Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.4

[1] And the Thebans, seeing this and finding they were deceived, cast themselves into a round figure and beat them back in that part where the assault was made;

[2] and twice or thrice they repulsed them. But at last, when both the Plataeans themselves charged them with a great clamour, and their wives also and families shouted and screeched from the houses and withal threw stones and tiles amongst them, the night having been also very wet, they were afraid and turned their backs and fled here and there about the city, ignorant for the most part, in the dark and dirt, of the ways out by which they should have been saved (for this accident fell out upon the change of the moon) and pursued by such as were well acquainted with the ways to keep them in;

[3] insomuch as the greatest part of them perished. The gate by which they entered, and which only was left open, a certain Plataean shut up again with the head of a javelin, which he thrust into the staple instead of a bolt, so that this way also their passage was stopped.

[4] As they were chased up and down the city, some climbed the walls and cast themselves out and for the most part died. Some came to a deserted gate of the city and with a hatchet given them by a woman cut the staple and got forth unseen; but these were not many, for the thing was soon discovered.

[5] Others again were slain dispersed in several parts of the city. But the greatest part, and those especially who had cast themselves before into a ring, happened into a great edifice adjoining to the wall, the doors whereof, being open, they thought had been the gates of the city and that there had been a direct way through to the other side.

[6] The Plataeans, seeing them now pent up, consulted whether they should burn them as they were by firing the house or else resolve of some other punishment.

[7] At length both these and all the rest of the Thebans that were straggling in the city agreed to yield themselves and their arms to the Plataeans at discretion.

[8] And this success had they that entered into Plataea.

[1] The Thebans, finding themselves outwitted, immediately closed up to repel all attacks made upon them.

[2] Twice or thrice they beat back their assailants. But the men shouted and charged them, the women and slaves screamed and yelled from the houses and pelted them with stones and tiles; besides, it had been raining hard all night; and so at last their courage gave way, and they turned and fled through the town. Most of the fugitives were quite ignorant of the right ways out, and this, with the mud, and the darkness caused by the moon being in her last quarter, and the fact that their pursuers knew their way about and could easily stop their escape, proved fatal to many.

[3] The only gate open was the one by which they had entered, and this was shut by one of the Plataeans driving the spike of a javelin into the bar instead of the bolt; so that even here there was no longer any means of exit.

[4] They were now chased all over the town. Some got on the wall and threw themselves over, in most cases with a fatal result. One party managed to find a deserted gate, and obtaining an axe from a woman, cut through the bar; but as they were soon observed only a few succeeded in getting out. Others were cut off in detail in different parts of the city.

[5] The most numerous and compact body rushed into a large building next to the city wall: the doors on the side of the street happened to be open, and the Thebans fancied that they were the gates of the town, and that there was a passage right through to the outside.

[6] The Plataeans, seeing their enemies in a trap, now consulted whether they should set fire to the building and burn them just as they were, or whether there was anything else that they could do with them;

[7] until at length these and the rest of the Theban survivors found wandering about the town agreed to an unconditional surrender of themselves and their arms to the Plataeans.

[8] While such was the fate of the party in Plataea ,

Als die Thebaner sahen, daß sie überlistet waren, schlossen
sie sich eng zusammen, um den Feinden nach allen Seiten die
Spitze bieten zu können, schlugen auch zwei- oder dreimal einen
Angriff ab. Da jedoch die Platäer von neuem ungestüm auf
sie eindrangen und auch Frauen und Sklaven mit wildem
.Geschrei ihnen Steine und Dachziegel von den Häusern auf
die Köpfe warfen, dazu noch in der Nacht viel Regen gefallen
war, kriegten sie es mit der Angst, ergriffen die Flucht und
zerstreuten sich in der Stadt. Und da die meisten hier nicht ¹
Bescheid wußten und in Kot und Dunkelheit - denn es war
Neumond - den rechten Weg nicht finden und ihren Ver­
folgern, denen jedes Gäßchen bekannt war, nicht entrinnen
konnten, so kamen die meisten um. Auch das Tor, durch das
sie eingedrungen, das einzige, welches offen war, verschloß ein
Platäer, indem er den Schaft seines Spießes anstatt des Pflockes
durch den Querbalken stieß, so daß man auch da nicht mehr
hinaus konnte. Da man sie in der Stadt überall verfolgte,
stiegen einige auf die Stadtmauer und ließen sich nach außen
hinabfallen, kamen dabei aber meist ums Leben. Einige ge­
langten durch ein unbewachtes Tor, dessen Querbalken sie mit
einem Beil, das ihnen eine Frau gegeben, zerschlagen hatten,
unbemerkt ins Freie, allerdings nicht viele, da es bald bemerkt
wurde. Auch wurde manchem, der sich in der Stadt verlaufen
hatte, der Garaus gemacht. Der größte Haufe aber, der noch
einigermaßen zusammenhielt, geriet in ein geräumiges Haus
an der Stadtmauer, dessen Torweg zufällig offen stand, in
der Meinung, es sei das Stadttor und habe auf der anderen
Seite einen Ausgang ins Freie. Als die Platäer sahen, daß
sie sich hier gefangen hatten, waren sie unschlüssig, ob sie das
Haus anstecken und alle bei lebendigem Leibe dann verbrennen
oder was sie sonst mit ihnen anfangen sollten. Schließlich
kam es zu einem Abkommen, wonach sie und alle noch am
Leben befindlichen, in der Stadt umherirrenden Thebaner die
Waffen streckten und sich den Platäern auf Gnade und Un­
gnade ergaben. So endete der Überfall von Platäa.

IV. Les Thébains, dès qu’ils se virent trompes, se concentrèrent, firent face de tous côtés aux attaques, et les repoussèrent deux ou trois fois ; mais quand ensuite les Platéens se précipitèrent sur eux à grand bruit ; quand femmes et serviteurs, avec des cris et des hurlements, lancèrent du haut des maisons des tuiles et des pierres ; quand survint en même temps, au milieu des ténèbres, une pluie abondante, la terreur les saisit et ils se mirent à fuir par la ville. Mais, ignorant pour la plupart les passages par où ils pouvaient s’échapper, fuyant dans la boue et dans l’obscurité (on était alors à la fin de la lune), poursuivis d’ailleurs par un ennemi qui leur coupait la retraite grâce à sa connaissance des lieux, beaucoup d’entre eux périrent. Un Platéen ferma la porte par laquelle ils étaient entrés, la seule qui fût ouverte ; il se servit, au lieu de verron, d’un fer de lance au moyen duquel il fixa la barre ¹ . Ainsi, même de ce côté, il n’y avait plus d’issue. Poursuivis par la ville, quelques-uns gravirent le mur et se précipitèrent en dehors ; presque tous périrent. Quelques-uns arrivèrent , sans être aperçus, à une porte non gardée, en brisèrent la serrure avec une hache qu’une femme leur donna, et s’échappèrent ; mais ce fut le petit nombre ; car on ne tarda pas à s’en apercevoir. D’autres périrent dispersés çà et là dans la ville. Le gros des fugitifs, tout ce qui était resté en corps, donna dans un grand bâtiment dépendant de la muraille, et dont l’entrée, placée à leur portée, se trouvait ouverte. Ils prirent cette entrée pour une des portes de la ville et crurent avoir devant eux une issue vers le dehors. Les Platéens, les voyant enfermés, délibérèrent s’ils ne les brûleraient pas dans cette situa- tion, en mettant le feu au bâtiment, ou s’ils prendraient à leur égard quelque autre parti. Enfin ces malheureux capitulèrent et se rendirent à discrétion, eux et leurs armes. Tous ceux qui restaient errants dans la ville en firent autant. Tel fut le sort de ceux qui étaient entrés à Platée.

Les Thébains, se voyant trompés, serrèrent leurs rangs, firent front de tous côtés et repoussèrent deux ou trois attaques. Mais quand les Platéens se ruèrent sur eux en grand tumulte ; quand, du haut des maisons, les femmes et les valets, avec des cris et des hurlements, firent voler les pierres et les tuiles ; quand une pluie battante vint encore augmenter l'obscurité, ils furent saisis d’épouvante; et, prenant la fuite, ils se mirent à courir à la débandade, par la boue, dans les ténèbres , — la lune était sur son déclin, — la plupart ignorant les détours qui auraient pu les sauver, tandis que leurs ennemis, plus expérimentés, leur coupaient la retraite : aussi leur perte fut-elle considérable. Un Platéen ferma la porte par où ils étaient entrés et qui seule était ouverte ; à cet effet, il se servit d’un fer de javelot, qu’il inséra dans la barre en guise de boulon ; ainsi, pas même de ce côté, il n’y avait d’issue. Poursuivis par la ville, quelques-uns escaladèrent la muraille, sautèrent dehors et se tuèrent presque tous ; d’autres avisèrent une porte non gardée, rompirent furtivement la barre au moyen d’une hache qu'une femme leur prêta, et s’échappèrent, mais en petit nombre, car on s’en aperçut bientôt; Vautres périrent çà et là dans Platée. Le gros de la troupe, ceux qui étaient demeurés en corps, alla donner dans un grand édifice adossé à la muraille et dont l’entrée était ouverte; ils la prirent pour une des portes de la ville et crurent qu'elle communiquait directement avec l’extérieur. Les Platéens, les voyant traqués, délibérèrent s’ils ne les brûleraient pas tous en mettant le feu à l’édifice, ou s’ils prendraient un autre parti. Finalement ces Thébains et tous ceux qui étaient épars dans la ville se rendirent à discrétion, et mirent bas les armes.

[1] The Thebans, when they found they had been deceived, drew themselves up in close ranks and sought to repel the assaults of the enemy wherever they fell upon them.

[2] And twice or three times they repulsed them; then when the Plataeans charged upon them with a great uproar, and at the same time the women and slaves on the house-tops, uttering screams and yells, kept pelting them with stones and tiles—a heavy rain too had come on during the night—they became panic-stricken and turned and fled through the city; and since most of them were unfamiliar with the thoroughfares by which they must save themselves amid the darkness and mud—for these things happened at the end of the month ¹ --, whereas their pursuers knew full well how to prevent their escape, many of them consequently perished.

[3] One of the Plataeans, moreover, had closed the gates by which they had entered--the only gates which had been opened--using the spike of a javelin instead of a pin to fasten the bar, so that there was no longer a way out in that direction either.

[4] And being pursued up and down the city, some of them mounted the wall and threw themselves over, most of these perishing; others succeeded in getting out by an unguarded gate without being observed, cutting through the bar with an axe which a woman gave them—but not many, for they were soon discovered; and others got isolated in various parts of the city and were put to death.

[5] But the greater number, those who had kept more together than the others, rushed into a large building abutting upon ² the wall whose doors happened to be open, thinking that the doors of the building were city-gates and that there was a passage right through to the outside.

[6] And the Plataeans, seeing that they were cut off, began to deliberate whether they should set fire to the building and burn them up without more ado or what other disposition they should make of them.

[7] But finally these and the other Thebans who survived and were wandering up and down the city came to an agreement with the Plataeans to surrender themselves and their arms, to be dealt with in any way the Plataeans wished.

[8] The Thebans in Plataea had fared thus;

[1] The Thebans, on finding themselves outwitted, proceeded to close their ranks, and repel their attacks, wherever they might fall upon them.

[2] And twice or thrice they beat them off; but afterwards, when the men were assailing them with a great clamour, and the women and slaves were raising a loud shouting and screaming from the houses, and pelting them with stones and tiles, and a violent rain also had come on in the night, they were frightened, and turned and fled through the city, the greater part of them, through the dark and dirt, (for the event happened at the end of the month,) being unacquainted with the ways out, by which they were to save themselves; while they had pursuers who were acquainted with them, ¹ to prevent their escaping: so that many were put to death.

[3] Moreover, one of the Plataeans had shut the gate by which they had entered, and which was the only one opened, by driving the spike of a spear into the bar, instead of a ² bolt; so that there was no longer any way out even by that.

[4] As they were chased up and down the city, some of them mounted the wall and threw themselves over, and perished most of them: others came to a lone gate, and, a woman having given them an axe, cut through the bar without being observed, and went out, but in no great numbers, for it was quickly discovered; while others met their fate scattered about in different parts of the city.

[5] But the largest and most united body of them rushed into a spacious building which joined on to the wall, and the near door of which happened to be open, thinking that the door of the building was a gate [of the city], and that there was a passage straight through to the outside.

[6] When the Plataeans saw them cut off, they consulted whether they should burn them where they were, by setting fire to the building, or treat them in any other way.

[7] At last, both those and all the rest of the Thebans that were yet alive, and wandering up and down the city, agreed to deliver up themselves and their arms to the Plataeans, to do with them as they pleased.

[8] Thus then fared the party who were in Plataea.

[1] nii vero ubi cognoverunt se opinione deceptos, inter se ipsos conglobabantur, et hostium impressionem, qua irruebant, propulsabant.

[2] Ac bis terve eos repulerunt; postea, quum magno strepitu et ipsi irruerent, et mulieres atque servi simul ex aedibus clamores et ululatus ederent, eosque lapidibus et tegulis peterent, simul etiam quum illi nocte magna pluvia ingruisset, territi sunt, et dantes terga per urbem fugere coeperunt, quum quidem plurimi ignari essent viarum per tenebras et lutum, qua servari possent (nam sub ipsum mensis finem haec accidebant), et bene gnaros hostes haberent insequentes, ne effugerent. Quamobrem peribant multi.

[3] Quidam autem Plataeensium portas, qua intraranl, et quae solae apertae erant, jaculi spiculo pessuli loco usus, et in vectis seram injecto clausit; ita ut ne hac quidem exitus pateret.

[4] Quum autem illos hostis persequeretur per urbem, quidam ex iis muros conscenderunt, et se foras dejecerunt, ac plerique interierunt; alii vero per portas desertas, quum mulier quaedam securim ipsis dedisset, clam effraclo vecte exiverunt non multi (cito enim rescitum est), alii vero alibi per urbem passim trucidabantur.

[5] Maxima tamen pars, et qui praecipue conglobati erant, irruperunt in magnum aedificium, quod erat muro contiguum, cujus in propinquo fores erant apertae, existimantes has hujus aedificii fores esse portas, et ex adverso exitum, qui extra ferret.

[6] Plataeenses vero, postquam eos conclusos viderunt, deliberare coeperunt , utrum eos, ita ut erant, incenso illo aedificio, concremarent , an aliud aliquod poenae genus in illos statuerent.

[7] Tandem vero et hi et ceteri Thebani, qui supererant, per urbem vagantes, sese et arma Plataeensibus dediderunt , ut quicquid illis visum fuerit, de se statuerent.

[8] Qui igitur Plataeae erant, hunc rerum exitum habuerant.

[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.

I Tebani conosciuto lo sbaglio si ristrignevano tra loro, e respingevano gli assalitori dalla parte onde gli investissero. Due o tre vohe gli ributtarono; ma finalmente, serrandosi loro addosso i Plateesi con furia strepitosa, e ad un’ora stessa le donne e i servi tra gli schiamazzi e gli urlamenti percuotendoli dalle case con sassi e tegole, e di più caduta essendo nella notte dirotta pioggia , impaurirono; e voltata faccia fuggivano per la città tra il fango ed il buio (perchè la cosa accadde sul finir del mese) senza sapere i più ove scampare , ed incalzati da gente ben pratica da non lasciarli scapolare ; così che per la maggior parte erano trucidati. Un plateese serrò la porta onde erano entrati, la sola che fosse aperta, mettendo negli anelli per catenaccio la punta della lancia, talché neppure per quella potevano uscire. Perseguitati adunque per la città alcuni salirono sulle mura e si precipitarono fuori, morendovi i più ; alcuni con una scure prestata loro da una donna ruppero di soppiatto la sbarra di una porta abbandonata, e pochi ne uscirono perchè la cosa fu presto risaputa ; altri erano qua e là uccisi sparsamente per la città. Ma il maggior numero,e sopra tutto quelli che si erano ristretti insieme, si cacciano in un gran torrione delle mura, la ^ porta per avventura non era chiusa, credendo esser quel torrione una porta della città, e che sicuramente desse usata per fuori. I Plateesi vedendoveli incappati deliberavano, se così come si trovavano ve li avessero a bruciare dando fuoco al torrione, ovvero trattarli altramente. Finalmente costoro, e tutti gli altriTebani che restavano ancora vagando per la città, convennero co’ Plateesi di rendersi a discrezione, ponendo giù le armi. Così procederono le cose per quelli entrati in Platea.