Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.23

[1] Now Astyochus, the Lacedaemonian admiral, having set forth as he intended from Cenchreiae, arrived at Chios. The third day after his coming thither came Leon and Diomedon into Lesbos with twenty-five galleys of Athens; for Leon came with a supply of ten galleys more from Athens afterwards.

[2] Astyochus, in the evening of the same day, taking with him one galley more of Chios, took his way toward Lesbos to help it what he could, and put in at Pyrrha, and the next day at Eressos. Here he heard that Mytilene was taken by the Athenians, even with the shout of their voices.

[3] For the Athenians, coming unexpected, entered the haven, and having beaten the galleys of the Chians, disbarked and overcame those that made head against them and won the city.

[4] When Astyochus heard this, both from the Eressians and from those Chian galleys that came from Methymna with Eubulus, which having been left there before, as soon as Mytilene was lost fled, and three of them chanced to meet with him (for one was taken by the Athenians), he continued his course for Mytilene no longer; but having caused Eressos to revolt, and armed the soldiers he had aboard, made them to march toward Antissa and Methymna by land, under the conduct of Eteonicus; and he himself, with his own galleys and those three of Chios, rowed thither along the shore, hoping that the Methymnaeans, upon sight of his forces, would take heart and continue in their revolt.

[5] But when in Lesbos all things went against him, he re-embarked his army and returned to Chios. And the landmen that were aboard, and should have gone into Hellespont, went again into their cities. After this came to them six galleys to Chios, of those of the confederate fleet at Cenchreiae.

[6] The Athenians, when they had reestablished the state of Lesbos, went thence and took Polichna, which the Clazomenians had fortified in the continent, and brought them all back again into the city which is in the island, save only the authors of the revolt; for these got away to Daphnus. And Clazomenae returned to the obedience of the Athenians.

[1] In the meantime Astyochus, the Lacedaemonian admiral, set sail from Cenchreae with four ships, as he had intended, and arrived at Chios . On the third day after his arrival the Athenian ships, twenty-five in number, sailed to Lesbos under Diomedon and Leon, who had lately arrived with a reinforcement of ten ships from Athens .

[2] Late in the same day Astyochus put to sea, and taking one Chian vessel with him sailed to Lesbos to render what assistance he could. Arrived at Pyrrha , and from thence the next day at Eresus, he there learned that Mitylene had been taken, almost without a blow, by the Athenians,

[3] who had sailed up and unexpectedly put into the harbour, had beaten the Chian ships, and landing and defeating the troops opposed to them, had become masters of the city. Informed of this by the Eresians and the Chian ships, which had been left with Eubulus at Methymna and had fled upon the capture of Mitylene , and three of which he now fell in with,

[4] one having been taken by the Athenians, Astyochus did not go on to Mitylene , but raised and armed Eresus, and sending the heavy infantry from his own ships by land under Eteonicus to Antissa and Methymna , himself proceeded along shore thither with the ships which he had with him and with the three Chians, in the hope that the Methymnians upon seeing them would be encouraged to persevere in their revolt.

[5] As, however, everything went against him in Lesbos , he took up his own force and sailed back to Chios ; the land forces on board, which were to have gone to the Hellespont , being also conveyed back to their different cities. After this six of the allied Peloponnesian ships at Cenchreae joined the forces at Chios .

[6] The Athenians, after restoring matters to their old state in Lesbos , set sail from thence and took Polichna, the place that the Clazomenians were fortifying on the continent, and carried the inhabitants back to their town upon the island, except the authors of the revolt, who withdrew to Daphnus; and thus Clazomenae became once more Athenian.

Unterdessen war Astyochos, der lakedämonische Befehls­
haber der Flotte, mit vier Schiffen, wie er sollte, von Ken­
chreiai in See gegangen und in Chios angekommen. Drei
Tage nach seiner Ankunft fuhr die attische Flotte, fünfund­
zwanzig Segel stark, unter Leon und Diomedon nach Lesbos
ab. Leon war nämlich später noch mit zehn Schiffen von
Athen nachgekommen. An demselben Tage machte sich auch
Astyochos, verstärkt durch ein chiisches Schiff, gegen Abend
nach Lesbos auf, um dort womöglich mit einzugreifen, kam
auch nach Pprrha und von da am folgenden Tage nach Eresos
Dort erfuhr er, daß Mytilene von den Athenern gleich im
ersten Anlauf genommen sei. Die Athener waren nämlich
ganz unerwartet mit ihrer Flotte ohne weiteres in den Hafen
eingelaufen, hatten die chiischen Schiffe überwältigt, am Lande
alles, was sich widersetzte, in die Flucht geschlagen und sich
der Stadt bemächtigt. Das erfuhr er von den Einwohnern
und den unter Eubulos von Methymna kommenden chiischen
Schiffen, welche damals dort zurückgelassen, nach der Einnahme
von Mytilene aber entflohen waren, und von denen nun drei -
denn eins war den Athenern in die Hände gefallen - mit ihm
zusammentrafet. Infolgedessen gab er Mytilene auf, schickte
aber, nachdem er Eresos zum Abfall gebracht und die Ein­
wohner bewaffnet hatte, die Hopliten seiner Flotte unter
Eteonikos zu Lande nach Antissa und Methymne, während er
selbst mit seinen und den drei chiischen Schiffen um die Insel
herumfuhr in der Hoffnung, die Methymner würden bei ihrem
Anblick Mut fassen und sich nicht wieder mit den Athenern
einlassen. Da er jedoch in Lesbos überall auf Widerstand
stieß, schiffte er seine Truppen wieder ein und fuhr nach Chios
zurück. Auch das Landheer, welches mit der Flotte nach dem
Hellespont gehen sollte, löste sich auf, und die Leute gingen
nach Hause. Bald darauf trafen bei ihm sechs Schiffe der
peloponnesischen Bundesflotte aus Kenchreiai in Chios ein.
Die Athener aber gingen, nachdem sie die Ordnung in Lesbos
wiederhergestellt, von dort in See,'eroberten das von den
Ktazomeniern auf dem Festlande befestigte Polichna, versetzten
die Bewohner mit Ausnahme der nach Daphnus entflohenen
Anstifter des Aufstandes wieder in die Stadt auf der Insel,
und Klazomenai schloß sich den Athenern wieder an.

XXIII. Astyochos de Lacédémone, commandant de la flotte, fit voile de Cenchrées, suivant le plan arrêté, avec quatre vaisseaux, et se rendit à Chio. Le surlendemain de son arrivée, les vingt-cinq vaisseaux athéniens, commandés par Léon et Diomédon, abordèrent à Lesbos. — Léon, parti d’Athènes après son collègue, était venu le rejoindre avec dix vaisseaux de renfort. — Astyochos, de son côté, mit en mer le même jour sur le soir, se renforça d’un bâtiment de Chio, et fit voile pour Lesbos, afin d’y donner, s’il était possible, quelque secours. Il aborda à Pyrrha, et de là, le lendemain, à Éressos. Là il apprit que Mytilène avait été ¹ prise d’emblée par les Athéniens. Leur flotte s’y était présentée inopinément, avait abordé dans le port même, et s’était emparée de la flotte de Chio. Ils avaient ensuite débarqué, battu ceux qui firent résistance et occupé la ville. Astyochos apprit ces nouvelles des Éressiens et des vaisseaux de Chio qui arrivaient de Méthymne avec Eubulos. Ces bâtiments, laissés précédemment à Méthymne, s’étaient enfuis aussitôt après la prise de Mytilène; un avait été pris par les Athéniens; les trois autres rencontrèrent Astyochos. Il renonça aussitôt à gagner Mytilène, insurgea Éressos, arma les habitants, débarqua les hoplites de sa flotte et les envoya par terre à Antissa et à Méthymne, sous le commandement d’Étéonicos. Il s’y rendit, de son côté, en côtoyant, avec ses vaisseaux et les trois bâtiments de Chio, dans l’espoir que Méthymne reprendrait courage à la vue de ces forces et persisterait dans sa défection. Mais, comme tout allait mal pour lui à Lesbos, il rembarqua ses troupes de terre et fit voile pour Chio. L’armée de terre embarquée sur la flotte péloponnésienne et destinée à l’Hellespont s’en retourna de son côté. Il arriva ensuite de Cenchrées à Chio six vaisseaux de la flotte péloponnésienne alliée.

Les Athéniens, après avoir rétabli à Lesbos l’ancien état de choses, se remirent en mer, allèrent occuper le faubourg que les Clazoméniens fortifiaient sur le continent, et les ramenèrent à la ville située dans l’île, à l’exception des chefs du mouvement, qui s’étaient retirés à Daphnonte. Clazomènes rentra sous la domination athénienne.

Astyochos, navarque lacédémonien, partit de Cen-chrées avec quatre vaisseaux et se rendit à Chios, selon sa destination. Le surlendemain de son arrivée, les vingt-cinq vaisseaux athéniens commandés par Léon et par Diomédon cinglèrent vers Lesbos. Léon, parti d’Athènes après son collègue, lui avait amené un renfort de dix vaisseaux. Astyochos së mit en mer le même jour, sur le soir; et, après s’être adjoint un vaisseau chiote, il fit voile pour Lesbos, afin d’y porter secours, s’il était encore temps. Il atteignit Pyrrha et le lendemain Êrésos. Là, il fut informé que Mytilène avait été prise d’emblée par les Athéniens. Leur flotte s’y était présentée à l’improviste, avait pénétré dans le port et s’était emparée des vaisseaux chiotes ¹ ; ils avaient ensuite débarqué, défait les opposants, et occupé la ville. Astyochos apprit ces nouvelles des Érésiens et des vàis-seaux chiotes venus avec Euboulos de Méthymne, où ils avaient été laissés comme on l’a vu, et qui, aussitôt après la prise de Mytilène, avaient gagné le large. Ils n’étaient plus que trois, le quatrième ayant été capturé par les Athéniens. Astyochos renonça dès lors à reprendre Mytilène; mais il insurgea Brésos, arma les habitants et envoya par terre les hoplites de ses vaisseaux à Antissa et à Méthymne sous la conduite d’Étéonicos. Lui-même s’y rendit par mer avec ses vaisseaux et les trois de Chios, dans l’espérance que les Méthymniens, en le voyant, reprendraient courage et persisteraient dans leur défection; mais, ne rencontrant à Lesbos que des obstacles, il rembarqua son monde et reprit la route de Chios. L’armée de terre, qui avait dû se rendre dans l’Hellespont, se sépara de la flotte et regagna ses foyers.

Après cela, six des vaisseaux fournis par les alliés du Pélo-ponèse arrivèrent de Cenchrées à Chios. Les Athéniens, après avoir rétabli à Lesbos l’ancien ordre de choses, reprirent la mer, s’emparèrent de Polichna que les Clazoméniens fortifiaient sur le continent, et ramenèrent ces derniers à la ville située dans nie, excepté toutefois les auteurs de la défection. Ceux-ci se réfugièrent à Daphnonte, et Clazomènes rentra sous la domination des Athéniens ² .

[1] Meanwhile Astyochus, the Lacedaemonian admiral, sailed with four ships from Cenchreiae, as he had purposed, and arrived at Chios. And on the third day after his coming the twenty-five Athenian ships sailed to Lesbos, being under the command of Leon and Diomedon; for Leon had arrived afterwards with a reinforcement of ten ships from Athens.

[2] On the same day, but at a later hour, Astyochus put to sea, and taking besides his own one Chian ship sailed to Lesbos, in order to give what aid he could. On that day he reached Pyrrha, and thence on the next day Eresus, where he learned that Mytilene had been taken by the Athenians at the first assault.

[3] For the Athenians, arriving unexpectedly, had immediately sailed into the harbour and got the better of the Chian slips; they then landed and after defeating in battle those that resisted them took possession of the city.

[4] Now when Astyochus learned of this from the inhabitants of Eresus and from the Chian ships that came from Methymna with Eubulus—the ships which had been left behind on the occasion above mentioned, ¹ and now fell in with him in their flight after the capture of Mytilene, being three in number, for one had been captured by the Athenians—he no longer advanced against Mytilene, but instead induced Eresus to revolt, supplied it with arms, and then sent the hoplites on his own ships by land along the coast to Antissa and Methymna, placing Eteonicus in command of them. He himself, meanwhile, took his own and the three Chian ships and sailed along the coast, hoping that the Methymnaeans would be encouraged by the sight of his fleet and would persevere in their revolt.

[5] But since everything at Lesbos was going against him, he took his hoplites aboard and sailed back to Chios. And the forces which had been landed from the ships ² and were intending to proceed to the Hellespont were conveyed again to their several cities. After this, six of the allied ships from the Peloponnesus that were at Cenchreia joined them at Chios.

[6] As for the Athenians, they restored conditions at Lesbos, and sailing from there captured Polichne, ³ the Clazomenian settlement on the mainland which was being fortified, and carried all the inhabitants back to the city on the island, except the authors of the revolt; for these had got away to Daphnus. And so Clazomenae again came back to the Athenian alliance.

[1] Now Astyochus, the Lacedaemonian admiral, set sail, as he had intended, with four ships from Cenchrea, and arrived at Chios On the third day after his coming there, the Athenian ships, five and twenty in number, sailed to Lesbos under the command of Leon and Diomedon; for Leon had subsequently brought a reinforcement of ten ships from Athens.

[2] The same day, at a late hour, Astyochus also put out, and taking one Chian vessel in addition to his own, sailed to Lesbos, to render it whatever assistance he could. Accordingly he came to Pyrrha, and thence the next day to Eresus, where he heard that Mitylene had been taken by the Athenians on the first assault.

[3] For the Athenians, immediately on sailing to the place, unexpectedly put into the harbour, and defeated the Chian ships; and having landed, and conquered in a battle those who opposed them, they took possession of the city.

[4] Receiving this intelligence, both from the Eresians and from the Chian ships coming from Methymna with Eubulus, three of which fell in with him, (for one had been taken by the Athenians,) after being left behind at the time, and so escaping when Mitylene was taken, Astyochus no longer advanced to Mitylene, but having persuaded Eresus to revolt, and supplied it with arms, he both sent the heavy-armed from on board his own ships to Antissa and Methymna, having appointed Eteonicus to the command, and himself coasted along thither with his own ships and the three Chians; hoping that the Methymnaeans would be encouraged by the sight of them, and persevere in their revolt.

[5] But when every thing at Lesbos went against him, he took his own force on board, and sailed back to Chios; while the land forces also that had been disembarked from the vessels, and were to have proceeded to the Hellespont, returned again to their several cities. After this, six of the allied ships from the Peloponnese that were at Cenchrea came to them at Chios.

[6] The Athenians, on the other hand, arranged matters again at Lesbos, and sailing thence, took Polichna, belonging to the Clazornenians, which was being fortified on the mainland, and carried them over again to their city on the island, excepting the authors of the revolt, who had departed to Daphnus. And thus Clazomenae came over again to the Athenians.

[1] Astyochusvero, Lacedaemonias nauarchus, cura quatuor navibus, ut destinaverat, e Cenchreis navigans in Chium pervenit, et tertio die, quam perveoit, Atticae naves quinque et viginti ad Lesbum appulerunt, quibus praeerat Leon et Diomedon; Leon enim postea profectus cum aliis decem navibus Athenis ad opem suis ferendam venerat.

[2] Sed et Astyochus eodem die, jam advespe-rascente portu solvit et assumpta una Chia nave navigabat in Lesbum, jut auxiiium ferret, si qua posset, et pervenit Pyrrham, et iilinc postero die Eressum, ubi intellexit, Mv-tilenen ab Atheniensibus primo impetu captam esse;

[3] nam Athenienses, ut veniebant, ex improviso ad portum appulsi et Chiis navibus potiti erant, et in terram egressi, iis, qui obstiterant, proelio victis, urbem in suam potestatem redegerant.

[4] Qum quum intelli geret Astyochus et ex Ereesiis, et ex Chiis navibus, a Methymna cum Eubulo venientibus, quae antea, ut dixi ibi relictae, sed, quum Mytilene capta est, elapsae in eum inciderant numero tres (una enim capta erat ab Atheniensibus), haud amplius Mytilenen contendit, sed quum Eressum ad defectionem faciendam impulisset et armasset, misit et suarum navium milites Antissam et Methymnam versus itinere terrestri, Eteonico duce iis praeposito; et ipse quoque cum suis navibus et tribus Chiis eodem oram legens contendebat, sperans Methymnaeos, conspectis suis copiis, fiduciam animo concepturos et in defectione permansuros.

[5] Sed quum in Lesbo omnia adversarentur, copiis suis in naves receptis, in Chium rediit. Redierunt etiam in suas quique urbes pedites illi a navibus separati, qui in Hellespontum trajecturi erant. Post haec autem ex sociali Peloponnesiorum dasse, quae ad Cenchream stabat, sex naves in Chium ad eos venerunt.

[6] Athenienses vero res in Lesbo rursus constituerunt, et illinc profecti Clazomeniorum urbem, nomine Polichnam, quam in continente muniebant, ceperunt , eosque rursus in urbem in insula sitam transportarunt, praeter defectionis auctores; hi enim Daphnuntem abierant. Et denuo Clazomenae in Atheniensium ditionem concesserunt.

MaAstioco, ammiraglio lacedemone, movendo con quattro navi da Cencrea , giunge a Chio, siccome era suo disegno ; e tre giorni dopo l’arrivo di lui andavano alla volta di Lesbo le venticinque navi attiche capitanate da Diomedonte e Leone, il quale in appresso era venuto da Atene col rinforzo di dieci navi. E in sul calare di quello stesso giorno Astioco fatto vela nuovamente, ed aggiuntasi una nave chia, dirizzò anch’egli il corso verso Lesbo, per tentare di soccorrerla. Pervenne a Pirra e quindi il dì seguente ad Eresso, ove sentì che Mitilene era stata presa di primo assalto dagli Ateniesi ; i quali, entrati nel porto perchè nissuno sospettava della loro venuta, avean superato la flotta de’Chii ; e poi nel fare scala vinti in battaglia quei che vollero opporsi, si erano impadroniti della città. Della qual cosa informato Astioco dalla gente di Eresso e dalle navi chie, che nella presa di Mitilene fuggite con Eubulo da Metimna ove stavano allora di presidio , e di quattro ridotte a tre sole ( perchè una fu predata dagli Ateniesi ) , gli eran venute incontro, non volle più andare sopra Mitilene. Ma fatta ribellare Eresso armò anche i soldati delle proprie navi e gli avviò per terra, sotto il comando di Eteonico , ad Antissa ed a Metimna, ove egli pure s’indirizzava marina marina con le navi che aveva seco e con le altre tre de’ Chii, sperando che i Metimnei a quella vista piglierebbero animo e persisterebbero nella ribellione. Siccome però tutte le cose di Lesbo gli andavano a ritroso , riprese l’esercito e tornò a Cliio ; e similmente le genti da piè, che stavano sulle navi e doveano passare nell’ Ellesponto, si ricondussero alle loro città. Dopo questi fatti sei navi della flotta alleata dei Peloponnesi, che era in Cencrea, arrivano a Chio. Gli Ateniesi , racquetata Lesbo, partirono di lì, ed espugnarono Policna che si andava fortificando in terraferma dai Clazoinenii, cui fecero rientrare nella città situata nell’isola, salvo gli autori della ribellione i quali dovettero ritirarsi a Dafnunte, CosìClazomene ritornò all’obbedienza degli Ateniesi.