Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.69

[1] "And of all this you are yourselves the authors, in that you suffered them upon the end of the Persian war to fortify their city and again afterwards to raise their long walls, whereby you have hitherto deprived of their liberty not only the states by them already subdued but also your own confederates. For not he that bringeth into slavery, but he that being able to hinder it neglects the same is most truly said to do it, especially if they assume the honour to be esteemed the deliverers of Greece [as you do].

[2] And for all that, we are hardly yet come together, and indeed not yet with any certain resolution what to do. For the question should not have been put whether or not we have received injury, but rather in what manner we are to repair it. For they that do the wrong, having consulted upon it beforehand, use no delay at all but come upon them whom they mean to oppress whilst they be yet irresolute.

[3] And we know not only that the Athenians have incroached upon their neighbours but also by what ways they have done it. And as long as they think they carry it closely through your blindness, they are the less bold;

[4] but when they shall perceive that you see, and will not see, they will then press us strongly indeed. For, Lacedaemonians, you are the only men of all Greece that sitting still defend others, not with your forces but with promises;

[5] and you are also the only men that love to pull down the power of the enemy, not when it beginneth but when it is doubled. You have indeed a report to be sure, but yet it is more in fame that than in fact. For we ourselves know that the Persian came against Peloponnesus from the utmost parts of the earth before you encountered him as became your state. And also now you connive at the Athenians who are not as the Medes, far off, but hard at hand, choosing rather to defend yourselves from their invasion than to invade them, and by having to do with them when their strength is greater, to put yourselves upon the chance of fortune. And yet we know that the barbarian's own error, and in our war against the Athenians their own oversights more than your assistance, was the thing that gave us victory. For the hope of your aid hath been the destruction of some that, relying on you, made no preparation for themselves by other means.

[6] Yet let not any man think that we speak this out of malice but only by way of expostulation: for expostulation is with friends that err, but accusation against enemies that have done an injury.

[1] For all this you are responsible. You it was who first allowed them to fortify their city after the Median war, and afterwards to erect the long walls,—you who, then and now, are always depriving of freedom not only those whom they have enslaved, but also those who have as yet been your allies. For the true author of the subjugation of a people is not so much the immediate agent, as the power which permits it having the means to prevent it; particularly if that power aspires to the glory of being the liberator of Hellas . We are at last assembled.

[2] It has not been easy to assemble, nor even now are our objects defined. We ought not to be still inquiring into the fact of our wrongs, but into the means of our defence. For the aggressors with matured plans to oppose to our indecision have cast threats aside and betaken themselves to action.

[3] And we know what are the paths by which Athenian aggression travels, and how insidious is its progress. A degree of confidence she may feel from the idea that your bluntness of perception prevents your noticing her; but it is nothing to the impulse which her advance will receive from the knowledge that you see, but do not care to interfere.

[4] You, Lacedaemonians, of all the Hellenes are alone inactive, and defend yourselves not by doing anything but by looking as if you would do something; you alone wait till the power of an enemy is becoming twice its original size, instead of crushing it in its infancy.

[5] And yet the world used to say that you were to be depended upon; but in your case, we fear, it said more than the truth. The Mede , we ourselves know, had time to come from the ends of the earth to Peloponnese , without any force of yours worthy of the name advancing to meet him. But this was a distant enemy. Well, Athens at all events is a near neighbor, and yet Athens you utterly disregard; against Athens you prefer to act on the defensive instead of on the offensive, and to make it an affair of chances by deferring the struggle till she has grown far stronger than at first. And yet you know that on the whole the rock on which the barbarian was wrecked was himself, and that if our present enemy Athens has not again and again annihilated us, we owe it more to her blunders than to your protection.

[6] Indeed, expectations from you have before now been the ruin of some, whose faith induced them to omit preparation.
  We hope that none of you will consider these words of remonstrance to be rather words of hostility; men remonstrate with friends who are in error, accusations they reserve for enemies who have wronged them.

Und dafür trifft die Verantwortung euch, denn ihr habt sie
nach dem persischen Kriege zuerst ihre Stadt befestigen und dann die
langen Mauern aufführen lassen, und so habt ihr bis auf den
heutigen Tag nicht nur die jenen Unterworfenen ihrer Freiheit beraubt
gehalten, sondern sogar auch eure eigenen Bundesgenossen: denn nicht ^{1 2 3}
der, welcher knechtet, sondern der, welcher dem wehren könnte und es
unterläßt, wird mit mehr Recht als der eigentliche Thäter betrachtet,
zumal wenn er den Ehrennamen des Befreiers von Hellas trägt '
Kaum haben wir es selbst jetzt zu einer Versammlung bringen können,
und selbst jetzt noch nicht so, als ob wir bereits im Klaren wären'
Denn man sollte jetzt nicht mehr untersuchen, ob uns Unrecht geschieht,
sondern wie wir das Unrecht von uns abwehren; denn die
Angreisenden gehen rasch und entschlossen gegen die Unentschlossenen vor und
werden sich nicht erst lange besinnen. Wir wissen ja, mit welchen
Mitteln und wie die Athener Schritt für Schritt gegen die Andern
vorgeben. So lange eure stumpfe Gleichgiltigkeit sie in dem Glauben
erhält, daß ihre Handlungen unbemerkt bleiben, sind sie weniger kühn
und schnell; sehen sie aber erst, daß ihr sie durchschaut und doch zu
ihrem Vorgehen schweiget, so werden sie uns ganz anders zusetzen.
Denn von allen Hellenen, ihr Lakedämonier, überlaßt ihr allein euch
der Ruhe, gleich als ob ihr durch Unentschlossenheit den Feind
abwehren könntet, anstatt durch Kraftanstrengung, und ihr allein denkt die
Macht des Feindes nicht in ihrem Beginnen zu unterdrücken, sondern
wenn sie ihre Kräfte bereits verdoppelt hat'Man rühmt zwar ^{4 5 6}
daß ihr verläßlich seiet, aber hierin bleibt euer Thun hinter dem Rufe
zurück; denn wir wissen ja noch selbst, daß der Meder sAerxes^, der
doch von den Gränzen der Erde herkam, damals viel früher gegen den
Peloponnes im Anmarsch ershcien, als ihr nnterdeß Zeit gefunden
hattet, euch gegen ihn geziemend in Bereitschaft zu sehen; und grade
so sorglos seid ihr auch jetzt den Athenern gegenüber, die nicht fern
wohnen wie jene, sondern ganz in der Nähe, und anstatt sie
anzugreifen, wollt ihr sie lieber herankommen lassen und euch nur
abwehrend verhalten. Einem viel mächtigeren Feind gegenüber wollt ihr
eure Sache der Gunst des Glücks anheimstellen, obfchon ihr wohl
wisset, daß, gleichwie der mächtige Barbar selbst meist nur durch
seine eigenen Fehler zu Schaden kam, so auch wir über die Athener
fast immer mehr durch ihre eigenen Versehen Vortheile gewinnen
konnten, als durch Hilfe, die von euch kam. Fürwahr, das Vertrauen
auf euch hat schon Manchen zu Grunde gerichtet, der sich eben deshalb
nicht selbst gehörig vorsah, weil er sich auf euch verließ. Und glaube
Keiner von euch, daß wir dies mehr aus Feindseligkeit gegen Euch
sagen, als aus gegründeter Ursache zur Beschwerde; denn gegen
befreundete Männer, wenn etwas versehen worden ist, findet Beschwerde
Statt, Anklage nur gegen Feinde und Unterdrücker.

LΧΙΧ. « Et tout cela est votre ouvrage : c’est vous qui leur avez permis et de fortifier leur ville après la guerre médique et ensuite de construire les longs murs. C’est vous qui êtes responsables de la liberté perdue, envers tous ceux qui jusqu’à ce jour ont été asservis par eux ; envers vos propres alliés qui ont maintenant leur tour : car l’auteur de l’esclavage ce n’est pas celui qui l’impose, mais bien plutôt celui qui, pouvant l’empêcher, ne le fait pas, surtout lorsqu’il porte le glorieux renom de libérateur de la Grèce. A grand’peine nous voici enfin rassemblés. Mais dans quel but ? cela n’est même pas évident encore ! Ce qu’il faudrait pourtant, ce n’est pas examiner si nous som- mes offensés, mais comment nous nous vengerons. Car eux, ils agissent, ils n’en sont plus à délibérer ; ils ne doivent pas marcher plus tard, ils marchent réellement contre vous, et vous n’avez rien résolu ! Nous connaissons leur marche habituelle, et comment, à pas lents, ils em- piètent sur leurs voisins. Tant qu’ils ne se croient pas découverts, grâce à votre peu de perspicacité, ils ont moins d’audace ; mais une fois persuadés que vous voyez et laissez faire, ils garderont moins de ménagements. Seuls des Grecs, en effet, vous vous plaisez dans l’inaction, opposant aux attaques moins la force que la temporisation ; seuls vous attendez que la puissance de vos ennemis soit doublée pour la briser, au lieu d’arrêter au début ses développements. Et pourtant on vante, mais bien à tort, votre esprit de conduite ! car cette réputation est démentie par les faits. Ne savons-nous pas que, des extrémités de la terre, le Mède a pu s’avancer jusqu’au Péloponnèse sans que vous l’ayez prévenu par une résistance digne de vous. Aujourd’hui même les Athéniens ne sont pas loin, comme les Mèdes ; ils sont à vos portes, et vous n’en avez nul souci ! Au lieu de marcher contre eux, vous aimez mieux attendre, pour les repousser, qu’ils vous attaquent, et courir les hasards de la lutte contre un ennemi devenu beaucoup plus redoutable. Vous savez cependant que le Barbare n’a dû qu’à luimême la plupart de ses revers, et que d’ordinaire, dans nos démêlés avec les Athéniens, leurs propres fautes, bien plus que vos secours, ont assuré nos succès. Car bien des fois déjà les espérances que l’on fonde sur vous ont causé la perte de ceux qui, trop confiants, se sont laissé prendre au dépourvu.

« Que personne de vous ne se trompe sur nos paroles et n’attribue à un sentiment hostile ce qui n’est qu’un simple blâme : on blâme un ami égaré ; on accuse un injuste agresseur.

« La faute en est à vous, qui leur avez permis d’abord de fortifier leur ville après les guerres Médiques, puis d’élever les longs murs, et qui n’avez cessé de ravir la liberté, non-seulement à leurs sujets, mais encore à vos propres alliés; car le véritable auteur de l’asservissement n’est pas tant celui qui l’impose, que celui qui, pouvant l’empécher, néglige de le faire, surtout s’il aspire au titre glorieux de libératéur de la Grèce.

« Puis c’est à grand’peine que nous avons été assemblés, sans même que la question soit nettement posée. Il s’agissait en effet de savoir, non pas si nous étions offensés, mais comment nous repousserions les offenses. Ceux qui les commettent s’avancent contre nous sans retard et avec un parti pris, tandis que nous délibérons encore. Nous connaissons par quelle marche progressive les Athéniens poursuivent le cours de leurs empiétements; aussi longtemps qu’ils se sont flattés, grâce à votre apathie, de rester dans l’ombre, ils ont modéré leur audace; mais une fois qu’ils vous sauront instruits et indifférents, ils se donneront libre carrière. Vous êtes les seuls des Grecs qui vous plaisiez dans l’inaction, qui vous défendiez non par les armes, mais par l’inertie; les seuls qui, pour abattre un adversaire, attendiez que ses forces soient doublées, au lieu de Pattaquer au début.

« Et pourtant Ton vantait la fermeté de votre politique ; mais l’éloge était peu mérité. Nous savons que le Mède est arrivé des extrémités de la terre jusqu’au Péloponèse, avant de rencontrer de votre part une résistance sérieuse; et aujourd’hui vous fermez les yeux sur les entreprises des Athéniens, qui ne sont pas éloignés comme lui, mais qui sont à nos portes. Au lieu de prévenir leurs attaques, vous préférez les attendre et courir les chances de la lutte contre un ennemi devenu plus puissant. Vous n’ignorez pas cependant que le Barbare n’a dû qu’à lui-même la majeure partie de ses revers, et que, si nous avons jusqu’ici résisté aux coups des Athéniens, c’est grâce à leurs propres fautes bien plus qu’à votre appui ; car les espérances placées en vous ont déjà perdu bien des gens, qui, par excès de confiance, ont été pris au dépourvu.

« Que nul de vous ne voie dans nos paroles des accusations haineuses plutôt qu’une juste remontrance ; les remontrances s’adressent à des amis en faute, les accusations à de coupables ennemis.

[1] "And the blame for all this belongs to you, for you permitted them in the first instance to strengthen their city after the Persian war, ¹ and afterwards to build their Long Walls, ² while up to this very hour you are perpetually defrauding of their freedom not only those who have been enslaved by them, but now even your own allies also. For the state which has reduced others to slavery does not in a more real fashion enslave them than the state which has power to prevent it, and yet looks carelessly on, although claiming as its preeminent distinction that it is the liberator of Hellas.

[2] And now at last we have with difficulty managed to come together, though even now without a clearly defined purpose. For we ought no longer to be considering whether we are wronged, but how we are to avenge our wrongs. For where men are men of action, it is with resolved plans against those who have come to no decision, it is at once and without waiting, that they advance.

[3] We know too by what method the Athenians move against their neighbours—that it is here a little and there a little. And as long as they think that, owing to your want of perception, they are undetected, they are less bold; but once let them learn that you are aware but complaisant, and they will press on with vigour.

[4] For indeed, O Lacedaemonians, you alone of the Hellenes pursue a passive policy, defending yourselves against aggression, not by the use of your power, but by your intention to use it;

[5] and you alone propose to destroy your enemies' power, not at its inception, but when it is doubling itself. ³ And yet you had the reputation of running no risks; but with you, it would seem, repute goes beyond reality. For example, the Persian, as we ourselves know, came from the ends of the earth as far as the Peloponnesus before your forces went forth to withstand him in a manner worthy of your power; and now you regard with indifference the Athenians who are not afar off, as the Persian was, but near at hand, and instead of attacking them yourselves, you prefer to ward them off when they attack, and incur hazard by joining in a struggle with opponents who have become far more powerful. Yet you know that the Barbarian failed mostly by his own fault, and that in our struggles with the Athenians themselves we have so far often owed our successes rather to their own errors than to any aid received from you; indeed, it is the hopes they have placed in you that have already ruined more than one state that was unprepared just because of trust in you.

[6] And let no one of you think that these things are said more out of hostile feeling than by way of complaint; for complaint is against friends that err, but accusation against enemies that have inflicted an injury.

[1] "And for these things it is you who are to blame, by having at first permitted them to fortify their city after the Median war, and subsequently to build the long walls; and by continually up to the present time depriving of liberty, not only those who had been enslaved by them, but your own allies also now. For it is not he who has enslaved them, but he who has the power to stop it, but overlooks it, that more truly does this; especially if he enjoys the reputation for virtue as being the liberator of Greece.

[2] But with difficulty have we assembled now, and not even now for any clearly defined object. For we ought to be considering no longer whether we are injured, but in what way we shall defend ourselves. For the aggressors come with their plans already formed against us who have not made up our minds; at once, and not putting it off. ¹

[3] And we know in what way, and how gradually, the Athenians encroach upon their neighbours. And while they think that they are not observed through your want of perception, ² they feel less confident; but when they know that you are aware of their designs, but overlook them, they will press on you with all their power.

[4] For you alone of the Greeks, Lacedaemonians, remain quiet, defending yourselves against any one, not by exertion of your power, but by mere demonstration of it;

[5] and you alone put down the power of your enemies, not when beginning, but when growing twice as great as it was. And yet you used to have the name of cautious; but in your case the name, it seems, was more than the reality. For we ourselves know that the Mede came from the ends of the earth to the Peloponnese, before your forces went out to meet him as they should have done; and now the Athenians, who are not far removed, as he was, but close at hand, you overlook; and instead of attacking them, prefer to defend yourselves against their attack, and to reduce yourselves to mere chances in struggling with them when in a much more powerful condition: though you know that even the barbarian was chiefly wrecked upon himself; ³ and that with regard to these very Athenians, we have often ere this escaped more by their errors than by assistance from you. For indeed hopes of you have before now in some instances even ruined some, while unprepared through trusting you.

[6] And let none of you think that this is spoken for enmity, rather than for expostulation; for expostulation is due to friends who are in error, but accusation to enemies who have committed injustice.

[1] « Atque istarum rerum vos ipsi auctores estis, qui et primum passi estis eos post bellum Medicum urbem munire, et postea longos muros aedificare; quique ad hoc usque perpetuo libertate privastis non solum eos, quos illi in servitutem redegerunt, sed jam etiam vestros socios. Nam non is, qui alios in servitutem redegit, sed verius is, qui quum possit impedire, negligit, hoc facit, si quidem etiam virtutis professione se ut Graecorum liberatorem celebrat.

[2] Vix tandem vero nunc congregati sumus, et ne nunc quidem de rebus manifestis. Nec enim amplius consultandum erat, num injuriam patiamur, sed qua ratione eam defendamus. Illi enim agentes et consilii certi contra dubios adhuc sententiae, nec cunctati amplius ingrediuntur;

[3] et scimus quali via, et quo modo paulatim Atheniense· in alios grassentur. Et quamdiu quidem latere se propter vestrum stuporem putant, minus audaces sunt; sed si cognoverint, vos haec scientes negligere, summa vi instabunt.

[4] Vos enim soli Graecorum, Lacedaemonii, otia agitis, non armorum τι, sed cunctatione νοs defendentes, et soli hostium vires non incipientes increscere sed duplicatas evertentes.

[5] Atqui cauti esse terebamini: de quibus profecto rumor divulgatus 1 em ipsam superabat. Nam ipsi scimus et Medum ab extremis orbis terrarum partibus in Peloponnesum prius venisse, quam vos ita ut par erat obviam prodiretis, et nunc Athenienses non longinquos, ut illum, sed vicinos negligitis; et pro bello quod illis inferre debebatis mavultis illos arma vobis inferentes defendere et certantes cum hominibus potentia multum auctis incertos fortunae casus subire, quamvis sciatis vel ipsum barbarum sua ipsius culpa plerumque offendisse, quinetiam in bello cum ipsis Atheniensibus gesto sarpe jam nos erratis eorum potius, quam vestris auxiliis victoriam reportasse, quum quidem de vestris auxiliis spes jam nonnullos etiam imparatos, quod iis freti erant, everterint.

[6] Neque vero aliquis vestrum haec magis ob odium, quam ad expostulatio? nem dici putet. Nam expostulatio quidem est cum amicis, qui peccant; sed accusatio est contra inimicos, qui injuriam fecerunt.

« E di tutto ciò voi siete i colpevoli, perchè finita la guerra de’Medi permetteste agli Ateniesi da prima di fortificar la città e poi d’alzare le mura lunghe; e tuttora continovate a togliere la libertà non solo ai popoli messi da loro in servaggio , ma anche agli stessi vostri alleati : poiché è autore di servaggio non chi lo impone, ma più veramente chi, potendo cessarlo, non se ne cura, tuttoché egli abbia il decoroso nome di liberatore della Grecia, Ora finalmente , ed a gran fatica, ci siamo congregati, avvisando non averne pure adesso aperte ragioni ; perchè non si volea più cercare se siamo gli offesi, ma solamente trovare il modo di vendicarci, da che essi hanno già deciso e fan di fatti, e senza indugio alcuno assaltano noi incerti ancora nelle nostre risoluzioni. Bene ci è noto per qual via gli Ateniesi a poco a poco si avanzano su quel degli altri : nondimeno sino a che per la inavvertenza vostra si credono inosservati lo fanno meno francamente: ma piomberanno addosso con tutto lo sforzo qualora conoscano che noti vi sieno i loro disegni e non gli curate. Poiché voi sol tra’ Greci , o Lacedemoni, ve la passate tranquillamente , e pretendete tenere indietro gli altri nou colla forza ma coll' indugio ; e di abbattere gli ingrandimenti de’nemici non sul principio, ma quando sieno cresciuti del doppio. E pure avevate nome d’ esser gente di sicuro consiglio ; ma certo la fama era maggiore del vero. Conciossiachè siamo noi stessi testimoni che il Medo dall’estremità della terra giunse nel Pelopponeso , innanzi che voi gli andaste incontro con forze condegne al vostro decoro. Ed or non fate caso degli Ateniesi che vi sona vicini e non già lontani com’ egli ; e più tosto che assalirli, volete respingerli assalitori, e così combattendoli divenuti già assai più forti, rimettervi alla incertezza del caso, quantunque non ignoriate che anche il barbaro fu di per sé stesso cagione di sue sconfitte, e che le nostre molte vittorie già riportate su gli Ateniesi procederono più dai loro errori che dai vostri soccorsi. Perciocché le speranze riposte in voi hanno ornai pur troppo rovinato alcuni che affidati a quelle se ne stavano senza apparecchiarsi. Nè alcuno di voi creda parlar noi cosi per nimicizia che vi portiamo , più tosto che per farvi amichevole rimostranza r imperocché questa sta bene con gli amici che difettino , dove al nemico che ci abbia offeso si porta accusa di delitto.