Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.101

[1] The Thasians in the meantime, being overcome in divers battles and besieged, sought aid of the Lacedaemonians and entreated them to divert the enemy by an invasion of Attica,

[2] which, unknown to the Athenians, they promised to do and also had done it, but by an earthquake that then happened, they were hindered. In which earthquake their Helots, and of neighboring towns the Thuriatae and Aethaeans, revolted and seized on Ithome. Most of these Helots were the posterity of the ancient Messenians brought into servitude in former times, whereby also it came to pass that they were called all Messenians.

[3] Against these had the Lacedaemonians now a war at Ithome. The Thasians in the third year of the siege rendered themselves to the Athenians upon condition to raze their walls, to deliver up their galleys, to pay both the money behind and for the future as much as they were wont, and to quit both the mines and the continent.

[1] Meanwhile the Thasians being defeated in the field and suffering siege, appealed to Lacedaemon , and desired her to assist them by an invasion of Attica .

[2] Without informing Athens she promised and intended to do so, but was prevented by the occurrence of the earthquake, accompanied by the secession of the Helots and the Thuriats and Aethaeans of the Perioeci to Ithome . Most of the Helots were the descendants of the old Messenians that were enslaved in the famous war; and so all of them came to be called Messenians.

[3] So the Lacedaemonians being engaged in a war with the rebels in Ithome , the Thasians in the third year of the siege obtained terms from the Athenians by razing their walls, delivering up their ships, and arranging to pay the monies demanded at once, and tribute in future; giving up their possessions on the continent together with the mine.

Die Thasier, in den Schlachten besiegt und belagert,
riefen die Lakedämonier an und forderten sie auf, in Attika einzufallen
und sie auf diese Weise zu unterstützen. Diese versprachen das auch,
ohne daß die Atbener etwas davon erfuhren, und waren schon im
Begriff es zu thun, als sie durch das Erdbeben verhindert wurden, wel- ¹
ches die Heloten und von den Beisitzern'^) die Thuriaten und
Aethäer benutzten, um sich zu empören und in die Feste Jthome zu
werfen. Die Mehrzahl der Heloten waren Abkömmlinge der alten
Messenier, welche in früherer Zeit geknechtet worden waren, und
wurden deshalb auch insgemein Messenier genannt. Nun mußten also
die Lakedämonier gegen die in Jthome Krieg fuhren, und die Thafier ²
ergaben sich im dritten Jahr der Belagerung an die Athener und
willigten ein, ihre Mauern niederzureißen, die Schiffe auszuliefern, die
auferlegte Geldsumme sofort zu erlegen und inskünftig Steuer zu
zahlen, sowie auch aus das Festland und die Bergwerke keine Ansprüche
mehr zu machen.

CI. Les Thasiens, vaincus et assiégés, se tournèrent vers les Lacédémoniens et les prièrent de leur venir en aide par une diversion sur l’Attique. Les Lacédémoniens s’y engagèrent, à l’insu des Athéniens ; ils allaient agir, lorsqu’ils en furent détournés par le tremblement de terre ¹ qui eut lieu à cette époque. Les Hilotes ² profitèrent de cette occasion, ainsi que les Thuriates ³ et les Éthéens, voisins des Lacédémoniens, pour se soulever et s’enfermer à Ithome. La plupart des Hilolcs descendaient des anciens Messéniens réduits jadis en servitude, ce qui leur faisait donner à tous le nom de Messéniens ⁴ . Les Lacédémoniens eurent donc une guerre à soutenir contre les révoltés d’Ithome.

Quant aux Thasiens, après trois ans de siége, ils capitulèrent, rasèrent leurs fortifications, livrèrent aux Athéniens leurs vaisseaux, se soumirent à payer la somme à laquelle ils furent taxés et pour le présent et pour l’avenir, et enfin renoncèrent à toute prétention sur le continent et les mines.

Cependant les Thasiens, vaincus en plusieurs rencontres et assiégés, eurent recours aux Lacédémoniens, et les prièrent de faire en leur faveur une diversion en Àttique. Ceux-ci leur en firent la promesse secrète, et ils auraient tenu parole, sans le tremblement de terre ¹ dont les Hilotes et quelques-uns des Périèques ² , tels que les Thuriates et les Êthéens, prirent occasion pour s’insurger et se retirer sur le mont Ithome. La plupart de ces Hilotes descendaient des anciens Messéniens asservis dans le temps ³ ; c’est ce qui fit donner à tous les révoltés le nom de Messéniens. Ainsi les Lacédémoniens eurent une guerre à soutenir centre les révoltés d’Ithome. Pour les Thasiens, après trois ans de siège, ils capitulèrent avec les Athéniens, à condition de raser leurs murailles, de livrer leurs vaisseaux, de s’imposer une contribution immédiate et de payer régulièrement leur tribut à l’avenir, enfin d’abandonner leurs mines et toutes leurs possessions du continent.

[1] As for the Thasians, who had been defeated in battle and were now besieged, they appealed to the Lacedaemonians and urged them to come to their aid by invading Attica.

[2] This, unknown to the Athenians, they promised to do, and intended to keep their promise, but were prevented by the earthquake ¹ which occurred at the time ² when both their Helots and the Perioeci of Thuria and Aethaea revolted and went to Ithome. ³ Most of the Helots were the descendants of the early Messenians who had been enslaved of old, ⁴ and hence were all called Messenians.

[3] The Lacedaemonians, then, were involved in war with the rebels on Ithome; and so the Thasians, who were in the third year of the siege, came to terms with the Athenians, pulling down their walls and delivering over their ships, agreeing to pay forthwith whatever sum of money should be required of them and to render tribute in future, and, finally, giving up both the mainland and the mine.

[1] The Thasians, having been conquered in some engagements, and being invested, called the Lacedaemonians to their aid, and desired that they would assist them by invading Attica.

[2] They promised to do so, without letting the Athenians know, and intended it; but were prevented by the earthquake which took place; on which occasion also they saw the Helots, and the Thurians and oethieans amongst the Perioeci, ¹ establish themselves in revolt at Ithome. ² Most of the Helots were the descendants of the old Messenians who were enslaved at that time [with which all are acquainted ³ ]:

[3] and for this reason the whole body of them were called Messenians. A war then was commenced by the Lacedaemonians against those in Ithome: and the Thasians in the third year of the siege came to terms with the Athenians, throwing down their wall, and delivering up their ships, and agreeing both to pay immediately the sum of money required, and to pay tribute in future, and surrendering their mainland towns and the mine.

[1] Thasii vero victi proeliis et obsessi Lacedaemoniorum auxilium implorabant, eosque hortabantur, ut, irruptione in Atticam facta, opem sibi (errent.

[2] Illi vero se boc (a-ctnros clam Atheniensibus promiserunt, ac facturi erani, sed terne motu impediti sunt, in quo et Helotes et ex municipibus Thurialae et £theenses 1 thomen secesserunt. F ue-runt autem ex Helotibus plurimi ab antiquis illis Messeniis, tunc in servitutem redactis, oriundi, quamobrem etiam omnes vocati sunt Messenii.

[3] Adversus illos igitur, qui erant Ithomae, bellum susceperant Lacedaemonii. Thasii vero tertio obsidionis anno Atheniensibus sese dediderunt bis conditionibus, ut moenia demolirentur, naves traderent, et imperatam pecuniam persolverent, tam eam, quam in praesentia eos numerare, quam eam, quam in posterum pendere oportebat, utque ipsis et continente et metallis cederent.

[1] Diesen Grundsätzen, die wir von unsern Vätern überkommen und selber stets bewährt erfunden haben, lasst uns nicht ungetreu werden und nicht binnen weniger Stunden über so viel Menschenleben und Eigenthum, über Staatenglück und Ehre einen übereilten Beschluss fassen, sondern uns Zeit nehmen. Wir haben den Vortheil der Macht, um nichts zu versäumen. Nach Athen also sendet wegen Potidäas und wegen der Beschwerden der Bundesgenossen, besonders da sie eine gerichtliche Entscheidung nicht ablehnen. Wer diese anbietet, den hat man kein Recht als bereits Verurtheilten anzugreifen. Aber zugleich rüstet euch auch zum Kriege. Dies ist das Beste, was ihr beschliessen könnt, und wird bei dem Feind am meisten Eindruck machen.

I Tasii rimasti vinti in più battaglie ed essendo stretti dall’assedio si raccomandavano ai Lacedemoni, confortandoli a dar loro soccorso coll’ invader l’Attica. Ne tolsero i Lacedemoni l' assunto di nascosto agli Ateniesi, ed erano in sull’ eseguir ciò , se non che furonne distolti dal terremoto che allor sopravvenne , all’ occasione del quale anche gli Doti, e tra i popoli convicini a Sparta, i Turi a ti e gli E tei ribel laronsi e passarono in Itome. La maggior parte degl’iloti discendevano da quelli antichi Messemi ridotti allora in servitù, ed erano per ciò chiamati tutti Messemi. Frattanto i Lacedemoni ebbero guerra con quei di Itome: ed i Tasii assediati da tre anni si resero agli Ateniesi, a condizione di demolire le mura , consegnare le navi, accettare i balzelli di denaro da pagarsi in sul momento , o come un tributo per l' avvenire, e di abbandonare la terraferma e le miniere.