Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.6

[1] For once they were wont throughout all Greece to go armed because their houses were unfenced and travelling was unsafe, and accustomed themselves, like the barbarians, to the ordinary wearing of their armour.

[2] And the nations of Greece that live so yet, do testify that the same manner of life was anciently universal to all the rest.

[3] Amongst whom the Athenians were the first that laid by their armour and growing civil, passed into a more tender kind of life. And such of the rich as were anything stepped into years laid away upon the same delicacy, not long after, the fashion of wearing linen coats and golden grasshoppers, which they were wont to bind up in the locks of their hair. From whence also the same fashion, by reason of their affinity, remained a long time in use amongst the ancient Ionians.

[4] But the moderate kind of garment, and conformable to the wearing of these times, was first taken up by the Lacedaemonians, amongst whom also, both in other things and especially in the culture of their bodies, the nobility observed the most equality with the commons.

[5] The same were also the first that when they were to contend in the Olympic games stripped themselves naked and anointed their bodies with ointment; whereas in ancient times the champions did also in the Olympic games use breeches, nor is it many years since this custom ceased. Also there are to this day amongst the barbarians, especially those of Asia, prizes propounded of fighting with fists and of wrestling, and the combatants about their privy parts wear breeches in the exercise.

[6] It may likewise by many other things be demonstrated that the old Greeks used the same form of life that is now in force amongst the barbarians of the present age.

[1] The whole of Hellas used once to carry arms, their habitations being unprotected, and their communication with each other unsafe; indeed, to wear arms was as much a part of everyday life with them as with the barbarians.

[2] And the fact that the people in these parts of Hellas are still living in the old way points to a time when the same mode of life was once equally common to all.

[3] The Athenians were the first to lay aside their weapons, and to adopt an easier and more luxurious mode of life; indeed, it is only lately that their rich old men left off the luxury of wearing undergarments of linen, and fastening a knot of their hair with a tie of golden grasshoppers, a fashion which spread to their Ionian kindred, and long prevailed among the old men there.

[4] On the contrary a modest style of dressing, more in conformity with modern ideas, was first adopted by the Lacedaemonians, the rich doing their best to assimilate their way of life to that of the common people.

[5] They also set the example of contending naked, publicly stripping and anointing themselves with oil in their gymnastic exercises. Formerly, even in the Olympic contests, the athletes who contended wore belts across their middles; and it is but a few years since that the practice ceased. To this day among some of the barbarians, especially in Asia , when prizes for boxing and wrestling are offered, belts are worn by the combatants.

[6] And there are many other points in which a likeness might be shown between the life of the Hellenic world of old and the barbarian of to-day.

Man trug nämlich in ganz Hellas allgemein Waffen, weil
die Wohnsitze unbefestigt und Weg und Steg unsicher waren, und ging
darum, wie die Barbaren, auch für gewöhnlich bewaffnet. Wenn noch
hent zu Tage in jenen Theilen Griechenlands dieselbe Sitte herrscht,
so ist das Beweis dafür, daß in alter Zeit die gleiche Gewohnheit
allgemein herrschend war. Die, welche zuerst die Waffen abgelegt und
in minder strenger Lebensweise sich einer größeren Bequemlichkeit
zugewendet haben, sind die Athener, und es ist nicht so gar lange her,
seit in den reicheren Ständen die älteren Leute wieder aufgehört haben,
aus Hang zur Weichlichkeit leinene Untergewänder zu tragen und den
Haarwuchs in einem Wulst mittels goldener, als Heushcrecke»
geformter Nadeln auf dem Scheitel festzuhalten^'). Bei den stammver­ ^{1 2}
wandten Jonern hat sich diese Tracht unter den älteren Leuten sehr
lange erhalten. Erst die Lakedämonier führten geringere Kleidung
nach jetziger Sitte ein, und bei ihnen haben sich auch in anderer
Beziehung die Reichen zur Lebensweise der großen Menge bequemt^).
Auch waren sie die ersten, die sich zu den Leibesübungen ganz
entblößten und vor den Augen der Zuschauer entkleideten und mit Oel
salbten, während früher auch bei den Olympischen Spielen die Athleten
mit einem Gurt um die Schamtheile wettkümpften, und es ist erst
kurze Zeit her, daß diese Sitte aufgehört hat Bei den Barbaren,
und besonders den Asiaten, wenn im Faust- und Ringkamps ein Preis
ausgesetzt wird, kämpfen sie auch jetzt noch mit dem Gurt bekleidet ^),
wie denn Einer die Punkte, in welchen die alten Hellenen mit den
Barbaren von heute gleiche Sitte und Gewohnheit hatten, leicht noch um
viele vermehren könnte.

VI. Tous les Grecs autrefois vivaient constamment armés. Habitant des maisons ouvertes, sans aucune sécurité dans leurs voyages, ils vaquaient en armes, comme les barbares ¹ , à toutes les fonctions de la vie ordinaire. La persistance de cet usage dans certaines parties de la Grèce montre assez que jadis il dut être universel. Les Athéniens, les premiers, déposèrent le fer pour adopter des moeurs plus douces et un genre de vie moins sévère. On trouve la trace de ce relâchement dans l’usage qui s’est conservé, presque jusqu’à ces derniers temps, chez les vieillards athéniens de la classe aisée, de porter des tuniques de lin ² , et de relever sur la tête avec des cigales d’or les noeuds de leur chevelure ³ .

La même mode s’est perpétuée longtemps aussi chez les vieillards ioniens, ce qui s’explique par la communauté d’origine. Les Lacédémoniens adoptèrent les premiers les vètements simples dont l’usage a prévalu aujourd’hui ⁴ ; et, non moins modestes dans toutes les autres habitudes de la vie, les plus riches d’entre eux n’eurent rien qui les distinguàt de la multitude ; ils furent aussi les premiers à se montrer nus en public et à dépouiller leurs vêtements pour se frotter de graisse dans les exercices ⁵ . Anciennement les lutteurs dans les jeux, même à Olympie, se couvraient d’une ceinture les parties honteuses, et il n’y a pas un grand nombre d’années que cet usage a cessé. Aujourd’hui encore, chez quelques peuples barbares, et en particulier chez les Asiatiques, on dispute des prix à la lutte et au pugilat, et les combattants y paraissent couverts d’une ceinture. On pourrait montrer par beaucoup d’autres exemples que les anciennes moeurs de la Grèce avaient une grande analogie avec les moeurs actuelles des barbares.

Toute la Grèce portait le fer, parce que les habitations étaient sans défense et les communications peu sûres ; jusque dans la vie privée on imitait les Barbares, qui ne quittent jamais leurs armes. Les contrées de la Grèce où cette coutume s’est maintenue jusqu’à ce jour, prouvent qu’autrefois elle était générale.

Les Athéniens furent les premiers à déposer le fer, pour adopter des mœurs plus douces et plus polies. Il n’y a pas longtemps que, chez eux, les vieillards de la classe aisée ont renoncé au luxe des tuniques de lin et des cigales d’or dont ils relevaient le nœud de leur chevelure ¹ ; usage qui s’est transmis aux vieillards ioniens, à cause de l’affinité des deux peuples. Les premiers qui prirent un costume simple et tel· à peu près qu’on le porte aujourd’hui, furent les Lacédémoniens ² ; à cet égard, comme dans toute leur manière de vivre, les plus riches d’entre eux ne se distinguèrent pas de la multitude. Ils furent aussi les premiers à se dépouiller de leurs vêtements dans les exercices publics, pour se montrer nus et frottés d’huile. Autrefois, dans les jeux Olympiques, les athlètes luttaient les reins entourés d’une ceinture, et il y a peu d’années que cette habitude a cessé; actuellement encore, chez certains peuples barbares, surtout en Asie, on propose des prix de lutte et de pugilat, et les combattants portent des ceintures; Ge n’est pas le seul exemple par lequel on pourrait prouver que la Grèce ancienne avait des mœurs assez conformes à celles des Barbares de nos jours.

[1] Indeed, all the Hellenes used to carry arms because the places where they dwelt were unprotected, and intercourse with each other was unsafe; and in their everyday life they regularly went armed just as the Barbarians did.

[2] And the fact that these districts of Hellas still retain this custom is an evidence that at one time similar modes of life prevailed everywhere.

[3] But the Athenians were among the very first to lay aside their arms and, adopting an easier mode of life, to change to more luxurious ways. And indeed, owing to this fastidiousness, it was only recently that their older men of the wealthier class gave up wearing tunics of linen and fastening up their hair in a knot held by a golden grasshopper as a brooch ; ¹ and this same dress obtained for a long time among the elderly men of the Ionians also, owing to their kinship with the Athenians.

[4] An unpretentious costume after the present fashion was first adopted by the Lacedaemonians, and in general their wealthier men took up a style of living that brought them as far as possible into equality with the masses.

[5] And they were the first to bare their bodies and, after stripping openly, to anoint themselves with oil when they engaged in athletic exercise; for in early times, even in the Olympic games, the athletes wore girdles about their loins in the contests, and it is not many years since the practice has ceased. Indeed, even now among some of the Barbarians, especially those of Asia, where prizes for wrestling and boxing are offered, the contestants wear loin-cloths.

[6] And one could show that the early Hellenes had many other customs similar to those of the Barbarians of the present day.

[1] For the whole of Greece used to wear arms, owing to their habitations being unprotected, and their communication with each other insecure; and they passed their ordinary life with weapons, like the barbarians.

[2] And those parts of Greece which still live in this way, are a proof of the same mode of life having also formerly extended to all.

[3] Now the Athenians were the first who laid down their armour, and by a more easy style of life changed to greater luxury. And the elders of their rich men no long time ago ceased wearing from delicacy linen tunics, and binding up a knot of the hair on their heads with a tie of golden grasshoppers. Whence also this fashion prevailed for a long time with the elders of the Ionians, from their affinity to them.

[4] But on the contrary, a moderate style of dressing, and according to the present mode, was first used by the Lacedaemonians; and in other respects their wealthier men most conformed themselves in their living to the common people.

[5] And they were the first who stripped themselves, and undressing in public, smeared themselves with grease, ¹ in their gymnastic exercises. And formerly even at the Olympic games the combatants contended with girdles round their middle; and it is not many years since it ceased to be so. Nay even now amongst some of the barbarians, and especially those of Asia, prizes for boxing and wrestling are given, and they wear girdles when they contend for them.

[6] And in many other respects also one might show that the ancient Greeks lived in a manner similar to the barbarians of the present age

[1] Omnis enim Graecia gestabat arma, lum quia domicilia nullis munitionibus septa habebant, tum quia tuto commeare ultro citroque non poterant; et quotidianam vitam in armis egerunt, ut barbari.

[2] Graeciae autem populi , qui nunc etiam ita vivunt, documento sunt, similia vitae instituta olim et apud omnes fuisse.

[3] At primi fere Athenienses ferrum deposuerunt, et remissiorem cultum secuti ad mollius vitae genus transierunt. Et seniores apud eos e fortunatis propter delicatum vitae genus haud diu est quod tunicas lineas ferre desierunt, insertisque aureis cicadis tutulum colligere e capitis coma. Unde etiam Ionum senio res propter cognationem cultus iste diu tenuit.

[4] Modica contra veste et ad hujus aetatis morem accommodata primi Lacedaemonii usi sunt, et in ceteris quoque rebus locupletiores eamdem atque plebeii vitae consuetudinem servarunt.

[5] Iidem etiam primi corpora nudarunt, et palam oleo se vestibus depositis unxerunt. Olim vero etiam in corporis exercitationibus in Olympiaco certamine subligacula circum pudenda gestantes athletae certabant, nec multi sunt anni, ex quo hic mos desiit. Quin adhuc etiam apud nonnullos barbaros, praecipue vero Asiaticos, pugilatus et luctae praemia proponuntur, et subligaculis in his certaminibus utuntur.

[6] Ac multis etiam aliis in rebus demonstrarit quis priscos Graecos eodem vitae genere usos, quo hujus aetatis barbari utuntur.

Di fatto cosi costumavasi in Grecia tutta, attesoché i luoghi abitati erano senza ripari e mal sicure le vie di scambievole comunicazione ; però usavano vivere armati come i barbari : e queste parti di Grecia che seguitano a praticar così sono indizio di usanze simili estese una volta a tutti. Ma in questo stato di cose gli Ateniesi certamente furono i primi a deporre le armi, e con meno severa condotta passarono ad un vivere più molle e delicato : a cotesta delicatezza dee attribuirsi l’avere i più vecchi opulenti tra loro lasciato da poco tempo l’uso di portar toghe di lino, e di ornare in giro il ciuffo della chioma con intreccio di cicale d' oro ; e quindi questa sorta di abbigliamento si è mantenuta tra’ più vecchi degli Ionii , perchè discendenti degli Ateniesi, Ma di abiti mediocri e secondo il costume presente primi usarono i Lacedemoni; ed in tutto il restante i possidenti presero maniere al più possibile conformi a quelle della moltitudine. Furono medesimamente i primi ad ignudarsi, e spogliati in pubblico , nell' atto dei combattimenti ginnastici, si ungevano con olio ; laddove in antico nel certame stesso olimpico li atleti combattevano con fasce attorno alle vergogne ; nè sono molti anni che tal uso è cessato ; anzi tutt’ ora presso alcuni barbari, specialmente asiani, si propongono i premi del pugilato e della lotta, e vi si esercitano colle fasce a cintola. Cosi potrebbesi mostrare che la Grecia praticava molte altre maniere simili a quelle dei barbari di adesso.