Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.4

[1] The Athenians also made their preparations as they had designed, having gotten timber and built their navy this same winter, and fortified the promontory of Sunium that their cornboats might come about in safety. Also they abandoned the fort in Laconia, which they had built as they went by for Sicily. And generally where there appeared expense upon anything unuseful, they contracted their charge.

[1] In the meantime the Athenians were not idle. During this same winter, as they had determined, they contributed timber and pushed on their ship-building, and fortified Sunium to enable their corn-ships to round it in safety, and evacuated the fort in Laconia which they had built on their way to Sicily ; while they also, for economy, cut down any other expenses that seemed unnecessary, and above all kept a careful look-out against the revolt of their confederates.

Aber auch die Athener waren, wie sie das beschlossen hatten,
in diesem Winter darauf bedacht, Schiffe zu bauen, und ver­
sahen sich dazu mit Holz, auch befestigten sie Sunion, damit
ihre Getreideschiffe dort sicher vorbeikommen könnten. Den
festen Platz an der lakonischen Küste, den sie auf der Fahrt
nach Sizilien angelegt hatten, gaben sie auf und schränkten
auch sonst aus Sparsamkeit alle unnötigen Ausgaben möglichst
ein. Hauptsächlich hatten sie ein wachsames Auge auf die
Bundesgenossen, um deren Abfall zu verhüten.

IV. Les Athéniens, de leur côté, se mirent en mesure, pendant l’hiver, de réaliser leurs projets pour la construction d’une flotte; ils se procurèrent des bois et fortifièrent Sunium, pour que les transports de vivres pussent se faire en sûreté autour du promontoire. Les fortifications élevées en Laconie, lors de la traversée en Sicile, furent abandonnées; ils supprimèrent toutes les dépenses qui parurent inutiles, se réduisirent à une sévère économie, et portèrent surtout leur attention sur les alliés, afin d’empêcher leur défection.

Les Athéniens, comme ils l’avaient résolu, employèrent l’biver à construire une flotte ; à cet effet ils se procurèrent des matériaux. Ils fortifièrent aussi le cap Sunion, pour assurer l’arrivage des subsistances. Ils abandonnèrent le fort qu’ils avaient élevé en Laconie lors de l’expédition de Sicile, et supprimèrent , dans des vues d’économie, toutes les dépenses superflues; enfin ils redoublèrent de vigilance pour prévenir les défections des alliés.

[1] During this same winter the Athenians also were making their preparations to build ships, in accordance with their decision, and for this they had collected timber; and they fortified Sunium, in order that there might be protection for their grain-ships as they rounded the promontory. Furthermore, they abandoned the fortress in Laconia ¹ which they had built as they sailed along the Peloponnesian coast toward Sicily; and in general, if there seemed to be any useless expenditure anywhere, they retrenched in order to save money; but above all they kept an eye on their allies, that they might not revolt from them.

[1] The Athenians too, as they had determined, were preparing during this same winter for building ships; having contributed towards the supply of timbers, and fortified Sunium, that their corn-ships might have a safe passage round; while they also evacuated the fort in Laconia, which they had built in that country when they were sailing by it for Sicily; and with a view to economy retrenched all their other expenses, whatever any where appeared to be useless expenditure; and, above all, kept their eye on the allies, to prevent their revolting from them.

[1] Comparabant autem Athenienses quoque, quemadmodum constituerant, in eadem hac hieme navium confectionem, materia comportata et Sunio munito, ut naves, quae commeatum sibi subveherent, tuto circ mveherentur; item-que munitione etiam in agro Laconico deserta, quam in Si· ciliam trajicientes exstruxerant, ceterisque rebus, steubi aliqua impensa videtur inutilis esse, in parsimoniam compositis, r.iaxime vero cura de sociis suscepta, ne a se deficerent.

Medesimamente gli Ateniesi in quest’inverno si apparecchiavano, giusta i conceputi disegni, a fabbricar navi, essendosi provvisti di legname; e munirono Sunio, acciocché le loro annonarie potessero sicuramente farne il giro. Abbandonarono il forte che aveano fabbricato nella Laconia all’occasione del passaggio in Sicilia, ristrinsero tutte quelle spese che in qualche modo sembravano superflue , c soprattutto tenevan guardati gli alleati perchè non si ribellassero.