Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Adolf Wahrmund (Translator), 8.47

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Solcherlei Rathschläge gab Alkibiades, nicht nur, weil er
sie dem TissapherneS und dem Könige, bei denen er sich aufhielt,
am vortheilhastesten erachtete, sondern auch, weil er damit zugleich
sich selbst die Rückkehr in'S Vaterland anzubahnen dachte, denn er
wußte wohl, daß er einmal durch Ueberredung seine Rückkehr werde
durchsetzen können, wenn er jetzt Athen vor dem gänzlichen Sturze
bewahre. Die Möglichkeit zu dieser Ueberredung glaubte er aber
vorzugsweise in einem freundlichen Verhältnisse zu TissapherneS zu
besitzen, wie sich dieß denn auch wirklich so gezeigt hat. Denn als die
Athener auf Samos hörten, daß er bei jenem so viel vermöge, und
zugleich auch Alkibiades selbst mit den angesehensten Männern unter
ihnen Unterhandlungen anknüpfte und sie ersuchte, bei den
Vornehmsten und Mächtigsten seiner zu gedenken, daß er zum Zweck der
Einsetzung einer oligarchischen Regierungsform, keineswegs aber um die
schlechte Pöbelherrschaft zu stützen, die ihn selbst aus der Stadt
vertrieben habe, nach Athen zurückkehren und mit ihnen an der Regierung
Theil nehmen wolle, wofür er ihnen die Freundschaft des
TissapherneS mitbringe, so begannen theils auf diese Anträge hin, noch mehr
aber aus eigener Bewegung, die Schiffsberrn und Vornehmsten der
Athener auf Samos am Sturz der Demokratie zu arbeiten.

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).) — 8.47.1 focus

[1] ὁ δὲ Ἀλκιβιάδης ταῦτα ἅμα μὲν τῷ Τισσαφέρνει καὶ [τῷ] βασιλεῖ, ὢν παρ’ ἐκείνοις, ἄριστα εἶναι νομίζων παρῄνει, ἅμα δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κάθοδον ἐς τὴν πατρίδα ἐπιθεραπεύων, εἰδώς, εἰ μὴ διαφθερεῖ αὐτήν, ὅτι ἔσται ποτὲ αὐτῷ πείσαντι κατελθεῖν· πεῖσαι δ’ ἂν ἐνόμιζε μάλιστα ἐκ τοῦ τοιούτου, εἰ Τισσαφέρνης φαίνοιτο αὐτῷ ἐπιτήδειος ὤν· ὅπερ καὶ ἐγένετο.

[2] ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ᾔσθοντο αὐτὸν ἰσχύοντα παρ’ αὐτῷ οἱ ἐν τῇ Σάμῳ Ἀθηναίων στρατιῶται, τὰ μὲν καὶ Ἀλκιβιάδου προσπέμψαντος λόγους ἐς τοὺς δυνατωτάτους αὐτῶν ἄνδρας ὥστε μνησθῆναι περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐς τοὺς βελτίστους τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὅτι ἐπ’ ὀλιγαρχίᾳ βούλεται καὶ οὐ πονηρίᾳ οὐδὲ δημοκρατίᾳ τῇ αὐτὸν ἐκβαλούσῃ κατελθὼν καὶ παρασχὼν Τισσαφέρνην φίλον αὐτοῖς ξυμπολιτεύειν, τὸ δὲ πλέον καὶ ἀπὸ σφῶν αὐτῶν οἱ ἐν τῇ Σάμῳ τριήραρχοί τε τῶν Ἀθηναίων καὶ δυνατώτατοι ὥρμηντο ἐς τὸ καταλῦσαι τὴν δημοκρατίαν.

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.) — 8.47.1 focus

[1] Now Alcibiades advised the king and Tissaphernes to this whilst he was with them, partly because he thought the same to be indeed the best course, but partly also to make way for his own return into his country, knowing that if he destroyed it not, the time would one day come that he might persuade the Athenians to recall him. And the best way to persuade them to it, he thought, was this: to make it appear unto them that he was powerful with Tissaphernes.

[2] Which also came to pass. For after the Athenian soldiers at Samos saw what power he had with him, the captains of galleys and principal men there, partly upon Alcibiades' own motion, who had sent to the greatest amongst them that they should remember him to the best sort and say that he desired to come home so the government might be in the hands of a few, not of evil persons nor yet of the multitude that cast him out, and that he would bring Tissaphernes to be their friend, [and to war on their side], but chiefly of their own accords had their minds inclined to the deposing of the popular government.

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.) — 8.47.1 focus

[1] Alcibiades gave this advice to Tissaphernes and the king, with whom he then was, not merely because he thought it really the best, but because he was studying means to effect his restoration to his country, well knowing that if he did not destroy it he might one day hope to persuade the Athenians to recall him, and thinking that his best chance of persuading them lay in letting them see that he possessed the favour of Tissaphernes.

[2] The event proved him to be right. When the Athenians at Samos found that he had influence with Tissaphernes, principally of their own motion (though partly also through Alcibiades himself sending word to their chief men to tell the best men in the army, that if there were only an oligarchy in the place of the rascally democracy that had banished him, he would be glad to return to his country and to make Tissaphernes their friend), the captains and chief men in the armament at once embraced the idea of subverting the democracy.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.) — 8.47 focus

Dazu aber hatte Alkibiades Tissaphernes und dem Könige,
deren Gast er war, geraten, einmal weil er wirtlich glaubte.
daß es so am besten für sie sei, gleichzeitig aber weil er auf
seines Rückkehr in sein Vaterland bedacht war, indem er sich
sagte, wenn er Athen nicht ganz zugrunde gehen ließe, würde
man sich dort über kurz oder lang doch wohl bereitfinden
lassen, ihn zurückzurufen. Seiner Meinung nach aberjwürde
man dazu dort am ersten genötigt sein, wenn man erführe, daß
er mit Tissaphernes auf gutem Fuß stände. Und so kam es
auch. Denn als man im athenischen Heere in Samos von
seinem Einfluß bei ihm hörte und Alkibiades selbst den an
gesehnsten Persönlichkeiten des Heeres sagen ließ, wenn sie den
Häuptern der oligarchischen Partei in Athen zu verstehen gäben,
falls man der Pöbelherrschaft, durch die er vertrieben, ein Ende
mache und die Oligarchie herstelle, sei er bereit, zurückzukehren,
um ihre Politik zu unterstützen und ihnen auch die Freund
schaft des Tissaphernes zu verschaffen, faßten die Trierarchen
und die angesehensten Athener in Samos, teils deshalb, teils,
und mehr noch, aus eigenem Antriebe den Plan, die Demokratie
zu stürzen.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 8.47 focus

XLVII. Alcibiade, tout en donnant à Tissaphernes et au Roi, pendant qu’il était auprès d’eux, les conseils qu’il croyait les plus utiles, travaillait en même temps à ménager son retour dans sa patrie, bien persuadé que, s’il ne consommait pas sa ruine, il obtiendrait un jour d’y être rappelé : pour y parvenir, il croyait que le meilleur moyen était de montrer qu’il était dans la familiarité de Tissaphernes. C’est ce qui arriva en effet. Lorsque l’armée athénienne de Samos s’aperçut de son crédit auprès de Tissaphernes; lorsque Alcibiade, d’un autre côté, eut envoyé faire des ouvertures aux plus puissants d’entre eux, avec prière de rappeler aux plus honnêtes gens, qu'en rentrant dans sa patrie, et en leur apportant l’amitié de Tissaphernes, son intention était de gouverner avec l’aristocratie, et non avec la lie du peuple, avec la démocratie qui l’avait chassé, alors les triérarques et les plus puissants des Athéniens qui étaient à Samos, déterminés par ces motifs, et plus encore par leurs propres sentiments, poussèrent à la ruine de la démocratie.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 8.47 focus

Tout en donnant à Tissapherne et au roi, en retour de leur hospitalité, les conseils qu’il estimait les plus utiles; Alcibiade se ménageait les moyens de rentrer dans sa patrie, persuadé que, s’il la préservait de la ruine, il pourrait un jour obtenir son rappel ; dans ce but, il comptait en première ligne sur l’effet de ses liaisons avec Tissapherne. L’événement lui donna raison. Les soldats athéniens de Samos furent bientôt informés de son crédit auprès du satrape. D’autre part Alcibiade se mit en rapport avec les plus influents d’entre eux, pour qu’ils déclarassent de sa part aux honnêtes gens que, s’il était rappelé à Athènes sous le régime de l’aristocratie et non de l’odieuse démagogie qui l’avait chassé, il offrait de leur procurer l’amitié de Tissapherne et de partager le pouvoir avec eui. Ces propositions eurent d’autant plus de succès que les trié-rarques et les plus puissants des Athéniens en station à Samos étaient naturellement portés au renversement de la démocratie¹.

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.) — 8.47.1 focus

[1] This advice Alcibiades gave to Tissaphernes and the King while he was under their protection, not only because he believed it to be best, but also because he was at the same time working for his own restoration to his fatherland, knowing that, if he did not ruin that prospect, it would some day be possible for him to gain the consent of his countrymen and be restored. And the means by which he thought he could best persuade them was this—to make it appear that Tissaphernes was on intimate terms with him;

[2] and that, in fact, is what happened. For the Athenian soldiers at Samos perceived that he had great influence with Tissaphernes, partly because Alcibiades sent word to the most influential men among them to make mention of him to the best people and say that he wished to come home on condition of there being an oligarchy and not the villainous mob-rule that had banished him, and after securing the friendship of Tissaphernes to be a fellow-citizen with them; but of still greater moment was the fact that even on their own initiative the Athenian trierarchs at Samos and the most influential men were bent upon overthrowing the democracy.

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.) — 8.47.1 focus

[1] Alcibiades gave this advice to Tissaphernes and the king, whilst he was with them, both because he thought it best for them, and, at the same time, because he was further providing for his own restoration to his country; knowing that if he did not bring it to ruin, he would some time or other have means of persuading his countrymen, and returning to it. But the way in which he thought he should persuade them most easily was this, namely, by Tissaphernes' appearing to be in his interest.

[2] And so it turned out; for when the Athenian soldiers at Samos found that he had great influence with him, [the plan was adopted,] to a certain extent, in consequence of Alcibiades having sent word to the most powerful individuals amongst them, to let it be mentioned to the most respectable people, that he wished to return home on condition of there being an oligarchy, and not that unprincipled democracy which had banished him; and after making Tissaphernes their friend, to enjoy his privileges as a citizen with them: but, at the same time, the trierarchs and the most influential Athenians at Samos were of themselves still more eager for abolishing the democracy.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 8.47.1 focus

[1] Alcibiades autem haec, simul.quod Tissapherni regique, apud quos erat, optima factu duceret, suadebat, simul etiam, quod suum praeterea in patriam reditum curaret, sciens, si eam non everteret, fore aliquando, ut reditum impetraret; impetraturum autem se existimabat hac potissimum ratione, si Tissaphernem sibi familiarem esse constaret.

[2] Quod etiam accidit. Nam postquam milites Athenienses, qui apud Samum erant, eum multum valere apud illum senserunt, partim quidem, quod et ipse Alcibiades ad polentissimos illorum viros literas ante misisset cum mandatis, ut apud optimos cives de se mentionem facerent, et dicerent, se velle redite, ea conditione, ut penes paucos summa rerum esset, non autem penes homines abjectos et plebeios, qui se urbe ejecissent, et Tissaphernis amicitia illis conciliata, una cum illis rempublicam administrare; partim vero, idque magis, sua sponte trierarchi Atheniensium, qui in Samo erant, et viri potenlissimi animis erant propensis ad evertendum statum popularem.

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 8.47 focus

Tali consigli porgeva Alcibiade a Tissaferne ed al re quando si trovava con loro, sì perchè gli stimava i migliori, sì eziandio perchè voleva procurarsi il ritorno in patria, avvisando che se non la rovinasse del tutto potrebbe col tempo persuadere gli Ateniesi a lasciarvelo tornare , e che il modo di ottener ciò era principalmente quello di mostrarsi intrinseco di Tissaferne. E così avvenne. Imperciocché quando l' esercito ateniese di Samo ebbe inteso che egli era innanzi appresso Tissaferne, si invogliò grandemente di abolire lo stato popolare. La qual volontà era fomentata da Alcibiade die mandava a dire ai più potenti cittadini che di lui facessero menzione ai migliori, significando esser sua intenzione di ritornare alla patria perchè ella fosse retta dal senno di pochi, invecechè dalla malvagità e dalla plebaglia che lo avea bandito ; e rendendo loro amico Tissaferne, di aver parte con loro nel governo. Senza di che già assai inchinavano spontaneamente a questa parte i trierarchi ateniesi di Samo, ed i cittadini più ragguardevoli.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.47

Adolf Wahrmund (Translator)

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