Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.52

[1] The next day both the thirty galleys of Athens and as many of Corcyra as were fit for service went to the haven in Sybota, where the Corinthians lay at anchor, to see if they would fight.

[2] But the Corinthians, when they had put off from the land and arranged themselves in the wide sea, stood quiet, not meaning of their own accord to begin the battle, both for that they saw the supply of fresh galleys from Athens and for many difficulties that happened to them, both about the safe custody of their prisoners aboard and also for that being in a desert place their galleys were not yet repaired, but took thought rather how to go home for fear lest the Athenians, having the peace already broken in that they had fought against each other, should not suffer them to depart.

[1] The next day the thirty Athenian vessels put out to sea, accompanied by all the Corcyraean ships that were seaworthy, and sailed to the harbor at Sybota, where the Corinthians lay, to see if they would engage.

[2] The Corinthians put out from the land, and formed a line in the open sea, but beyond this made no further movement, having no intention of assuming the offensive. For they saw reinforcements arrived fresh from Athens , and themselves confronted by numerous difficulties, such as the necessity of guarding the prisoners whom they had on board, and the want of all means of refitting their ships in a desert place.

[3] What they were thinking more about was how their voyage home was to be effected; they feared that the Athenians might consider that the treaty was dissolved by the collision which had occurred, and forbid their departure.

Tags darauf segelten die dreißig attischen Schiffe und so
viele von den Kerkyräischen noch seetüchtig waren, auf den Hafen
Sybota los, um zu sehen, ob die Korinther, welche dort vor Anker
lagen, einen Seekampf wagen würden. Diese stießen auch wirklich
vom Lande und stellten sich auf hoher See in Schlachtordnung, aber
sie verhielten sich ruhig und zeigten keine Neigung, ihrerseits den
Kampf zu eröffnen, da sie die von Athen frisch angekommenen Schiffe
sahen, und da auch sie selbst sich in mancher Verlegenheit befanden,
theils wegen Überwachung der Gefangenen, die sie auf den Schiffen
hatten, theils auch weil die wüste Gegend keine Möglichkeit die Schiffe
auszubessern darbot. Wie sie nach Hause zurückschiffen könnten, lag
ihnen viel mehr am Herzen; denn sie fürchteten, die Athener
möchten den Vertrag für gebrochen erachten, weil es ohnehin schon
zum Handgemenge gekommen sei, und möchten sie an der Heimfahrt
hindern.

LII. Le lendemain les trente vaisseaux athéniens et ceux de Corcyre qui pouvaient tenir la mer firent voile vers le port de Sybota, ancrage des Corinthiens, pour leur offrir le combat. Les Corinthiens prirent la mer et rangèrent leur flotte au large ; mais ils restèrent immobiles, décidés à ne pas engager l’action s’ils n’y étaient forcés. Outre les craintes que leur inspirait l’arrivée de la division athénienne qui n’avait pas encore donné, ils avaient par devers eux de nombreux embarras : la garde des prisonniers à bord, et l’absence de toute ressource pour réparer leurs vaisseaux sur une plage déserte. Aussi se préoccupaient-ils surtout des moyens de retourner chez eux ; car ils craignaient que les Athéniens, regardant le traité comme rompu à la suite de l’engagement précédent, ne leur fermassent la retraite.

Le lendemain, les trente vaisseaux d’Athènes et tous ceux de Corcyre qui étaient encore à flot, cinglèrent versi le port des Sybota, où était mouillée la flotte corinthienne, et lui offrirent le combat. Les Corinthiens levèrent l’ancre et se rangèrent en ligne en avant du rivage ; mais ils se tinrent immobiles, décidés qu'ils étaient à ne pas accepter la bataille, à moins d’absolue nécessité. Ils craignaient le renfort de vaisseaux intacts survenu d’Athènes, sans parler des difficultés qu’ils éprouvaient pour garder à bord leurs prisonniers et pour réparer leurs vaisseaux sur une plage déserte. Ils songeaient donc à effectuer leur retraite, et appréhendaient que les Athéniens, regardant le traité comme rompu à cause de l’engagement de la veille, ne leur fermassent le retour.

[1] On the next day the thirty Attic ships and as many of the Corcyraean as were seaworthy put to sea and advanced against the harbour at Sybota, where the Corinthians lay at anchor, wishing to see whether they would fight.

[2] But the Corinthians, although they put out from shore and drew up in line in the open sea, kept quiet: for they had no thought of beginning a fight if they could avoid it as they saw that fresh ships had arrived from Athens and that they themselves were involved in many perplexities, both as regards guarding the captives whom they had in their ships and the impossibility of refitting their ships in a desert place.

[3] What they were more concerned about was the voyage home, how they should get back, for they were afraid that the Athenians would consider that the treaty had been broken, since they had come to blows, and would not let them sail away.

[1] The next day the thirty Athenian ships, and as many of the Corcyraean as were sea-worthy, put out and sailed to the harbour at Sybota, in which the Corinthians were anchored, wishing to know whether they would engage.

[2] But they, having put out with their ships from the land, and formed them in line at sea, remained quiet; not intending voluntarily to begin a battle, since they saw that fresh ships from Athens had joined them; and that they themselves were involved in many difficulties, with regard to the safe keeping of the prisoners they had on board, and because there were no means of refitting their ships in so deserted a place.

[3] Nay, they were thinking of their voyage home, how they should return; being afraid that the Athenians might consider the treaty to have been broken, because they had come to blows, and not allow them to sail away.

[1] Postridie vero et triginta naves Atticae et Corcyraeorum quotquot ad navigationem erant aptae, navigarunt in portum, qui est in Sybolis, ubi Corinthii stationem habebant, eo animo, ut cognoscerent, si praelio navali certare vellent.

[2] Illi vero, navibus a terra provectis, et acie in alto instincta, quiescebant, sua sponte praelii initium facere in animo non habentes, quod integras Atheniensium naves accessisse, sibique multas difficultates accidisse viderent, cum propter captivorum custodiam, quos in navibus habebant, tum etiam quod in loco deserto naves reticere non possent;

[3] sed magis de reditu domum cogitabant, qua se recipere possent, veriti, ne Athenienses, fmdera rupta esse existimantes, quia ad manus venerant, se illinc navigare non sinerent.

Nel di seguente le trenta navi attiche con quelle de’ Corfuotti che erano buone pel mare, fecero vela verso la spiaggia delle Sibote, ove aveano stazione i Corintii, per vedere s’e’ venissero a battaglia navale. Questi scostaronsi da terra, ed in alto mare misero le navi in ordine di battaglia ; ma non si movevano, non volendo essere ì primi ad attaccarla, tra perchè vedevano sopraggiunte delle navi ateniesi intere e salde, e perchè erano incontrate loro molte difficoltà ; dovendo guardare i prigionieri che avevano sulle navi, e non avendo in quel luogo deserto mezzo di racconciarle. Anzi temendo che gli Ateniesi, riguardando come rotte le tregue, per essere venuti alle mani, non si opponessero alla loro partenza, pensavano piuttosto del modo di ritornarsene a casa.