Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.67

[1] In the end of the same summer, Aristeus of Corinth and Aneristus, Nicolaus, Stratodemus, and Timagorus of Tegea, ambassadors of the Lacedaemonians, and Pollis of Argos, a private man, as they were travelling into Asia to the king to get money of him and to draw him into their league, took Thrace in their way and came unto Sitalces the son of Teres with a desire to get him also, if they could, to forsake the league with Athens and to send his forces to Potidaea, which the Athenian army now besieged, and not to aid the Athenians any longer, and withal to get leave to pass through his country to the other side of the Hellespont to go, as they intended, to Pharnabazus the son of Pharnaces, who would convoy them to the king.

[2] But the ambassadors of Athens, Learchus the son of Callimachus and Ameiniades the son of Philemon, then resident with Sitalces, persuaded Sadocus the son of Sitalces, who was now a citizen of Athens, to put them into their hands that they might not go to the king and do hurt to the city whereof he himself was now a member.

[3] Whereunto condescending, as they journeyed through Thrace to take ship to cross the Hellespont, he apprehended them before they got to the ship by such others as he sent along with Learchus and Ameiniades with command to deliver them into their hands.

[4] And they, when they had them, sent them away to Athens. When they came thither, the Athenians, fearing Aristeus, lest escaping he should do them further mischief (for he was manifestly the author of all the business of Potidaea and about Thrace), the same day put them all to death, unjudged and desirous to have spoken, and threw them into the pits, thinking it but just to take revenge of the Lacedaemonians that began it and had slain and thrown into pits the merchants of the Athenians and their confederates whom they took sailing in merchant ships about the coast of Peloponnesus. For in the beginning of the war, the Lacedaemonians slew as enemies whomsoever they took at sea, whether confederates of the Athenians or neutral, all alike.

[1] At the end of the same summer the Corinthian Aristeus, Aneristus, Nicolaus, and Pratodamus, envoys from Lacedaemon , Timagoras, a Tegean, and a private individual named Pollis from Argos , on their way to Asia to persuade the king to supply funds and join in the war, came to Sitalces, son of Teres in Thrace , with the idea of inducing him, if possible, forsake the alliance of Athens and to march on Potidaea then besieged by an Athenian force, and also of getting conveyed by his means to their destination across the Hellespont to Pharnabazus, who was to send them up the country to the king.

[2] But there chanced to be with Sitalces some Athenian ambassadors, Learchus, son of Callimachus, and Ameiniades, son of Philemon, who persuaded Sitalces' son, Sadocus, the new Athenian citizen, to put the men into their hands and thus prevent their crossing over to the king and doing their part to injure the country of his choice.

[3] He accordingly had them seized, as they were travelling through Thrace to the vessel in which they were to cross the Hellespont , by a party whom he had sent on with Learchus and Ameiniades, and gave orders for their delivery to the Athenian ambassadors, by whom they were brought to Athens .

[4] On their arrival, the Athenians, afraid that Aristeus, who had been notably the prime mover in the previous affairs of Potidaea and their Thracian possessions, might live to do them still more mischief if he escaped, slew them all the same day, without giving them a trial or hearing the defence which they wished to offer, and cast their bodies into a pit; thinking themselves justified in using in retaliation the same mode of warfare which the Lacedaemonians had begun, when they slew and cast into pits all the Athenian and allied traders whom they caught on board the merchantmen round Peloponnese . Indeed, at the outset of the war, the Lacedaemonians butchered as enemies all whom they took on the sea, whether allies of Athens or neutrals.

Gegen Ende desselben Sommers wollten Aristeus, der
Korinther, und von den Lakedämoniern als Abgesandte Aneristos und
^^ikolaos und Stratodemos und der Tegeate Timagoras und mit
ihnen anS persönlicher Bewegung Es auch der ArgiverPolliszum Könige ¹
nach Asien reisen, ob sie ihn vielleicht bewegen möchten, Hülfsgelder zn
zahlen und mit ihnen am Kriege theilzunehmen. Auf dem Wege
dahin gingen sie zuerst nach Thrakien zum Sitalkes, dem Sohne des
Teres, um ihn wo möglich zu überreden, daß er von der Bundes-
genostenschast mit den Athenern abfalle und ein Heer nach Potidäa
schicke, wo noch die Belagerungstruppen der Athener standen. Von
hier ans wollten sie dann durch jenes Vermittelung über den
Hellespont zum Pharnakes, des Pharnabazos Sohn, gelangen, der sie dann
weiter zum Hofe des Königs befördern sollte. Es waren aber auch
gerade Gesandte der Athener bei dem Sitalkes, Learchos nämlich,
Sohn des Kallimachos, und Ameiniades, des Philemon Sohn, und
diese überredeten den Sohn des Teres, Sadokos, der athenischer
Bürger geworden war, ihnen jene Männer in die Hände zu liesern, damit
sie nicht zum Könige gelangen und der Stadt Schaden zufügen
möchten , die ja zum Theil auch für ihn Vaterstadt sei. Dieser ließ sich
überreden und jene aus der Reise durch Thrakien zu dem Schiffe,
welches sie über den Hellespont bringen sollte, bevor sie sich einschiffen
konnten, festnehmen, indem er dem Learchos und dem Ameiniades Leute
mitgab, welche den Befehl hatten, ihm jene Männer auszuliefern.
Tiefe nahmen die Gefangenen und brachten sie nach Athen. Als sie
dort ankamen, ließen die Athener aus Furcht, Aristeus möge, wenn
er ihnen entkäme, ihnen noch weiteren Schaden zufügen, — denn in
der That hatte es sich gezeigt, daß er vordem wegen Potidäa's und
Thrakiens Alles eingefädelt hatte, — noch an demselben Tage Alle
unangehört hinrichten, obwohl sie Einiges vorbringen wollten, und in
Gruben werfen. Hierdurch wollten sie das mit Gleichem vergelten,
womit die Spartaner den Anfang gemacht hatten, indem sie die
Kauflente von den Athenern und ihren Bundesgenossen, die mit ihren
Lastschiffen die peloponnesishcen Gewässer befuhren, ergriffen, tödteten und
in Gruben warfen. Und in der That hatten zu Anfang des Krieges
die Lakedämonier Alles, was sie auf dem Meere ergriffen, als Feinde
umgebracht, mochten sie nun Kampfgenossen der Athener sein, oder zu
keinem von beiden Theilen stehen. ²

LXVII. Vers la fin du même été ¹ , Aristée de Corinthe, Anéristus, Nicolaüs et Stradotémus, ambassadeurs de Lacédémone, et Timagoras de Tégée, partirent pour l’Asie. L’Argien Pollis les accompagnait pour son propre compte ² . Ils se rendaient auprès du roi pour solliciter des secours en argent et son alliance. D’abord ils allèrent en Thrace, chez Sitalcès, fils de Terès, afin de le décider, s’il était possible, à abandonner l’alliance des Athéniens et à secourir Potidée, assiégée par l’armée athénienne. Ils réclamaient aussi son assistance pour continuer leur voyage et traverser l’Hellespont, afin de se rendre auprès de Pharnace, fils de Pharnabaze, qui devait les faire arriver jusqu’au roi. Il se trouvait alors auprès de Sitalcès des députés athéniens , Léarque fils de Callimaque, et Aminiadès fils de Philémon. Ils engagèrent le fils de Sitalcès, Sadocus, Athénien d’adoption, à leur livrer ces ambassadeurs, sous prétexte que s’ils arrivaient jusqu’au roi, ils nuiraient, autant qu’il serait en eux, à sa patrie adoptive. Sadocus se laissa persuader, et, tandis que les ambassadeurs traversaient la Thrace pour gagner l’embarcation sur laquelle ils devaient passer l’Hellespont, il envoya avec Léarque et Aminiadès des soldats chargés de les arrêter et de les leur livrer. Saisis avant d’avoir pu s’embarquer ³ , ils furent remis aux députés athéniens et conduits à Athènes. Les Athéniens craignant qu’Aristée, s’il venait à s’échapper, ne leur fit encore plus de mal qu'auparavant (car il passait pour l’auteur du soulèvement de Potidée et de l’Épithrace), les mirent tous à mort le jour même de leur arrivée et les précipitèrent dans des fondrières, sans les juger, sans même vouloir les entendre. C’était, à leurs yeux, une représaille des procédés dont les Lacédémoniens avaient pris l’initiative, en tuant et en jetant dans des précipices ceux des Athéniens ou de leurs alliés qu'ils trouvaient naviguant pour leur commerce autour du Péloponnèse ; car au commencement de la guerre les Lacédémoniens traitaient en ennemis et massacraient tous ceux qu’ils arrêtaient sur mer, soit alliés des Athéniens, soit neutres.

Sur la fin du même été, on vit partir pour l’Asie une députation composée du Corinthien Aristéus, des Lacédémoniens Anéristos, Nicolaos et Stratodémos, du Tégéate Timagoras et de l’Argien Pollis, celui-ci sans caractère officiel. Ces députés se rendaient auprès du roi de Perse pour solliciter de lui des subsides et la coopération de ses armes. Ils passèrent d’abord en Thrace, afin de décider, s’il était possible, Sitalcès fils de Térès à rompre avec les Athéniens et à secourir Potidée, toujours assiégée par eux. Ils voulaient aussi qu’il leur facilitât la traversée de l’Hellespont et l’accès auprès de Pfaamacès fils de Pharnabaze, qui devait les acheminer vers le roi. Or il se trouvait déjà près de Sitalcès des ambassadeurs athéniens, Léarchos fils de Callimachoset Aminiadès filsdePhilémon. Ceux-ci engagèrent Sadocos, fils de Sitalcès, naturalisé Athénien, à leur livrer ces députés ennemis, afin qu’ils n’allassent pas chercher auprès du roi les moyens de nuire à sa patrie adoptive. Sadocos se laissa persuader, et. pendant que les députés traversaient la Thrace pour gagner le vaisseau sur lequel ils devaient franchir l’Hellespont, il aposta des gens pour les saisir et les remettre entre les mains de Léarchos et d’Aminiadès. Ils furent donc arrêtés avant rembarquement, livrés aux députés athéniens et conduits par eux à Athènes. Le jour même de leur arrivée, les Athéniens, sans forme de procès, les mirent à mort et les jetèrent dans des précipices. Ils craignaient qu’Aristéus, s’il venait à s’échapper, ne leur fit encore plus de mal qu’auparavant ; c’était à lui qu’ils attribuaient tous les troubles de Potidée et du littoral de la Thrace. D’ailleurs ils croyaient user du droit de représailles, parce que les Lacédémoniens les premiers avaient jeté dans des précipices les marchands athéniens et alliés qu’ils avaient pris sur des bâtiments de commerce autour du Péloponèse. Dans le commencement de la guerre, les Lacédémoniens massacraient'comme ennemis tous ceux qu’ils saisissaient en mer, sans faire aucune distinction des neutres ou des alliés d’Athènes.

[1] And at the end of the same summer ¹ Aristeus a Corinthian, three Lacedaemonian envoys, Aneristus, Nicolaus, and Pratodamus, also Timagoras of Tegea and Pollis of Argos, the last acting in a private capacity, ² set out for Asia to the King's court to see if they might persuade him to furnish money and join in the war. On their way they came first to Sitalces son of Teres in Thrace, their desire being to persuade him, if possible, to forsake the Athenian alliance and send a force to relieve Potidaea, where an Athenian army was conducting the siege; and also, in pursuance of their object, with his help to cross the Hellespont to Pharnaces ³ son of Pharnabazus, who was to escort them up the country to

[2] the King. But two Athenian envoys, Learchus son of Callimachus and Ameiniades son of Philemon, who chanced to be visiting Sitalces, urged Sadocus son of Sitalces, who had been made an Athenian citizen, ⁴ to deliver the men into their hands, that they might not cross over to the King and do such injury as might be to his

[3] adopted city. ⁵ To this Sadocus agreed, and sending some troops to accompany Learchus and Ameiniades, seized them as they journeyed through Thrace before they embarked on the boat by which they were to cross the Hellespont. They were then, in accordance with his orders, delivered to the Athenian envoys, who took them and brought them

[4] to Athens. When they arrived, the Athenians, in fear that Aristeus might escape and do them still more harm, because he had evidently been the prime mover in all the earlier intrigues at Potidaea and along the coast of Thrace, put them all to death on that very day without a trial, though they wished to say something in their own defence, and threw their bodies into a pit, thinking it justifiable to employ for their own protection the same measures as had in the first instance been used by the Lacedaemonians when they killed and cast into pits the traders of the Athenians and their allies whom they caught on board merchantmen on the coast of the Peloponnesus. For at the beginning of the war all persons whom the Lacedaemonians captured at sea they destroyed as enemies, whether they were fighting on the side of the Athenians or not even taking part on either side.

[1] At the end of the same summer, Aristeus, a Corinthian, Aneristus, Nicolaus, and Stratodemus, ambassadors of the Lacedaemonians, Timagoras, a Tegean, and Pollis, an Argive in a private capacity, being on their way to Asia, to obtain an interview with the king, if by any means they might prevail on him to supply money and join in the war, went first to Thrace, to Sitalces the son of Teres, wishing to persuade him, if they could, to withdraw from his alliance with the Athenians, and make an expedition against Potidaea, where was an armament of the Athenians besieging the place; and then, to proceed by his assistance to their destination across the Hellespont, to Pharnaces the son of Pharnabazus, who was to send them up the country to the king.

[2] But some Athenian ambassadors, Learchus son of Callimachus, and Aminiades son of Philemon, happening to be with Sitalces, persuaded Sadocus his son, who had been made an Athenian citizen, to put the men into their hands, that they might not, by passing over to the king, do their best to injure [what was now] his own country.

[3] He, in compliance with their request, having sent some other men with Learchus and Aminiades, seized them as they were travelling through Thrace to the vessel in which they were to cross the Hellespont, before they went on board, and gave orders to deliver them up to the Athenian ambassadors;

[4] who, having received them, took them to Athens. On their arrival the Athenians, being afraid that if Aristeus escaped he might do them still more mischief, (for even before this he had evidently conducted all the measures in Potidaea and their possessions Thrace-ward,) without giving them a trial, though they requested to say something [in their own defence], put them to death that same day, and threw them into pits; thinking it but just to requite them in the same way as the Lacedaemonians had begun with; for they had killed and thrown into pits the merchants, both of the Athenians and their allies, whom they had taken on board trading vessels about the coast of the Peloponnese. Indeed all that the Lacedaemonians took on the sea at the beginning of the war, they butchered as enemies, both those who were confederates of the Athenians and those who were neutral.

[1] Et eadem aestate jam extrema Aristeus Corinthius et Lacedaemoniorum legati Aneristus et Nicolaus et Strato-denius et Tegeates Timagoras et suo nomine Poliis Argivus , dum iter faciunt in Asiam ad Regem, si qua ratione ei persuadere possent, ut sibi pecuniam praeberet bellique societatem secura iniret, primum in Thraciam ad Sitalcem Teris filium venerunt, cupientes, si possent, ei persuadere, ut relicta Atheniensium societate Potidaeae auxilio proficisceretur, ubi erat Atheniensium exercitus urbem obsidens; ut-que ipsi, qua via instituerant, illo adjuvante iter facere possent trans Hellespontum ad Pharnacem Pharnabazi filium, qui eos ad Regem erat deducturus.

[2] Sed quum forte Atheniensium legati, Learchus Callimachi et Ameniadee Philemonis filius, apud Sitalcem tunc adessent, Sadoco Sitalcae filio, qui civis Atheniensis factus erat, persuadent, ut eos sibi traderet, ne, si ad Regem transiissent, civitati ipsius hac re nocerent.

[3] Ille vero his verbis adductus proficiscentes eos per Thraciam ad navigium, quo Hellespontum erant trajecturi , antequam id conscenderent, comprehendit, missis aliis quibusdam cum Learcho et Ameniade, illosque his tradi jussit; hi vero eos acceptos Athenas detulerant.

[4] Qui cum eo pervenissent, Athenienses veriti, ne Arieteus, si evasisset, in posterum plus etiam mali sibi (aceret, quia eum et antea rerum omnium, quae ad Potidaeam et in Thracia gestae erant, auctorem fuisse constabat, indemnatos et quaedam dicere volentes, omnes eodem die interfecerunt, et in profundas fossas dejecerunt, aequum esse censentes, eodem modo sibi prospicere, quo Lacedaemonii praeivissent, qui negotiatores Atheniensium et sociorum, quos ceperant in onerariis navibus circa Peloponnesum navigantes, interfecerant, et in profundas fossas dejecerant. Omnes enim hujus belli initio Lacedaemonii, quos in mari cepissent, ut hostes trucidabant , tam Atheniensium socios, quam eos, qui neutrorum partes sequebantur.

[1] So biete ich denn, obschon ich, wie anfangs gesagt, den mächtigsten Staat vertrete, der eher zum Angriff als zur Abwehr berufen erscheint, in Erwägung der Folgen die Hand zum Nachgeben. Warum auch in thörichter Rachsucht sich selber den grössten Schaden zufügen oder in der Verblendung der Leidenschaft hinsichtlich des Schicksals, dem man nicht gebieten kann, sich ebenso als eigenen Herren dünken, wie in seinen eigenen Entschliessungen, und nicht lieber der Billigkeit sich fügen? Folget nun auch ihr meinem Beispiel, eh' ihr euch dazu vor dem Feinde, nicht mehr vor Landsleuten bequemen müsst. Denn das ist keine Schande, dem eigenen Volksgenossen sich zu fügen, nicht blos der Dorier dem Dorier, oder der Chalcidenser seinem Stammverwandten, sondern wir alle als Nachbarn, als Bewohner der einen, von der Natur umgrenzten Heimat, als Träger des gemeinsamen Namens Sikelioten. Unsere Kriege, wenn es sein soll, müssen wir fortan für uns allein führen, oder auch sie beilegen, wie es uns gemeinsam recht dünkt, wider den Fremdling aber, wenn er kommt, in vernünftiger Eintracht zusammenhalten, so gewiss die Niederlage der Einzelnen dem Ganzen Gefahr bringt; Bundesgenossen aber oder Schiedsrichter sollen nie mehr ins Land gerufen werden. Bei diesem Verfahren werden wir für jetzt Sicilien der frohen Aussicht nicht berauben, der Athener und des Bürgerkrieges mit einemmale los zu werden, und in Zukunft in unabhängiger Freiheit und vom Ausland weniger behelligt darin wohnen.

Sullo scorcio della medesima estate Aristeo corintio, ed Aneristo e Nicolao e Pratodemo ambasciatori degli Spartani, e Timagora di Tegea, e da semplice privato Poli argivo, nella loro gita in Asia per presentarsi al re (affine di persuaderlo in qualche modo a somministrar denaro, e unire con loro le sue armi ) giungono in Tracia da Sitalce figliolo di Tereo. Era loro intendimento di indurlo, se fosse possibile, a ritirarsi dall’alleanza degli Ateniesi, ed andare con le sue genti a Potidea assediata dall’esercito degli Ateniesi stessi ; e cosi farlo desistere dal portare ad essi soccorso. Volevano anche passare per le sue terre all’altra parte dell’Ellesponto da Famace figlio di Famabazzo (per dove erano indirizzati) il quale gli doveva accompagnare dal re. Ma Learco figliolo di Callimaco, ed Ameniade di Filemone, ambasciatori degli Ateniesi , che casualmente erano presso Sitalce, persuadono il Tiglio di lui Sadoco, ascritto già alla cittadinanza d’Atene, a metterli nelle loro mani, acciò non potessero, tragit tando al re , recar danno ad Atene medesima che era in parte anche sua città. Egli vi consentì ; e mentre si avviavano per la Tracia verso la nave su cui dovevano tragittare l'Ellesponto, prima che vi montassero gli fa arrestare da gente spedita insieme con Lea reo ed Ameniade , la quale aveva ordine di consegnarli : ed avuti che li ebbero li condussero in Atene. Al loro arrivo, gli Ateniesi, per paura che Aristeo, stato anche prima di questi fatti manifestamente l' autore delle cose accadute a Potidea ed in Tracia , non iscappasse e tornasse a far loro danni più grandi, gli ammazzarono tutti in quell’ istesso giorno senza processo , quantunque e’ domandassero di essere uditi, e gli gettarono nei borri; credendo aver dritto di vendicarsi, cosi per render la pariglia ai Lacedemoni, che avevano ucciso e gettato nei borri i mercatanti degli Ateniesi e de’ loro alleati, i quali avevano presi sulle coste del Peloponneso. Ed invero gli Spartani sul principio della guerra trucidavano come nemici , quanti per mare arrestavano collegati con gli x\teniesi, ed anche neutrali.