Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.24

[1] The same summer, those Athenians that with twenty galleys lay in the isle of Lada before Miletus, landing in the territory of Miletus at Panormus, slew Chalcideus, the Lacedaemonian commander, that came out against them but with a few, and set up a trophy, and the third day after departed. But the Milesians pulled down the trophy, as erected where the Athenians were not masters.

[2] Leon and Diomedon, with the Athenian galleys that were at Lesbos, made war upon the Chians by sea from the isles called Oenussae, which lie before Chios, and from Sidussa and Pteleum (forts they held in Erythraea), and from Lesbos. They that were aboard were men of arms of the roll, compelled to serve in the fleet. With these they landed at Cardamyle;

[3] and having overthrown the Chians that made head in a battle at Bolissus, and slain many of them, they recovered from the enemy all the places of that quarter. And again they overcame them in another battle at Phanae, and in a third at Leuconium. After this, the Chians went out no more to fight; by which means the Athenians made spoil of their territory, excellently well furnished.

[4] For except it were the Lacedaemonians, the Chians were the only men that I have heard of that had joined advisedness to prosperity, and the more their city increased, had carried the more respect in the administration thereof to assure it.

[5] Nor ventured they now to revolt (lest any man should think that, in this act at least, they regarded not what was the safest) till they had many and strong confederates with whose help to try their fortune, nor till such time as they perceived the people of Athens (as they themselves could not deny) to have their estate after the defeat in Sicily reduced to extreme weakness. And if through human misreckoning they miscarried in aught, they erred with many others, who in like manner had an opinion that the state of the Athenians would quickly have been overthrown.

[6] Being therefore shut up by sea, and having their lands spoiled, some within undertook to make the city return unto the Athenians. Which though the magistrates perceived, yet they themselves stirred not; but having received Astyochus into the city with four galleys that were with him from Erythraea, they took advice together, how by taking hostages, or some other gentle way, to make them give over the conspiracy. Thus stood the business with the Chians.

[1] The same summer the Athenians in the twenty ships at Lade blockading Miletus , made a descent at Panormus in the Milesian territory, and killed Chalcideus the Lacedaemonian commander, who had come with a few men against them, and the third day after sailed over and set up a trophy, which, as they were not masters of the country, was however pulled down by the Milesians.

[2] Meanwhile Leon and Diomedon with the Athenian fleet from Lesbos issuing from the OeLacedaenussae, the isles off Chios , and from their forts of Sidussa and Pteleum in the Erythraeid, and from Lesbos , carried on the war against the Chians from the ships, having on board heavy infantry from the rolls pressed to serve as marines.

[3] Landing in Cardamyle and in Bolissus they defeated with heavy loss the Chians that took the field against them, and laying desolate the places in that neighbourhood, defeated the Chians again in another battle at Phanae, and in a third at Leuconium. After this the Chians ceased to meet them in the field, while the Athenians devastated the country, which was beautifully stocked and had remained uninjured ever since the Median wars.

[4] Indeed, after the Lacedaemonians, the Chians are the only people that I have known who knew how to be wise in prosperity, and who ordered their city the more securely the greater it grew.

[5] Nor was this revolt, in which they might seem to have erred on the side of rashness, ventured upon until they had numerous and gallant allies to share the danger with them, and until they perceived the Athenians after the Sicilian disaster themselves no longer denying the thoroughly desperate state of their affairs. And if they were thrown out by one of the surprises which upset human calculations, they found out their mistake in company with many others who believed, like them, in the speedy collapse of the Athenian power.

[6] While they were thus blockaded from the sea and plundered by land, some of the citizens undertook to bring the city over to the Athenians. Appraised of this the authorities took no action themselves, but brought Astyochus, the admiral, from Erythrae, with four ships that he had with him, and considered how they could most quietly, either by taking hostages or by some other means, put an end to the conspiracy.

In diesem Sommer landeten die Athener, welche Milet
gegenüber bei Lade mit den zwanzig Schiffen vor Anker ge­
gangen waren, bei Panormos im Miletischen und töteten
Chalkideus, der ihnen mit schwachen Kräften entgegengetreten
war. Drei Tage nachher fuhren sie nochmals nach dem Fest­
lande hinüber und errichteten ein Siegeszeichen, das die Mi­
leter jedoch wieder zerstörten, weit sie sich dort nicht batten
behaupten können. Inzwischen unterhielten Leon und Diomedon
mit der athenischen Flotte von Lesbos den Krieg zur See
gegen die Chier, wobei ihnen die Chios gegenüberliegenden
Oinussischen Inseln, die von ihnen im Gebiet von Erythrai
besetzten festen Plätze Sidnssa und Pteleon und Lesbos selbst
als Stützpunkte dienten. Ihre Seesoldaten waren aus der
Stammrolle zwangsweise ausgehobene Hopliten. Sie landeten
bei Kardamylai und erfochten bei Bolissos einen Sieg über
die Chier, die sich ihnen entgegenstellten, töteten viele und ver­
heerten die Umgegend. Nachher siegten sie noch in einem
zweiten Gefechte bei Phanai und einem dritten bei Leukonion.
Seitdem ließen sich die Chier im Felde nicht mehr sehen, und
die Athener verwüsteten nun das wohlangebaute Land, das seit
den Perserkriegen kein Feind mehr betreten hatte. Denn die
Chier waren, soviel ich weiß, neben den Lakedämoniern die
einzigen, die auch im Glück die Besonnenheit bewahrt und mit
der zunehmenden Macht ihres Staates nur um so mehr für
dessen Sicherheit gesorgt hatten. Wenn sie jetzt bei ihrem
Abfall anscheinend auch etwas unvorsichtig zu Werke gegangen
waren, so.hatten sie es doch auch damit erst gewagt, als sie
auf den Beistand zahlreicher tapferer Bundesgenossen rechnen
konnten und die Gewißheit hatten, daß die Athener nach ihren
Niederlagen in Sizilien aus ihrer bedenklichen Lage selbst kein
Hehl mehr machten. Und wenn sie sich darin bei der Un­
berechenbarkeit der menschlichen Lebensläufte dennoh cgeirrt
haben, so teilten sie diesen Irrtum mit vielen anderen, die
gleich ihnen glaubten, man werde mit den Athenern bald fertig-
werden. Nun aber, wo sie von der See verdrängt waren
und ihr Land verwüstet wurde, gingen manche damit um, das
Bündnis mit den Athenern wiederherzustellen. Die Regierung,
welche dahinterkam, schritt dagegen ihrerseits nicht ein, ließ
aber Astyochos, den Befehlshaber der Flotte, mit vier Schiffen,
die er bei sich hatte, von Erythrai kommen und suchte die Be­
wegung durch Festnahme von Geiseln und auf andere Weise
so glimpflich wie möglich beizulegen. So verlief die Sache
in Chios.

XXIV. Le même été, les Athéniens qui stationnaient à Ladé avec vingt vaisseaux dirigés contre Milet, firent une descente à Panorme, sur le territoire milésien, et tuèrent le commandant lacédémonien, Chalcidéus, venu à leur rencontre avec une troupe peu nombreuse. Le surlendemain ils revinrent dresser un trophée; mais les Milésiens le renversèrent comme ayant été élevé sans qu’il y eût occupation du pays.

Léon et Diomédon, avec la flotte athénienne de Lesbos, prirent, pour base de leurs opérations maritimes contre Chio, les îles OEnusses, en face de Chio, Sidusse et Ptéléos, places fortifiées qu’ils occupaient sur le territoire d’Érythres, et l’île de Lesbos. Ils avaient sur leur flotte des hoplites portés au rôle et obligés au service maritime ¹ . Ils descendirent à Cardamyle ² , battirent à Bolissos les troupes de Chio envoyées contre eux, en firent un grand carnage et ravagèrent cette partie de la contrée. Ils remportèrent une nouvelle victoire à Phanes ³ , et une troisième à Leuconion ⁴ . De ce moment les troupes de Chio n’osèrent plus sortir contre eux; ils dévastèrent tout le pays, qui était parfaitement cultivé et n’avait jamais souffert l’invasion depuis la guerre médique. En effet les habitants de Chio sont, à ma connaissance, le seul peuple, après les Lacédémoniens, qui aient uni la sagesse à la prospérité : plus leur ville croissait en importance, plus ils veillaient à y établir ^{5 6 7 8} l'ordre et la stabilité. Dans cette défection même, s’ils ne paraissent pas avoir pris le parti le plus prudent, du moins ne se risquèrent-ils à agir qu’après avoir associé à leurs périls des alliés nombreux et braves, et cela après le désastre de Sicile, lorsqu’ils savaient que les Athéniens eux-mêmes ne pouvaient plus contester l'ébranlement profond et l'état déplorable de leur puissance. S’ils sont tombés dans un de ces mécomptes dont offrent tant d’exemples les affaires humaines, ils se sont trompés avec beaucoup d’autres qui crurent également à la prochaine destruction de la domination athénienne.

Comme ils étaient ainsi bloqués par mer et pillés par terre, quelques-uns d’entre eux entreprirent de remettre la ville aux Athéniens. Les magistrats, instruits de leur dessein, ne voulurent prendre aucune mesure par eux-mêmes et mandèrent d’Érythres Astyochos, commandant de la flotte, avec quatre vaisseaux qu’il avait sous la main, pour aviser de concert aux moyens les plus doux d’arrêter la conspiration, soit en prenant des otages, soit autrement. Telle était à Chio la situation des affaires.

Le même été, les Athéniens qui bloquaient Milet avec vingt vaisseaux stationnant à Ladé, firent une descente h Pa-normos dans les campagnes de Milet, et tuèrent le général lacédémonien Chalcidéus, venu à leur rencontre avec une poignée de monde. Le surlendemain, ils revinrent élever un trophée ; mais les Milésiens le renversèrent, sous prétexte que les ennemis n'étaient pas restés maîtres du champ de bataille.

Léon et Diomédon, avec la flotte athénienne de Lesbos, commencèrent alors des courses contre les Chiotes, en prenant pour point de départ les îles OEnusses vis-à-vis de Chios, Si-dussa et Ptéléos, châteaux forts qu’ils occupaient sur le territoire d’Érythres, et finalement Lesbos. Ils avaient comme soldats de marine des hoplites mis en réquisition d’après le rôle ¹ . Ils allèrent descendre à Cardamyla, battirent à Bolissos les Chiotes qui essayèrent de leur résister, en tuèrent un grand nombre et dévastèrent la» campagne. Us remportèrent une seconde victoire à Phanae et une troisième à Leuconion. Depuis ce moment, les Chiotes ne firent plus de sortie, tandis que les Athéniens pillèrent cette contrée abondamment pourvue, et qui n’avait aucunement souffert depuis les guerres médiques ² . A part les Lacédémoniens, les habitants de Chios sont, à ma connaissance, Je seul peuple qui ait su allier la sagesse avec la prospérité. Plus leur ville prenait d’accroissement, plus ils cherchaient à y faire régner le bon ordre. S’ils paraissent avoir compromis leur sûreté par leur défection, il est juste de dire qu’ils ne s'y portèrent qu’après s’être ménagé l’appui d’auxiliaires puissants et nombreux, et lorsque les Athéniens eux-mêmes, sous le coup de leur désastre de Sicile, ne firent plus mystère de leür situation désespérée. Ils tombèrent, il est vrai, dans un de ces mécomptes si fréquents dans la vie ; mais la même erreur fut partagée par bien d’autres, qui crurent également à la prochaine destruction de ia puissance athénienne.

Lorsqu’ils se virent bloqués par mer et pillés par terre, quelques-uns d’entre eux entreprirent de soumettre leur ville aux Athéniens. Les magistrats, informés de ce projet, ne firent eux-mêmes aucun mouvement ; mais ils mandèrent d’Érythres le navarque Astyochos, qui s’y trouvait avec quatre vaisseaux, et lâchèrent de calmer l’agitation, soit en prenant des otages, soit.de quelque autre façon. Telle était la position de Chios.

[1] During the same summer the Athenians, who were at Lade with their twenty ships keeping watch upon Miletus, made a descent at Panormus in Milesian territory and slew Chalcideus, the Lacedaemonian commander, who had come to the rescue with a few men; and two days later they sailed across and set up a trophy, which, however, the Milesians tore down on the ground that the Athenians did not have control of the country when they set it up.

[2] And now Leon and Diomedon, with the Athenian ships from Lesbos, began to make war upon the Chians by sea from the Oenussae islands, which lie off Chios, and from Sidussa and Pteleum, fortresses which they held in Erythraean territory, as well as from Lesbos; and they had on board as marines some hoplites from the muster-roll ¹ who had been pressed into the service.

[3] And landing at Cardamyle and Boliscus, they defeated in battle those of the Chians who came out to oppose them and slew many, and devastated the settlements in that region; and again at Phanae in another battle they were victorious, and also in a third battle at Leuconium. After this the Chians no longer came out against them, but the Athenians ravaged their country, which was well stocked and had been unharmed from the Persian wars down to that time.

[4] For next to the Lacedaemonians the Chians alone, of all the peoples that I have known, have been at once prosperous and prudent, and the greater their city grew the more securely they ordered their government.

[5] And even as regards this revolt, if men think that they did not consult their safety in undertaking it, they did not venture to make it until they were sure of incurring the danger in concert with many brave allies and perceived that not even the Athenians themselves, after the Sicilian disaster, could any longer deny that their circumstances were beyond a doubt exceedingly bad. And if in the unexpected turns that belong to human life they were somewhat deceived, they made their misjudgment in common with many others who were of the same opinion—that the power of the Athenians would speedily be utterly overthrown.

[6] Now, however, that they were shut off from the sea and were being despoiled by land, some of them attempted to bring the city over to the Athenians. Their rulers perceived this, but themselves kept quiet; however, they fetched from Erythrae the Lacedaemonian admiral Astyochus with the four ships which were with him there, and considered what were the mildest measures, either the seizing of hostages or some other plan, by which they could put an end to the plot. They, then, were thus occupied.

[1] The same summer the Athenians, who were with their twenty ships at Lade for the observation of Miletus, having made a descent at Panormus in the Milesian territory, slew Chalcideus, the Lacedaemonian commander, who had come against them with a few men, and sailing across three days after, erected a trophy; which, as it had been raised without their having command of the country, the Milesians threw down.

[2] And now Leon and Diomedon, with the Athenian ships from Lesbos, advancing from the Oenussae, the islands off Chios, and from Sidussa and Pteleum, fortresses which they held in the Erythraean country, as well as from Lesbos, carried on the war against the Chians from their ships, having as epibatae, some of the ¹ heavy-armed from the muster-roll, who had been pressed into the service.

[3] Having landed at Cardamyle and Bolissus, after defeating in battle those of the Chians who had come out against them, and killing many of them, they desolated the places in that neighbourhood. They defeated them again in another battle at Phanae, and in a third at Leuconium, after which the Chians no longer went out to meet them; while they ravaged their country, which was finely stocked, and had continued unhurt from the Median wars down to that time.

[4] For the Chians are the only people that I am acquainted with, after the Lacedaemonians, who were at once prosperous and prudent; and the more their city increased in greatness, the more secure were their arrangements.

[5] And even their present revolt, if any think that they executed this without regard for the safer course, they did not venture to make, before they were likely to run the risk in concert with many brave allies, and perceived that even the Athenians themselves no longer denied, after their disaster in Sicily, that without doubt their circumstances were utterly bad. But if they were somewhat disappointed by the unexpected results that occur in the life of man, they found out their mistake in company with many others, who had in the same way imagined that the power of the Athenians would be quickly destroyed.

[6] When therefore they were excluded from the sea, and were being ravaged by land, a party of them endeavoured to bring over the city to the Athenians. Though the magistrates detected them, they remained quiet themselves, and having brought Astyochus the admiral from Erythrae with four ships, which he had with him, considered how they might stop the conspiracy by the mildest measures, whether by taking hostages, or in any other way. They, then, were engaged with this business.

[1] Eadem aestate illi etiam Athenienses, qui ad Miletum cnm viginti navibus apud Ladam stationem habebant, copiis in terram expositis ad Panormum, agri Milesii oppidum, et Chalcideum Lacedaemonium ducem cum paucis occurrentem interfecerunt, et tertio post die digressi tropaeum erexerunt, quod Milesii sustulerunt, ut ab illis erectam, qui agrum in suam potestatem nequaquam redegissent;

[2] et Leon et Diomedon cum Atheniensium navibus, quas ex Lesbo secum duxerant, ex (Enussis insulis Chio adjacentibus et ex Sidussa et Pteleo, quas urbes in agro Erythraeo obtinebant, atque ex Lesbo proficiscentes, ex navibus bellum adversus Chios administrabant; liabebant autem milites navales e gravi ipsorum civium armatura assumptos et ad hanc militiam coactos.

[3] Et ad Cardamylam expositis in terram copiis, et ad Bolissum quum Chios sibi obviam progressos proelio vicissent multosque cecidissent, oppida in hac parte sita everterunt, et ad Phanas rursus altero proelio vicerunt, et tertio ad Leuconium. Postea vero Chii quidem jam adversus Athenienses non amplius prodire audebant, illi vero regionem egregie instructam, et a bello Medico ad id usque tempus illaesam, diripuerunt.

[4] Chii enim soli omnium, quos ego cognovi, post Lacedaemonios, simul et beati et continentes exstiterunt, et quanto crescebat eorum civitas in majus, tanto etiam adornabant res suas in majorem firmitatem.

[5] Et ne ipsam quidem defectionem, si hoc praeter id, quod; tutissimum erat, fecisse videntur, prius facere sunt ausi, quam ubi una cum multis iisque fortibus sociis periculum adituri erant, et intellexerunt, ne ipsos quidem Athenienses amplius negare post cladem in Sicilia acceptam, quin vehementer afflictae sine controversia res suae essent; si vero, ut solent multa in humana vita praeter rationem accidere, aliquando falsi sunt, una cum multis, qui et ipsi statuerunt, res Atheniensium celeriter eversum iri, hunc judicii errorem communiter commiserunt.

[6] Quum igitur et maris usu prohiberentur, et terra diriperentur, quidam conati sunt urbem Atheniensibus tradere; quorum consilia quum magistratus sensissent, ipsi quidem quieverunt, sed Aslyochum nauarchum cum quatuor navibus , quae ei praesto erant, Erythris arcessiverunt et consultabant, quomodo quam moderatissime vel obsidibus accipiendis vel alio aliquo modo insidias compescerent. Et hi quidem fyaec agebant.

Nella medesima estate quelli Ateniesi che con le venti navi in Lada bloccavano Mileto, fecero scala a Palermo del territorio milesio, vi uccisero Calcideo capitano lacedemone che era venuto ad opporsi con poca gente , ed alzato il trofeo, tre giorni dopo ripresero il corso. Questo trofeo fu atterrato da' Milesii come stato eretto da gente che non si era impadronita del luogo. E Leone e Diomedonte, tolte seco le navi ateniesi di Lesbo , e movendo dalle isole Enusse situate dinanzi a Chio, e da Sidussa e da Pteleo, due fortezze che ritenevano nell’Eritrea, ed anche da Lesbo stessa, facevano la guerra ai Chii con questa flotta, la quale aveva a bordo soldati darmatura grave scelti dal ruolo del Comune, e però costretti a militare. Presa adunque terra a Cardamile ed a Bolisso , superarono in battaglia e fecero grande strage dei Chii accorsi a contrastarli, e disertarono le terre di quei luoghi. Vinsero poscia una seconda battaglia a Fané f ed una terza a Leuconio ; e d’allora in poi i Chii non uscivano più in campo contro gli Ateneisi, quantunque essi devastassero il loro territorio di tutte cose floridissimo, e rimasto illeso dalla guerra de’ Medi fino a quel tempo. Conciossiachè i Chii soli, che io mi sappia, hanno dopo i Lacedemoni »erbato moderazione in mezzo alla prosperità ; e quanto più la città loro avanzava in grandezza altrettanto l’ordinavano a maggiore stabilità. E questa medesima ribellione (se pure vogliasi credere aver essi operato contro il partito più sicuro) non osarono farla prima di essersi messi nel medesimo mazzo con molti e buoni alleati, nè prima d’aver inteso che gli Ateniesi stessi non più sapevano negare il deplorabilissimo ed irrimediabile stato delle cose loro, dopo la disgrazia di Sicilia. Che se in qualche modo errarono, 'ome suole intervenire nelle inaspettate vicende della vita umana , il loro errore fu la sequela di quella opinione allora comuue a molti, che gli Ateniesi sarebbero presto iti in rovina. Trovandosi adunque stretti dalla parte di mare, e devastati da quella di terra, furonvi di quelli che tentarono di rendere la città agli Ateniesi. I magistrati sentito ciò, non ne fecero romore; invitarono bensì a venire da Eri tra in città l’ammiraglio Astioco con le quattro navi che aveva seco, e deliberavano del modo più discreto per addormentare gli orditori di quella trama, o col prendere degli ostaggi, o con qualche altro argomento. Questo era lo stato dei Chii.