Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Adolf Wahrmund (Translator), 6.60

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Diese Geschichten nun fielen den Athenern jetzt wieder ein,
und man erinnerte sich an Alles, was man vom Hörensagen darüber
wußte, und deßhalb war das Volk damals so schwierig und nahm
die Anklage wegen der Mysterien, mit solchem Argwohn auf und
glaubte, daß Alles mit einer Verschwörung zum Zweck der Herstellung
einer Adelsherrschaft oder einer Tyrannis zusammenhänge. Wegen
dieser gereizten Stimmung des Volks waren schon viele und
ansehnliche Bürger in's Gefängniß geworfen worden, und als die Sache
gar kein Ende zu nehmen schien, sondern die Erbitterung und Leiden- ¹
schaft von Tag zu Tag stieg.und immer mehr Menschen .eingezogen
wurden, so ließ.sich, einer der Gefangenen, der von Allen der
Schuldigste zu sein schien, durch einen Mitgefangenen bereden, ein
Geständnis zu machen — ob wahr oder unwahr, , muß dahingestellt bleiben;
Vermuthungen werden für..beide Meinungen aufgestellt, aber .die
Wahrheit in Betreff der-wirklihcen Thäter konnte damals und kann
auch.heute Niemand mit Gewißheit angeben.. Jener indeß überredete
den Andern,, indem er ihm sagte,, er selber werde sich Straflosigkeit
erwirken, ob er nun der Thäter sei oder nicht, und den Staat werde
er von der Gefahr des allgemeinen Mißtrauens befreien. Denn sein
Leben werde er. eher erhalten, wenn er ein Geständniß mache, welchem
Straflosigkeit zugesichert sei, als'wenn er bei seinem Läugnen beharre
und sich dem Richterspruch unterwerfen müsse. Jener also machte
sowohl gegen sich selbst, als auch gegen Andere die Anzeige, den
Frevel an den Hermen begangen zu haben. Das Volk aber nahm
dieß Geständniß, welches es für wahrheitsgetreu hielt, um so lieber
an, als es vorher sehr erzürnt , darüber gewesen war, daß man
diejenigen nicht sollte herausbringen können, welche die Volksherrschaft
zu stürzen trachteten. Sie gaben also den Anzeiger und mit ihm
Alle die, welche er nicht mit angeklagt hatte, frei, über die
Angeschuldigten aber hielten sie Gericht und tödteten diejenigen, die sie
in Händen'hatten, die Entflohenen aber verurtheilten sie gleichfalls
zum Tode und setzten für deren Mord, einen Preis aus. Indeß auch
hiebei war es ungewiß, ob die Betroffenen nicht mit Unrecht bestraft
würden, aber die übrige Stadt hatte.freilich unter jenen Umständen
offenbaren Nutzen davon...< : , i

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).) — 6.60.1 focus

[1] ὧν ἐνθυμούμενος ὁ δῆμος ὁ τῶν Ἀθηναίων, καὶ μιμνῃσκόμενος ὅσα ἀκοῇ περὶ αὐτῶν ἠπίστατο, χαλεπὸς ἦν τότε καὶ ὑπόπτης ἐς τοὺς περὶ τῶν μυστικῶν τὴν αἰτίαν λαβόντας, καὶ πάντα αὐτοῖς ἐδόκει ἐπὶ ξυνωμοσίᾳ ὀλιγαρχικῇ καὶ τυραννικῇ πεπρᾶχθαι.

[2] καὶ ὡς αὐτῶν διὰ τὸ τοιοῦτον ὀργιζομένων πολλοί τε καὶ ἀξιόλογοι ἄνθρωποι ἤδη ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ ἦσαν καὶ οὐκ ἐν παύλῃ ἐφαίνετο, ἀλλὰ καθ’ ἡμέραν ἐπεδίδοσαν μᾶλλον ἐς τὸ ἀγριώτερόν τε καὶ πλείους ἔτι ξυλλαμβάνειν, ἐνταῦθα ἀναπείθεται εἷς τῶν δεδεμένων, ὅσπερ ἐδόκει αἰτιώτατος εἶναι, ὑπὸ τῶν ξυνδεσμωτῶν τινὸς εἴτε ἄρα καὶ τὰ ὄντα μηνῦσαι εἴτε καὶ οὔ· ἐπ’ ἀμφότερα γὰρ εἰκάζεται, τὸ δὲ σαφὲς οὐδεὶς οὔτε τότε οὔτε ὕστερον ἔχει εἰπεῖν περὶ τῶν δρασάντων τὸ ἔργον.

[3] λέγων δὲ ἔπεισεν αὐτὸν ὡς χρή, εἰ μὴ καὶ δέδρακεν, αὑτόν τε ἄδειαν ποιησάμενον σῶσαι καὶ τὴν πόλιν τῆς παρούσης ὑποψίας παῦσαι· βεβαιοτέραν γὰρ αὐτῷ σωτηρίαν εἶναι ὁμολογήσαντι μετ’ ἀδείας ἢ ἀρνηθέντι διὰ δίκης ἐλθεῖν.

[4] καὶ ὁ μὲν αὐτός τε καθ’ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ κατ’ ἄλλων μηνύει τὸ τῶν Ἑρμῶν· ὁ δὲ δῆμος ὁ τῶν Ἀθηναίων ἄσμενος λαβών, ὡς ᾤετο, τὸ σαφὲς καὶ δεινὸν ποιούμενοι πρότερον εἰ τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύοντας σφῶν τῷ πλήθει μὴ εἴσονται, τὸν μὲν μηνυτὴν εὐθὺς καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ὅσων μὴ κατηγορήκει ἔλυσαν, τοὺς δὲ καταιτιαθέντας κρίσεις ποιήσαντες τοὺς μὲν ἀπέκτειναν, ὅσοι ξυνελήφθησαν, τῶν δὲ διαφυγόντων θάνατον καταγνόντες ἐπανεῖπον ἀργύριον τῷ ἀποκτείναντι.

[5] κἀν τούτῳ οἱ μὲν παθόντες ἄδηλον ἦν εἰ ἀδίκως ἐτετιμώρηντο, ἡ μέντοι ἄλλη πόλις ἐν τῷ παρόντι περιφανῶς ὠφέλητο.

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.) — 6.60.1 focus

[1] The people of Athens bearing this in mind, and remembering all they had heard concerning them, were extremely bitter and full of jealousy towards those that had been accused of the mysteries, and thought all to have been done upon some oligarchical or tyrannical conspiracy.

[2] And whilst they were passionate upon this surmise, many worthy men had already been cast in prison; and yet they were not likely so to give over, but grew daily more savage, and sought to apprehend more still. Whilst they were at this pass, a prisoner that seemed most to be guilty was persuaded by one of his fellow prisoners to accuse somebody, whether it were true or not true; (for it is but conjectural on both sides; nor was there ever, then or after, any man that could say certainly who it was that did the deed);

[3] who brought him to it by telling him that though he had not done it, yet he might be sure to save his own life and should deliver the city from the present suspicion; and that he should be more certain of his own safety by a free confession than by coming to his trial if he denied it.

[4] Hereupon, he accused both himself and others for the Mercuries. The people of Athens, gladly receiving the certainty (as they thought) of the fact, and having been much vexed before to think that the conspirators should never [perhaps] be discovered to their multitude, presently set at liberty the accuser and the rest with him whom he had not appeached; but for those that were accused, they appointed judges, and all they apprehended they executed; and having condemned to die such as fled, they ordained a sum of money to be given to those that should slay them.

[5] And though it were all this while uncertain whether they suffered justly or unjustly, yet the rest of the city had a manifest ease for the present.

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.) — 6.60.1 focus

[1] With these events in their minds, and recalling everything they knew by hearsay on the subject, the Athenian people grew difficult of humour and suspicious of the persons charged in the affair of the mysteries, and persuaded that all that had taken place was part of an oligarchical and monarchical conspiracy.

[2] In the state of irritation thus produced, many persons of consideration had been already thrown into prison, and far from showing any signs of abating, public feeling grew daily more savage, and more arrests were made; until at last one of those in custody, thought to be the most guilty of all, was induced by a fellow-prisoner to make a revelation, whether true or not is a matter on which there are two opinions, no one having been able, either then or since, to say for certain who did the deed.

[3] However this may be, the other found arguments to persuade him, that even if he had not done it, he ought to save himself by gaining a promise of impunity, and free the state of its present suspicions; as he would be surer of safety if he confessed after promise of impunity than if he denied and were brought to trial.

[4] He accordingly made a revelation, affecting himself and others in the affair of the Hermae; and the Athenian people, glad at last, as they supposed, to get at the truth, and furious until then at not being able to discover those who had conspired against the commons, at once let go the informer and all the rest whom he had not denounced, and bringing the accused to trial executed as many as were apprehended, and condemned to death such as had fled and set a price upon their heads.

[5] In this it was, after all, not clear whether the sufferers had been punished unjustly, while in any case the rest of the city received immediate and manifest relief.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 6.60 focus

Weil das athenische Volk hieran dachte und sich alles,
was es davon gehört, ins Gedächtnis rief, war es damals so
hart und argwöhnisch gegen die, welche wegen Verspottung
der Mysterien beschuldigt wurden, und glaubte nicht anders,
als daß es sich dabei um eine oligarchische Verschwörung oder
um Einführung der Tyrannei gehandelt habe. Infolge der
dadurch hervorgerufenen Erbitterung waren schon viele an
gesehene Männer ins Gefängnis geworfen, und augenscheinlich
ließ diese auch nicht nach, sondern wurde von Tag zu Tag
größer, so daß die Verhaftungen kein Ende nahmen. Da ließ
sich einer der Gefangenen, der für besonders verdächtig galt,
durch einen Mitgefangenen bereden, ein Geständnis abzulegen,
mit dem es nun seine Richtigkeit gehabt haben mag oder nicht.
Das eine ist so gut möglich wie das andere; denn wer die
wirklich Schuldigen gewesen, hat damals und später kein
Mensch mit Sicherheit sagen können. Der stellte ihm vor, um
sein Leben zu retten und der weiteren Schnüffelei in der Stadt
ein Ende zu machen, müsse er, auch wenn er unschuldig sei,
gegen Zusicherung von Straflosigkeit die Tat eingestehen. Denn
wenn er sich durch sein Geständnis Straflosigkeit sichere, habe
er eher Aussicht, mit dem Leben davonzukommen, als wenn er
leugne und vor Gericht gestellt werde. Er gab denn auch sich
und andere als die Urheber des Hermenfrevels an. Das Volk
war über dies Geständnis, dem es vollen Glauben schenkte,
hocherfreut, während es bis dahin sehr ungehalten gewesen
war, daß man den Treibereien seiner Feinde nicht hatte auf
die Spur kommen können. Der Angeber selbst und die übrigen
Gefangenen, die er nicht mit angegeben hatte, wurden auch
sofort auf freien Fuß gesetzt. Den von ihm Angegebenen aber
machte man den Prozeß und ließ die Gefangenen hinrichten,
die Entflohenen aber zum Tode verurteilen und einen Preis
auf ihren Kopf setzen. Indessen stand es sehr dahin, ob die
davon Betroffenen nicht mit Unrecht verurteilt waren; immer
hin war es für die übrige Bevölkerung unter den damaligen
Umständen eine Wohltat.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 6.60 focus

LX. Tous ces faits étaient présents à la pensée, et le souvenir de ce qu’on en avait entendu raconter rendait ¹²³ alors le peuple athénien dur et soupçonneux envers les citoyens accusés de sacrilège; car il voyait dans ce fait la manifestation d’un complot oligarchique et tyrannique. Déjà, par suite de cette irritation des esprits, bien des citoyens, et des plus estimables, étaient dans les prisons, sans qu’on entrevît un terme à ces rigueurs; chaque jour la passion prenait un caractère plus sauvage et les arrestations se multipliaient. Sur ces entrefaites, un des prisonniers, le plus coupable en apparence, reçut d’un de ses compagnons de captivité le conseil de faire des révélations, vraies ou fausses.— Les avis sur ce point sont partagés; et, ni alors, ni plus tard, personne n’a jamais pu rien dire de positif sur les auteurs de la profanation. — L’autre lui représenta, pour le persuader, que, fût-il même innocent, il devait se ménager l’impunité et se sauver lui-même tout en délivrant la république des soupçons qui l’agitaient; qu’il assurerait bien mieux son salut par un aveu suivi d’impunité que par des dénégations qui ne le garantiraient pas d’un jugement. Il s’accusa donc lui-même, et d’autres avec lui, pour le fait des Hermès. Le peuple athénien reçut avec joie ce qu’il crut être la vérité, d’autant plus qu’il avait jusque-là souffert impatiemment de ne pas connaître ceux qui conspiraient contre lui. Le révélateur et tous les citoyens qu’il n’avait pas accusés furent sur-le-champ mis en liberté; on fit le procès aux autres⁴ et on mit à mort tous ceux qu’on put arrêter; quant aux fugitifs, on prononça contre eux la peine capitale et on mit leur tête à prix. Du reste on ignore si, dans cette circonstance, les victimes furent ⁵ frappées injustement⁶; ce qui est incontestable, c’est que la république en retira un avantage manifeste.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 6.60 focus

Le peuple athénien, qui avait ces faits encore présents à la mémoire, montrait alors beaucoup d’irritation et de défiance contre les auteurs présumés de la profanation des mystères. Il y voyait une conspiration oligarchique et tyrannique. Déjà son courroux avait jeté dans les fers une foule d’hommes honorables, sans qu’on entrevît un terme à ces rigueurs. Chaque jour ne faisait qu’accroître l’exaspération de la multitude et le nombre des arrestations. Alors un des détenus¹, sur lequel pesaient les charges les plus fortes, fut amené par un de ses compagnons de captivité à faire des révélations vraies ou fausses — à cet égard le champ est ouvert aux conjectures, et nul n’a jamais su indiquer avec certitude les auteurs de l’attentat. A force d’instances, ce prisonnier détermina son compagnon, fût-il innocent, à s’assurer l’impunité et à délivrer la ville de l'inquiétude qui planait sur elle. Il lui représenta qu’il risquait bien moins à faire des aveux qui lui vaudraient sa grâce, qu’à persister dans un système de dénégations qui entraînerait son jugement. Enfin cet homme se dénonça, loi et quelques autres, comme coupable de la mutilation des Hermès. Le peuple athénien accueillit avec joie ce qu’il crut être la vérité. Satisfait d’avoir enfin découvert la trame ourdie contre la démocratie, il relâcha immédiàtement le dénonciateur et tous ceux qu’il n’avait pas désignés ; aux autres on fit leur procès. Tous ceux qu’on put atteindre furent mis à mort ; les fugitifs furent condamnés par contumace, et leurs têtes mises i prix. Reste à savoir si les victimes avaient mérité leur sort : mais la ville entière en ressentit sur l’heure un incontestable soulagement.

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.) — 6.60.1 focus

[1] With these events in mind and recalling all that they knew of them by report, the Athenian people were in an ugly temper at this time and suspicious towards those who had incurred blame in the matter of the mysteries; and the whole thing seemed to them to have been done in connection with a conspiracy that aimed at an oligarchy or a tyranny.

[2] So when, in consequence of their anger on this account, many noteworthy men were already imprisoned and there seemed to be no end of the matter, but day by day they were growing more savage and still more men were being arrested, then at last one of the men in confinement,¹ the one in fact who was regarded as the most guilty, was persuaded by one of his fellow-prisoners to make a confession, which may have been true or not; for there are conjectures both ways, but no one has been able, either then or afterwards, to tell the truth with reference to those who did the deed.

[3] At any rate, the other prisoner persuaded this man that, even if he had not done the deed, he ought, having first secured immunity,² to save himself and free the state from the prevailing suspicion; for, he said, he had a surer chance of saving his life by confessing, with the promise of immunity, than by denying the charge and undergoing trial.

[4] Accordingly he informed against himself and others in the affair of the Hermae; and the people, delighted at getting the truth, as they thought, and already making much ado that they should not discover those who were plotting against the democracy, at once set free the informer and with him all the rest whom he had not denounced; but with regard to those who were accused they instituted trials and put to death all who had been arrested, while on those who had fled they passed sentence of death, offering a reward in money to anyone who killed them.

[5] And in all this it was uncertain whether those who suffered had not been punished unjustly; the city at large, however, at the time was clearly benefited.

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.) — 6.60.1 focus

[1] Reflecting, then, on these things, and recalling to mind all that they knew by report concerning them, the Athenian people was wrathful at that time, and suspicious of those who had incurred accusation on the subject of the mysteries, and thought that every thing had been done on the strength of a conspiracy for establishing an oligarchy, or a tyranny.

[2] So when, in consequence of their anger on this account, many persons of consideration were already in prison, and the matter appeared not to be stopping, but they were daily proceeding to greater severity and to more numerous arrests; under these circumstances one of the men in confinement, who was thought to be the most guilty of them, was persuaded by one of his fellow prisoners to give information, whether true or not; for suppositions are entertained both ways, and the certain fact respecting those who had done the deed no one was either able to state then, or has since been able.

[3] By his arguments then he persuaded him, that he ought, even if he had not done the deed, both to save himself by gaining a promise of impunity, and to stop his country from its present suspiciousness: for that his preservation was more sure, if he confessed with a promise of impunity, than if he denied it, and were brought to trial.

[4] Accordingly he informed both against himself and some others, respecting the Mercuries; and the Athenian people having gladly ascertained, as they supposed, the truth of the matter, and having been before indignant at the thought of not discovering those who had plotted against their commons, immediately set at liberty the informer and his companions, such as he had not accused; while with regard to those who were charged with the crime, having brought them to trial, they executed all of them who were seized, and having passed sentence upon those who had fled, proclaimed a reward in money for any one who slew them.

[5] By this course, though it was doubtful whether those who suffer: had been punished unjustly or not, yet the rest of the community were manifestly benefited.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 6.60.1 focus

[1] Quae reputans populus Atheniensis, et memoria repetens, quaecunque de illis fama acceperat, tunc acerbus erat et suspiciosus in eos, qui de mysteriis insimulati erant, atque omnia iis videbantur eo consilio facta, ut dominatus paucorum vel regum a conjuratis constitueretur.

[2] Et quum irascentibus iis ob hanc rem multi clari viri in carcere jam essent, neque ulla rei intermissio appareret, sed in dies longius eveherentur, ita ut et saevitia augeretur et longe plures comprehenderent, interea quidam, qui cum aliis in vinculis erat, cuidam item in vincula conjecto, qui maxime affinis crimini esse videbatur, persuasit, ut rem indicaret, sive ita ut erat, sive non; nam utrinque sunt conjecture, certi vero nemo quicquam de illius facinoris auctoribus neque tunc neque postea afferre potuit.

[3] Persuasit autem dicens, oportere ipsum, quamvis hoc facinus non perpetras-set, tamen comparata sibi impunitate, et se ipsum servare, et civitatem praesente suspicione liberare; salutem enim ipsi certiorem fore, si impunitate impetrata rem fassus esset, quam si negans judicium subiret.

[4] Quamobrem hic et contra se et contra alios indicium professus est de Mercurii simulacris; populus vero Atheniensis lubenter cognita, ut putabat, rei veritate, quum prius indignissime ferret, si eos, qui suae multitudini insidiabantur, cognoscere non posset, confestim dimisit et ipsum indicem et ceteros cum eo, quo3 non accusaverat; illorum vero, qui delati erant, constitutis judiciis alioe quidem occiderunt, quotquot comprehensi erant, alios vero fuga dilapsos morte damnaverunt, praemio publice proposito ei, qui eos interfecisset.

[5] Interea vero non constabat, num ii, qui capitali supplicio affecti erant, injuria puniti essent; reliqua tamen civitas in praesenti manifeste commodum ex hac re perceperat.

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 6.60 focus

Le quali cose considerando il popolo ateniese, e rammemorandone tutte le circostanze che sapeva d’udita, era allora fiero e sospettoso con gl’imputati della profanazione dei misteri, e credeva tutto ciò essersi commesso per cospirazione di stabilire l’oligarchia od anche la tirannide. E adirati come erano per questo appunto, avevano già nelle carceri molti e de’più reputati cittadini, nè pareva che volessero far sosta; ma ogni giorno montavano in più ferocità, e più gente ancora arrestavano. Frattanto uno dei detenuti creduto colpevolissimo viene indotto da un altro imprigionato insiem con lui a dinunziare i complici (fosse vero o no , che vi sono congetture prò e contro , e nessuno nè allora nè poi può dir nulla di certo intorno ai rei del misfatto}, e ve lo induce col dirgli che anche non reo doveva prendere l' impunità e salvarsi, e liberare la città dai presenti sospetti ; essendoché più sicuramente egli avrebbe salvezza confessando con l' impunità, di quello che negando subire il giudizio. Allora egli scuopre sè ed altri rei del fatto de’Mercuri ; e il popolo ateniese contento d’aver saputo il vero , come credeva, laddove prima era indispettito del non conoscere gl' insidiatori del governo democratico, mise subito in libertà il delatore e con esso tutti gli altri da lui non accusati. E fatto il giudizio degl’ incolpati, uccisero tutti quelli che poterono arrestare, e bandirono una taglia per chi ammazzasse quelli che condannati a morte erano fuggiti. In questo modo restò incerto se i giustiziati furono o no puniti ingiustamente ; nulladimeno il rimanente della città ne risentì evidentissimo vantaggio.

Notes on the current edition

History of the Peloponnesian War

1. 4l5
v.
Chr,

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 6.60

Adolf Wahrmund (Translator)

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