Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.72

[1] They likewise sent ten men to Samos, to satisfy the army and to tell them that the oligarchy was not set up to any prejudice of the city or citizens, but for the safety of the whole state; and that they which had their hands in it were five thousand and not four hundred only; notwithstanding that the Athenians, by reason of warfare and employment abroad, never assembled, of how great consequence soever was the matter to be handled, so frequent as to be five thousand there at once.

[2] And having in other things instructed them how to make the best of the matter, they sent them away immediately after the government was changed, fearing, as also it fell out, lest the seafaring multitude would not only not continue in this oligarchical form themselves, but the mischief beginning there would depose them also.

[1] They also sent ten men to Samos to reassure the army, and to explain that the oligarchy was not established for the hurt of the city or the citizens, but for the salvation of the country at large; and that there were five thousand, not four hundred only, concerned; although, what with their expeditions and employments abroad, the Athenians had never yet assembled to discuss a question important enough to bring five thousand of them together.

[2] The emissaries were also told what to say upon all other points, and were so sent off immediately after the establishment of the new government, which feared, as it turned out justly, that the mass of seamen would not be willing to remain under the oligarchical constitution, and, the evil beginning there, might be the means of their overthrow.

Auch nach Samos schickten sie zehn Männer, um das
Heer zu beruhigen und darüber aufzuklären, daß es bei der
Einführung des oligarchischen Regiments durchaus nicht auf
Unterdrückung der Stadt und der Bürger, sondern nur darauf
abgesehen gewesen sei, Athen überhaupt vor dem Untergange
zu retten, auch daß es nicht nur vierhundert, sondern fünf­
tausend Bürger seien, welche die Stadt regierten, wie sich ja
schon bisher, auch wo es sich um die wichtigsten Beschlüsse
über Feldzüge und auswärtige Angelegenheiten gehandelt, niemals
auch nur fünftausend zu einer Versammlung eingefunden hätten.
Mit diesen und anderen zweckdienlichen Aufträgen schickten sie
die Zehn gleich ab, nachdem sie ans Ruder gekommen, weil
sie besorgten, das Schiffsvolk würde sich das oligarchische Regi­
ment nicht gefallen lassen und der Herd einer Bewegung
werden, die ihren Sturz herbeiführen könnte. Und so kam
es auch.

LXXII. Dix commissaires furent aussi expédiés à Samos, pour tranquilliser l’armée et lui faire entendre que l’oligarchie avait été établie non dans des intentions hostiles à la république et aux personnes, mais dans un but de salut général; que ce seraient cinq mille citoyens et non pas seulement quatre cents qui dirigeraient les affaires, et que d’ailleurs les Athéniens, distraits par la guerre et leurs oecupations hors des frontières, n’avaient jamais dans aucune assemblée atteint ce nombre de cinq mille, quelque importante que fût l’affaire en délibération. Les quatre cents donnèrent aux commissaires toutes les autres instructions nécessaires et les firent partir aussitôt après leur entrée en fonctions : ils craignaient, comme il arriva en effet, que la populace des gens de mer ne voulût pas se soumettre au régime oligarchique, et que de là ne partit un mouvement qui les renverserait eux-mêmes.

Ils firent aussi partir pour Samos dix commissaires chargés de tranquilliser l’armée et de lui faire entendre que ce n’était pas au détriment de la ville ou des particuliers que l’oligarchie avait été établie,.mais dans un but d’intérêt général ; que c’étaient cinq mille citoyens et non pas seulement quatre cents qui géraient les affaires ; que les Athéniens, distraits par les guerres et les occupations lointaines, n’avaieht jamais dans aucune assemblée atteint le nombre de cinq mille, quelle que fût l’importance de la délibération. Ils leur dictèrent le langage à tenir et les expédièrent aussitôt après leur entrée en charge. Ils craignaient, comme il arriva, que la foule des marins ne voulût pas de l’oligarchie, et que de là ne partît un mouvement qui les emporterait eux-mêmes.

[1] They also sent ten men to Samos to reassure the army there and to explain that the oligarchy had been set up, not for the injury of the city or the citizens, but for the salvation of the whole Athenian cause; and also to explain that there were five thousand, not four hundred only, who were participating in the government, although, because of their military expeditions and their activities abroad, the Athenians had never yet come to consult upon any matter so important that five thousand had assembled.

[2] So after giving them these and other instructions as to the proper explanations to offer, they sent them off immediately after their own assumption of office, fearing lest— as actually happened—a crowd of sailors might of itself not be willing to abide by the oligarchical form of government, and so, the mischief having once begun at Samos, bring about their own overthrow.

[1] They likewise sent ten men to Samos, to reassure the troops, and to tell them that the oligarchy had not been established for the injury of the city and the citizens, but for the preservation of the whole state; moreover, that there were five thousand, and not four hundred only, who had a share in the government; though never yet, in consequence of their expeditions and their foreign occupations, had the Athenians come to consult on a business of such importance that five thousand of them assembled for the purpose.

[2] They gave them, too, all other instructions as to what was suitable for them to say, and despatched them immediately after their own estabment in power, being afraid that a mob of sailors might (as was really the case) both themselves refuse to continue under the government of an oligarchy, and through the evil spreading from that quarter be the means of deposing them.

[1] Mittunt autem etiam Samum decem viros, ut mi lites delinirent, ac docerent, non in perniciem reipubliar atque civium, paucorum dominatum constitutum esse, sed ad universae reipublicae salulem, et esse quinque millia civium, non autem quadragintos tantum, qui rempublicam administrarent, quum tamen Athenienses nunquam antes propter expeditiones et in exteris regionibus occupationes 1 ad ullam consultationem de re quantumvis aidua accessisse, ad quam quinque millia civium convenissent.

[2] Quum au- tem et alia quae dicere decebat, legatis praecepissent, eoa ' dimiserunt statim post imperii sui constitutionem, veriti, id quod accidit, ne nautica multitudo nec ipsa in paucorum dominatus statu manere vellet, et se ipsos, malo illic initium sumente, de statu dejicerent. -

Inviarono ancora dieci personaggi a Samo per abbonir quell’esercito, e mostrargli che non si era stabilita l’oligarchia a danno della Repubblica e dei cittadini, ma per salvezza di tutto il comune ; che cinquemila e non soli quattrocento erano al governo degli affari ; e che pur gli Ateniesi non si erano mai adunati in numero di cinquemila per venire a deliberare di cosa quanto si voglia rilevante, perchè impediti dalle spedizioni, ed occupati fuori dei confini. E aggiunte a queste altre parole acconcie ad esser dette li spedirono subito dopo il cangiamento da lor fatto nel governo , perchè temevano (siccome avvenne) che i soldati di marina non volessero starsene al reggimento oligarchico, e che il male cominciato di là non venisse a dar loro la volta.