Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.41

[1] But in the meantime came the messenger from the twentyseven galleys and from the Lacedaemonian counsellors that were come to Caunus. Astyochus, therefore, esteeming the wafting in of these galleys, whereby they might the more freely command the sea, and the safe coming in of those Lacedaemonians, who were to look into his actions, a business that ought to be preferred above all other, presently gave over his journey for Chios and went towards Caunus.

[2] As he went by the coast, he landed at Cos Meropidis, being unwalled and thrown down by an earthquake which had happened there, the greatest verily in man's memory, and rifled it, the inhabitants being fled into the mountains; and overrunning the country, made booty of all that came in his way, saving of freemen, and those he dismissed.

[3] From Cos he went by night to Cnidus, but found it necessary, by the advice of the Cnidians, not to land his men there, but to follow as he was after those twenty galleys of Athens, wherewith Charminus, one of the Athenian generals gone out from Samos, stood watching for those twenty-seven galleys that were come from Peloponnesus, the same that Astyochus himself was going to convoy in.

[4] For they at Samos had had intelligence from Miletus of their coming; and Charminus was lying for them about Syme, Chalce, Rhodes, and the coast of Lycia; for by this time he knew that they were at Caunus.

[1] In the meantime news came from Caunus of the arrival of the twenty-seven ships with the Lacedaemonian commissioners; and Astyochus postponing everything to the duty of convoying a fleet of that importance, in order to be more able to command the sea, and to the safe conduct of the Lacedaemonians sent as spies over his behaviour, at once gave up going to Chios and set sail for Caunus .

[2] As he coasted along he landed at the Meropid Cos and sacked the city, which was unfortified and had been lately laid in ruins by an earthquake, by far the greatest in living memory, and, as the inhabitants had fled to the mountains, overran the country and made booty of all it contained, letting go, however, the free men.

[3] From Cos arriving in the night at Cnidus he was constrained by the representations of the Cnidians not to disembark the sailors, but to sail as he was straight against the twenty Athenian vessels, which with Charminus, one of the commanders at Samos , were on the watch for the very twenty-seven ships from Peloponnese which Astyochus was himself sailing to join;

[4] the Athenians in Samos having heard from Melos of their approach, and Charminus being on the look-out off Syme , Chalce, Rhodes and Lycia , as he now heard that they were at Caunus .

Inzwischen kam jedoch von Kaunos die Nachricht, daß
die siebenundzwanzig Schiffe und die Bevollmächtigten der
Lakedämonier dort eingetroffen seien, und da es seiner Meinung
nach nun vor allein darauf ankam, die stattliche Flotte Herein­
zugeleiten und die lakedämonischen Herren, die freilich ibm auf
den Dienst passen sollten, sicher herüberzuschaffeu, so gab er
Chios sogleich wieder auf und ging mit der Flotte nach Kaunos
unter Segel. Auf der Fahrt landete er bei dem meropishcen
Kos und ließ die Stadt, welche unbefestigt und durch ein Erd­
beben so schwer, wie es dort seit Meuschengedenken nicht vor­
gekommen, in Trümmer gelegt war, von Grund aus zerstören,
da die Bewobner sich in die Berge geflüchtet hatten. Darauf
durchstreifte er das platte Land und schleppte alles als Beute
weg, was ibm in die Hände fiel, bis auf die Freien, die er
laufen ließ. Von Kos kam er bei Nacht nach Knidos, wo er
sich durch die Vorstellungen der Einwohner genötigt sah, die
Mannschaft seiner Schiffe nicht an Land zu lassen, sondern
sich ohne weiteres gleich gegen die zwanzig athenischen Schiffe
zu wenden, mit denen Charminos, einer der Feldherren von
Samos, den vom Peloponnes kommenden siebenundzwanzig
Schiffen aufpaßte, denen Astyochos ja entgegenfuhr. In Samos
war nämlich bekannt geworden, das; die Schiffe von Melos
im Ansegeln waren, und Charminos paßte ihnen jetzt bei Sinne,
Chalke, Rhodos und in den lykischen Gewässern auf, da er
schon gehört hatte, daß sie augenblicklich in Kaunos wären.

XLI. Mais, sur ces entrefaites, on apprit de Caune l’arrivée des vingt-sept vaisseaux et des commissaires lacédémoniens. Astyochos, jugeant alors que toute autre question s’effaçait devant la double obligation d’escorter une flotte si nombreuse, afin d’être mieux maîtres de la mer, et de protéger dans leur traversée les commissaires lacédémoniens chargés d’observer sa conduite, renonça à Chio et fit voile pour Caune. Dans la traversée il descendit à Cos-Méropis, ville sans murailles, bouleversée alors par le plus violent tremblement de terre qui s’y soit fait sentir de mémoire d’homme, et la ravagea. Les habitants s’étaient réfugiés sur les montagnes; il fit des courses dans la campagne et enleva tout, à l’exception des hommes libres qu’il relâcha. De Cos il arriva à Cnide pendant la nuit; mais, sur un avis des Cnidiens, force lui fut de ne pas débarquer ses équipages et de cingler sans désemparer sur les vingt vaisseaux athéniens avec lesquels Charminos, l’un des généraux de Samos, observait les vingtsept vaisseaux du Péloponnèse qu’Astyochos venait lui-même escorter. Un avis de Mélos avait fait connaître à Samos l’arrivée de cette flotte, et Charminos avait ordre de croiser dans les parages de Symé, de Chalcé, de Rhodes et de la Lycie, Déjà même il avait appris sa présence à Caune.

Sur ces entrefaites, on apprit de Caunos l’arrivée des vingt-sept vaisseaux et des commissaires lacédémoniens. Às-tyochos, jugeant que tout devait être subordonné à la double nécessité d’escorter une flotte si nombreuse, qui lui promettait l’empire de la mer, et d’assurer la traversée des Lacédémoniens chargés de contrôler sa conduite , renonça sur-le-champ à l’expédition de Chios et se mit en route pour Caunos. Dans le trajet, il descendit à Cos-la-Méropide ¹ . Il pilla cette ville ouverte, et alors bouleversée par le plus violent tremblement dé terre qui, de mémoire d’homme , se soit fait sentir; les habitants s’étaient réfugiés sur les montagnes. Il fit des courses sur le territoire et enleva tout, à l’exception des hommes libres qu’il relâcha. De Cos, il arriva pendant la nuit à Cnide. Là il fut contraint par les instances des Cnidiens à ne pas débarquer ses équipages , mais à se porter sans désemparer contre les vingt vaisseaux d’Athènes, avec lesquels Charminos , l’un des généraux de Samos , guettait ces mêmes vingt-sept navires péloponésiens qu’Astyochos venait chercher. Un avis de Mélos avait fait connaître à Samos l’approche de cette flotte : aussi Charminos se tenait-il en croisière dans les parages de Symé, de Chalcé, de Rhode et de la Lycie; déjà même il était instruit de sa présence à Caunos.

[1] Meanwhile tidings came from Caunus that the twenty-seven ships and the Lacedaemonian advisers had arrived; whereupon Astyochus, thinking that everything else was of secondary importance compared with convoying so large a reinforcement of the fleet, so that they might be more completely masters of the sea, and with getting the Lacedaemonians, who had come to observe his conduct, safely across, immediately gave up the expedition to Chios and sailed to Caunus.

[2] As he proceeded along the coast he landed at Cos Meropis and sacked the town, which was without walls and by reason of an earthquake that had befallen it—the most violent of all within our memory—was now in ruins, the inhabitants having fled to the mountains; and by forays he despoiled the country of everything, except the free population, which he let go.

[3] Coming then from Cos to Cnidos by night, he was forced by the importunity of the Cnidians not to permit his sailors to land, but, just as he was, to sail straight against the twenty Athenian ships, with which Charminus, one of the generals from Samos, was on the look-out for the twenty-seven ships that were approaching from the Peloponnesus—the ships which Astyochus was sailing along the coast to meet.

[4] For the Athenians at Samos had received word from Melos of their approach, and the outposts of Charminus were on the look-out for them in the neighbourhood of Syme, Chalce, Rhodes and the coast of Lycia; for he was already aware of their being at Caunus.

[1] In the mean time tidings came from Caunus that the seven and twenty ships, with the Lacedaemonian counsellors. were come. And thinking every thing else of secondary importance, compared with his convoying so large a number of ships, in order that they might more entirely command the sea, and with the safe passage of the Lacedaemonians who had come to observe his conduct, he immediately gave up going to the relief of Chios, and sailed to Caunus.

[2] Having landed, as he coasted along, at ¹ Cos Meropis, which was unfortified, and in ruins in consequence of an earthquake which they had experienced—the most violent one which I ever remember—he sacked the town, the men having fled to the mountains, and by incursions made spoil of the country, excepting the free population, whom he released.

[3] Having come from Cos to Cnidus by night, he was constrained by the advice of the Cnidians not to land his seamen, but to sail, just as he was, straightway against the twenty Athenian ships with which Charminus, one of the generals at Samos, was on the look-out for those seven and twenty ships that were approaching from the Peloponnese, and to join which Astyochus also was coasting along.

[4] For those at Samos had heard from Melcs of their approach, and Charminus was watching for them about Syme, Chalce, Rhodes, and Lycia; as by this time he was aware of their being at Caunus.

[1] Interea vero nuntius ex Cauno venit, septem illas et viginti Lacedaemoniorum naves et consiliarios adesse; quamobrem quum existimasset, cetera omnia posthabenda esse prae hoc, ut et navium, quo maris imperium facilius obtinerent, tantum numerum una traduceret, et Lacedaemonii, qui ad ejus actiones explorandas veniebant, tuto trajicerent, confestim, omissa in Chium navigatione, in Caunum navigabat.

[2] In ipsa autem praetervectione, copiis in Con Meropidem expositis, et urbem nullis cinctam muris, et terrae motu, qui maximus omnium, quos meminimus, illius insulae incolis contigit, collapsam dinpuit, oppidanis in montes dilapsis, et agrum percurrens praedam abegit, praeter homines liberos; hos enim dimittebat.

[3] Ex Co autem in Cnidum noctu profectus cogitur Cnidiorum adhortatione, nautas non exponere, sed, ut erat, contestim navigare adversus viginti Atheniensium naves, cum quibus Cbarminus, unus e ducibus, qui apud Samum agebant, observabat has septem et viginti naves, ex Peloponneso venientes, ad quas et Astyochus navigabat.

[4] Resciverant autem ii, qui in Samo erant, ex Melo hujus classis adventum, et Charminus custodiam agebat circa Symam et Chalcen et RUodum et circa Lyciam; jam enim etiam sentiebat eas in Cauno esse.

Ma intanto viene da Cauno la nuova dell’arrivo delle ventisette uà vi e de’ consiglieri lacedemoni. Il perché Astioco stimando esser da posporre ogni altra cosa al dovere di accompaguarli con flotta si grande, acciocché ella più sicuramente signoreggiasse iti sul mare, e potessero tragittar senza pericolo i Lacedemoni venuti a sorvegliarlo, lasciato in tronco l’aflare di Chio moveva verso Cauno. E piaggia piaggia sceso a Co Meropide saccheggiava la città sguarnita di mura, e rovinata da un terremoto ivi accaduto grandissimo sopra ogni altro a nostra memoria, per cui la gente era fuggita alle montagne ; c con le scorrerie depredava la campagna rilasciando però illese le persone di condizione liliera. Da Co pervenuto di notte a Cnido fu astretto dalle istanze degli Cnidii a, non isbarcare le sue genti , ma senz:altro far vela tostamente contro le venti navi degli Ateniesi, colle quali Carmino uno de’capitani di Samo spiava il passaggio delie ventisette navi che venivano dal Peloponneso, per proteggere le quali era in mare lo stesso Astioco. Gli Ateniesi in Samo aveano ricevuto avviso da Mileto che quelle navi erano in corso ; e Carmino informato che già elle erano a Cauno stava alle vedette incrociando tra Sione, Calce, Rodi e la Licia.