Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.39

[1] "They say now that before they took it, they offered to put the cause to trial of judgment. But you are not to think that such a one will stand to judgment as hath advantage and is sure already of what he offereth to plead for, but rather he that before the trial will admit equality in the matter itself as well as in the pleading.

[2] Whereas contrarily, these men offered not this specious pretence of a judicial trial before they had besieged the city but after, when they saw we meant not to put it up. And now hither they be come, not content to have been faulty in that business themselves but to get in you, into their confederacy? no, but into their conspiracy, and to receive them in this name that they are enemies to us.

[3] But they should have come to you then when they were most in safety, not now when we have the wrong and they the danger, and when you that never partaked of their power must impart unto them of your aid, and having been free from their faults, must have an equal share from us of the blame. They should communicate their power before hand that mean to make common the issue of the same, and they that share not in the crimes ought also to have no part in the sequel of them.

„Sie behaupten zwar auch, vorher ein Schiedsgericht
vorgeschlagen zu haben. Aber ein solches Anerbieten darf doch nicht von
Seiten Desjenigen als redlich gemeint angesehen werden, der sich
bereits im Vortheil befindet ^)und aus seiner sicheren Stellung heraus eine
Entscheidung verlangt, sondern nur von denen, welche sich in Wort
und That mit den Andern auf gleichen Fuß stellen, bevor sie es noch
zum Kampfe kommen lassen. Diese aber sind mit dem berufenen
Vorschlag des Schiedsgerichtes nicht etwa ausgetreten, bevor sie noch jenen
Platz belagerten, sondern als sie schon sicher waren, daß wir nicht
mehr ruhig zusehen würden. Und nun kommen sie daher und haben
noch nicht genug daran, daß sie dort Unrecht gethan, sondern wollen
auch euch noch zu Bundesgenossen, d. h. zu Genossen ihres Frevels,
und wünshcen, daß ihr sie bei ihrer Feindschaft mit uns in euren
Schutz nehmet. Damals hätten sie kommen sollen, als sie noch Nichts
zu fürchten hatten, nicht aber jetzt, da wir von ihnen beleidigt sind,
und sie eben deshalb Gefahr lausen, so daß ihr ihnen also jetzt eure
Hilfe würdet zu Theil werden lassen, ohne früher ans ihrer Macht
Vortheil gezogen zu haben. Ohne an ihren Vergehungen betheiligt ¹
zu sein, würdet ihr euch damit doch dieselben Vorwürfe unserer Seits
zuziehen; aber nur, wenn ihr früher den Mitgenuß ihrer Macht
gehabt hättet, wäret ihr jetzt verbunden, die Folgen gemeinsam zu
tragen."

XXXIX. « Ils prétendent qu’ils ont offert d’abord de s’en rapporter à des arbitres ; oui, sans doute, s’il n’y a pas dérision à provoquer l’arbitrage quand on a commencé par prendre les gages et assurer sa position, au lieu de se mettre sur le pied de l’égalité avec son adversaire aussi bien en actions qu’en paroles, et avant tout débat. Ce n’est pas avant d’assiéger la place, mais seulement lorsqu’ils ont compris que nous ne resterions pas indifférents, qu’ils ont invoqué le nom spécieux de la justice. Coupables seuls du mal qu’ils ont fait à Épidamne, ils viennent ici aujourd’hui vous demander non une alliance, mais une criminelle complicité·, ils vous prient de les accueillir quand ils sont nos ennemis. Il leur fallait venir à vous quand ils n’avaient rien à craindre, et non au moment où il y a pour eux danger présent, pour nous offense à venger ; au moment où vous-mêmes, placés jusqu’à ce jour en dehors des avantages de leur puissance, vous partageriez à nos yeux, si vous leur veniez maintenant en aide, la responsabilité d’injustices auxquelles vous êtes étrangers. Que ne vous ont-ils autrefois associés à leur puissance ; vous eussiez pu courir en commun les hasards des événements ! Mais vous ne vous associeriez maintenant qu’à leurs crimes, auxquels vous n’avez point participé, et dont vous ne devez pas dès lors subir les conséquences.

« Ils prétendent avoir d’abord offert de s’en rapporter à des arbitres. A quoi nous répondons que ce n’est pas parler sérieusement que d’invoquer la justice en prenant d’avance ses sûretés, mais qu’il faut avant le débat mettre ses actions d’accord avec ses paroles. Or ce n’est pas avant de commencer le siège cTÉpidamne, mais seulement lorsqu’ils ont cru que nous n’y serions pas indifférents, qu’ils ont fait l’offre spécieuse d’un arbitrage. Puis, après cette première faute, ils viennent ici vous proposer de devenir, non pas leurs alliés, mais leurs complices, et de les recevoir quand ils se sont séparés de nous. Cétait lorsqu’ils n’avaient rien à craindre qu’il leur fallait venir à vous, et non lorsque nous sommes offensés et qu’eux-mêmes se trouvent en péril. Vous qui jadis n’avez point participé à leur puissance, vous leur accorderiez aujourd’hui votre protection; et, après être restés étrangers à leurs méfaits, vous partageriez avec eux nos ressentiments ! Il y a longtemps qu'ils auraient dû mettre en commun leurs forces avec les vôtres, pour courir ensemble les chances des événements ¹ .

[1] "They pretend, forsooth, that they were the first to agree to an arbitration of the issue; but surely it is not the proposals of the one who has the advantage, and occupies a safe position when he invites arbitration, that ought to have weight, but rather those of the one who has made his actions tally with his professions before appealing to arms.

[2] These men, however, bring forward their specious offer of a court of arbitration, not before laying siege to the place, but only after they had concluded that we would not permit it. And now, not satisfied with the blunders they have committed themselves at Epidamnus, they have come here demanding that you too at this juncture, shall be, not their allies, but their accomplices in crime, and that you shall receive them, now that they are at variance with us.

[3] But they ought to have come to you when they were in no peril at all, and not at a time when we are victims of their injustice and they are consequently in danger, nor when you, without having had the benefit of their power before, will now have to give them a share of your aid, and, though you had nothing to do with their blunders, will have to bear an equal part of the blame we shall bestow. For only if you from the first had shared their power ought you to share the consequences also now of their acts.

[1] "And they say, forsooth, that they were before willing to have it judicially decided : but with regard to this, it is not the man who proposes it with superiority, ¹ and in safety, that should be considered to say any thing; but that man, who puts alike his actions and words on the same footing, ² before he enters on the struggle.

[2] But as for these men, it was not before they besieged the place, but when they thought that we should not put up with it, that they also advanced the specious plea of a judicial decision. And they are come hither, not only having themselves done wrong there, but now requesting you also to join them, not in alliance, but in injury; and to receive them, when they are at variance with us. But then ought they to have applied to you, when they were most secure;

[3] and not at a time when we have been injured, and they are in peril; nor at a time when you, though you did not share their power then, will now give them a share of your aid; and though you stood aloof from their misdeeds, will incur equal blame from us; but they ought long ago to have communicated their power to you, and so to have the results also in common. [As, ³ however, you have had no share only in the accusations brought against them, so you should not participate in the consequences of their actions.]

[1] « Jam vero dictitant, se judicio prius disceptare voluisse, de quo quidem non illum, qui superior est, et qui ex tuto ad disceptationem provocat, oportet videri aequa dicere, sed illum, qui aequo judicio et res et verba antequam bellum incipiat, subjicit.

[2] Hi vero non priusquam hanc urbem obsiderent, sed postquam nos lianc iqjuriam non neglecturos existimarunt, tunc vero et istam speciosam juris sequitatem protulerunt. Et huc veniunt, non solum in illis rebus ipsi peccare ausi, sed etiam ut vos nunc non dicam in belli, sed in scelerum societatem concedatis, poscentes, et ut adversati nobis se recipiatis.

[3] Quos oportebat , quum a periculis erant remotissimi, tunc ad vos accedere; non autem quando nos quidem iniuriam ab illis accepimus, ipsi vero periclitantur; neque dum vos et fructu nullo ex ipsorum potentia percepto, auxilia ipsis impertietis; et, quum procul ab illorum facinoribus abfueritis, culpae tamen, quam in nobis violandis contraxerunt, parem partem habebitis; imo olim oportuerat viribus communicatis communes etiam rerum eventus habere.

« E pur vociferano che prima di prenderla volevano decisione per via giuridica : via che certamente dee sembrare tener non colui che aspetta di trovarsi al disopra , e da luogo di sicurezza invita altrui a non so qual parlamento , ma quegli bensì che prima del dibattimento siasi messo perfettamente alla pari tanto nelle vie di fatto, quanto nella facoltà di dire le sue ragioni: dove costoro noi» prima di cinger d’assedio la piazza, ma quando crederono che noi non vi saremmo indifferenti, allora hanno prodotto il bel pretesto della via giuridica. E vengono qua non solamente rei delle ingiurie che ci hanno fatte ad Epidamno, ma di più colla pretensione di avere ora anche voi non compagni nelle armi, ma complici degli affronti, volendo che gli riceviate perchè sono in discordia con noi. Dovevano ricorrere a voi quando non avevano nulla da temere, e non quando noi siamo già gli offesi ed essi in pericolo; nè quando voi, senza aver nella presa di Epidamno dato mano alle loro forze, li fareste ora partecipi de’ vantaggi che sperano da voi stessi, ai quali, quantunque non complici dei loro delitti, noi daremmo colpa egualmente. Se di prima aveste con quelli accomunate le vostre forze, facea di mestieri che anche ne risentiste comuni le conseguenze : ma se non volete entrare a parte dei loro delitti soltanto, conviene non vi intromettiate in queste contese che tutte da essi procedono.