Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Theodor Braun (Translator), 2.59

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Nach dem zweiten Einfall der Peloponnesier, bei dem ihr
Land nun schon zum zweitenmal verwüstet und die Pest noch
dazugekommen war, schlug die Stimmung der Athener um.
Sie schalten auf Perikles, der ihnen zum Kriege geraten und
all ihr Unglück verschuldet habe, und sehnten sich nach Frieden
mit den Lakedämoniern. Auch schickten sie mal Gesandte an
sie, die aber unverrichteter Sache zurückkamen. Nun zogen sie,
völlig ratlos, wie sie waren, über Perikles her. Als der sah,
daß sie, wie er das freilich nicht anders erwartet hatte, so
schwer an ihrem jetzigen Zustande trugen, berief er, da er noch
Feldherr war, eine Versammlung, um ihnen Mut einzusprechen,
ihren Zorn zu beschwichtigen und sie überhaupt zu beruhigen,
in der er auftrat und folgende Rede hielt:

History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides. Theodor Braun (Translator). Leipzig. 1917.

Current edition First1KGreek

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs (German) (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.)

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 2.59.1 focus

[1] μετὰ δὲ τὴν δευτέραν ἐσβολὴν τῶν Πελοποννησίων οἱ Ἀθηναῖοι, ὡς ἥ τε γῆ αὐτῶν ἐτέτμητο τὸ δεύτερον καὶ ἡ νόσος ἐπέκειτο ἅμα καὶ ὁ πόλεμος, ἠλλοίωντο τὰς γνώμας,

[2] καὶ τὸν μὲν Περικλέα ἐν αἰτίᾳ εἶχον ὡς πείσαντα σφᾶς πολεμεῖν καὶ δι’ ἐκεῖνον ταῖς ξυμφοραῖς περιπεπτωκότες,πρὸς δὲ τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους ὥρμηντο ξυγχωρεῖν· καὶ πρέσβεις τινὰς πέμψαντες ὡς αὐτοὺς ἄπρακτοι ἐγένοντο. πανταχόθεν τε τῇ γνώμῃ ἄποροι καθεστηκότες ἐνέκειντο τῷ Περικλεῖ.

[3] ὁ δὲ ὁρῶν αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὰ παρόντα χαλεπαίνοντας καὶ πάντα ποιοῦντας ἅπερ αὐτὸς ἤλπιζε, ξύλλογον ποιήσας (ἔτι δ’ ἐστρατήγει) ἐβούλετο θαρσῦναί τε καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν τὸ ὀργιζόμενον τῆς γνώμης πρὸς τὸ ἠπιώτερον καὶ ἀδεέστερον καταστῆσαι· παρελθὼν δὲ ἔλεξε τοιάδε.

Translations (10)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 2.59.1 focus

[1] After the second invasion of the Peloponnesians the Athenians, having their fields now the second time wasted and both the sickness and war falling upon them at once, changed their minds and accused Pericles, as if by his means they had been brought into these calamities, and desired earnestly to compound with the Lacedaemonians, to whom also they sent certain ambassadors, but they returned without effect.

[2] And being then at their wits' end, they kept a stir at Pericles.

[3] And he, seeing them vexed with their present calamity and doing all those things which he had before expected, called an assembly (for he was yet general) with intention to put them again into heart and, assuaging their passion, to reduce their minds to a more calm and less dismayed temper. And standing forth, he spake unto them in this manner:

History of the Peloponnesian War Perseus (Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Crawley, Richard, translator. London and Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.; New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1914.) — 2.59.1 focus

[1] After the second invasion of the Peloponnesians a change came over the spirit of the Athenians. Their land had now been twice laid waste; and war and pestilence at once pressed heavy upon them.

[2] They began to find fault with Pericles, as the author of the war and the cause of all their misfortunes, and became eager to come to terms with Lacedaemon , and actually sent ambassadors thither, who did not however succeed in their mission. Their despair was now complete and all vented itself upon Pericles.

[3] When he saw them exasperated at the present turn of affairs and acting exactly as he had anticipated, he called an assembly, being (it must be remembered) still general, with the double object of restoring confidence and of leading them from these angry feelings to a calmer and more hopeful state of mind. He accordingly came forward and spoke as follows:

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 2.59 focus

Nach dem zweiten Einfalle der Peloponnesier fingen die
Athener an, anderes Sinnes zu werden, da ihr Land nun schon zum
zweiten Male verheert worden war, und mit dem Kriege auch die
Seuche sie bedrängte. Sie klagten den Perikles an, daß er sie zum
Kriege beredet habe, und durch sein Verschulden sei so viel Unglück
über sie gekommen; und mit den Lakedämoniern hätten sie sich gerne
verglichen. Auch schickten sie wirklich Gesandte dahin, aber ohne
etwas auszurichten. Jetzt waren sie durchaus unschlüssig und hörten
nicht aus dem Perikles zuzusetzen. Da er nun sah, wie sie die
gegenwärtige Lage unwillig ertrugen, und sich ganz so benahmen, wie er
es im Voraus vermuthet hatte, so berief er eine Versammlung, —
denn er war noch Feldherr, — um ihnen Muth einzusprechen, ihren
Unwillen abzuleiten und sie gemäßigter und vertrauensvoller zu
stimmen. Er trat also auf, und redete wie folgt:

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 2.59 focus

LIX. Après la deuxième invasion des Péloponnésiens, les Athéniens, dont le territoire venait d’être ravagé une seconde fois, et que désolaient en même temps la peste et la guerre, commencèrent à être ébranlés. Ils accusaient Périclès de leur avoir conseillé la guerre, et d’avoir ainsi causé tous leurs maux. Disposés à un accord avec les Lacédémoniens, ils leur avaient envoyé, mais sans succès, des ambassadeurs. Ne voyant d’issue d’aucun côté, ils s’en prenaient à Périclès. Quand il vit qu’aigris par les maux du moment ils faisaient tout ce qu’il avait prévu, il convoqua l’assemblée ; car il avait encore le commandement. Son but était de les encourager, de calmer leur irritation, et de les ramener à plus de modération et de confiance. Il s’avança et leur parla ainsi :

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 2.59 focus

Après la deuxième invasion des Péloponésiens, après la peste qui en aggrava les ravages, il se fit une grande révolution dans Tesprit des Athéniens. Ils accusaient Périclès de les avoir poussés à la guerre et d’être la cause de tous leurs maux. Ils se montraient disposés à traiter avec les Lacédémoniens ; ils leur envoyèrent même des députés, mais sans succès. Dans leur détresse, ils s’en prirent à Périclès. Lorsque celui-ci s’aperçut qu’aigris par les circonstances ils réalisaient toutes ses prévisions, il convoqua une assemblée ; car il était encore général¹. Son dessein était de leur rendre courage, de calmer leur courroux, enfin de les ramener à plus de modération et de confiance. Il monta donc à, la tribune et prononça le discours suivant :

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.) — 2.59.1 focus

[1] After the second invasion of the Peloponnesians the Athenians underwent a change of feeling, now that their land had been ravaged a second time while the plague and the war combined lay heavily upon them.

[2] They blamed Pericles for having persuaded them to go to war and held him responsible for the misfortunes which had befallen them, and were eager to come to an agreement with the Lacedaemonians. They even sent envoys to them, but accomplished nothing. And now, being altogether at their wits' end, they assailed Pericles.

[3] And when he saw that they were exasperated by the present situation and were acting exactly as he had himself expected, he called a meeting of the assembly—for he was still general—wishing to reassure them, and by ridding their minds of resentment to bring them to a milder and less timorous mood. So he came forward and spoke as follows:

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.) — 2.59.1 focus

[1] After the second invasion of the Lacedaemonians, the Athenians, when their land had been again ravaged, and the disease and the war were afflicting them at the same time, changed their views, and found fault with Pericles, thinking that he had persuaded them to go to war, and that it was through him that they had met with their misfortunes;

[2] and they were eager to come to terms with the Lacedaemonians. Indeed they sent ambassadors to them, but did not succeed in their object. And their minds being on all sides reduced to despair, they were violent against Pericles.

[3] He therefore, seeing them irritated by their present circumstances, and doing every thing that he had himself expected them to do, called an assembly, (for he was still general,) wishing to cheer them, and by drawing off the irritation of their feelings to lead them to a calmer and more confident state of mind. So he came forward and spoke as follows:

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 2.59.1 focus

[1] Post secundam vero Peloponnesiorum irruptionem Athenienses, quum ager ipsorum iterum esset vastatus, et morbus simul et bellum ipsos premeret, sententiam mutaverant ;

[2] et Periclem culpabant, quod sibi persuasisset, ut bellum hoc susciperent, et quod propter ipsum in has calamitates incidissent; cum Lacedaemoniis vero compositionem facere cupiebant. Quumque legatos ad ipsos misissent, nihil impetrare potuerunt. Atque undique ad consilii inopiam redacti Periclem uigebant.

[3] Ille vero, quum ipsos praesentem rerum statum moleste ferre videret, omniaque facere, quae ipse exspeetabat, coacta concione (adhuc enim erat exercitus praetor), volebat iis fiduciam addere et ira ex animis sublata mitiores eos et metu vacuos reddere. Quamobrem in medium progressus hanc orationem habuit.

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 2.59.1 focus

[1] Männer von Sicilien! Ihr wisset, nicht die Ohnmacht meiner Vaterstadt oder ihre Erschöpfung durch den Krieg ist es, was mir diese Worte eingibt, sondern allein die uneigennützige Absicht, dem gesamten Sicilien den besten Rath zu ertheilen, den es nach meiner Ueberzeugung für dasselbe gibt. Ich möchte von dem Krieg und seinen Leiden anheben und über seine zahllosen Uebel mich verbreiten; indes ihr kennet sie ja. Denn so wenig Unkunde die Schuld trägt an einem aufgenöthigten Kriege, ebensowenig lässt sich die Eroberungslust durch Furcht von ihm zurückschrecken. Natürlich; ihr¹ erscheinen die Vortheile grösser als die Gefahren, während man dort sich lieber den Kriegsgefahren aussetzen will, um einem gewissen Verlust zu entgehen. Aber eben wenn es sich ergibt, dass beide Grundsätze zur Unzeit in Anwendung gebracht werden, dann ist eine Mahnung zur Friedfertigkeit am Platze. Dies ist gerade unser Fall, und es liegt alles daran, dass wir uns davon überzeugen.

Hat uns nicht alle bisher die Erwägung unserer Sonderinteressen geleitet in diesem Kriege wie heute bei unsern Friedensvorschlägen, wo wieder hin und hergerechtet wird, und falls es nicht jedem gelingt, zu seinem Rechte zu kommen, der Wiederausbruch des Krieges in gewisser Aussicht steht?

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 2.59 focus

Dopo la seconda invasione dei Peloponnesi, vedendosi gli Ateniesi saccheggiata un’ altra volta la campagna, e trovandosi oppressi dal morbo e dalla guerra ad un medesimo tempo , mutaronsi d’animo. Davano carico a Pericle di averli confortati alla guerra, e di trovarsi per cagionsua in quelle sciagure: e bramosi di accordare coi Lacedemoni vi mandarono legati, ma senza effetto veruno. Ridotti adunque per ogni lato in gran sospensione d’ animo , s’ affollavano tutti addosso a Pericle, il quale vedendo che adirati per il presente stato di cose facevano appunto tutto quello che aveva previsto, coll’autoritá di generale che ancor riteneva gli adunò a parlamento. Voleva egli inanimirli ; e divertendo dai loro animi la collera renderli più trattabili e meeo timorosi : onde si fece innanzi e parlò in questi termini.

Commentary

Commentary on Thucydides Book 2 (Thucydides, Book II. Marchant, Edgar C., editor. London: Macmillan and Company, 1891.) focus

Ὡς ... ἐτέτμητο —the plup. has nothing to do with ἠλλοίωντο, ( i.e. the meaning is not that the land had been ravaged before the change came over their feelings), but describes the state of the country as it lay ruined before their eyes. The other places in which ὡς has the plup. ( III. 23, 1, 26, 4, 27, 1, 69, 2) are similar. Cf. on c. 3, 1.

ὁ πόλεμος —referring to the other miseries besides the ruin of the trees, crops and buildings, such as the difficulty of living and the burdens of service.

ἠλλοίωντο —plup., because the change had come over them before Hagnon's expedition, during Pericles' absence. Intr. p. lxxv.

Ἐν αἰτίᾳ εἶχον —cf. the following, ἐν ὀργῇ ἔ., c. 18, 5, 21, 3, 65, 3; ἐν ἡδονῇ ἔ., III. 9 ; ἐν ὀρρωδίᾳ ἔ., c. 89, 1. This idiom is not found in the orators, but occurs in tragedy.

περιπεπτωκότες —see c. 54, 1.

πρὸς τοὺς Λ. —with ξυγχωρεῖν. πρέσβεις—Sta. reads πρεσβείας with MT only. Dion. Hal. thinks that Thuc. ought to have given a detailed account of these transactions. The reason he does not do so is that nothing came of them.

πανταχόθεν —not local, but = ‘utterly.’

ἄποροι καθεστῶτες — i.e. εἰς ἀπορίαν κ. c. 81, 8; εἰς τοσαύτην ἀπορίαν ἐλθεῖν Isocr. 8, 47 ; εἰς τοῦτο καταστῆσαι ἀπορίας Demosth. 22, 132 ; εἰς ἄπορον πεσεῖν Aristoph. Clouds 702.

Ὁρῶν ... ποιήσας —see c. 4, 4.

πρὸς τὰ π. —c. 22, 1, 64, 6 πρὸς πὰς ξυμφοράς , 88, 3 π. τὴν παροῦσαν ὄψιν. ἤλπιζε—of bad events, as in I. 1, 1.

ξύλλογον —c. 22, 1. Pericles still held his extraordinary power. Intr. p. lxvi., and it was perhaps by virtue of this that he was able to have a special meeting summoned. Cf. c. 13, 1.

ἔτι δ’ — i.e. he had not yet been suspended from office and brought to trial ( ἀποχειροτονηθείς). Intr. pp. lxxv. fol. will make this clear.

ἐστρατήγει —‘held office,’ implying that he was still αὐτοκράτωρ. He was just completing another year of office, and was Strategus elect for the official year soon to begin. Cf. c. 55, 2.

τὸ ὀργιζόμενον τῆς γ. —cf. VII. 68 τῆς γ. τὸ θυμούμενον. This neuter partic. as noun abstract presents the idea as an action going on, not as an abstract notion separate from all associations of time and circumstance. Cf. c. 87, 3. It is frequent in Euripides.

πρὸς ... καταστῆσαι —the ordinary construction is ἐς (see 2 above), but τρέπεσθαι has ἐπί, πρός, ἐς, and several verbs ἐπὶ or ἐς in Thuc. Cf. c. 65, 9.

καταστῆσαι —sc. τὴν γνώμην. ἔλεξε—the Schol. labels the speech δημηγορία Περικλέους πρὸς Ἀθηναίους. The speech was also known in antiquity as ἡ οἰκεία Περικλέους δημηγορία .

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.59

Theodor Braun (Translator)

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