Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.2

[1] For it is evident that that which now is called Hellas was not of old constantly inhabited; but that at first there were often removals, everyone easily leaving the place of his abode to the violence always of some greater number.

[2] For whilst traffic was not, nor mutual intercourse, but with fear, neither by sea nor land, and every man so husbanded the ground as but barely to live upon it without any stock of riches and planted nothing (because it was uncertain when another should invade them and carry all away, especially not having the defence of walls), but made account to be masters, in any place, of such necessary sustenance as might serve them from day to day, they made little difficulty to change their habitations. And for this cause they were of no ability at all, either for greatness of cities or other provision.

[3] But the fattest soils were always the most subject to these changes of inhabitants, as that which is now called Thessalia, and Boeotia, and the greatest part of Peloponnesus, except Arcadia, and of the rest of Greece, whatsoever was most fertile.

[4] For the goodness of the land increasing the power of some particular men both caused seditions, whereby they were ruined at home, and withal made them more obnoxious to the insidiation of strangers.

[5] From hence it is that Attica, from great antiquity for the sterility of the soil free from seditions, hath been inhabited ever by the same people.

[6] And it is none of the least evidences of what I have said that Greece, by reason of sundry transplantations, hath not in other parts received the like augmentation. For such as by war or sedition were driven out of other places, the most potent of them, as to a place of stability, retired themselves to Athens; where receiving the freedom of the city, they long since so increased the same in number of people, as, Attica being incapable of them itself, they sent out colonies into Ionia.

[1] For instance, it is evident that the country now called Hellas had in ancient times no settled population; on the contrary, migrations were of frequent occurrence, the several tribes readily abandoning their homes under the pressure of superior numbers.

[2] Without commerce, without freedom of communication either by land or sea, cultivating no more of their territory than the exigencies of life required, destitute of capital, never planting their land (for they could not tell when an invader might not come and take it all away, and when he did come they had no walls to stop him), thinking that the necessities of daily sustenance could be supplied at one place as well as another, they cared little for shifting their habitation, and consequently neither built large cities nor attained to any other form of greatness.

[3] The richest soils were always most subject to this change of masters; such as the district now called Thessaly , Boeotia , most of the Peloponnese , Arcadia excepted, and the most fertile parts of the rest of Hellas .

[4] The goodness of the land favoured the aggrandizement of particular individuals, and thus created faction which proved a fertile source of ruin. It also invited invasion.

[5] Accordingly Attica , from the poverty of its soil enjoying from a very remote period freedom from faction, never changed its inhabitants.

[6] And here is no inconsiderable exemplification of my assertion, that the migrations were the cause of there being no correspondent growth in other parts. The most powerful victims of war or faction from the rest of Hellas took refuge with the Athenians as a safe retreat; and at an early period, becoming naturalized, swelled the already large population of the city to such a height that Attica became at last too small to hold them, and they had to send out colonies to Ionia .

Denn es ist offenbar noch nicht so gar lange her, daß das
Land, welches jetzt unter dem Namen Hellas begriffen wird,
festansäßige Bewohner hat; vielmehr zeigen sich häufige Veränderungen des
Wohnsitzes: ein Jeder trennte sich leicht von seinem Wohnplatz, wenn
überlegene Zahl ihn drängte. Handel nämlich gab es nicht, und weder
zu Land noch zur See verkehrten die Menschen friedlich mit einander;
Jeder zog nur, wessen er zum Leben nicht entrathen konnte, und suchte
weder Vermögen zu erwerben, noch wandte er große Sorgfalt auf die
Bebauung des Bodens; denn er konnte nicht wissen, ob nicht ein
Stärkerer kommen und ihn des Seinigen berauben werde, was ohne große
Mühe geschehen mochte, da die Wohnplätze nicht befestigt waren. Was
er aber zur täglichen Nothdurft brauchte, durfte er hoffen sich überall ^{1 2 3}
leicht zu verschaffen, und so kam es ihn nicht schwer an, seinen
Wohnsitz zu wechseln. Zum Besitz größerer Städte oder sonstwie zu Macht
und Bedeutung konnten sie es deshalb nicht bringen. Der häufige
Wechsel der Bewohner traf aber gerade immer das vorzüglichste Land,
— so die Landschaften, welche jetzt Thessalien und Böotien heißen,
auch den größten Theil des Peloponnes, mit Ausnahme Arkadiens ^),
und wo sonst die besten Ländereien waren. Wegen der Trefflichkeit
des Bodens nämlich erhoben sich Einige zu besonderem Wohlstand, und
dieser erzeugte wiederum innere Unruhen, die Schwächung mit sich
brachten, und zugleich fand auch die Begierde feindlicher Stämme
sich besonders gereizt. Hingegen blieb Attika von der ältesten Zeit
her seines geringeren Bodens wegen ohne innere Umwälzungen und
behielt immer dieselben Bewohner ^). Und hierin liegt nicht der
schwächste Beweis für die Behauptung, daß die übrigen griechischen
Staaten grade der Wohnungsveränderungen wegen nicht zu gleicher
Blüte gelangten. Wenn nämlich aus dem übrigen Hellas durch Krieg
oder Aufruhr ein Theil der Einwohner vertrieben wurde, so wende- ^{4 5 6 7 8}
ten sich schon von Alters her grade die Ansehnlichsten unter diesen
nach Athens, weil sie die dortigen Zustände für sicher hielten, nnd
vermehrten als nene Bürger die Bewohnerzahl der Stadt in dem
Maße, daß man später, als Attika nicht mehr ausreichte, Kolonien
nach Jonien schickte ^).

II. La contrée connue aujourd’hui sous le nom d’Hellade ne paraît pas avoir eu jadis d’habitants fixes et attachés au sol ; les migrations y étaient fréquentes, et chaque peuplade abandonnait facilement son pays, sous la pression de nouveaux occupants toujours de plus en plus nombreux. En effet, il n’y avait pas de commerce ; les relations réciproques n’offraient de sécurité ni par terre ni par mer ; chacun ne produisait que ce qui lui était indispensable pour vivre ; on n’avait ni provisions ni superflu ; on ne faisait point de plantations, parce que, faute de murailles pour abriter les récoltes, on ne savait pas si d’autres ne viendraient point les enlever ¹ . En un mot, chacun croyant trouver aisément partout la subsistance de chaque jour, on se décidait sans peine à émigrer, et dès lors il n’y avait nulle part ni cités puissantes, ni grandes ressources d’aucun genre. Les contrées les plus fertiles surtout changeaient fréquemment d’habitants, celles, entre autres, appelées aujourd’hui Thessalic ² et Béotie, la plus grande partie du Péloponnèse (l’Arcadie exceptée ³ ), et les autres pays les plus favorisés. Quelques fortunes s’élevaient, grâce à la fécondité de la terre : de là des séditions dans lesquelles s’épuisait le pays ; de là aussi un appât plus vif pour la convoitise des étrangers. Aussi l’Attique, garantie dès longtemps des séditions par la stérilité de son territoire, conserva-t- -elle toujours les mêmes habitants. Ce qui prouve surtout l’influence de cette cause, c’est qu’aucun autre État ne s’accrut au même point par l’accession des étrangers. De tout le reste de la Grèce, on voyait ac- courir à Athènes, comme dans un asile sûr, les plus puissants de ceux que la guerre ou les séditions forçaient à l’exil ; ils y acquéraient le droit de cité, et contribuèrent ainsi, dès la plus haute antiquité, à accroître encore la population de la ville ; si bien que, l’Attique ne suffisant plus, on envoya plus tard des colonies jusqu’en Ionie.

Le pays qui porte aujourd’hui le nom de Grèce, ne fut pas primitivement habité d’une manière stable, mais il fut le théâtre de fréquentes migrations. On abandonnait sans peine ses demeures, pour faire place à de nouveaux flots d’arrivants. Comme il n’y avait aucun commerce, aucune communication assurée ni par terre ni par mer ; que chacun exploitait le sol uniquement dans la mesure de ses besoins, sans penser à s’enrichir, sans même faire de plantations (car avec des villes ouvertes, on ne savait jamais si les récoltes ne seraient pas enlevées par des ravisseurs étrangers); enfin, comme on espérait trouver partout la subsistance journalière, on émigrait sans difficulté. Aussi la Grèce n’avait-elle ni grandes villes, ni aucun des éléments essentiels de la puissance. La meilleure terre était celle qui changeait le plus souvent de maîtres : par exemple la Thessalie ¹ et la Béotie actuelles ² , la majeure partie du Péloponèse, à la réserve de l’Arcadie ³ , et en général les cantons les plus fertiles. C’est que la richesse du sol, en accroissant les forces de quelques individus, donnait naissance à des dissensions qui ruinaient le pays, plus exposé d’ailleurs à la convoitise des étrangers. Voilà pourquoi l’Attique, préservée des factions par son infertilité, a toujours eu les mêmes habitants depuis l’antiquité la plus reculée. Et ce qui prouve combien j’ai raison de dire que les migrations continuelles empêchèrent les autres contrées de prendre un semblable développement, c’est que, dans tout le reste de la Grèce, les plus puissants de ceux que chassaient les guerres ou les séditipns se retirèrent à Athènes, comme en un asile assuré ⁴ . Devenus citoyens, ils augmentèrent, à d’anciennes époques, la population de cette ville, au point que dans la suite elle fat en état d’envoyer des colonies en Ionie, l'Attique ne pouvant plus suffire à ses habitants ⁵ .

[1] For it is plain that what is now called Hellas was not of old settled with fixed habitations, but that migrations were frequent in former times, each tribe readily leaving its own land whenever they were forced to do so by any people that was more numerous.

[2] For there was no mercantile traffic and the people did not mingle with one another without fear, either on land or by sea, and they each tilled their own land only enough to obtain a livelihood from it, having no surplus of wealth and not planting orchards, since it was uncertain, especially as they were yet without walls, when some invader might come and despoil them. And so, thinking that they could obtain anywhere the sustenance required for their daily needs, they found it easy to change their abodes, and for this reason were not strong as regards either the size of their cities or their resources in general.

[3] And it was always the best of the land that was most subject to these changes of inhabitants—the districts now called Thessaly and Boeotia, most of the Peloponnesus except Arcadia, and the most fertile regions in the rest of Hellas.

[4] For the greater power that accrued to some communities on account of the fertility of their land occasioned internal quarrels whereby they were ruined, and at the same time these were more exposed to plots from outside tribes.

[5] Attica, at any rate, was free from internal quarrels from the earliest times by reason of the thinness of its soil, and therefore was inhabited by the same people always.

[6] And here is an excellent illustration of the truth of my statement that it was owing to these migrations that the other parts of Hellas did not increase in the same way as Attica; for the most influential men of the other parts of Hellas, when they were driven out of their own countries by war or sedition, resorted to Athens as being a firmly settled community, and, becoming citizens, from the very earliest times made the city still greater in the number of its inhabitants; so that Attica proved too small to hold them, and therefore the Athenians eventually sent out colonies even to Ionia.

[1] For it is evident, that what is now called Hellas, was not of old inhabited in a settled manner; but that formerly there were frequent removals, and that each tribe readily left the place of their abode, being forced by such as were from time to time more numerous.

[2] For as there was no traffic, and they did not mix with one another without fear, either by sea or land; and they each so used what they had as but barely to live on it, without having any superfluity of riches, or planting their land, (because it was uncertain when another should invade them, and carry all away, especially as they had not the defence of walls;) and as they thought that they might any where obtain their necessary daily sustenance, they made little difficulty in removing: and for this cause they were not strong, either in greatness of cities, or other resources.

[3] And the best of the land was always the most subject to these changes of inhabitants; as that which is now called Thessaly, and Boeotia, and the greatest part of the Peloponnese, (except Arcadia,) and of the rest of Greece whatsoever was most fertile.

[4] For through the goodness of the land, both the power of some particular men growing greater caused factions among them, whereby they were ruined; and withal they were more exposed to the plots of strangers.

[5] Attica, at any rate, having through the poverty of the soil been for the longest period free from factions, was always inhabited by the same people.

[6] And this which follows is not the least evidence of my assertion, that it was owing to its migrations that Greece did not equally increase in other parts. For such as by war or sedi tion were driven out of the rest of Greece, the most powerful of them retired to Athens, as to a place of security; and becoming citizens at a very early period, made the city still greater in the number of inhabitants; so that afterwards they even sent out colonies into Ionia, as Attica itself was not able to contain them.

[1] Apparet enim eam, quae Graecia nunc appellatur, non ex antiquo jam tempore constanter habitari, sed antea migrationes esse et facile suas quosque sedes relinquere, quo tiens quique ab aliquo majore numero cogerentur.

[2] Nam quum negotiatio nulla esset, nec ullus inter ipsos commercio citra formidinem vel terra vel per mare locus daretur, quumque suam quisque terfam hactenus colerent, ut victui sufficeret, nec pecuniae vim haberent, nec humum arboribus consererent, quia incertum erat, quando quis alius incursione facta, praesertim quum muris non essent muniti, fructum ablaturus esset, et qui quidem in diem necessarius vicius esset, eo se rati ubique potituros, haud gravate sedes mutabant, et ob id ipsum nec magnitudine urbium, nec reliquo valebant apparatu.

[3] Potissimum vero terrae optimae his incolarum mutationibus semper erant obnoxiae, Thessalia,quae nunc vocatur, et Bceotia, et Peloponnesi magna pars, praeter Arcadiam, et quae in reliqua Graecia erant praestantissima.

[4] Nam propter soli bonitatem et opes nonnullis admodum auctae seditiones inferebant quibus perdebantur, et simul alienigenarum insidiis magis appetebantur ;

[5] verum Atticam quidem, quia ut plurimum propter agri tenuitatem seditionum immunis erat, iidem semper homines incolebant.

[6] Atque eorum quae dixi, non minimum indicium hoc est quod ob migrationes ceterae paries non pariter creverunt; nam ex reliqua Graecia qui aut bello aut seditione excidebant, potentissimi quique ad Athenienses tanquam in tutum se recipiebant, et civium jus adepti statim ab antiquissimis usque temporibus majorem etiam civitatem hominum frequentia fecerunt, quo factum est, ut etiam in Ioniam postea, quod Attica multitudini non sufficeret, colonias emitterent.

Egli è invero manifesto che la ora detta Grecia non ebbe in antico stabili abitatori : vi si succedevano anzi da principio trasmigrazioni, e ciascun popolo abbandonava di leggeri il proprio suolo, forzato volta per volta da gente più numerosa. Conqiossiachè} non essendovi mercatura nè sicuro commercio nè per terra nè per mare ; coltivando ognuno del suo tanto da viverne; non avendo sopravanzo di robe, nè facendo piantagioni nelle loro terre per l' incertezza che, mancanti com’ erano di mura, potesse mai alcuno venire a prender tutto per sè; e persuasi potersi procacciare ovunque il necessario vitto giornaliero , senza molta difficoltà lasciavano la patria : e per questo non erano potenti nè per grandezza di città uè per altro apparato. Ma soprattutto i paesi di miglior suolo, come la ora detta Tessaglia, la Beozia, il più del Peloponneso, dall’Arcadia in fuori, e da quel che vi era di più ubertoso nel rimanente di Grecia, continuamente mutavano di abitatori, perchè la bontà del terreno vi rendeva di alcuni preponderante il potere ; ciò che produceva fazioni interne per cui i popoli si consumavano, ed erano al tempo stesso più esposti alle insidiose macchinazioni degli stranieri. E però l’Attica, fino dai più remoti tempi immune da sedizioni per la sterilità del suolo, ebbe sempre gli stessi abitatori : e la cosa è da ciò principalmente dimostrata , che a causa delle trasmigrazioni la Grecia non si accrebbe altrove ugualmente. Perciocché dal restante di essa in forza di guerre o sedizioni sbalzati i più potenti si ricovravano presso gli Ateniesi, come a stabile dimora. Ascrìtti quindi alla cittadinanza, subito (ino ab antico pel numero degli abitanti resero più considerevole la repubblica : cosicché, restando dappoi angusta l’Attica, mandarono colonie anco nella Ionia.