Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Adolf Wahrmund (Translator), 6.46

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Die vorausgeschickten Schiffe aber kamen von Egesta zu
den Athenern bei Rhegion und meldeten, daß nur dreißig Talente
wirklich vorhanden seien, alle anderen Summen, welche
jene,versprochen hätten, aber nicht. Da befiel nun die Feldherrn sogleich
Muthlofigkeit, weil ihnen gleich von vorn herein das Erste wider Erwarten ¹
feindlich ausgefallen war, und auch die Rheginer, bei denen sie ihre
UeberredungSkunst zuerst versucht, und von denen, als Verwandten
der Leontiner und auch ihrer selbst, und sonst immer freundlich gesinnt,
es doch am ersten zu erwarten gewesen wäre, nicht mit ihnen ziehen
wollten. Dem Nikias zwar kam die Nachricht von den Egestanern
ganz erwartet, die beiden Andern aber waren vor den Kopf gestoßen.
Die Egestaner nämlich hatten sich damals, als die ersten Gesandten
der Athener zur Beaugenshceinigung des vorhandenen Geldes zu
ihnen gekommen waren, die folgende List ausgedacht. Sie führten
jene in das Heiligthum der Aphrodite auf dem Eryx und zeigten
ihnen die Weihgeschenke, Schalen und Weinkannen und Rauchfässer
und sonstiges Geräthe in Menge, welches alles von Silber war und
den Schein eines Reichthums gewährte, dem der wirkliche geringe
Geldwerth keineswegs entsprach. Auch veranstalteten sie in den
Bürgerhäusern Gastereien für die Schiffsmannschaft und hatten zu
denselben die goldenen und silbernen Trinkgeschirre aus ganz Egesta
gesammelt und aus den benachbarten Phönikischen und Hellenischen
Städten sich ausgebeten und stellten sie nun bei diesen Schmausereien
zur Schau, als ob es ihr Privateigenthum sei. Und da. sich fast
Alle immer nur derselben Geschirre bedienten und dieselben demnach
überall in großer Zahl zum Vorschein kamen, so erregten >sie bei den
Athenern von den Schiffen großes Staunen, und als sie dann nach
Athen zurückkamen, erzählten sie überall, daß sie viele Schätze
gesehen hätten. Sie waren also selbst getäuscht worden und hatten
Andere getäuscht; als aber jetzt die Nachricht kam, daß zu Egesta
kein Geld vorhanden sei, mußten sie von den Soldaten viele
Vorwürfe anhören.

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).) — 6.46.1 focus

[1] αἱ δ’ ἐκ τῆς Ἐγέστης τρεῖς νῆες αἱ πρόπλοι παραγίγνονται τοῖς Ἀθηναίοις ἐς τὸ Ῥήγιον, ἀγγέλλουσαι ὅτι τἆλλα μὲν οὐκ ἔστι χρήματα ἃ ὑπέσχοντο, τριάκοντα δὲ τάλαντα μόνα φαίνεται.

[2] καὶ οἱ στρατηγοὶ εὐθὺς ἐν ἀθυμίᾳ ἦσαν, ὅτι αὐτοῖς τοῦτό τε πρῶτον ἀντεκεκρούκει καὶ οἱ Ῥηγῖνοι οὐκ ἐθελήσαντες ξυστρατεύειν, οὓς πρῶτον ἤρξαντο πείθειν καὶ εἰκὸς ἦν μάλιστα, Λεοντίνων τε ξυγγενεῖς ὄντας καὶ σφίσιν αἰεὶ ἐπιτηδείους. καὶ τῷ μὲν Νικίᾳ προσδεχομένῳ ἦν τὰ παρὰ τῶν Ἐγεσταίων, τοῖν δὲ ἑτέροιν καὶ ἀλογώτερα.

[3] οἱ δὲ Ἐγεσταῖοι τοιόνδε τι ἐξετεχνήσαντο τότε ὅτε οἱ πρῶτοι πρέσβεις τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἦλθον αὐτοῖς ἐς τὴν κατασκοπὴν τῶν χρημάτων. ἔς τε τὸ ἐν Ἔρυκι ἱερὸν τῆς Ἀφροδίτης ἀγαγόντες αὐτοὺς ἐπέδειξαν τὰ ἀναθήματα, φιάλας τε καὶ οἰνοχόας καὶ θυμιατήρια καὶ ἄλλην κατασκευὴν οὐκ ὀλίγην, ἃ ὄντα ἀργυρᾶ πολλῷ πλείω τὴν ὄψιν ἀπ’ ὀλίγης δυνάμεως χρημάτων παρείχετο· καὶ ἰδίᾳ ξενίσεις ποιούμενοι τῶν τριηριτῶν τά τε ἐξ αὐτῆς Ἐγέστης ἐκπώματα καὶ χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ ξυλλέξαντες καὶ τὰ ἐκ τῶν ἐγγὺς πόλεων καὶ Φοινικικῶν καὶ Ἑλληνίδων αἰτησάμενοι ἐσέφερον ἐς τὰς ἑστιάσεις ὡς οἰκεῖα ἕκαστοι.

[4] καὶ πάντων ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ τοῖς αὐτοῖς χρωμένων καὶ πανταχοῦ πολλῶν φαινομένων μεγάλην τὴν ἔκπληξιν τοῖς ἐκ τῶν τριήρων Ἀθηναίοις παρεῖχε, καὶ ἀφικόμενοι ἐς τὰς Ἀθήνας διεθρόησαν ὡς χρήματα πολλὰ ἴδοιεν.

[5] καὶ οἱ μὲν αὐτοί τε ἀπατηθέντες καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους τότε πείσαντες, ἐπειδὴ διῆλθεν ὁ λόγος ὅτι οὐκ εἴη ἐν τῇ Ἐγέστῃ τὰ χρήματα, πολλὴν τὴν αἰτίαν εἶχον ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν· οἱ δὲ στρατηγοὶ πρὸς τὰ παρόντα ἐβουλεύοντο.

Translations (9)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 6.46.1 focus

[1] The three galleys sent before to Egesta returned to the Athenians at Rhegium and brought word that for the rest of the money promised there was none, only there appeared thirty talents.

[2] At this the generals were presently discouraged, both because this first hope was crossed, and because also the Rhegians, whom they had already begun to persuade to their league, and whom it was most likely they should have won, as being of kin to the Leontines and always heretofore favourable to the Athenian state, now refused. And though to Nicias this news from the Egestaeans was no more than he expected, yet to the other two it was extreme strange.

[3] But the Egestaeans, when the first ambassadors from Athens went to see their treasure, had thus deceived them. They brought them into the temple of Venus in Eryx and showed them the holy treasure, goblets, flagons, censers, and other furniture, in no small quantity; which being but silver, appeared to the eye a great deal above their true value in money. Then they feasted such as came with them in their private houses, and at those feastings exhibited all the gold and silver vessels they could get together, either in the city of Egesta itself, or could borrow in other as well Phoenician as Grecian cities, for their own.

[4] So all of them in a manner making use of the same plate, and much appearing in every of those houses, it put those which came with the ambassadors into a very great admiration, insomuch as at their return to Athens they strove who should first proclaim what wealth they had seen.

[5] These men, having both been abused themselves and having abused others, when it was told that there was no such wealth in Egesta, were much taxed by the soldiers. But the generals went to counsel upon the business in hand.

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.) — 6.46.1 focus

[1] Meanwhile the three ships that had been sent on came from Egesta to the Athenians at Rhegium , with the news that so far from there being the sums promised, all that could be produced was thirty talents.

[2] The generals were not a little disheartened at being thus disappointed at the outset, and by the refusal to join in the expedition of the Rhegians, the people they had first tried to gain and had had most reason to count upon, from their relationship to the Leontines and constant friendship for Athens . If Nicias was prepared for the news from Egesta , his two colleagues were taken completely by surprise.

[3] The Egestaeans had had recourse to the following stratagem, when the first envoys from Athens came to inspect their resources. They took the envoys in question to the temple of Aphrodite at Eryx and showed them the treasures deposited there; bowls, wine-ladles, censers, and a large number of other pieces of plate, which from being in silver gave an impression of wealth quite out of proportion to their really small value. They also privately entertained the ships' crews, and collected all the cups of gold and silver that they could find in Egesta itself or could borrow in the neighbouring Phoenician and Hellenic towns, and each brought them to the banquets as their own;

[4] and as all used pretty nearly the same, and everywhere a great quantity of plate was shown, the effect was most dazzling upon the Athenian sailors, and made them talk loudly of the riches they had seen when they got back to Athens .

[5] The dupes in question—who had in their turn persuaded the rest—when the news got abroad that there was not the money supposed at Egesta , were much blamed by the soldiers.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 6.46 focus

Die drei vorausgeschickten athenischen Schiffe kamen von
Egesta nach Rhegion mit der Nachricht zurück, daß dort von
den verheißenen Schätzen, bis auf dreißig Talente, die sich vor
gefunden, nichts vorhanden sei. Den Feldherren war es von
vornherein verdrießlich, daß ihnen das gleich anfangs in die
Quere kam, auch daß die Rhegier nicht mit ihnen gehen wollten,
die sie zuerst auf ihre Seite zu ziehen gesucht, und auf die
sie um so sicherer gerechnet, da sie Stammverwandte der
Leontiner waren und mit den Athenern immer auf gutem Fuß
gestanden hatten. Nikias freilich hatte von den Egestern nichts
anderes erwartet, die beiden anderen aber wollten es kaum
glauben. Die Egester hatten sich damals, als die ersten Ge
sandten von Athen zu ihnen kamen, um sich nach ihren Schätzen
umzusehen, einer List bedient. Sie hatten sie nämlich in
den Tempel der Aphrodite auf dem Eryx geführt und ihnen
die Weihgeschenke gezeigt, Schalen, Kellen, Rauchfässer und
allerlei andere Geräte, die von Silber und geringem Wert
waren, aber einen übertriebenen Eindruck von ihren Reichtümern
auf sie machten. Sie hatten auch die Schiffsmannschaft in ihren
Häusern zu Tisch geladen und dabei goldene und silberne
Becher, die sie aus der ganzen Stadt und anderen griechischen
und phönizischen Städten zusammengeliehen, aufgesetzt, wie
wenn sie dem Hausherrn gehörten. Meist diente dazu dasselbe
Geschirr, und da es überall in solcher Menge zum Vorschein
kam, hatte das bei den athenischen Seeleuten große Ver
wunderung erregt, und sie hatten bei ihrer Rückkehr in Athen
nicht genug davon zu erzählen gewußt, wieviel Gold und
Silber sie dort gesehen. Diese armen Schelme, die damals
selbst hinters Licht geführt waren und auch andere in solchen
Glauben versetzt hatten, wurden jetzt, wo es bekannt geworden,
daß es mit den Schätzen in Egesta nichts war, von den Soldaten
arg verhöhnt und mit Vorwürfen überhäuft. Die Feldherren
aber berieten miteinander, was nunmehr zu tun sei.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 6.46 focus

XLVI. Les trois vaisseaux envoyés en avant revinrent d’Égeste joindre les Athéniens à Rhégium. Ils annonçaient que toutes les richesses promises n’existaient point, et qu’on n’avait pu montrer que trente talents. Les généraux furent tout d’abord déconcertés; c’était pour eux une première déception. De plus, les Rhégiens refusaient leur concours, malgré les instances qu’on leur avait faites d’abord, avec quelque probabilité de succès, vu leur parenté avec les Égestains et l’aipilié qui, de tout temps, les unissait à Athènes. Pour Égeste, Nicias s’y était attendu; mais chez les deux autres généraux l’étonnement fut plus grand. Voici, du reste, à quel artifice les Égestains avaient eu recours lorsque les premiers députés des Athéniens étaient venus chez eux étudier l’état de leurs ressour- ces : ils les conduisirent au temple d’Aphrodite, à Éryx, et étalèrent devant eux les offrandes, c’est-à-dire des vases, des aiguières, des cassolettes et une grande quantité d’autres objets d’une valeur médiocre en réalité, mais qui, étant d’argent, paraissaient à la vue d’un prix bien supérieur. Des particuliers invitèrent aussi chez eux les équipages des trirèmes : là se trouvait réunie toute la vaisselle d’or et d’argent d’Égeste, même celle empruntée aux villes voisines, grecques ou phéniciennes, et que chacun produisait dans les repas comme sa propriété. C’était presque toujours la même qui servait; mais comme on en voyait partout une grande quantité, les Athéniens des trirèmes furent éblouis, et, de retour à Athènes, publièrent qu’ils avaient vu des richesses immenses. Trompés eux-mêmes, ils firent partager aux autres leur erreur; aussi, quand le bruit sè répandit qu’il n’y avait aucunes richesses à Égeste, reçurent-ils de violents reproches des soldats. Les généraux se consultèrent sur la situation.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 6.46 focus

Les trois vaisseaux athéniens envoyés à Égeste revinrent à Rhégion, annonçant que, de toutes les sommes promises, il ne se trouvait en réalité que trente talents. Les généraux furent déconcertés de ce premier mécompte, joint au refus des Rhégiens, auxquels on s'était d'abord adressé en vertu de leur parenté avec les Léontins et de leur vieille amitié pour Athènes. Nicias avait prévu ce qu'on apprenait d’Égeste; mais ses collègues Ven montraient fort surpris. Voici, au surplus, l’artifice employé par les Égestains à l’arrivée des premiers députés venus d’Athènes pour vérifier l’état de leurs finances. Ils les avaient conduits dans le temple de Vénus à Éryx ; là ils avaient étalé à leurs yeux quantité d’offrandes, consistant en vases, calices, encensoirs et autres objets d’argent, de beaucoup d’apparence, mais de peu de valeur réelle. Les particuliers avaient invité dans leurs maisons les marins des trirèmes; ils avaient rassemblé la vaisselle d’or et d’argent d’Égeste, emprunté même celle des villes voisines, phéniciennes ou grecques, et chacun la produisait dans les festins comme étant à lui. Presque partout c’était la même qui figurait, et toujours à profusion. Aussi les équipages des galères avaientdls été éblouis ; et, de retour à Athènes, ils n’avaient parlé que des trésors qu’ils avaient vus. Ces gens ainsi abusés avaient fait partager leur erreur aux autres; mais, quand la vérité fat connue, ils furent accablés de reproches par les soldats.

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.) — 6.46.1 focus

[1] The three ships that had gone ahead to Egesta met the Athenians at Rhegium, announcing that the rest of the money which the Egestaeans had promised was not there, but only thirty talents were to be found.

[2] And the generals were at once out of spirits, both because this had turned out contrary at the start, and because the Rhegians, the first people whom they had tried to persuade to join the expedition and with whom it was most likely they should succeed, seeing that they were kinsmen of the Leontines and always friendly to the Athenians, refused their consent.

[3] Nicias, indeed, was expecting this news from the Egestaeans, but for tile other two it was actually somewhat of a surprise. The fact was that the Egestaeans had resorted to the following device at the time when the first envoys of the Athenians came to them to see about the money: they brought them into the temple of Aphrodite at Eryx and showed them the dedicatory offerings—bowls, wine-ladles, censers, and not a little other table-furniture, which being of silver made, though of small value in money, a much greater display. And in giving private entertainments for the crews of the triremes, they not only collected the gold and silver drinking-cups from Egesta itself, but borrowed those from the neighbouring cities, both Phoenician and Hellenic, and brought them each to the banquets as though they were their own.

[4] And as all used for the most part the same vessels and there was a great display of them everywhere, it caused great astonishment to the Athenians from the triremes, and they on returning to Athens spread the report of how much treasure they had seen.

[5] And these men who had been themselves deceived and had at the time persuaded the rest, later, when the story got out that the money was not at Egesta, were much blamed by the soldiers. The generals, however, took counsel in view of the present situation.

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.) — 6.46.1 focus

[1] Now the three ships sent on in advance came from Segesta to the Athenians at Rhegium, with tidings that the other money which they had promised was not there, but that only thirty talents were to be seen.

[2] The generals then were immediately in a state of great despondency, because this their first hope had disappointed them; as had the Rhegians also, by their unwillingness to join their standard—the people they had first attempted to persuade, and for whom it was most natural to assist them, as they were of the same race as the Leontines, and always favourably disposed towards themselves.

[3] Nicias, indeed, was prepared for the tidings from the Segestans, but by the other two it was quite unexpected. For the Segestans had recourse to the following contrivance, at the time when the first envoys of the Athenians came to them to see the state of their funds. They took them to the temple of Venus at Eryx, and showed them the treasures deposited there, consisting of bowls, wine-ladles, censers, and other articles of furniture in no small quantity; which being made of silver, presented, with a value really trifling, a much greater show of wealth. And in their private receptions of the triremes' crews, having collected the cups both of gold and silver that were in Segesta itself, and borrowed those in the neighbouring cities, whether Phoenician or Grecian, they each brought them to the entertainments, as their own.

[4] And thus, as all used pretty nearly the same, and great numbers of them were every where seen, it created much astonishment in the Athenians from the triremes;

[5] and on their arrival at Athens they spread it abroad that they had seen great wealth. Those, then, who had been themselves thus outwitted, and had at that time persuaded the rest, were severely blamed by the soldiers, when the report went abroad that there was not at Segesta the money they had expected.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 6.46.1 focus

[1] Illae vero tres praecursoriae naves ab Egesta Rhegium ad Athenienses advenerunt, et renuntiarunt ceteram quidem pecuniam, quam promiserant, nullam esse, sed tantum triginta talenta apparere.

[2] Atque duces statim animus despondere coeperunt, quod iis et hoc primum praeter exspectationem incommode cecidisset, quodque Rhegini una secum militare recusavissent, quibus primis suadere coeperant, et maxime credibile videbatur, quod essent Leontinorum cognati et eorum semper studiosi. Atque Niciae quidem haec exspectanti ab Egestaeis contigerunt, duobus vero reliquis vel maxime praeter opinionem.

[3] Egestati autem hujusmodi fraudem excogitarent tunc, quum primi Atheniensium legati eos adierunt ad explorandas pecunias. Adductis illis in Veneris fanum, quod est in Eryce, ostenderunt donaria, phialas et trullas et thuribula cete-ramque non paucam supellectilem, quae quum essent argentea, longe majorem speciem pro exiguo pretio praebebant; atque etiam privatim exceptis hospitio illis, qui triremibus advecti erant, et ex ipsa Egesta aurea argenteaque pocula collecta, et ex vicinis Phoenicum Graeeorumque urbibus corrogata in conviviis ut suam quique domesticam supellectilem exhibebant.

[4] Et quum omnes iisdem plerumque uterentur et multa ubique eonspicerentur, ingentem stuporem afferebant Atheniensibus, qui triremibus advecti erant, et Athenas reversi divulgarent, se magnam pecuniae vim conspexisse.

[5] Atque illi quidem, qui et ipsi decepti erant, et aliis tunc hoc persuaserant, postquam hic rumor dimanavit, peounias illas Egestae non esse, graviter a militibus accusabantur; duces autem pro praesenti rerum statu consultabant;

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 6.46 focus

Ma le tre navi spedite anticipatamente, tornano da Egesta a Reggio e riferiscono agli Ateniesi non esistere il denaro promesso, e solo vedervisi trenta talenti. I generali si persero subito d’animo, si perchè avean trovato quel primo incaglio , sì ancora perchè i Regini , dai quali aveano cominciato il primo invito , non avean voluto unirsi eoa loro, quantunque ciò dovea grandemente sperarsi per esser consanguinei co’L^eontini, e con essi in amicizia. Tali nuove degli Egestei furono per Nicia quali se le aspettava, ma per gli altri due generali furono fuor dell’opinione. Imperciocché gli Egestei, quando andarono ad essi i primi ambasciatori ateniesi per osservarne le ricchezze, usarono quest’ inganno. Li condussero ad Enee nel tempio di Venere, e mostrarono loro i voti, le tazze , i vasi, gl’ incensieri e gli altri molti arredi, che essendo d’argento facevano di sé troppo gran mostra di ricchezza, rispetto al poco valore di essi, E negli inviti ospitali che facevano i particolari a quei delle triremi, riunivano tutti i vasi d’oro e d’argento che erano in Egesta, ed eziandio quelli chiesti alle città vicine fenicie e greche, e li producevano nei conviti, come se appartenessero a ciascuno in privato. Cosicché usando tutti ordinariamente dei medesimi, e però vedendosene molti da per tutto, indussero grande stupore negli Ateniesi andativi sulle triremi, i quali giunti ad Atene divulgarono aver viste ricchezze inestimabili, lu questo modo ingannati costoro, e persuasi gli altri del medesimo inganno, allorché andò ]a voce non esservi denari in Egesta, erano vituperati grandemente dai soldati. Ma i generali andavano deliberando del presente stato di cose.

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History of the Peloponnesian War

1. 415 v
Chr.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 6.46

Adolf Wahrmund (Translator)

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