Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.63

[1] In the meantime not only the Chians had the sea at more command, but Astyochus also and the army at Miletus, having been advertised of what passed in the fight by sea, and that Strombichides and those galleys with him were gone away, took heart.

[2] And Astyochus, going to Chios with two galleys, fetched away the galleys that were there, and with the whole fleet now together went against Samos. But seeing they of Samos, by reason of their jealousy one towards another, came not against him, he went back again to Miletus.

[3] For it was about this time that the democracy was put down at Athens. For after that Pisander and his fellow-ambassadors that had been with Tissaphernes were come to Samos, they both assured their affairs yet better in the army and also provoked the principal men of the Samians to attempt with them the erecting of the oligarchy, though there were then an insurrection amongst them against the oligarchy.

[4] And withal the Athenians at Samos, in a conference amongst themselves, deliberated how, since Alcibiades would not, to let him alone; for indeed they thought him no fit man to come into an oligarchy; but for themselves, seeing they were already engaged in the danger, to take care both to keep the business from a relapse and withal to sustain the war and to contribute money and whatsoever else was needful with alacrity out of their private estates, and no more to toil for other than themselves.

[1] In the meantime the Chians commanded the sea more than before; and the Peloponnesians at Miletus and Astyochus, hearing of the sea-fight and of the departure of the squadron with Strombichides, took fresh courage.

[2] Coasting along with two vessels to Chios , Astyochus took the ships from that place, and now moved with the whole fleet upon Samos , from whence, however, he sailed back to Miletus , as the Athenians did not put out against him, owing to their suspicions of one another.

[3] For it was about this time, or even before, that the democracy was put down at Athens . When Pisander and the envoys returned from Tissaphernes to Samos they at once strengthened still further their interest in the army itself, and instigated the upper class in Samos to join them in establishing an oligarchy, the very form of government which a party of them had lately risen to avoid.

[4] At the same time the Athenians at Samos , after a consultation among themselves, determined to let Alcibiades alone, since he refused to join them, and besides was not the man for an oligarchy; and now that they were once embarked, to see for themselves how they could best prevent the ruin of their cause, and meanwhile to sustain the war, and to contribute without stint money and all else that might be required from their own private estates, as they would henceforth labour for themselves alone.

Inzwischen aber hatten die Chier und die Peloponnesier
in Milet zur See freiere Hand gewonnen, und Astyochos
glaubte wieder etwas wagen zu können, als er die Nachricht
von der Seeschlacht erhielt und hörte, daß Strombichides mit
der Flotte abgezogen sei. Er fuhr mit zwei Schiffen hinüber
nach Chios, um auch die dort befindlichen Schiffe erst abzu­
holen, und unternahm darauf mit der ganzen Flotte einen Zug
nach Samos. Da jedoch die Athener, die sich untereinander
nicht trauten, nicht zur Schlacht herauskamen, kehrte er wieder
nach Milet zurück.

Um diese Zeit, und zwar schon etwas früher, war nämlich in
Athen der Demokratie ein Ende gemacht worden. Nachdem
Peisandros und die übrigen Gesandten von Tissaphernes nach
Samoszurückgekommen waren, hatten sie sich nicht nur des
Heeres noch fester versichert, sondern auch den vornehmen
Samiern zu dem Versuch geraten, mit ihrer Hilfe ein oligar­
chisches Regiment in Samos aufzurichten, obgleich man sich
dort solchen oligarchischen Bestrebungen früher mit bewaffneter
Hand widersetzt hatte. Unter sich kamen die Athener in Samos
bei weiterer Erwägung der Sache dann aber überein, Alki­
biades, da er nun mal nicht wolle und auch in eine oligarchische
Regierung nicht passe, ganz aus dem Spiel zu lassen. Viel­
mehr würde es, nachdem sie schon so weit gegangen, nunmehr
an ihnen sein, selbst das Ihrige zu tun, um die Sache durch­
zusetzen und zugleich den Krieg energisch fortzuführen und, da
sie jetzt ihre eigene Haut zu Markte tragen müßten, Geld und
alles, was sonst noch nötig sei, bereitwillig auch aus eigenen
Mitteln beizusteuern.

LXIII. Il devint plus facile alors aux vaisseaux de Chio de tenir la mer, d’autant plus que les Péloponnésiens en station à Milet et Astyochos, à la nouvelle du combat naval et du départ de Strombichidès avec la flotte, avaient repris confiance. Astyochos passa à Chio avec deux vaisseaux, prit avec lui toute la flotte et fit voile pour Samos; mais les Athéniens, alors en défiance les uns contre les autres, n’étant pas venus à sa rencontre, il repartit pour Milet. C’était en effet à cette époque, ou plutôt un peu auparavant, que la démocratie avait été abolie à Athènes : Pisandre et ses collègues, de retour à Samos de leur ambassade auprès de Tissaphernes, avaient commencé par faire entrer l’armée encore plus avant dans leurs intérêts; d’un autre côté, ils engagèrent les principaux citoyens de Samos à tenter de revenir avec eux à l’oligarchie, quoique ce gouvernement fût tombé chez eux sous un soulèvement. En même temps les Athéniens, qui étaient à Samos, se concertèrent entre eux, et, après examen, résolurent de laisser de côté Alcibiade, puisqu’il ne voulait pas les seconder, et ne semblait pas propre d’ailleurs à passer à l’oligarchie; il fut décidé qu’étant désormais compromis, ils aviseraient eux-mêmes à ne pas laisser languir cette affaire, qu’ils pousseraient la guerre avec vigueur, enfin que, travaillant maintenant non plus pour autrui, mais pour eux-mêmes, ils prendraient, sans hésiter, sur leur propre fortune, l’argent et tout ce qui pourrait être nécessaire.

Depuis ce moment, les Chiotes eurent un certain ascendant sur mer, d’autant plus qu’Astyochos et les Péloponésiens de Milet, instruits du combat naval et du départ de l’es-. cadre de Strombichidès, avaient repris courage. Astyochos avec deux bâtiments se rendit à Chios, en ramena les vaisseaux qui s’y trouvaient ¹ , et cingla contre Samos avec la totalité de ses forces ; mais les Athéniens, qui se défiaient alors les uns des autres, n’étant point venus à sa rencontre, il repartit pour Milet.

A la même époque ou même un peu auparavant, la démocratie avait été renversée à Athènes. Pisandros et ses collègues, de retour à Samos après avoir quitté Tissapherne, s'assurèrent encore mieux de l’armée et engagèrent les principaux àes Samiens à rétablir chez eux l’oligarchie, malgré Imposition sous laquelle ce régime avait succombé. En même temps, les Athéniens qui étaient à Samos tinrent conseil; et, considérant qu’Alcibiade refusait de les seconder, que d’ailleurs il était peu fait pour entrer dans une oligarchie, ils résolurent de ne plus songer à lui, mais de ne compter que sur eux-mêmes pour l’exécution de leurs desseins. Ils décidèrent que la guerre serait poussée avec vigueur, et que, travaillant désormais pour leur propre compte, ils feraient sans hésitation tous les sacrifices pécuniaires ou autres que les circonstances pourraient exiger.

[1] In the meantime not only had the Chians strengthened their command of the sea, but Astyochus also and the Peloponnesians at Miletus, learning the result of the sea-fight and about the departure of Strombichides and his fleet, took courage.

[2] So Astyochus sailed along the coast to Chios with two ships, took on the ships which were there, and with what was now the entire fleet advanced against Samos; but when the Athenians, because their two factions entertained suspicions of one another, would not come out to meet him, he sailed back again to Miletus.
  For it was about this time, or somewhat earlier, that the democracy at Athens was being overthrown.

[3] When the envoys led by Peisander had come to Samos from Tissaphernes, they had got matters in the army itself still more firmly under their control and had instigated the influential men among the Samians also to attempt in concert with them to establish an oligarchy, although the Samians had risen in revolt against their own countrymen in order to avoid being governed by an oligarchy.

[4] At the same time the Athenians at Samos, after conferring among themselves, had determined, since Alcibiades would not agree with them, to let him alone—for he was not a suitable person, they thought, to come into an oligarchy—but by themselves, as being already actually in peril, to see to it that the movement should not be abandoned, and at the same time to hold out so far as the war was concerned; they had also resolved zealously to contribute from their own private resources either money or whatever else should be necessary, feeling that from now on the burdens they would bear would be for no others than themselves.1

[1] In the mean time the Chians were masters of the sea more than they had been; and Astyochus with those at Miletus, on hearing the particulars of the naval engagement, and the departure of Strombichides with his squadron, took fresh courage.

[2] And so having coasted along with two ships to Chios, he took the fleet from that place, and with all his force now united advanced against Samos. When the Athenians, in consequence of their being suspicious of one another, did not put out to meet him, he sailed back again to Miletus.

[3] For about this time, or still earlier, democracy had been abolished at Athens. For when Pisander and the ambassadors came from Tissaphernes to Samos, they both secured still more strongly their interest in the army itself, and instigated the most powerful of the Samians also to try with them to set up an oligarchy among themselves, although they had been rising up against one another to avoid an oligarchical government.

[4] At the same time those of the Athenians at Samos determined, after communicating with each other, to give up Alcibiades, since he would not join them, (for indeed he was not a proper person, they said, to become a member of an oligarchy,) but to consider amongst themselves, since they were now actually imperilled, by what means their cause might escape abandonment; and at the same time to persevere in their measures for the war, and themselves to contribute with alacrity from their own private resources, both money and whatever else might be required, since they were no longer bearing the burden for any but themselves.

[1] Interea vero et Chii maris majorem potestatem obtinuerant, et qui Mileti erant, et Astyochus, quum nuntium de proelio navali accepisset et de Strombichide cum navibus digresso, fiduciam animo concepit.

[2] Quamobrem Astyochus cum duabus navibus in Chium profectus, naves illinc deduxit, et jam cum universa classe adversus Samum contendit; et quum hostes, quod inter ee suspecti essent, obviam ei non prodirent, Miletum rursus rediit.

[3] Nam per id tempus atque etiam prius popularis etatus Athenis sublatus erat. Postquam enim Pisander ejusque legationis collegae a Tissapherne Samum redierant, et res in castris longe firmius obstrinxerunt, et ipsorum Samiorum viros potentes hortati sunt, ut secum paucorum dominatu uti conarentur, quamvis orta inter ipsos seditione, ne paucorum dominatu regerentur.

[4] Et Athenienses simul, qui Sami erant, inter se consilia conferentes statuerunt, Alcibiadem quidem (quippe eum non animo ita comparatum esse, ut se paucorum imperio adjungeret) missum facere, sed ipsi per se, quod jam etiam in periculo versarentur, dispicere, quonam modo res suae non perderentur, et simul bellum strenue sustineretur, ipsique pecuniam ex suis privatis bonis alacriter conferrent, et si quid aliud opus esset, quandoquidem non amplius aliorum, quam sua ipsorum causa labores ferrent.

Allora i Chii e le genti di Mileto poterono un po’ più allargarsi sul mare ; ed Astioco sentito l’esito della battaglia di Chio, e la partenza di Stroinbichide colla flotta, prese coraggio , passò con due navi a Chio, si aggiunse quelle di lì, e con tutte riunite navigava diviato contro Samo. Ma siccome quelli di Samo per la diffidenza che regnava tra loro non si mossero ad incontrarlo, ritornossene a Mileto. E verameute circa questo tempo, ed anche innanzi si andava sciogliendo in Atene lo stato popolare : imperciocché Pisandro con gli altri ambasciatori tornati da Tissaferne a Samo vi avean trovato l’esercito rassodato nelle iutenzioni di prima, ed i Samii stessi, quantunque per l’innanzi fossero stati in sedizione tra loro onde non venisse stabilito il governo di pochi, incitavano -ora i più potenti perchè cooperassero con loro a stabilirvelo. Parimenti quelli Ateniesi che si trovavano a Samo messo il capo insieme tra loro soli, aveano deliberato di lasciare a parte Alcibiade che di ciò non volea brigarsi, e che non credevano punto disposto ad entrare nella oligarchia, e di cercare il modo da per sè, siccome quelli che trovavansi in pericolo, onde l’affare non si addormentasse; c al tempo medesimo sostenere la guerra , e contribuir sollecitamente denari col proprio patrimonio, e far tutto quello che occorresse ; persuasi che ogni travaglio che si pigliassero era a provvedimento della propria salvezza.