Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 1.72

[1] Thus spake the Corinthians. The Athenian ambassadors, who chanced to be residing at Lacedaemon upon their business, when they heard of this oration thought fit to present themselves before the Lacedaemonians, not to make apology for what they were charged with by the other cities, but to show in general that it was not fit for them in this case to take any sudden resolution but farther time to consider. Also they desired to lay open the power of their city, to the elder sort, for a remembrance of what they knew already, and to the younger, for an information of what they knew not, supposing that when they should have spoken, they would incline to quietness rather than to war.

[2] And therefore they presented themselves before the Lacedaemonians saying that they also, if they might have leave, desired to speak in the assembly, who willed them to come in. And the Athenians went into the assembly and spake to this effect:

[1] Such were the words of the Corinthians. There happened to be Athenian envoys present at Lacedaemon on other business. On hearing the speeches they thought themselves called upon to come before the Lacedaemonians. Their intention was not to offer a defence on any of the charges which the cities brought against them, but to show on a comprehensive view that it was not a matter to be hastily decided on, but one that demanded further consideration. There was also a wish to call attention to the great power of Athens , and to refresh the memory of the old and enlighten the ignorance of the young, from a notion that their words might have the effect of inducing them to prefer tranquillity to war.

[2] So they came to the Lacedaemonians and said that they too, if there was no objection, wished to speak to their assembly. They replied by inviting them to come forward. The Athenians advanced, and spoke as follows:—

So redeten die Korinther. Es waren aber schon vorher auch
Athenische Gesandte anderer Geschäfte halber nach Lakedämon
gekommen, und als diese von jenen Reden hörten, glaubten sie auch vor den
Lakedämoniern auftreten zu müssen, nicht um sich gegen die
Beschwerden zu rechtfertigen, welche die Städte erhoben hatten, sondern um
im Allgemeinen ihre Meinung dahin abzugeben, daß die Lakedämonier
nickt vorschnell einen Entschluß fassen, sondern reiflichen Einblick in
die Verhältnisse nehmen möchten, und zugleich wollten sie ihnen einen
Begriff von der Macht ihres Staates geben und die Aelteren unter
ihnen an das erinnern, was sie selbst noch erlebt hätten, die Jüngeren
aber über das belehren, wovon sie noch keine Kenntniß hatten, in der
Meinung, die Lakedämonier würden sich durch solche Reden eher
bewegen lassen, Frieden zu halten, als den Krieg zu beschließen. Sie
kamen also und erklärten den Lakedämoniern, daß auch sie vor dem
Volke zu reden wünschten, wenn dem Nichts im Wege stehe. Diese
hießen sie auftreten, und so hielten die Athener folgende Rede:

LXXII. Ainsi parlèrent les Corinthiens. Il se trouvait alors à Lacédémone des ambassadeurs athéniens, venus précédemment pour d’autres objets. Instruits de ce qui se passait dans l’assemblée, ils crurent devoir s’y présenter, non point pour réfuter les accusations des villes alliées, mais pour démontrer, d’une manière générale, qu’au lieu de rien décider à la hâte on devait examiner plus mûrement. Ils voulaient aussi faire connaître la puissance de leur patrie, rappeler aux vieil- lards ce qu’ils en savaient, instruire les jeunes gens de ce que leur inexpérience leur laissait ignorer. En un mot, ils espéraient, par leurs discours, faire incliner les Lacédémoniens vers la paix. Ils se présentèrent donc et dirent qu’ils désiraient, eux aussi, se faire entendre dans l’assemblée, si l’on n’y voyait aucun obstacle. Invités à s’y rendre, ils s’avancèrent et parlèrent ainsi :

Ainsi parlèrent les Corinthiens. Il se trouvait alors à Lacédémone des députés athéniens venus pour d’autres affaires. Informés des discours qui se tenaient dans l’assemblée, ils jugèrent à propos de s’y présenter, nullement pour repousser les inculpations des villes, mais pour montrer qu’il ne fallait rien décider à la hâte et sans mûr examen. Ils voulaient faire connaître toute l’étendue de la puissance d’Athènes, raviver les souvenirs des vieillards et instruire les jeunes gens de ce qu’ils pouvaient ignorer; en un mot, ils espéraient ramener les Lacédémoniens à des idées de paix. Ils se présentèrent donc et dirent qü’ils désiraient obtenir audience, s’il n’y avait pas d’empêchement. Admis dans l'assemblée, ils parurent à la tribune et prononcèrent le discours suivant :

[1] Thus spoke the Corinthians. But there happened to be present at Lacedaemon an embassy of the Athenians that had come on other business, and when they heard the various speeches they deemed it advisable to appear before the Lacedaemonians, not indeed to make any defence on the charges brought by the cities, but to make clear with regard to the whole question at issue that the Lacedaemonians should not decide it hastily but should take more time to consider it. At the same time they wished to show how great was the power of their own city, reminding the older men of what they already knew, and recounting to the younger things of which they were ignorant, in the belief that under the influence of their arguments the Lacedaemonians would be inclined to peace rather than war.

[2] Accordingly they approached the Lacedaemonians and said that they also wished, if there was nothing to hinder, to address their assembly. The Lacedaemonians invited them to present themselves, and the Athenians came forward and spoke as follows:

[1] To this effect spoke the Corinthians. And the Athenians, happening before this to have an embassy at Lacedaemon, and hearing what was said, thought that they ought to come before the Lacedaemonians, not to make any defence on the subject of' the charges which the states brought against them. but to prove, on a general view of the question, that they ought not to deliberate in a hurry, but take more time to consider it. They wished also to show how powerful their city was; and to remind the older men of what they knew, and to relate to the younger what they were unacquainted with; thinking that in consequence of what they said, they would be more disposed to remain quiet than to go to war.

[2] So they came to the Lacedaemonians, ¹ and said that they also, [as the Corinthians had done,] wished to speak to their people, if nothing prevented. They told them to come forward; and the Athenians came forward, and spoke as follows.

[1] Atque Corinthii quidem haec dixerunt. Atheniensium vero casu quodam legatio jam antea aliis de causis aderat, et quum haec verba audissent, in Lacedaemoniorum coucionem sibi prodeundum esse censuerunt, non ut ad crimina responderent, quae civitates objecerant, sed de re tota ut ostenderent, non celeriter decernendum, sed amplius deliberandum esse; simul etiam volebant significare, quanta esset suae civitatis potentia, et aetate provectioribus in memoriam revocare ea, quae noverant, et junioribus exponere ea, quorum nullam habebant notitiam, rati eos sua oratione audita ad pacem, quam ad bellum propensiores fore.

[2] Quum igitur ad Lacedaemoniorum magistratus accessissent, ad eorum concionem se et ipsos verba facere velle dixerunt, nisi quid prohiberet.

[3] Illi vero ubi eos in medium prodire iusserunt, Athenienses in medium progressi haec dixerunt :

Queste furono le parole dei Corintii : e gli ambasciatori Ateniesi, che per altre occorrenze per avventura si trovavano di prima a Sparta, inteso che ebbero ciò, risolvettero di presentarsi ai Lacedemoni, non per purgar le imputazioni date loro dalle città , bensì per dichiarare che sull’ insieme delle cose non doveano risolvere si tostamente, ma riflettervi più lungo tempo : volevano altresì esporre quanto grande fosse la potenza della loro Repubblica, rammemorando ai più vecchi fatti che non ignoravano , e raccontandoli ai giovani che non li sapevano. Giudicavano essi che per le loro parole si volgerebbero più presto al partito della pace che della guerra. Rappresentaronsi adunque ai Lacedemoni, e dissero volere essi pure, qualora non ve ne fosse divieto , parlare all’ assemblea ; e avuta permissione di entrare, parlarono così.