Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.123

[1] "But to what end should we object matters past more than is necessary to the business in hand? We must now by helping the present labour for the future, for it is peculiar to our country to attain honour by labour. And though you be now somewhat advanced in honour and power, you must not therefore change the custom; for there is no reason that what was gotten in want should be lost by wealth. But we should confidently go in hand with the war as for many other causes so also for this, that both the God hath by his oracle advised us thereto and promised to be with us himself, and also for that the rest of Greece, some for fear and some for profit, are ready to take our parts.

[2] Nor are you they that first break the peace, which the God, inasmuch as he doth encourage us to the war, judgeth violated by them; but you fight rather in defence of the same. For not he breaketh the peace that taketh revenge, but he that is the first invader.

[1] There is, however, no advantage in reflections on the past further than may be of service to the present. For the future we must provide by maintaining what the present gives us and redoubling our efforts; it is hereditary to us to win virtue as the fruit of labour, and you must not change the habit, even though you should have a slight advantage in wealth and resources; for it is not right that what was won in want should be lost in plenty. No, we must boldly advance to the war for many reasons; the god has commanded it and promised to be with us, and the rest of Hellas will all join in the struggle, part from fear, part from interest.

[2] You will not be the first to break a treaty which the god, in advising us to go to war, judges to be violated already, but rather to support a treaty that has been outraged: indeed, treaties are broken not by resistance but by aggression.
 

„Doch was nützt es, bei der Vergangenheit länger mit
Tadel zu verweilen, als es den Zweck der Gegenwart fördert? In
Betreff der Zukunft jedoch müssen wir uns jeder Mühe unterziehen,
um unseren Verhältnissen aufzuhelfen, denn von euren Vätern her
wißt ihr, daß aus Mühsal die Tugend geboren wird. Und an der .
Art sollt ihr Nichts ändern, wenn ihr auch jetzt an Reichthum und
Macht etwas höher stehet; denn es wäre nicht gar geschickt, was in
Armuth erworben worden ist, im Ueberfluß zu verlieren. Vielmehr
dürst ihr aus vielen Gründen mit Zuversicht des Siegs zum Kriege
schreiten, da ja auch der Gott den Aussvruch gethan und bei euch zu
stehen versprochen hat, und auch das gesammte übrige Hellas, sei eS.
nun aus Furcht, oder sei es des Vortheils wegen, aus eurer Seite
kämpfen wird. Auch werdet ihr nicht die sein, die den Vertrag
zunächst brechen, da ja auch der Gott, indem er euch den Krieg befiehlt,
ihn schon für gebrochen erklärt; vielmehr werdet ihr die Verletzung,
der Verträge zu bestrafen scheinen; denn nicht die brechen den
Frieden, welche sich zur Wehr setzen, sondern die, welche zuerst
angreifen." .

CXXIII. « Mais à quoi bon critiquer longuement le passé, si ce n’est en vue des intérêts actuels ! C’est en faveur de l’avenir qu’il faut venir en aide au présent, sans épargner la peine ; car s’élever à la vertu par le travail est un exemple que nous ont légué nos pères. Si maintenant vous l’emportez un peu sur eux pur la richesse et la puissance, ne renoncez point, pour cela, à ces moeurs héréditaires ; car il n’est pas juste que ce qui a été acquis par la pauvreté soit perdu par l’opulence. Marchez donc, pleins d’une confiance que bien des motifs autorisent ; l’oracle s’est prononcé et le dieu luimême a promis de vous venir en aide ; tout le reste de la Grèce combattra avec vous, soit par crainte, soit par intérêt. D’ailleurs, vous ne serez pas les premiers à enfreindre la trêve, puisque le dieu, en vous ordonnant de combattre, la déclare rompue ; loin de là, vous prendrez en main la défense des traités indignement foulés aux pieds ; car c’est l’agresseur qui les viole, et non celui qui se défend.

« Mais à quoi bon récriminer sur le passé sans profit pour les circonstances actuelles? C’est en faveur de l’avenir qu’il faut s’émouvoir en venant en aide au présent. Nos pères nous ont appris à conquérir par des travaux la bonne renommée. Si vous leur êtes un peu supérieurs en richesse et en puissance, ce n’est pas. une raison pour vous départir de leurs louables maximes; ü serait impardonnable de perdre par l’opulence ce qui fut acquis par la pauvreté.

« Entreprenez donc cette guerre avec confiance, et cela pour plus d’un motif: d’abord à cause de l’oracle du dieu qui nous promet son assistance ; ensuite parce que le reste de la Grèce combattra pour nous, moitié par crainte, moitié par intérêt. Enfin vous ne serez pas les premiers à rompre une paix que le dieu lui-même, en nous excitant à la guerre, estime avoir été violée ; vous en vengerez plutôt la violation, car la rupture ne vient pas de ceux qui se défendent, mais de ceux qui commettent la première agression.

[1] "With regard, however, to what is past and done, what need is there to find fault at length, except in so far as that is profitable for what is present? But with a view to what shall be hereafter, we should devote every effort to the task in hand—for to win virtue ¹ by toils is our heritage—and make no change of custom because you now have a slight superiority in wealth and power; for it is not right that attributes which have been won through poverty should be lost through prosperity. Nay, you should go into the war with confidence, and for many reasons: the god has spoken through his oracle and promised that he himself will help you; all the rest of Hellas will join you in the struggle, partly through fear and partly through self-interest;

[2] and, finally, you will not be the ones to break the treaty, inasmuch as the god, in bidding you go to war, considers it to have been transgressed already, but you will be going to the defence of a treaty that has been violated. For it is not those who fight in self-defence that break a treaty, but those who attack others unprovoked.

[1] "With regard then to what has been done before, why need we find fault with it at greater length than is expedient for what is doing now? But with respect to what will be hereafter, we must labour for it by supporting what is present; for it is our hereditary custom to acquire virtues by labours; and you must not change the fashion, if you have a slight superiority now in wealth and power; (for it is not right that what was won in want should be lost in abundance;) but must go to the war with good courage on many grounds; since the god has commanded it, and promised to take part with you himself; while the rest of Greece will all join you in the struggle, some for fear, and some for interest. Nor will you be the first to break the treaty;

[2] for even the god himself considers it to have been violated, since he orders you to go to war; but you will rather come to its support after it has been wronged: for the breakers of it are, not those who defend themselves, but those who were the first aggressors.

[1] « Sed quid opus est de praetentis conqueri pluribus, quam quatenus rebus praesentibus expedit? At.futurorum causa rebos praesentibus opem ferre, et labores ultro subire oportet; patrium enim nobis est, virtutes laboribus parare; nec mores mutare, licet divitiis ac potentia nunc aliquantum superetis; (non enim aequum csl, res per paupertatem partas per opulentiam perdi), sed confidentes ad bellum ire cum multis aliis de causis, tum propter dei oraculum et promissum, se nobis adfutunim, tum etiam quia tota reliqua Graecia, partim metu, partim utilitate nos adjuvabit.

[2] Nec foedera priores rumpetis, quae quidem vel ipse deus bellum facere jubens violata censet, sed potius ruptis opem feretis. Non enim qui vim illatam propulsant, sed qui priores aliis vim inferunt, foedera rumpunt.

[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.

« Ma a che prolungare i rammarichi sul passato più di quel che richiede l'utilità del presente ? Dobbiamo piuttosto applicar le nostre fatiche ai disordini che possono avvenire , soccorrendo le cose presenti. Ciò richiede il vostro patrio costume di procacciarvi virtù colle fatiche, e non dovete dipartirvene tutto che cresciuti alcun poco in ricchezza e potenza ; porche dritta cosa non è perdere nell9 opulenza i pregi acquistati nella povertà. Dovete anzi correre pieni d’ ardire alla guerra , tante essendo le cagioni che vi ci spingono , e la risposta del Nume che vi promette soccorso, e tutto il resto della Grecia, che o per paura o per proprio vantaggio è pronta a sostenervi. Nè sarete voi i primi a rompere gli accordi: il Nume stesso, ordinando la guerra, li reputa violati ; e perchè violati voi ne sarete piuttosto i difensori : imperocché non trasgredisce gli accordi chi rispinge P assalitore, ma chi incomincia le ostilità.