Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 8.84

[1] Whilst these were upon this consideration, there happened also a certain tumult about Astyochus.

[2] For the mariners of the Syracusians and Thurians, by how much they were a multitude that had greater liberty than the rest, with so much the stouter importunity they demanded their pay. And he not only gave them somewhat an insolent answer but also threatened Dorieus, that amongst the rest spake for the soldiers under himself, and lift up his staff against him.

[3] When the soldiers saw that, they took up a cry like seamen indeed, all at once, and were running upon Astyochus to have stricken him. But foreseeing it, he fled to an altar, and was not stricken, but they were parted again.

[4] The Milesians also took in a certain fort in Miletus, built by Tissaphernes, having privily assaulted it, and cast out the garrison that was within it. These things were by the rest of the confederates, and especially by the Syracusians, well approved of;

[5] but Lichas liked them not, saying it behoved the Milesians and the rest dwelling within the king's dominion to have obeyed Tissaphernes in all moderate things, and till such time as the war should have been well dispatched to have courted him. And the Milesians, for this and other things of this kind, were offended with Lichas, and afterwards when he died of sickness, would not permit him to be buried in that place where the Lacedaemonians then present would have had him.

[1] The army was engaged in these reflections, when the following disturbance took place about the person of Astyochus.

[2] Most of the Syracusan and Thurian sailors were freemen, and these the freest crews in the armament were likewise the boldest in setting upon Astyochus and demanding their pay. The latter answered somewhat stiffly and threatened them, and when Dorieus spoke up for his own sailors even went so far as to lift his baton against him;

[3] upon seeing which the mass of the men, in sailor fashion, rushed in a fury to strike Astyochus. He, however, saw them in time and fled for refuge to an altar; and they were thus parted without his being struck.

[4] Meanwhile the fort built by Tissaphernes in Miletus was surprised and taken by the Milesians, and the garrison in it turned out,—an act which met with the approval of the rest of the allies, and in particular of the Syracusans,

[5] but which found no favour with Lichas, who said moreover that the Milesians and the rest in the king's country ought to show a reasonable submission to Tissaphernes and to pay him court, until the war should be happily settled. The Milesians were angry with him for this and for other things of the kind, and upon his afterwards dying of sickness, would not allow him to be buried where the Lacedaemonians with the army desired.

Während sich die Unzufriedenheit im Heere dergestalt Luft
machte, kam es mit Astyochos noch zu einem weiteren stürmischen
Auftritt. Die Seeleute aus Syrakus und Thurioi nämlich
verlangten ihren Sold und traten dabei um so trotziger gegen
ihn auf, da es größtenteils freie Leute waren. Astyochos aber
gab ihnen eine barsche Antwort und bedrohte sie, erhob sogar
gegen Dorieus, der für seine Leute eintrat, den Stock. Bei
diesem Anblick drangen und schrien sie als richtige Seeleute
alle auf ihn ein und wollten ihm zu Leibe. Er aber sah sich
vor und flüchtete auf einen Altar. Auch kam er noch glücklich
davon, und man brachte sie auseinander. Die Mileter aber
bemächtigten sich durch einen heimlichen Überfall des von Tissa­
phernes in Milet erbauten Kastells und vertrieben die Besatzung
daraus. Den übrigen Verbündeten, besonders den Syrakusern,
war das ganz recht. Lichas jedoch war damit nicht einver­
standen und erklärte, Milet und alle übrigen Orte im Gebiete
des Königs hätten bis zu glücklicher Beendigung des Krieges
Tissaphernes zu gehorchen und sich seine Anordnungen ohne
Widerrede gefallen zu lassen. Wegen dieser und ähnlicher
Äußerungen waren ihm die Mileter böse, und als er später
an einer Krankheit starb, duldeten sie nicht, daß er da begraben
wurde, wo die Lakedämonier in Milet ihn bestatten wollten.

LXXXIV. Comme on se livrait à ces réflexions, une sorte de mouvement séditieux eut lieu contre Astyochos; voici à quelle occasion : les matelots de Syracuse et de Thurium, de condition libre pour la plupart, se montraient par cela même d’autant plus arrogants et pressants dans leurs réclamations au sujet de la paye. Astyochos répondit avec quelque hauteur, menaça même Doriée qui appuyait les demandes de son équipage et leva sur lui son bâton. A cette vue, la masse des soldats pousse des cris et, avec toute la violence des gens de mer, se précipite sur Astyochos pour le frapper. Celui-ci, prévoyant le danger, chercha un refuge auprès d’un autel; il ne fut pas blessé, et la foule se dispersa.

Les Milésiens attaquèrent par surprise le fort bâti dans leur ville par Tissaphernes, s’en emparèrent et en chassèrent la garnison ¹ . Ils eurent en cela l’assentiment des autres alliés, et en particulier des Syracusains. Mais Lichas blâma cette mesure ² : il dit que les Milésiens et tous ceux qui habitaient sur les terres du Roi devaient rester soumis à Tissaphernes à des conditions modérées, et le ménager jusqu’à ce que la guerre fût terminée heureusement. Les Milésiens, qui avaient contre lui d’autres griefs analogues, ne lui pardonnèrent pas ce propos et, lorsque plus tard il mou- ^{3 4} rut de maladie, ils s’opposèrent à ce qu’il fût inhumé à l’endroit choisi par les Lacédémoniens présents sur les lieux.

Pendant qu’ils se livraient à ces réflexions, il s’éleva tout à coup une mutinerie contre Astyochos. Les matelots syracusains et thuriens, d’autant plus arrogants qu’ils étaient de condition libre, se portèrent en masse auprès de lui en réclamant la solde. Astyochos répondit avec hauteur ; il alla même jusqu’à lever son bâton sur Doriéus ¹ , qui s’était fait l’organe de son équipage. A cette vue, la foule des soldats, en véritables gens de mer, éclate avec furie contre Astyochos et s’apprête à le lapider. Il prévint le danger en se réfugiant près d’un autel. Il en fut quitte pour la peur, et la foule se dissipa.

Les Milésiens s’emparèrent par surprise du château que Tissapherne avait fait construire dans leur ville ² , et en chassèrent la garnison. Cette action fut bien vue par les alliés, surtout par les Syracusains ; mais elle n'eut pas l’approbation de Lâchas. Selon lui, les Milésiens et tous les autres habitants du pays du roi devaient se soumettre à une servitude modérée et ménager Tissapherne jusqu’à ce que la guerre eût pris une heureuse fin. Ce propos et d’autres analogues indisposèrent contre lui les Milésiens ; aussi lorsque plus tard il fut mort de maladie, ils ne permirent pas qu’on l’enterrât à l’endroit qu’avaient choisi les Lacédémoniens présents.

[1] While they were thus reckoning up their grievances the following disturbance occurred in connection with Astyochus.

[2] It seems that the Syracusan and Thurian sailors, in proportion as the majority of them were allowed most freedom, were to that degree also the most bold and importunate in demanding their pay from him. But he answered them somewhat haughtily and made threats; and against Dorieus, who was supporting the plea of his own seamen, he even raised his stick. ¹

[3] When the mass of the troops saw this, in sailor fashion they cried out in rage and rushed at Astyochus with the intention of stoning him; he, however, saw this in time and took refuge at an altar. But he was not actually stoned, and they were separated.

[4] The Milesians, furthermore, took the fort of Tissaphernes that had been built in Miletus, falling upon it unawares, and drove out the garrison that was in it. These doings were approved by the allies in general, and especially by the Syracusans.

[5] Lichas, ² however, was not pleased with them and said that the Milesians and other inhabitants of the King's country ought even to slave for Tissaphernes in a reasonable way and to court his favour until they should bring the war to a successful conclusion. But the Milesians were angry with him for these and similar sayings; and when he afterwards fell sick and died they did not suffer him to be buried where the Lacedaemonians who were present wished to lay him.

[1] While they were thus reckoning up their grievances, the following disturbance also occurred about Astyochus.

[2] The Syracusan and Thurian seamen, inasmuch as they were, generally speaking, most free, applied to him also with the greatest boldness, and demanded their pay. He answered them somewhat haughtily, and threatened them; and indeed against Dorieus, who was supporting the plea of his own seamen, he even lifted up his baton. When the mass of the armament saw this, sailor-like, they rushed ¹ in a rage upon Astyochus to strike him;

[3] but he saw them in time, and fled for refuge to an altar. Notwithstanding their rage, therefore, he was not struck, but they were parted again.

[4] The Milesians also took the fort belonging to Tissaphernes which had been built in Miletus, having attacked it when unobserved, and drawn out of it the garrison that was in it. And the rest of the confederates also approved of these things, and especially the Syracusans.

[5] Lichas, however, was displeased with them, and said that the Milesians and the rest of the states in the king's country ought to submit to Tissaphernes, in such things as were reasonable, and to pay him court, until they had brought the war to a happy conclusion. But the Milesians were offended with him for this, and other things of the same kind; and afterwards, when he had died of sickness, they would not allow them to bury him where those of the Lacedaemonians who were present wished to do.

[1] Dum autem hi secura ita ratiocinantur, quidam etiam hujusmodi tumultus in Astyochum concitatus est.

[2] Nam Syracusanorum ac Thuriorum nautae, quanto maxime libera multitudo erat,tanto etiam ferocissime irruentes stipendium reposcebant. Ille vero, quoddam arrogantius responsum reddidit, et in Dorieum quidem suis nautis patrocinan-tem etiam baculum sustulit.

[3] Multitudo autem militum quum hoc animadvertisset, ut nautae, clamore simul sublato in Astyochum impetu ferebantur, ut eum ferirent; quod ille praevidens ad aram quamdam confugit. Non tamen percussus est, sed alii ab aliis dirempti sunt

[4] Atque ceperunt etiam castellum Tissaphernis Mileti exstructum Milesii clam aggressi, et praesidium ejus, quod illic erat, ejiciunt; haec autem etiam reliquis sociis placebant, et praecipue Syracu- sanis.

[5] Lichae tamen liaoc displicebant, et dicebat, oportere Milesios et ceteros, qui essent in regis ditione, Tissapherni inservire in iis, qu» moderata essent, et ultro oflicia prostare, donec bellum feliciter administrassent. Milesii vero ei succensebant et ob ista et ob alia hujusmodi, et postea eum morbo defunctum humari noti permiserunt in eo loco, ti6i Lacedaemonii, qui aderant, volebant.

Mentre che essi erano in queste considerazioni, avvenne riguardo ad Astioco questo tumulto. I marinari dei Siracusani e de’Turii, quanto erano la più gran moltitudine di gente lìbera, altrettanto con più audacia si affollavano a dimandar la paga. Astioco rispose loro arrogantemente anzi che no, ed alzò il bastone minacciando Dorieo che patrocinava le sue ciurme. A tal vista la moltitudine desoldad, da truppa marinaresca com’erano, alzarono le grida e si avventarono addosso ad Astioco per batterlo; ed egli previsto ciò ricovrossi ad un altare. Nè già fu ferito, ma la calca si dileguò. Ed i Milesii assalirono furtivamente ed espugnarono un forte fabbricato da Tissaferne in Mileto, e cacciarono via il presidio che vi era ; operazione che riscosse l’approvazione degli alleati e specialmente de’ Siracusani, ma che dispiacque a Lica ; il quale diceva che i Milesii doveano, con discrete condizioni star sotto Tissaferne come pure gli altri che trovavansi nelle terre del re, e tenerselo caro finché non avessero bene acconciata la guerra. Ma i Milesii erano ornai sdegnati con Lica ; e per questi motivi ed altri consimili, quando egli venne a morire per malattia, non permisero ai Lacedemoni che si trovavano a Mileto ch’e’ fosse seppellito nel luogo che desideravano.