Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.55

[1] Leon and Diomedon, arriving the same winter at the Athenian fleet, made a voyage against Rhodes, and finding there the Peloponnesian galleys drawn up to land, disbarked and overcame in battle such of the Rhodians as made head, and then put to sea again and went to Chalce. After this they made sharper war upon them from Cos. For from thence they could better observe the Peloponnesian navy when it should put off from the land.

[2] In this while there arrived at Rhodes 55enophontidas, a Laconian, sent out of Chios from Pedaritus, to advertise them that the fortification of the Athenians there was now finished and that unless they came and relieved them with their whole fleet, the state of Chios must utterly be lost. And it was resolved to relieve them.

[3] But Pedaritus in the meantime, with the whole power both of his own auxiliary forces and of the Chians, made an assault upon the fortification which the Athenians had made about their navy, part whereof he won, and had gotten some galleys that were drawn a-land. But the Athenians, issuing out upon them, first put to flight the Chians, and then overcame also the rest of the army about Pedaritus, and slew Pedaritus himself, and took many of the Chians prisoners and much armour.

[1] In the same winter Leon and Diomedon, who had by this time joined the fleet, made an attack upon Rhodes . The ships of the Peloponnesians they found hauled up on shore, and after making a descent upon the coast and defeating the Rhodians who appeared in the field against them, withdrew to Chalce and made that place their base of operations instead of Cos, as they could better observe from thence if the Peloponnesian fleet put out to sea.

[2] Meanwhile Xenophantes, a Laconian, came to Rhodes from Pedaritus at Chios , with the news that the fortification of the Athenians was now finished, and that, unless the whole Peloponnesian fleet came to the rescue, the cause in Chios must be lost. Upon this they resolved to go to his relief.

[3] In the meantime Pedaritus, with the mercenaries that he had with him and the whole force of the Chians, made an assault upon the work round the Athenian ships and took a portion of it, and got possession of some vessels that were hauled up on shore, when the Athenians sallied out to the rescue, and first routing the Chians, next defeated the remainder of the force round Pedaritus, who was himself killed, with many of the Chians, a great number of arms being also taken.

Leon und Diomedon waren inzwischen bei der athenischen
Flotte angekommen und unternahmen noch in demselben Winter
eine Fahrt nach Rhodos, wo sie die auf den Strand gezogenen
Schiffe der Peloponnesier vorfanden und, nachdem sie gelandet,
gegen rhodisches Kriegsvolk, das sich zur Wehr setzte, ein sieg­
reiches Gefecht lieferten. Darauf zogen sie sich nach Chalke
zurück, von wo sie den Krieg leichter führen konnten als von
Kos. Denn dort konnten sie besser beobachten, ob und wohin
die peloponnesifche Flotte etwa unter Segel gehen würde.
Nun aber kam der Lakedämonier Lenophantidas von Pedaritos
aus Ehios nach Rhodos mit der Meldung, die Festungswerke
der Athener wären jetzt fertig, und wenn man ihm nicht mit der
ganzen Flotte zu Hilfe käme, wäre Chios verloren. Man be­
schloß also, dorthin zufahren. Unterdessen unternahm Pedaritos
selbst mit dem ganzen Heere, seinen Söldnern sowohl wie den
Chiern, einen Angriff auf die von den Athenern um ihre Schiffe
erbauten Schutzwehren, eroberte sie auch zum Teil und be­
mächtigte sich einiger ans Land gezogener Schiffe. Als jedoch
die Athener dann ihrerseits zum Angriff vorgingen, besiegten
sie zuerst die Chier und dann auch Pedaritos mit seinem
ganzen Heere, wobei er selbst und viele Chier ums Leben kamen
und zahlreiche Rüstungen den Athenern in die Hände fielen.

LV. Léon et Diomédon rejoignirent, le même hiver, la flotte athénienne ét se portèrent sur Rhodes. Ils trouvèrent la flotte péloponnésienne tirée à sec, débarquèrent un moment, vainquirent les Rhodiens accourus à leur rencontre et retournèrent à Chalcé. Cette île devint, de préférence à Cos, le centre de leurs opérations; car de là il leur était plus facile de surveiller si la flotte ennemie sortait pour quelque expédition.

Cependant le Laconien Xénophantidas, envoyé de Chio à Rhodes par Pédaritos, déclara aux Péloponnésiens que les retranchements des Athéniens étaient terminés et que Chio était perdue pour eux s’ils ne venaient à son secours avec toute leur flotte. On songea en effet à la secourir. Sur ces entrefaites Pédaritos, s’étant mis lui-même à la tête de ses troupes auxiliaires et de celles de Chio, attaqua avec toutes ses forces le retranchement élevé par les Athéniens autour de leur flotte, en enleva une partie et s’empara de quelques vaisseaux mis à sec. Mais lorsque les Athéniens accoururent au secours, les troupes de Chio prirent la fuite, et le reste de l’armée de Pédaritos fut entraînée dans la déroute. Lui-même périt avec un grand nombre des soldats de Chio; beaucoup d’armes furent prises.

Le même hiver, Léon et Diomédon, après avoir rejoint la flotte athénienne, dirigèrent une attaque contre Rhode. Ils trouvèrent les vaisseaux péloponésiens tirés à sec, mirent pied à terre, défirent les Rhodiens dans un combat et s’en retournèrent à Chalcé. Cette île devint, préférablement à Cos, la base de leurs opérations. Elle leur offrait plus de facilités pour surveiller les mouvements de la flotte péloponésiênne.

Il arriva aussi à Rhode un Laconien nommé Xénophantidas, envoyé de Chios par Pédaritos. Il annonça que le fort des Athéniens était complètement achevé et que, si la flotte entière ne venait au secours de Chios, cette île était perdue. On songea donc à la secourir. Sur ces entrefaites Pédaritos, s’étant mis à la tête de ses auxiliaires et de la levée en masse de Chios, alla assaillir le retranchement élevé autour des vaisseaux athéniens. Il emporta une partie de cet ouvrage et prit quelques vaisseaux tirés à sec; mais, les Athéniens étant accourus, les Chiotes furent défaits et entraînèrent dans leur fuite le reste de farinée. Pédaritos périt avec bon nombre de Chiotes ; beaucoup d’armes furent prises. Dès lors Chios fut encore plus étroitement bloquée par terre et par mer, et la famine s'y fit cruellement sentir.

[1] In the same winter Leon and Diomedon, who had by now reached the Athenian fleet, made an advance upon Rhodes. They found the ships of the Peloponnesians hauled up on the shore, and having effected a landing and having defeated in battle the Rhodians who rallied to the defence, they retired to Chalce and continued to carry on the war from there rather than from Cos;

[2] for it was easier for them to keep watch there in case the Peloponnesian fleet should put to sea in any direction.
  Meanwhile Xenophantidas, a Laconian, had come to Rhodes from Pedaritus at Chios, bringing word that the Athenian fortification ¹ was now completed and that, unless they came to their aid with all their ships, the Peloponnesian cause at Chios would be lost. And they intended to go to their aid;

[3] but meanwhile Pedaritus himself, together with the mercenaries under his command ² and the Chians in full force, attacked that part of the Athenian fortification which protected the ships, capturing a portion of it and getting possession of some ships that had been hauled up on shore. But when the Athenians had come out to the rescue and turned the Chians to flight at the outset, the mercenary force that was with Pedaritus was also defeated, and he himself and many of the Chians were killed and arms were captured in great quantity.

[1] In the course of this winter Leon and Diomedon, having by this time reached the Athenian fleet, made an attack upon Rhodes. The ships of the Peloponnesians they found hauled up; and having made a descent on the territory, and defeated in an engagement those of the Rhodians who went out against them, they withdrew to Chalce, and carried on the war from that place, rather than from Cos; for it was more convenient for their observing whether the fleet of the Peloponnesians put out in any direction.

[2] Xenophantidas the Lacedaemonian also came to Rhodes from Pedaritus at Chios, telling them that the wall of the Athenians was now completed, and unless they succoured them with all their ships, their cause would be ruined at Chios. Accordingly they determined to relieve them.

[3] In the mean time Pedaritus, with his mercenaries and the Chians, made a general assault on the fortification round the Athenian ships, and took a part of it, and got possession of some vessels that had been drawn up on shore: but when the Athenians had come out to the rescue, and had routed the Chians first, the rest of the force, more immediately around Pedaritus, was defeated, he himself killed, with many of the Chians, and a great number of arms taken.

[1] Leon autem ac Diomedon per eamdem hiemem, quum ad Atheniensium classem jam pervenissent, Rhodam infesta classe petierunt. Et naves quidem Peloponnesiorum subductas deprehendunt, io terram autem alicubi egressi et Rhodios, qui ad arcendam vim accurrerant, proelio superarunt, et in Chalcen se receperunt, et deinde bellum hinc potius quam ex Co gerere coeperunt; facilior enim hic custodia erat, si quo Peloponnesiorum classis proficisceretur.

[2] Venit autem in Rhodum Xenophantidas Laco ex Chio a Pedanto missus, nuntians, Atheniensium murum ad finem jam esse perductum, et, nisi cum tota classe succurrerent , actum fore de tota Chio. Illi vero cogitabant auxilio proficisci.

[3] Interea autem Pedarilus cum copiis auxiliaribus, quas secum habebat, et cum universis Chiorum copiis adortus Atheniensium munitiones.classi circumdatas, quandam earum partem cepit, et aliquot navibus subductis potitus est, sed quum Athenienses eruptionem fecissent, et Chios in fugam primos vertissent, reliquus etiam exercitus, qui circa Pedaritum erat, victus est, et ipse Pedarilus occubuit, et Chiorum multi, multaqne arma capta sunt.

Ma Leone e Diomedonte arrivati già nel medesimo inverno alla flotta degli Ateniesi, la. condussero sopra Rodi ; e trovate le navi de’ Peloponnesi tirate a secco, sbarcarono in qualche parte di quelle terre, vinsero in battaglia i Rodiani che erano accorsi alla difesa, e retrocederono a Calce. E d’allora in poi facevano la guerra piuttosto dal lato di Co ; perchè di qui restava ad essi più facile l’osservare , se l’armata peloponnesia movesse da Rodi verso qualche luogo. Intanto giungeva in Rodi Xenofantide laconico cui Pedarito avea da Chio spedito colà, con la nuova che gli Ateniesi aveano ornai condotto a termine il muro, e però se non fossero andati in soccorso con tutte le navi, Chio era perduta. Fu risoluto adunque di soccorrerla. In quel mentre Pedarito, con tutto l’esercito che avea seco composto di truppe ausiliarie e di milizie chie, andò ad assaltare il riparo con che gli Ateniesi avean circondato la loro flotta, ne espugnò una parte e s’impadronì di poche navi che erano state tirate sul lido. Ma gli Ateniesi accorsi alla difesa, fugarono primieramente i Chii, vinsero il rimamente dell’esercito con Pedarito, uccisero lui stesso con molti Chii, e presero gran quantità di armi.