Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.5

[1] For the Grecians in old time, and such barbarians as in the continent lived near unto the sea or else inhabited the islands after once they began to cross over one to another in ships, became thieves and went abroad under the conduct of their most puissant men, both to enrich themselves and to fetch in maintenance for the weak, and falling upon towns unfortified and scatteringly inhabited, rifled them and made this the best means of their living, being a matter at that time nowhere in disgrace but rather carrying with it something of glory.

[2] This is manifest by some that dwell on the continent, amongst whom, so it be performed nobly, it is still esteemed as an ornament. The same also is proved by some of the ancient poets, who introduce men questioning of such as sail by, on all coasts alike, whether they be thieves or not, as a thing neither scorned by such as were asked nor upbraided by those that were desirous to know.

[3] They also robbed one another within the mainland. And much of Greece useth that old custom, as the Locrians called Ozolae, the Acarnanians, and those of the continent in that quarter, unto this day. Moreover, the fashion of wearing iron remaineth yet with the people of that continent from their old trade of thieving.

[1] For in early times the Hellenes and the barbarians of the coast and islands, as communication by sea became more common, were tempted to turn pirates, under the conduct of their most powerful men; the motives being to serve their own cupidity and to support the needy. They would fall upon a town unprotected by walls, and consisting of a mere collection of villages, and would plunder it; indeed, this came to be the main source of their livelihood, no disgrace being yet attached to such an achievement, but even some glory.

[2] An illustration of this is furnished by the honor with which some of the inhabitants of the continent still regard a successful marauder, and by the question we find the old poets everywhere representing the people as asking of voyagers—‘Are they pirates?’—as if those who are asked the question would have no idea of disclaiming the imputation, or their interrogators of reproaching them for it.

[3] The same rapine prevailed also by land.

And even at the present day many parts of Hellas still follow the old fashion, the Ozolian Locrians, for instance, the Aetolians, the Acarnanians, and that region of the continent; and the custom of carrying arms is still kept up among these continentals, from the old piratical habits.

Die alten Hellenen nämlich und wer von den Barbaren auf
dem Festland die Meeresküste oder die Inseln bewohnte, nachdem sie
erst einmal angefangen hatten, über See häufiger mit einander zu
verkehren, verlegten sich dann auf Seeräuberei. Dabei übernahmen
die Mächtigeren die Anführung, sowohl in der Absicht, sich selbst zu
bereichern, als auch um den Aermeren ihren Unterhalt zu schaffen.
Sie überfielen die unbefestigten, aus einzelnen Ortschaften
zusammengesetzten Städte ^), raubten sie aus und zogen so aus diesem
Handwerk ihren Hauptunterhalt, ohne daß übrigens auf demselben irgend
ein Schimps gehaftet hätte, vielmehr war dabei eher Ruhm zu
gewinnen. Dasselbe ist noch jetzt bei einigen Bewohnern des
Festlandes der Fall, die einen Ruhm darein setzen, dergleichen
Unternehmungen geschickt auszuführen, und auch die alten Dichter lassen überall
an landende Seefahrer die Frage stellen, ob sie Räuber seien, so daß
weder die, welche gefragt werden, diesen Beruf in Abrede stellen, noch
auch die Fragenden einen Schimpf dareinlegen 2"). Aber auch aus
dem Festland raubten sie einander aus, und bis aus den heutigen ^{1 2 3}
Tag noch wohnt man in vielen Gegenden Griechenlands ans die alte
Weise, — so im Lande der Ozolischen Lokrer, der Aetoler und
Nkarnanier nnd in den angrenzenden Theilen des Festlandes, wie denn
mich den Bewohnern dieser Gegenden von dem alten Räuberhandwerk
her noch die Sitte geblieben ist, in Waffen zu gehen 21).

V. Dès longtemps les Grecs et ceux des barbares qui habitaient les côtes s’adonnèrent à la piraterie ¹ , lorsque les relations par mer commencèrent à devenir plus fréquentes. Des hommes puissants commandaient ces entreprises soit en vue d’un profit personnel, soit afin de pourvoir à la subsistance des faibles. Tombant à l’improviste sur des villes sans murailles et formées d’habitations éparses, ils les pillaient et vivaient en grande partie du produit de ces rapines. Ce métier, d’ailleurs, n’emportait aucune honte, ou plutôt il n’était pas sans quelque gloire ² . On en trouve la preuve dans les moeurs actuelles de certains peuples chez lesquels aujourd’hui encore on honore les pirates habiles. C’est ce que témoignent aussi les anciens poëtes ³ : partout chez eux les navigateurs, en se rencontrant, se font cette même question : Êtes-vous pirate ? Preuve que ceux à qui elle s’adresse ne désavouent pas cette profession, et que, dans la bouche de ceux qui ont intérêt à s’éclairer sur ce point, elle n’emporte aucune idée de blâme. Même sur terre, on se pillait réciproquement, et ces moeurs d’autrefois se sont conservées jusqu’à nos jours sur plusieurs points de la Grèce, chez les Locriens Ozoles, les Étoliens ⁴ , les Acarnanes et dans toute cette partie du continent. L’habitude de vivre armés, commune à tous ces peuples, est un reste de cet antique brigandage.

Jadis les Grecs et ceux des Barbares qui habitaient les îles ou les côtes du continent, ne surent pas plus tôt communiquer entre eux à l’aide de vaisseaux, que, guidés par des hommes puissants, ils se mirent k exercer la piraterie, autant pour leur gain particulier, que pour procurer de la nourriture aux faibles. Fondant à l’improviste sur des villes ouvertes, composées de bourgades séparées, ils les pillaient et tiraient de là leur principale subsistance. Cette industrie, loin d’être ignominieuse, procurait plutôt de l’honneur; témoin certains peuples continentaux qui, encore aujourd’hui, sefontgloire d’y exceller; témoin encore les anciens poètes qui ne manquent jamais de faire demander à ceux qui abordent, s’ils sont des pirates ¹ , montrant ainsi que les hommes auxquels cette question est adressée ne désavouent pas un tel métier, et qu’elle n’est point injurieuse de la part de ceux qui ont leurs raisons pour la faire.

Même sur terre on se pillait réciproquement. De nos jours encore, plusieurs peuples de la Grèce continentale, tels que les Locriens-Ozoles, les Ëtoliens, les Acarnaniens et presque tous leurs voisins, conservent ces anciennes mœurs. L’habitude qu’ils ont d’aller toujours armés est un reste de l’antique brigandage.

[1] It should be explained that in early times both the Hellenes and the Barbarians who dwell on the mainland near the sea, ¹ as well as those on the islands, when once they began more frequently to cross over in ships to one another, turned to piracy, under the lead of their most powerful men, whose motive was their own private gain and the support of their weaker followers, and falling upon cities that were unprovided with walls and consisted of groups of villages, they pillaged them and got most of their living from that source. For this occupation did not as yet involve disgrace, but rather conferred something even of glory.

[2] This is shown by the practice, even at the present day, of some of the peoples on the mainland, who still hold it an honour to be successful in this business, as well as by the words of the early poets, who invariably ask the question of all who put in to shore, whether they are pirates, ² the inference being that neither those whom they ask ever disavow that occupation, nor those ever censure it who are concerned to have the information.

[3] On the mainland also men plundered one another; and even to-day in many parts of Hellas life goes on under the old conditions, as in the region of the Ozolian Locrians, Aetolians, Acarnanians, and the mainland thereabout. And these mainlanders' habit of carrying arms is a survival of their old freebooting life.

[1] For the Grecians in old time, and of the barbarians both those on the continent who lived near the sea, and all who inhabited islands, after they began to cross over more commonly to one another in ships, turned to piracy, under the conduct of their most powerful men, with a view both to their own gain, and to maintenance for the needy; and falling upon towns that were unfortified, and inhabited like villages, ¹ they rifled them, and made most of their livelihood by this means; as this employment did not yet involve any disgrace, but rather brought with it even somewhat of glory.

[2] This is shown by some that dwell on the continent even at the present day, with whom it is an honour to perform this cleverly; and by the ancient poets, who introduce men asking the question of such as sail to their coasts, in all cases alike, whether they are pirates: as though neither those of whom they inquire, disowned the employment; nor those who were interested in knowing, reproached them with it.

[3] They also robbed one another on the continent; and to this day many parts of Greece live after the old fashion; as the Locri Ozolae, the Aetolians, and Acarnanians, and those in that part of the continent. And the fashion of wearing arms has continued amongst these continental states from their old trade of piracy.

[1] Olim enim Graeci, barbarorumque et qui in continente degebant mari vicini, et qui insulas incolebant, postquam navibus alii ad alios mare trajicere frequentius coeperunt, ad latrocinia sese converterunt, virorum potentiss immuni ductu, tum questus sui causa, tum etiam ut victum pauperibus quaererent; atque adorti civitates nullis muris munitas, et per vicos disjectas diripiebant, et maximam victus partem hinc comparabant, quum quidem hoc facinus nondum ignominiam haberet, imo vero nonnihil etiam gloriae potius afferret.

[2] Hoc autem nunc etiam quum alii nonnulli , qui in continente habitant, manifeste declarant, quibus decori est hoc scite exercere, tum etiam antiqui poetae, qui faciunt in percontationibus appellentium illorum ubique eodem modo eos interrogari, numquid sint latrones, tamquam neque illi, quos interrogant, cem ut se indignam inficientur, nec illi, quibus curae est scire, exprobrent.

[3] Praedabantur vero inter se etiam in continente. Et ad hor usqu£ tempus magna pars Graeciae prisco more colitur, ut apud Locros Ozolas et Aetolos et Acarnanas, et quae his finitima continens est; mansitque etiam armorum gestandorum mos apud hos continentis incolas ex veteri latrociniorum consuetudine.

Imperocché ab antico i Greci, e tra barbari quei di terraferma più vicini al mare, e gl’isolani (da che cominciò a rendersi più comune il tragitto scambievole con le navi ) si volsero al mestier del pirato sotto la condotta dei più potenti, per trovare lucro per sé e nutrimento per gl’invalidi. Assalendo le città senza mura ed abitate a borghi le depredavano, e di là traevano la maggior parte del vitto; mentre questo mestiero non era ancora in vergogna , ma godea piuttosto una certa reputazione. Ciò mostrano anche adesso alcuni di terraferma, appo i quali è decoroso il farlo con destrezza ; lo mostrano altresì gli antichi poeti, i quali tutti ad un modo interrogano coloro che in qualunque luogo approdino, colla domanda « se fosser corsari » come se non ne sdegnassero il mestiere quelli cui ne domandavano, e non ne facessero rimprovero quelli ai quali importava saperlo. Pratica vasi pure in terraferma simile scambievole ladroneggio ; e parecchi luoghi della Grecia giusta le antiche usanze lo praticano anche adesso, come i Locri Ozolii, gli Etolii, gli Acarnani e la terraferma di cotesti dintorni : ed è pure dall’antico ladroneggio restato costante, presso gli abitanti di terraferma , l’uso di andare armati.