Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.25

[1] The Epidamnians, now despairing of relief from the Corcyraeans and at a stand how to proceed in their present affairs, sending to Delphi enquired at the oracle whether it were not best to deliver up their city into the hands of the Corinthians as of their founders and make trial what aid they should obtain from thence.

[2] And when the oracle had answered that they should deliver it and take the Corinthians for their leaders, they went to Corinth and according to the advice of the oracle gave their city to them, and declared how the first founder of it was a Corinthian, and what answer the oracle had given them, entreating their help and that they would not stand by beholding their destruction.

[3] And the Corinthians undertook their defence not only for the equity of the cause, as thinking them no less their own than the Corcyraeans' colony, but also for hatred of the Corcyraeans, who being their colony yet contemned them and allowed them not their due honour in public meetings nor in the distribution of the sacrifice began at a Corinthian, as was the custom of other colonies;

[4] but being equal to the richest Grecians of their time for store of money and strongly furnished with ammunition of war, had them in contempt. Also they sticked not sometimes to boast how much they excelled in shipping, and that Corcyra had been once inhabited by the Phaeaces who flourished in glory of naval affairs, which was also the cause why they the rather provided themselves of a navy. And they were indeed not without power that way; for when they began this war, they had one hundred and twenty galleys.

[1] When the Epidamnians found that no help could be expected from Corcyra , they were in a strait what to do next. So they sent to Delphi and inquired of the god, whether they should deliver their city to the Corinthians, and endeavor to obtain some assistance from their founders. The answer he gave them was to deliver the city, and place themselves under Corinthian protection.

[2] So the Epidamnians went to Corinth , and delivered over the colony in obedience to the commands of the oracle. They showed that their founder came from Corinth , and revealed the answer of the god; and they begged them not to allow them to perish, but to assist them.

[3] This the Corinthians consented to do. Believing the colony to belong as much to themselves as to the Corcyraeans, they felt it to be a kind of duty to undertake their protection. Besides, they hated the Corcyraeans for their contempt of the mother country.

[4] Instead of meeting with the usual honors accorded to the parent city by every other colony at public assemblies, such as precedence at sacrifices, Corinth found herself treated with contempt by a power, which in point of wealth could stand comparison with any even of the richest communities in Hellas , which possessed great military strength, and which sometimes could not repress a pride in the high naval position of an island whose nautical renown dated from the days of its old inhabitants, the Phaeacians. This was one reason of the care that they lavished on their fleet, which became very efficient; indeed they began the war with a force of a hundred and twenty galleys.

Die Epidamnier sahen nun, daß ihnen von Kerkyra aus
keine Hilfe werde, und waren sehr in Bedrängniß, wie sie ihre Lage
bessern sollten. Sie schickten nach Delphi, den Gott zu fragen, ob sie
ihre Stadt nicht den Korinthern als den ersten Gründern übergeben
und versuchen sollten, diese zur Hilfe zu bewegen. Der Gott befahl
ihnen, sich den Korinthern zu ergeben und sie zu Anführern zu
machen. Die Epidamnier kamen nun nach Korinth und übergaben dem
Orakelspruch gemäß ihre Pslanzstadt, indem sie erinnerten, daß ihr ^{1 2 3 4}
Gründer aus Korinth gewesen sei, und den Spruch des Gottes
mittheilten. Sie baten auch, man möge ihrem Verderben nicht ruhig
zusehen, sondern helfen. Die Korinther übernahmen, wie es Recht war,
die Hilfeleistung, da sie glaubten, daß die Pflanzstadt nicht weniger
ihnen gehöre als den Kerkyräern, zugleich aber auch aus Haß gegen
die Kerkyräer, weil diese, obgleich eine Korinthische Pflanzstadt, ihnen
doch keinerlei Aufmerksamkeit erwiesen. Denn sie ließen ihnen weder
bei allgemeinen Versammlungen die gewöhnlichen Ehrenbezmgungen
zu Theil werden, noch auch gestatteten sie den Vortritt bei den Opfern
einem Korinther, wie es die Sitte der Pflanzstädte war 6 6), sondern
behandelten sie übermüthig. Auch konnten sich in der That die Ker- ^{5 6}
kyräer sowohl an Geldmacht mit denen messen, welche damals unter
den Hellenen die reichsten waren, als sie auch an Kriegsmacht unter
den Uebrigen vorragten und sich zu gewissen Zeiten sogar rühmen
durften, durch ihre Flotte alle Andern weit zu übertreffen. Im Seewesen
war nämlich Kerkyra noch von den Zeiten der Phäaken her berühmt,
welche früher dort gewohnt hatten. Deshalb verlegten sich die
Kerkyräer auch vorzüglich aus den Schiffsbau, und ihre Seemacht war
nicht gering, denn als sie den Krieg begannen, besaßen sie hundert und
zwanzig Dreiruderer

XXV. Les Épidamniens, voyant qu’ils n’avaient aucun secours à attendre de Corcyre, et ne sachant comment sortir d’embarras, en voyèrent à Delphes demander à l’oracle s’ils ne devaient pas remettre le protectorat de la ville aux Corinthiens, comme à leurs fondateurs, et essayer d’en obtenir quelques secours. Le dieu leur ordonna de se donner aux Corinthiens et de les prendre pour chefs. Les ambassadeurs d’Épidamne se rendirent à Corinthe et, conformément aux ordres de l’oracle, offrirent la remise de la colonie ¹ ; ils représentaient que leur fondateur était Corinthien, et invoquaient la réponse du dieu, priant instamment qu’on ne les abandonnât pas dans leur détresse et qu’on leur prêtât assistance. Les Corinthiens firent droit à cette juste demande et les prirent sous leur protection ; car ils étaient persuadés qu’Épidamne relevait d’eux, comme colonie, tout autant que de Corcyre. Ils avaient un autre motif, leur haine contre les Corcyréens qui les négligeaient, quoique sortis de leur sein. Ceux-ci, au lieu de leur rendre les honneurs d’usage dans les solennités de la Grèce et de choisir, comme les autres colonies, un Corinthien pour présider à leurs sacrifices, dédaignaient la métropole. Ils étaient à cette époque riches et puissants à l’égal des États les plus opulents de la Grèce ; ils l’emportaient même par leurs armements, et ne manquaient pas, dans l’occasion, de vanter la grande supériorité de leur marine ; enfin ils avaient hérité, pour les constructions navales, de la réputation d’habileté des Phéaciens, anciens habitants de Corcyre. Aussi s’adonnaient-ils avec d’autant plus d’ardeur à la navigation ; leur puissance était considérable, puisqu’ils possédaient cent-vingt trirèmes quand ils commencèrent la guerre.

Les Êpidamniens, voyant qu’ils n’avaient aucune assistance à espérer de Corcyre, se trouvèrent dans un cruel embarras. Ils envoyèrent à Delphes pour demander au dieu s’ils devaient remettre leur ville aux Corinthiens comme à ses fondateurs et essayer d’obtenir d’eux quelque secours. L'oracle leur répondit de se donner aux Corinthiens et de les prendre pour chefs. En conséquence les Êpidamniens se rendirent à Corinthe; et, conformément à l’oracle, ils remirent aux Corinthiens la colonie, en représentant que son fondateur était de Corinthe et en s’appuyant sur la réponse du dieu. Ils conjurèrent les Corinthiens d’avoir pitié de leur détresse et de leur accorder protection. Les Corinthiens se crurent en droit d’ac-cueillir cette demande. Ils regardaient Êpidamne comme aussi bien à eux qu’aux Corcyréens; de plus ces derniers leur étaient odieux, parce qu’ils les négligeaient, quoique étant leurs colons; dans les solennités nationales ils leur refusaient les distinctions d’usage; ils ne prenaient pas, comme les autres colonies, un citoyen de Corinthe pour inaugurateur des sacrifices; enfin ils méprisaient leur métropole, parce qu’à cette époque ils rivalisaient de richesses avec les plus opulentes cités de la Grèce, qu’ils surpassaient même en puissance militaire. Ils allaient jusqu’à se vanter de posséder la première force navale, en qualité d’héritiers des Phéaciens qui avaient habité Corcyre avant eux, et dont la marine était très-renommée ¹ ; aussi travaillaient-ils sans relâche à augmenter leur flotte, déjà considérable, puisqu’ils possédaient cent vingt trirèmes quand la guerre éclata.

[1] The Epidannians, recognizing that no aid was to be had from Corcyra, were at a loss how to settle their present difficulty; so they sent to Delphi and asked the god whether they should deliver up their city to the Corinthians as founders and try to procure some aid from them. The god answered that they should deliver it up to them and make them leaders.

[2] So the Epidamnians went to Corinth and ¹ delivered up the city as Corinthian colony, in accordance with the oracle, showing that their founder was from Corinth and stating the response of the oracle; and they begged the Corinthians not to look on and see them utterly destroyed, but to come to on

[3] and sce. The Corinthians undertook the task, partly on the ground of right, because they considered that the colony belonged to them quite as much as to the Corcyraeans, partly also through hatred of the Corcyraeans, for the reason that these, though Corinthian colonists, neglected

[4] the mother-city. For neither at their common festival gatherings 1 would they concede the customary privileges to Corinthians, nor would they begin with a representative of Corinth the initial rites at sacrifices, ² as the rest of the colonies did, but they treated them with contempt For at that time they were in point of wealth equal to the richest of the Hellenes, and in preparation for war even stronger, while in sea-power they sometimes boasted that they were greatly superior, because of the former occupation of the island by the Phaeacians, ³ whose glory was in their ships. It was for this reason that they kept on developing their navy, and they were in fact powerful; for they had on hand one hundred and twenty triremes when the war began.

[1] So the Epidamnians, finding that there was no relief for them from the Corcyraeans, were at a loss how to settle the present affair; and sending to Delphi, inquired of the god whether they should deliver up their city to the Corinthians, as their founders, and try to obtain some aid from them. He answered, that they should deliver it to them, and make them their leaders.

[2] So the Epidamnians went to Corinth, and according to the advice of the oracle, gave up their city, declaring how the first founder of it was a Corinthian, and what answer the oracle had given them; and entreated that they would not stand by and see them destroyed, but help them.

[3] And the Corinthians undertook their defence, both on the ground of equity, (as thinking the colony no less their own than the Corcyraeans',) and also for hatred of the Corcyraeans; because, although they were their colony, they slighted them.

[4] For they neither gave ¹ to them the customary privileges in their general religious assemblies, nor to any individual Corinthian, ² when performing the initiatory rites of sacrifice, as their other colonies did; but despised them, as they were both equal in wealth to the very richest of the Greeks at that time, and more powerful in resources for war, and sometimes prided themselves on being even very far superior in their fleet; and on the ground of the Phaeacians, who were famous in naval matters, having before lived in Corcyra. And on this account too they prepared their navy with the greater spirit, and were not deficient in power; for they had 120 triremes when they began the war.

[1] Quum autem Epidamnii intelligerent nullum sibi a Corcyraeis auxilium esse, ambigebant, quonam modo in praesenti rerum statu se gerere deberent, et legatis Delphos missis Deum consuluerunt Corinthiisne ut coloniae deductoribus, urbem dederent, operamque darent, ut aliquid auxilii ab illis impetrarent. Ille vero ipsis respondit, ut illis urbem dederent, eosque sibi duces facerent.

[2] Epidamnii vero, Corinthum profecti, coloniam oraculi jussu dediderunt, demonstrantes et ducem sibi coloniae Corinthium fuisse, et Dei oraculum declarantes, eosque rogabant, ne se perdi sinerent, sed opem ferrent.

[3] Corinthii vero et propter ipsam causae aequitatem auxilium promiserunt, coloniam istam non minus suam esse rati quam Corcyraeorum, sed simul etiam odio in Corcyraeos adducti, quod hi quamvis coloni sui parum ipsorum observantes erant;

[4] quippe qui neque in publicis solennitatibus consuetos honores ipsis tribuebant, neque in sacrificiis, quum viscera distribuebant, a viro Corinthio auspicabantur, quemadmodum ceterae coloniae , sed illos contemnebant, quod pecuniarum copia vel ditissimis illius saeculi Graecis pares essent, et bellico apparatu pollerent, quinotiam classe interdum se longe praestare gloriabantur, praesertim quod Pliaeaccs Corcyram olim tenuissent, qui rerum nauticarum gloria floruerant: quamobrem studiosius etiam classi parandae operam dabant, nec erant sane invalidi; centum enim et viginti naves possidebant, quum bellum gerere coeperunt.

Conobbero gli Epidamni non doversi aspettare verun soccorso da Corfù ; e dubitando come dar buon sesto all9 urgenza del momento, spedirono in Delfo a consultare il nume, se dovessero consegnare la città ai Corintii come fondatori di quella colonia, e tentare di ottenere qualche sussidio. Il nume rispose, la consegnassero e li prendessero per loro duci. Pertanto gli Epidamni andarono a Corinto, e secondo l’oracolo, consegnarono la colonia, dimostrando il fondatore di quella essere corintio; e manifestando la risposta dell’ oracolo pregavano i Corintii non dovessero mettere in non cale la loro roviua , ma soccorrerli. I Corintii, persuasi aver dritto alla colonia non meno de’ Corfuotti, promisero il soccorso, non solo per dovere di giustizia, ma eziandio per odio contro i Corfuotti stessi y che quantunque coloni loro li trascuravano , non rendendo ad essi nelle solenni adunanze i consueti onori, nè accordando il dritto di precedenza nelle cose religiose a un cittadino di Corinto, come usavano le altre colonie. Anzi li disprezzavano, inorgogliti per essere allora potenti in denaro quanto i più ricchi Greci, e negli apparecchi di guerra anche più forti ; invaniti pure talvolta della loro grande superiorità sulla marina, e dall’avere i Feaci, famosi per le loro flotte, abitata di prima Corfù : motivo per cui con studio maggiore allestivano naviglio, nel quale erano di fatto formidabili, perocché avevano centoventi triremi quando incominciarono la guerra.