c. 9, 3.

λειπομένοις —for the present, see c. 2, 4.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.12

Adolf Wahrmund (Translator)

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