Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.60

[1] In the end of this winter, the Boeotians took Oropus by treason. It had in it a garrison of Athenians. They that plotted it were certain Eretrians and some of Oropus itself, who were then contriving the revolt of Euboea. For the place being built to keep Eretria in subjection, it was impossible, as long as the Athenians held it, but that it would much annoy both Eretria and the rest of Euboea.

[2] Having Oropus in their hands already, they came to Rhodes to call the Peloponnesians into Euboea. But the Peloponnesians had a greater inclination to relieve Chios now distressed, and putting to sea, departed out of Rhodes with their whole fleet.

[3] When they were come about Triopium, they described the Athenian fleet in the main sea going from Chalce. And neither side assaulting other, they put in, the one fleet at Samos, the other at Miletus; for the Peloponnesians saw they could not pass to relieve Chios without a battle. Thus ended this winter, and the twentieth year of this war written by Thucydides.

[1] Winter was now drawing towards its close, when the Boeotians took Oropus by treachery, though held by an Athenian garrison. Their accomplices in this were some of the Eretrians and of the Oropians themselves, who were plotting the revolt of Euboea , as the place was exactly opposite Eretria , and while in Athenian hands was necessarily a source of great annoyance to Eretria and the rest of Euboea .

[2] Oropus being in their hands, the Eretrians now came to Rhodes to invite the Peloponnesians into Euboea . The latter, however, were rather bent on the relief of the distressed Chians, and accordingly put out to sea and sailed with all their ships from Rhodes .

[3] Off Triopium they sighted the Athenian fleet out at sea sailing from Chalce, and neither attacking the other, arrived, the latter at Samos , the Peloponnesians at Miletus , seeing that it was no longer possible to relieve Chios without a battle. And this winter ended, and with it ended the twentieth year of this war of which Thucydides is the historian.

Gegen Ende des Winters brachten die Böotier Oropos,
wo sich eine athenische Besatzung befand, durch Verrat in ihre
Gewalt. Leute aus Eretria und Oropos selbst, welche Euboia
zum Abfall bringen wollten, hatten ihnen dabei die Hand ge­
boten. Denn die Stadt war bei ihrer Lage Eretria gegenüber,
solange sie im Besitz der Athener war, eine beständige Gefahr
für Eretria wie für ganz Euboia. Jetzt also, wo sie Oropos
hatten, stellten sich die Eretrier in Rhodos ein und baten die
Peloponnesier, nach Euboia zu kommen. Die aber waren mehr
dafür, das so schwer bedrängte Chios zu entsetzen, und gingen
mit der ganzen Flotte von Rhodos dahin unter Segel. Als
sie am Triopion vorüberkamen, sichteten sie in See die Schiffe
der Athener, welche von Chalke im Ansegeln waren. Zu einem
Angriff kam es jedoch weder von dieser noch von jener Seite,
und die einen gelangten nach Samos, die anderen nach Milet;
die Peloponnesier aber sahen nunmehr ein, daß sie ohne eine
Schlacht Chios nicht mehr würden entsetzen können. Damit
endete dieser Winter und das zwanzigste Jahr des Krieges,
den Thukydides beschrieben hat.

LX. Les Béotiens, à la fin de l’hiver, prirent par trahison Oropos, gardée par une garnison athénienne. Ils furent secondés par quelques habitants d’Érétrie et même d’Oropos, qui méditaient la défection de l’Eubée. Car Oropos, qui commandait Érétrie, devait nécessairement, tant qu’elle serait au pouvoir des Athéniens, faire beaucoup de mal à cette ville et au reste de l’Eubée. Une fois maîtres d’Oropos, les Érétriens passèrent à Rhodes pour appeler les Péloponnésiens en Eubée. Mais ceux-ci se préoccupaient, avant tout, de secourir Chio, alors serrée de près. Ils partirent de Rhodes et prirent la mer avec toute leur flotte; arrivés à la hauteur de Triopion, ils aperçurent au large les vaisseaux athéniens venant de Chalcé; et comme, ni d’un côté ni de l’autre, on ne voulait engager l’action, les Athéniens retournèrent à Samos, et les Péloponnésiens à Milet. Il était dès lors évident pour ces derniers que Chio ne pouvait être secourue sans un combat naval. Avec l’hiver finit la vingtième année de cette guerre dont Thucydide a écrit l’histoire.

Sur la fin de cet hiver, les Béotiens prirent par trahison Oropos, qui était occupé par une garnison athénienne. Ils furent secondés par quelques habitants d'Érétrie et même d'Oropoe, qui méditaient la défection de l’Ëubée. Oropos étant situé en face d’Érétrie, il ne pouvait y avoir de sécurité pour cette ville ni pour le reste de l’Eubée tant qu’il serait aux Athéniens.

Maîtres d’Oropos, les Ërétriens se rendirent à Rhode pour attirer en Eubée les Péloponésiens. Ceux-ci étaient alors occupés à secourir Cbios, toujours plus étroitement bloquée. Déjà ils avaient quitté Rhode avec toute leur flotte et se trouvaient sous voiles, lorsque, à la hauteur du Triopion, ils aperçurent au large les vaisseaux athéniens venant de Chalcé. Aucun des deux partis n’ayant commencé l'attaque, ils se retirèrent les uns à Samos, les autres à Milet. Dès lors il fut reconnu qu’à moins d'une bataille navale, il était impossible de secourir Chios. Là-dessus l’hiver finit, ainsi que la vingtième année de la guerre que Thucydide a racontée.

[1] When the winter was now ending the Boeotians took Oropus, where the Athenians had a garrison, by treachery. And they had the cooperation of some men of Eretria and of Oropus itself who were plotting for the revolt of Euboea. For since the place is opposite Eretria, it was impossible, while the Athenians held it, that it should not injure greatly both Eretria and Euboea in general.

[2] Now, therefore, that they had Oropus in their possession, the Eretrians came to Rhodes and invited the Peloponnesians to Euboea. They, however, were more intent upon relieving Chios, which was in distress; so they put off from Rhodes and sailed with all their ships.

[3] When they had arrived in the neighbourhood of Triopium they saw the Athenian fleet on the high seas as they were sailing from Chalce; ¹ as neither fleet, however, advanced to attack the other, the Athenians arrived at Samos, and the Peloponnesians at Miletus, when they saw that it was no longer possible to bring succour to Chios without a fight. So this winter ended, and with it the twentieth year of this war of which Thucydides wrote the history.

[1] When the winter was now closing, the Boeotians took Oropus by treachery, while an Athenian garrison was holding it. There co-operated with them, also, some of the Eretrians and of the Oropians themselves, who were plotting the revolt of Euboea. For as the place was just opposite to Eretria, so long as the Athenians held it, it could not fail to do much damage both to Eretria and the rest of Euboea.

[2] Being now therefore in possession of Oropus, the Eretrians came to Rhodes, inviting the Peloponnesians into Euboea. They, however, were more disposed to relieve Chios in its distress, and so put out and sailed from Rhodes with all their fleet.

[3] When they were off Triopium, they descried that of the Athenians out at sea, sailing from Chalce: and as neither side advanced against the other, they arrived, the Athenians at Samos, the Peloponnesians at Miletus, finding that it was no longer possible to go to the relief of Chios without a sea-fight. And so the winter ended, and the twentieth year of this war of which Thucydides wrote the history.

[1] Boeoti autem exeunte jam hieme Oropum, in quo erat Atheniensium praesidium, per proditionem ceperunt Simul autem haec egerant nonnulli Eretriensium et ipsorum Oropiorum, qui operam clandestine dabant, ut Euboeam ad defectionem inducerent; fieri enim non poterat, quin hoc oppidum, quod Eretriae imminebat, Atheniensibus hoc tenentibus, magnis detrimentis et Eretriam et ceteram Euboeam afficeret.

[2] Eretrienses igitur, Oropo jam potiti, in Rbo-dum iverunt, ut Peloponnesios in Euboeam accirent. F/i vero magis ad auxilium Chio ferendum intenti erant, et cum omni classe e Rhodo solventes eo navigabant.

[3] Et quum ad Trioptum pervenissent, Atheniensium classem, quae ex Clialce veniebat, in alto navigantem prospexerunt; et quum neutri in alteros incursionem classe lacerent, alteri Samum, alteri Miletum se receperunt, et videbant non amplius Chiis sine navali proelio opem ferri posse. Atque haec hiems finiebatur, lmjusque belli vicesimus annus finiebatur, quod Thucydides conscripsit.

Ma i Beozii, essendo ornai quel verno al suo termine, presero per tradimento Oropo presidiato dagli Ateniesi ; e in ciò prestarono loro mano alcuni di Eretria e d’Oropo stesso, i quali macchinavano la ribellione di Eubea. Imperciocché , quella terra dominando l’Eretria , era impossibile finché la ritenevano gli Ateniesi, che non facessero gravi danni ad Eretria stessa ed al resto dell’Eubea. Gli Eretriesi adunque già padroni di Oropo vanno a Rodi per invitare i Peloponnesi a passar nell’ Eubea. I quali, siccome erano piuttosto infiammati per il soccorso di Chio travagliata, salpando da Rodi con tutta la flotta , colà si avviarono. Arrivati intorno a Triopio scorgono in alto le navi ateniesi che venivano da Calce ; ma nissuna delle due flotte si mosse incontro. Cosicché gli Ateniesi recaronsi a Samo, ed i Peloponnesi a Mileto, vedendo l’impossibilità di soeeorrer Chio senza venire a battaglia navale. Finiva intanto l’inverno e l’anno ventesimo di questa guerra descritta da Tucidide.