Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.108

[1] When they were in fight, and that the Peloponnesians with that wing overreached and had encircled the right wing of their enemies, those Acarnanians that lay in ambush, coming in at their backs, charged them and put them to flight in such sort as they endured not the first brunt, and besides, caused the greatest part of the army through affright to run away. For when they saw that part of it defeated which was with Eurylochus, which was the best of their army, they were a great deal the more afraid. And the Messenians that were in that part of the army with Demosthenes, pursuing them, dispatched the greatest part of the execution.

[2] But the Ambraciotes that were in the right wing, on that part had the victory, and chased the enemy unto the city of Argos.

[3] But in their retreat, when they saw that the greatest part of the army was vanquished, the rest of the Acarnanians setting upon them, they had much ado to recover Olpae in safety. And many of them were slain, whilst they ran into it out of array and in disorder, save only the Mantineans, for these made a more orderly retreat than any part of the army. And so this battle ended, having lasted till the evening.

[1] The Peloponnesians were now well engaged and with their outflanking wing were upon the point of turning their enemy's right; when the Acarnanians from the ambuscade set upon them from behind, and broke them at the first attack, without their staying to resist; while the panic into which they fell caused the flight of most of their army, terrified beyond measure at seeing the division of Eurylochus and their best troops cut to pieces. Most of the work was done by Demosthenes and his Messenians, who were posted in this part of the field.

[2] Meanwhile the Ambraciots (who are the best soldiers in those countries) and the troops upon the right wing, defeated the division opposed to them and pursued it to Argos .

[3] Returning from the pursuit, they found their main body defeated; and hard pressed by the Acarnanians, With difficulty made good their passage to Olpae, suffering heavy loss on the way, as they dashed on without discipline or order, the Mantineans excepted, who kept their ranks best of any in the army during the retreat. The battle did not end until the evening.

Als das Gefecht bereits im Gange war und die Pelo­
ponnesier sich anschickten, mit ihrem überragenden Flügel den
rechten der Gegner zu umfassen, fielen die Akarnanier aus dem
Hinterhalt ihnen in den Rücken und schlugen sie in die Flucht,
dergestalt, daß sie vor Schreck allen Widerstand aufgaben und
den größten Teil des Heeres mit sich fortrissen. Denn an­
gesichts der Niederlage des Eurylochos und der besten Truppen
verging den übrigen vollends der Mut. Die Messenier aber,
die hier unter Demotshenes fochten, hatten das beste getan.
Dagegen hatten die Amprakier und der rechte Flügel gesiegt
und ihre Gegner in der Richtung auf Argos verfolgt. Die
Amprakier sind nämlich dortzulande die besten Soldaten. Als
sie jedoch bei der Rückkehr das Hauptl^er geschlagen sahen
und die übrigen Akarnanier nun auf sie eindrangen, konnten
sie sich nur mit genauer Not und unter großen Verlusten in
wilder Flucht und völliger Auflösung nach Olpai retten. Nur
die Mantineer hielten noch zusammen, und sie waren die ein­
zigen im ganzen Heere, die ihren Rückzug in guter Ordnung
bewirkten. Erst gegen Abend endete die Schlacht.

CVIII. Déjà l’action était engagée et les Péloponnésiens, débordant l’aile droite de l’ennemi, commençaient à l’envelopper, lorsque les Acarnanes sortirent de leur embuscade, tombèrent sur eux, et les mirent en déroute. Leur trouble fut tel, qu’ils ne résistèrent pas au premier choc, et entraînèrent dans leur panique le reste des troupes avec eux ; car, quand on vit en déroute le corps d’Euryloque, le plus solide de l’armée, la terreur n’en fut que plus grande. Ce furent les Messéniens, placés à cette aile sous les ordres de Démosthènes, qui contribuèrent surtout au succès de l’action.

Cependant les Ambraciotes et les troupes de l’aile droite eurent l’avantage de leur côté, et poursuivirent l’ennemi vers Argos ; car ce sont les hommes les plus belliqueux de ces contrées. Mais quand, à leur retour, ils virent la défaite de la plus grande partie de l’armée, vivement pressés eux-mêmes par les autres Acarnanes, ils se rabattirent sur Olpes, et n’échappèrent qu’avec peine. Beaucoup périrent en se précipitant confusément et sans aucun ordre vers cette place ; pourtant les Mantinéens opérèrent leur retraite en meilleur ordre que fout le reste de l’armée. Le combat finit vers le soir.

Déjà l’action était engagée et les^ Péloponésiens, débordant l’aile droite des ennemis, commençaient à l’envelopper, lorsque les Acarnani^ns, sortant de leur embuscade, les prennent à revers et les culbutent ; ils sont saisis de frayeur, se mettent en fuite, et entraînent dans leur déroute la plus grande partie de l’armée : car les Péloponésiens, voyant le désordre du corps d’élite commandé par Eurylochos, prirent plus facilement l’épouvante.

Les Messéniens, placés en cet endroit avec Démosthène, eurent l’honneur de la journée. A l’aile droite, les Ambraciotes, qui sont les plus belliqueux des peuples de ce pays, défirent ceux qu’ils avaient en tête et les poursuivirent du côté d’Argos ; mais à leur retour, voyant la déroute du gros de leur armée et assaillis eux-mêmes par les Acarnaniens, ils se replièrent sur Olpæ, qu’ils n’atteignirent qu’avec peine. Un grand nombre d’entre eux perdirent la vie au milieu de la plus horrible confusion. Les Mantinéens seuls opérèrent leur retraite en bon ordre. Le combat finit vers le soir.

[1] When finally the armies were at close quarters and the Peloponnesians outflanked with their left the right wing of their opponents and were about to encircle it, the Acarnanians, coming upon them from their ambush, fell upon their rear and routed them, so that they did not stand to make resistance and in their panic caused the greater part of their army to take to flight also; for when they saw the division under Eurylochus, their best troops, being cut to pieces, they were far more panic-stricken. And it was the Messenians, who were in this part of the field under the command of Demosthenes, that bore the brunt of the battle.

[2] On the other hand, the Ambraciots and those on the enemy's right wing defeated the troops opposed to themselves, and pursued them to Argos; and indeed these are the best fighters of all the peoples of that region.

[3] When, however, they returned and saw that their main army had been defeated, and the victorious division of the Acarnanians began to press hard upon them, they made their escape with difficulty to Olpae; and many of them were killed, for they rushed on with broken ranks and in disorder all except the Mantineans, who kept their ranks together during the retreat better than any other part of the army. And it was late in the evening before the battle ended.

[1] When the Peloponnesians, being now engaged, outflanked their opponents, and were surrounding their right, the Acarnanians, rising from the ambuscade, fell on them in the rear, and broke them; so that they did not stand to make any resistance, and, moreover, by their panic threw their main army into flight: for when they saw the division of Eurylochus, and the bravest of their forces being cut to pieces, they were far more alarmed. It was the Messenians, posted in that part of the field with Demosthenes, that performed the chief part of the work.

[2] But the Ambraciots and those in the right wing defeated the division opposed to them, and pursued it back to Argos; for they are the most warlike of all in those parts.

[3] When, however, on their return they saw their main army defeated, and the rest of the Acarnanians were pressing them closely, they escaped with difficulty into Olpe; and many of them were killed, while they hurried on without any order, excepting the Mantineans, who kept their ranks best of all the army during the retreat. And so the battle ended, after lasting till evening.

[1] Quum autem, manibus inter sejam consertis 9 Peloponnesii cornu latius porrigerent et dextrum adversariorum circumvenirent, Acarnanes, qui in insidiis collocati erant, eos a tergo adoriuntur, tactaque impressione in fugam vertunt, ita ut nec primum ipsorum impetum sustinuerint, et territi majorem exercitus partem in fugam conjecerint; postquam enim cornu, cui praeerat Eurylochus, quod erat Armissimum, caedi viderunt, multo magis metuere coeperunt. Et Messenii, qui cum Demosthene ab ea parte in acie stabant , rem magna ex parte confecerunt.

[2] At Ampraciotae, et qui in dextro cornu collocati erant, hostilem aciem sibi oppositam vicerunt, et ad Argos usque sunt persecuti; etenim omnium, qui circum illa loca habitant, sunt pugnacissimi.

[3] Sed quum se reciperent, postquam majorem suarum copiarum partem victam videbant, impetumque in eos ceteri Acarnanes faciebant, ad Olpas agre confugiebant, et multi eorum obierunt, dum in Olpas perturbatis ordinibus et nulla rei militaris disciplina servata irruunt, praeter Mantinenses; hi enim totius exercitus maxime compositi se receperunt. Atque pugna qu idem finiebatur sub vesperum.

[1] So wenig geben wir uns Täuschungen hin über unser wahres Interesse. Und wer könnte euch auch ausser dem Eide eine festere Bürgschaft bieten, als diejenigen, deren Handlungen nach ihren Versprechungen beurtheilt zu dem Schlusse nöthigen, dass ihre Zusagen mit ihrem Vortheil zusammenfallen? Solltet ihr jedoch meinem Ansinnen euer Unvermögen entgegenhalten, dabei aber doch Schonung ansprechen von denen, die ihr von euch stosst; die Freiheit sei für euch zu gefahrlich, man solle sie nur denen anbieten, die sie auch anzunehmen im Stande seien und sie keinem wider seineu Willen aufdrängen, so werde ich die Götter und Heroen des Landes zu Zeugen aufrufen, dass meine redlichen Absichten verkannt werden, und werde zu Zwangsmitteln greifen und euer Land verheeren. Die Schuld ist fortan nicht auf mir, den eine doppelte Notwendigkeit mehr als genug entschuldigt. Sollen die Lacedämonier, wenn ihr nicht beitreten werdet, von eurer Feindschaft den Schaden haben und eure Geldmittel den Athem zufliessen lassen? Oder sollt ihr die Befreiung Griechenlands aus seiner Knechtschaft hintertreiben dürfen? Denn freilich ohne den Rechtsgrund eines (grossen) vaterländischen Interesses dürften wir nicht so verfahren ¹ , noch würde sich Sparta berufen fühlen, ein widerstrebendes Volk zu befreien. Ja wenn wir nach Herrschaft trachteten; allein wir streben vielmehr, dem Herrscherwesen ein Ende zu machen, so dass es Unrecht an der Mehrzahl wäre, wenn wir im Bewustsein, der Welt die Freiheit zu bringen, euer Widerstreben duldeten. Erwäget dies wohl und schätzet euch glücklich, zu eurem unvergänglichen Ruhme den ersten Grundstein für Griechenlands Befreiung zu legen, was euch die Verwüstung der eigenen Habe ersparen und der Stadt den gefeiertsten Namen erwerben wird.

Menavansi ornai le mani da ambe le parti , ed il corno de’Peloponnesi era superiore , e faceva vista di circondare il destro de' nemici ; quando gli Acarnani dall' aguato sopravvenendo alle spalle si scagliano loro addosso e li costringono a voltar faccia, sicché non più tennero il fermo, e col loro timore ridussero a fuggire la maggior parte deiresercito : poiché al veder sperperata Fordinanza di Eurìloco, che era il nerbo delle milizie, molto più gli altri impaurivano. I Messenii che con Demostene erano su questo punto, compirono la maggior parte dell' impresa : all’opposto gli Ambracioti e quelli del corno destro , che sono i più guerreschi di quei luoghi, ruppero le genti che avevano a fronte e le incalzarono fino ad Argo. Ma nel ritirarsi, poiché videro il grosso deiresercito disfatto , e poiché erano inquietati dagli Acarnani, a gran fatica salvaronsi ad Olpa : ove precipitandosi dentro disordinatamente e alla rinfusa, molti perirono. Non così avvenne dei Mantinei i quali, meglio ordinati di tutto lesercito, ritiraronsi dalla battaglia che finì sulla sera.