Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.56

[1] After this the Chians were besieged both by sea and land more narrowly, and great famine was in the city. Pisander, and the other Athenian ambassadors that went with him, when they came to Tissaphernes, began to confer about the agreement.

[2] But Alcibiades (for he was not sure of Tissaphernes, because he stood in fear too much of the Peloponnesians, and had a purpose besides, as Alcibiades himself had taught him, to weaken both sides [yet more]), betook himself to this shift: that Tissaphernes should break off the treaty by making to the Athenians exorbitant demands.

[3] And it seemed that Tissaphernes and he aimed at the same thing, Tissaphernes for fear, and Alcibiades for that when he saw Tissaphernes not desirous to agree, [though the offers were never so great], he was unwilling to have the Athenians think he could not persuade him to it, but rather that he was already persuaded and willing, and that the Athenians came not to him with sufficient offers.

[4] For Alcibiades being the man that spake for Tissaphernes, though he were also present, made unto them such excessive demands that though the Athenians should have yielded to the greatest part of them, yet it must have been attributed to them that the treaty went not on. For they demanded, first, that all Ionia should be rendered; then again, the adjacent islands and other things; which the Athenians stood not against. In fine, at the third meeting, when he feared now plainly to be found unable to make good his word, he required that they should suffer the king to build a navy and sail up and down by their coast wheresoever and with what number soever of galleys he himself should think good. Upon this the Athenians would treat no longer, esteeming the conditions intolerable and that Alcibiades had abused them, and so went away in a chafe to Samos.

[1] After this the Chians were besieged even more straitly than before by land and sea, and the famine in the place was great. Meanwhile the Athenian envoys with Pisander arrived at the court of Tissaphernes, and conferred with him about the proposed agreement.

[2] However, Alcibiades, not being altogether sure of Tissaphernes (who feared the Peloponnesians more than the Athenians, and besides wished to wear out both parties, as Alcibiades himself had recommended), had recourse to the following stratagem to make the treaty between the Athenians and Tissaphernes miscarry by reason of the magnitude of his demands.

[3] In my opinion Tissaphernes desired this result, fear being his motive; while Alcibiades, who now saw that Tissaphernes was determined not to treat on any terms, wished the Athenians to think, not that he was unable to persuade Tissaphernes, but that after the latter had been persuaded and was willing to join them, they had not conceded enough to him.

[4] For the demands of Alcibiades, speaking for Tissaphernes, who was present, were so extravagant that the Athenians, although for a long while they agreed to whatever he asked, yet had to bear the blame of failure: he required the cession of the whole of Ionia , next of the islands adjacent, besides other concessions, and these passed without opposition; at last, in the third interview, Alcibiades, who now feared a complete discovery of his inability, required them to allow the king to build ships and sail along his own coast wherever and with as many as he pleased. Upon this the Athenians would yield no further, and concluding that there was nothing to be done, but that they had been deceived by Alcibiades, went away in a passion and proceeded to Samos .

Seitdem wurde Chios sowohl zu Lande wie zur See noch
härter belagert als bisher, und in der Stadt herrschte große
Hungersnot. Inzwischen waren Peisandros und die übrigen
athenischen Gesandten bei Tissaphernes angekommen und ver­
handelten mit ihm über den Abschluß eines Vertrags. Alki­
biades aber, der seiner Sache bei Tissaphernes nicht ganz sicher
war, weil dieser sich immer noch vor den Lakedämoniern
fürchtete und, wie er ihm ja selbst geraten, beide sich einander
schwächen lassen wollte, wußte das Blatt so zu wenden, daß
Tissaphernes übermäßige Forderungen an die Athener stellte
und deshalb kein Vertrag zustande kam. Wie mir scheint,
wünschte auch Tissaphernes das ebensowenig, und zwar er aus
Furcht vor den Lakedämoniern, während Alkibiades, als er
merkte, daß Tissaphernes sich sowieso auf keinen Vertrag ein­
lassen würde, die Athener glauben machen wollte, er habe in
der Tat bei ihm großen Einfluß und ihn auch bereits dahin-
gebracht, sich auf die Seite der Athener zu schlagen, aber ihre
Anerbietungen genügten ihm nicht. Denn er stellte in den
Verhandlungen, in denen er in Gegenwart des Tissaphernes
für diesen das Wort führte, so übertriebene Forderungen, daß es
trotz der weitestgehenden Zugeständnisse der Athener doch immer
an ihnen zu liegen schien, wenn nichts zustande kam. Er
forderte nämlich, daß sie ihm ganz Ionien und dazu noch die
davor liegenden Inseln und anderes mehr überließen. Und
als die Athener dagegen keine Einwendungen machten, ver­
langte er endlich aus Furcht, eS könne an den Tag kommen,
wie gering sein Einfluß sei, bei der dritten Zusammenkunft
sogar, daß dem Könige das Recht eingeräumt würde, eine
Kriegsflotte zu halten und die Gewässer seines Gebiets überall
mit einer beliebigen Anzahl von Schiffen zu befahren. Das
ging den Athenern denn doch zu weit, und überzeugt, von
Alkibiades hintergangen zu sein, reiften sie verdrießlich wieder
ab und kehrten nach Samos zurück.

LVI. Après cet échec, Chio fut resserrée plus étroitement encore par terre et par mer, et la famine s’y fit cruellement sentir. Pisandre et les députés athéniens, arrivés auprès de Tissaphernes, entrèrent en conférence pour parvenir à un accord. Mais Tissaphernes, redoutant de plus en plus les Lacédémoniens, désirait continuer à les miner les uns par les autres, comme Alcibiade lui-même le lui avait conseillé. Aussi Alcibiade, n’étant pas sûr de ses dispositions, eut recours à un expédient pour faire échouer la négociation par l’exagération même des demandes adressées aux Athéniens. Tissaphernes, je crois, était, de son côté, assez éloigné de traiter; mais en cela il cédait à la crainte; tandis qu’Alcibiade, bien convaincu qu’il ne traiterait à aucune condition, voulait laisser croire aux Athéniens qu’il ne manquait pas d’action sur Tissaphernes, qu’il l’avait même décidé en leur faveur, mais que ces bonnes dispositions étaient restées sans effet, faute de concessions suffisantes de leur part. Il fit donc, au nom de Tissaphernes, et en sa présence, des demandes tellement exagérées que les Athéniens, après avoir longtemps accédé à tout ce qu’il réclamait, provoquèrent eux-mêmes la rupture. Tissaphernes et Alcibiade demandaient l’abandon de toute l’Ionie, des îles adjacentes, et beaucoup d’autres choses encore : les Athéniens accordèrent ces divers points. Mais lorsqu’à la troisième conférence Alcibiade, craignant que son impuissance ne devînt manifeste, réclama pour le Roi le droit de construire une flotte, et de parcourir à son gré toutes leurs côtes avec autant de vaisseaux qu’il voudrait, ils perdirent patience : convaincus qu’il n’y avait rien à faire et qu’Alcibiade les avait joués, ils partirent furieux, et retournèrent à Samos.

Cependant Pisandros et les autres députés athéniens, arrivés auprès de Tissapherne, ouvrirent des conférences pour se mettre d'accord. Alcibiade n’était pas tout à fait sûr de Tissapherne ; celui-ci redoutait les Péloponésiens et voulait, d’après le système d’Alcibiade lui-même, affaiblir les uns au moyen des autres. Alcibiade imagina donc de faire échôuer la négociation à force d’exigences. Tissapherne avait, je crois, les mêmes vues ; mais chez lui, c’était l’effet de la peur, tandis qu’Alcibiade, témoin de ses hésitations, voulait dissimuler aux Athéniens sa propre impuissance ; il préféra donc leur faire accroire que Tissapherne était bien disposé à traiter, mais peu satisfait de leurs concessions. Alcibiade, portant la parole au nom et en présence de Tissapherne, annonça des prétentions tellement exorbitantes que les Athéniens, malgré leur intention de souscrire à tout, en furent scandalisés. Il réclama l'abandon de toute l’Ionie, des îles adjacentes et de divers autres points. Les Athéniens y consentirent. Enfin dans la troisième conférence, Alcibiade, craignant de laisser entrevoir combien son ascendant était faible, exigea pour le roi la faculté de construire des vaisseaux de guerre et de naviguer le long des côtes de son empire, dans la-direction et avec le nombre de bâtiments qu'il lui plairait ¹ . Pour le coup les Athéniens perdirent patience; voyant qu’il était impossible de traiter sur de pareilles bases,et qu'Alcibiade les avait joués, ils rompirent la négociation et se retirèrent à Samos.

[1] After this the Chians were besieged by both land and sea more closely than ever and there was a great famine in the place. Meanwhile the Athenian envoys led by Peisander had reached Tissaphernes and were holding conferences regarding the agreement.

[2] But Alcibiades (for his relations with Tissaphernes were not altogether firm, he being now more afraid of the Peloponnesians and still wishing to follow the policy inculcated by Alcibiades and wear out both parties) now had recourse to this device—that Tissaphernes should make as great demands as possible upon the Athenians and in this way come to no agreement with them. And Tissaphernes also, as it seems to me, wished the same thing, fear being the motive in his case;

[3] but Alcibiades, as soon as he saw that even on his own terms he did not want to reach an agreement, wished it to appear to the Athenians, not that he was unable to persuade him but that the Athenians, after Tissaphernes had been persuaded and in spite of his wishing to come to terms, were not conceding enough.

[4] For Alcibiades made such excessive demands, speaking himself on behalf of Tissaphernes and in his presence, that although for a long time the Athenians yielded whatever he demanded, the blame for the failure must nevertheless fall upon them; for he insisted that all Ionia should be given up, after that the adjacent islands, and so on. When the Athenians did not oppose these demands, finally, at the third conference, fearing that his utter lack of influence would be openly exposed, he insisted that the King be permitted to build ships and sail along the Athenian coasts wherever he wished and with as many ships as he pleased. At that point the Athenians yielded no further, but believing that there was no way out of the matter and that they had been deceived by Alcibiades, departed in anger and made their way back to Samos.

[1] After these things the Chians were besieged still more closely than before, both by land and sea, and the famine in the place was great. In the mean time, the Athenian ambassadors with Pisander arrived at the court of Tissaphernes, and conferred with him respecting the convention.

[2] But as Alcibiades could not depend on the views of Tissaphernes, who was more afraid of the Peloponnesians, and wished still (as he had been instructed by him) to wear both parties out, he had recourse to the following plan, in order that Tissaphernes, by demanding the greatest possible concessions from the Athenians, might avoid coming to terms with them. Tissaphernes also, in my opinion, wished the same result, being himself led to do so by fear:

[3] but Alcibiades, when he saw that the satrap was not, under any circumstances, desirous of making an agreement, wished the Athenians to think that he was not incapable of persuading him, but that when Tissaphernes had been persuaded, and was willing to join them, the Athenians did not concede enough to him.

[4] For Alcibiades, speaking in person in behalf of Tissaphernes, who was also present, made such excessive demands, that the refusal of the Athenians, although for a long time they conceded whatever he asked, was still the apparent cause of their failure. For they required the whole of Ionia to be given up, and then again the adjacent islands, with other things; and when the Athenians did not object to these demands, at last, in their third interview, being afraid that he would certainly be convicted of inability to keep his word, he demanded that they should permit the king to build ships, and sail along his own coast, wherever and with how many soever he might please. Upon that the Athenians complied no longer, but considering that the business was impracticable, and that they had been deceived by Alcibiades, they departed in a rage, and went to Samos.

[1] Quibus rebus gestis Chii et a terra et a mari arctius quam antea obsidebantur, et fames illic erat ingens; at Pisander ejusque collegae, Atheniensium legati, quum ad Tissaphernem pervenissent, de pactionibus faciendis verba fecerunt.

[2] Alcibiades vero (nec enim Tissaphernis fides spem admodum certam ei afferebat, quia Peloponnesios magis formidabat, et utrosque adhuc atterere volebat, quemadmodum etiam ab Alcibiade edoctus erat,) ad talem rei speciem se convertit, ut Tissaphernes quam maxima ab Atheniensibus petendo nullam compositionem faceret.

[3] Videtur autem mihi et Tissaphernes idem voluisse, ipse quidem propter metum, Alcibiades vero, postquam animadvertebat, illum vel sic jam compositionis cupidum non esse, videri volebat Atheniensibus haud invalidus fuisse ad persuadendum , sed persuaso jam Tissapherni et foedus inire volenti Athenienses non offerre, quantum sat esset.

[4] Tot enim res praeter modum postulabat Alcibiades, quippe ipse loquens pro Tissapherne, qui praesens aderat, ut quam- vis Athenienses magnam partem rerum, quas postulabat, concederent, tamen rei impedimentum ab illorum parte luerit ; nam et omnem Ioniam volebant tradi, et praeterea insulas adjacentes, et alia, quibus quum Athenienses non adversarentur, tandem in tertio congressu, veritus, ne jam plane deprehenderetur ad rem peragendam invalidus, postulabat, -ut naves sinerent regem aedificare, et secundum suam terram navigare quacumque et quotcumque navibus libuisset. Tunc vero Athenienses non jam aliter statuentes, nisi fieri ea nulla ratione posse, et se ab Alcibiade deceptos esse, per iram digressi Samum reverterunt.

Dopo questi fatti erano i Chii assediati più strettamente di prima per terra e per mare, e grande vi era la fame. E gli ambasciatori ateniesi con Pisandro pervenuti da Tissaferne mossero parola intorno ài patti. Ma Alcibiade ( il quale non poteva far capitale con sicurezza di Tissaferne , perchè questi temeva più i Poloponnesi che non gli Ateniesi, e voleva secondo gl9 insegnamenti del medesimo Alcibiade lasciarli logorarsi tra loro ) immaginò questo compenso ; cioè, che Tissaferne facendo agli Ateniesi richieste troppo grandi non rimanesse d’ accordo. Ed io per me credo che Tissaferne ed Alcibiade avessero le medesime mire ; quegli perchè temeva ; questi perchè, vedendo che Tissaferne con tutta quell’ ambasceria non inclinava ad accordarsi, non voleva esser creduto dagli Ateniesi inabile a persuaderlo, ma dare a vedere che gli Ateniesi stessi non facevano sufficienti offerte a Tissaferne già persuaso e disposto a fare accordo. Infatti Alcibiade, che parlava per Tissaferne ivi presente, tanto rincarò nelle dimande, che sebbene gli Ateniesi per un pezzo gli menassero buono quel che domandava , pure alla fine ebbero la colpa di non aver voluto concludere l’accomodamento, Perciocché pretendeva egli la cessione di tutta la Ionia , e poi delle isole adiacenti ed altre cose , alle quali gli Ateniesi non si opposero. Alla fine nel terzo abboccamento, temendo davvero di essere scoperto per uomo senza credito presso Tissaferne, domandava che al re fosse permesso fabbricar navi , e scorrere le loro costiere con quante gli piacesse. Allora poi fu che gli Ateniesi giudicando niente meno che ineseguibili quelle proposte , e tenendosi beffati da Alcibiade, si levarono indispettiti dall’abboccamento , e tornarono a Samo.