Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.94

[1] By this time the fires signifying the coming of enemies were lifted up towards Athens and affrighted them more than anything that had happened in all this war. For they in the city thought the enemies had been already in Peiraeus, and they in Peiraeus thought the city of the Salaminians had been already taken and that the enemy would instantly come into Peiraeus, which, had they not been afraid nor been hindered by the wind, they might also easily have done.

[2] But the Athenians, as soon as it was day, came with the whole strength of the city into Peiraeus and launched their galleys and embarking in haste and tumult set sail toward Salamis, leaving for the guard of Peiraeus an army of foot.

[3] The Peloponnesians upon notice of these succours, having now overrun most of Salamis and taken many prisoners and much other booty besides the three galleys from the fort of Budorus, went back in all haste to Nisaea. And somewhat they feared the more for that their galleys had lain long in the water and were subject to leaking. And when they came to Megara, they went thence to Corinth again by land.

[4] The Athenians likewise, when they found not the enemy at Salamis, went home and from that time forward looked better to Peiraeus both for the shutting of the ports and for their diligence otherwise.

[1] Meanwhile fire signals were raised to alarm Athens , and a panic ensued there as serious as any that occurred during the war. The idea in the city was that the enemy had already sailed into Piraeus ; in Piraeus it was thought that they had taken Salamis and might at any moment arrive in the port; as indeed might easily have been done if their hearts had been a little firmer; certainly no wind would have prevented them.

[2] As soon as day broke the Athenians assembled in full force, launched their ships, and embarking in haste and uproar went with the fleet to Salamis , while their soldiery mounted guard in Piraeus .

[3] The Peloponnesians, on becoming aware of the coming relief, after they had overrun most of Salamis , hastily sailed off with their plunder and captives and the three ships from Fort Budorum to Nisaea ; the state of their ships also causing them some anxiety, as it was a long while since they had been launched, and they were not water-tight. Arrived at Megara , they returned back on foot to Corinth .

[4] The Athenians finding them no longer at Salamis , sailed back themselves; and after this made arrangements for guarding Piraeus more diligently in future, by closing the harbors, and by other suitable precautions.

Nach Athen aber meldeten Feuerzeichen die Ankunft von
Feinden, und es entstand darüber eine Bestürzung, nicht geringer als
irgend eine während des Krieges. Denn die in der Stadt glaubten,
der Feind sei schon in den Piräeus eingesegelt, und die im Piräeus
dachten, Salamis sei schon genommen, und die Feinde würden nun
ohne Weiteres heransegeln, was diese auch sehr leicht hätten thun
können, wenn sie nicht gezaudert hätten; der Wind würde sie wohl nicht
gehindert haben. Mit Tagesanbruch aber eilten die Athener
insgesammt nach dem Piräeus, zogen die Schiffe in's Waffer, bestiegen sie
in aller Hast und unter großem Lärm und segelten nach Salamis,
nachdem sie die Fußtruppen zur Bedeckung des Piräeus aufgestellt
hatten. Die Peloponnesier aber, die auf Salamis fast Alles durch-
sucht und Menschen und Leute mitgeschleppt hatten, als sie die zum
Entsatz Herankommenden wahrnahmen, gingen mit den drei
Fahr zeugen von der Verschanzung Budoron unter Segel und fuhren eiligst ¹
gen Nisäa; denn auch ihre Schiffe, me erst seit langer Zeit wieder
einmal in See gelassen worden waren und Wasser zogen, flößten
ihnen Besorgniß ein. In Megara angekommen, marschirten sie wieder
zu Fuß nach Korinth. Die Athener aber, da sie jene bei Salamis
nicht mehr antrafen, kehrten auch zurück und sorgten von nun an besser
für die Sicherheit des Piräeus, indem sie die Häfen sperrten und die
sonstigen Vorsichtsmaßregeln anwendeten.

XCIV. Cependant les feux qui annoncent l’ennemi avaient été élevés, pour faire connaître à Athènes son arrivée. Jamais dans cette guerre on n'éprouva consternation plus grande : dans la ville on pensait que les ennemis avaient déjà abordé au Pirée ; au Pirée on croyait que, maitres de Salamine, ils allaient arriver d’un moment à l’autre. C’était d’ailleurs chose facile ; et si la crainte ne les eùt retenus, le vent n’aurait pu ¹ les en empêcher. Au point du jour, les Athéniens se portèrent en masse au secours du Pirée, mirent à flot les vaisseaux, les montèrent tumultuairement, et cinglèrent vers Salamine , en laissant à l’infanterie la garde du Pirée. Dès que les Péloponnésiens s’aperçu- rent qu’il arrivait du secours, ils se hâtèrent de regagner Nisée, après avoir ravagé la plus grande partie de l’ile, ils emmenaient avec eux des prisonniers, du butin et les trois vaisseaux stationnés au fort Boudoron. D’ailleurs, ils n’étaient pas sans crainte sur leurs propres vaisseaux, qui étaient restés longtemps à sec et faisaient eau de toutes parts. Arrivés à Mégare, ils reprirent à pied le chemin de Corinthe. Les Athéniens, ne les ayant pas rencontrés à Salamine, revinrent de leur côté ; à partir de ce moment ils gardèrent mieux le Pirée, fermèrent, les ports et prirent toutes les précautions nécessaires.

Cependant les signaux d’alarme étaient élevés pour annoncer à Athènes l’approche de l’ennemi ¹ . Dans tout le cours de cette guerre, il n’y eut pas de plus chaude alerte. Ceux de la ville croyaient que les ennemis étaient maîtres du Pirée ; ceux du Pirée, que Salamina était prise et que d’un instant à l’autre ils allaient être attaqués. Avec un peu plus de résolution, c’eût été chose facile, et le vent n’aurait pas été un obstacle.

Au point du jour, les Athéniens se portèrent en masse au Pirée, mirent des vaisseaux à flot, y montèrent à la hâte et en grand tumulte; puis cinglèrent vers Salamine, laissant la garde du Pirée aux gens de pied. Les Péloponésiens, avertis de leur approche, se rembarquèrent précipitamment pour Niséa, non sans avoir couru la plus grande partie de Salamine et enlevé des hommes, du butin et les trois vaisseaux du fort de Bou-doron. Il est juste de dire qu’ils n’étaient pas sans inquiétude au sujet de leurs bâtiments, qui, n’ayant pas été depuis longtemps à la mer, faisaient eau de toutes parts. De retour à Mégare, ils reprirent à pied le chemin de Corinthe. Les Athéniens, ne les trouvant plus dans les eaux de Salamine, se retirèrent également. Dès lors ils firent meilleure garde au Pirée, le tinrent fermé et prirent toutes les précautions désirables.

[1] Meanwhile fire-signals indicating a hostile attack were flashed to Athens, where a panic was caused as great as any in this war. ¹ For the inhabitants of the city thought that the enemy had already entered the Peiraeus, and those of the Peiraeus that they had taken Salamis and were all but sailing into their own harbour-as indeed might easily have happened if the enemy had resolved that there should be no flinching;

[2] and no mere wind would have prevented them. But at dawn the Athenians hastened down to the Peiraeus with all their forces, launched ships, and embarking in haste and with much confusion sailed with the fleet to Salamis, setting their landforces to guard the Peiraeus.

[3] The Peloponnesians had already overrun most of Salamis and had taken prisoners and booty and the three ships at the fort of Budorum, when they saw the relief expedition coming, whereupon they sailed in haste toward Nisaea; to some extent too there was apprehension about their own ships, which had not been drawn down into the sea for a long time and were anything but water-tight.

[4] On reaching Megara they withdrew on foot to Corinth, and the Athenians, finding them no longer at Salamis, likewise sailed back. After this they kept stricter guard over the Peiraeus, closing up the harbour ² as well as taking other precautions.

[1] Now fire-signals of an enemy's approach were raised towards Athens, and a consternation was caused by them not exceeded by any during the whole war. For those in the city imagined that the enemy had already sailed into Piraeus; while those in Piraeus thought that Salamis had been taken, and that they were all but sailing into their harbours: which indeed, if they would but have not been afraid of it, might easily have been done; and it was not a wind that would have prevented it.

[2] But at day-break the Athenians went all in a body to Piraeus to resist the enemy; and launched their ships, and going on board with haste and much uproar, sailed with the fleet to Salamis, while with their land-forces they mounted guard at Piraeus.

[3] When the Peloponnesians saw them coming to the rescue, after overrunning the greater part of Salamis, and taking both men and booty, and the three ships from the port of Budorum, they sailed for Nisaea as quickly as they could; for their vessels too caused them some alarm, as they had been launched after lying idle a long time, and were not at all water-tight. On their arrival at Megara they returned again to Corinth by land.

[4] When the Athenians found them no longer on the coast of Salamis, they also sailed back; and after this alarm they paid more attention in future to the safety of Piraeus, both by closing the harbours, and by all other precautions.

[1] Sed Athenas versus ignes, quibus hostium adventus significabatur, sublati sunt et pavor incessit, quo-nullus in eo bello mqjor exstitit. Nam qui in urbe erant, hostes in Piraeeum jam ingressos putabant, qui vero in Piraeeo erant, et Salaminem jam captam et hostes tantum non contra se venturos existimabant; quod profecto si illi tergiversari noluissent, facile accidisset, neque ventus eos pro hibuisset

[2] Athenienses vero simul ac dies illuxit, excita omni civitate in Piraeeum auxilio congressi naves deducebant et quum eas festinanter et magno cum tumultu conscendissent , navibus quidem Salaminem petebant, peditatum vero in Piraeeo relinquebant, ut ei esset praesidio.

[3] Peloponnesii autem, postquam eos subsidio venire senserunt, magnam Salaminis partem excursionibus populati, captis hominibus praedaqhe et tribus illis navibus ex propugnaculo Budoro, celeriter in Nisaeam se recipiebant; nonnihil enim et ipsae naves, quae post longum temporis intervallum in mare deductae erant, nec aquarum vim ferre poterant, eos terrebant. Quum autem Megara pervenissent, Corinthum itinere pedestri redierunt.

[4] Athenienses vero, quum eos ad Salaminem non amplius nacti essent, et ipsi discesserunt, atque ab eo tempore Piraeeum jam accuratius in posterum custodire coeperunt et portuum claustris et reliqua cautione.

[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.

Ma i Salamini alzarono i segnali di fuoco nunziatori del nemico, verso Atene, ove non fu mai sbigottimento maggiore di questo durante la guerra. Imperocché quei della città si immaginavano i nemici già entrati nel Pireo, quelli del Pireo già espugnata Salamina, e che i nemici dal vedere al non vedere entrerebbero da loro : lo che sarebbe senza difficoltà accaduto, se avesser voluto precipitar gl' indugi, nè il vento arebbe potuto impedirneli. Sul far del giorno gli Ateniesi accorsi in buiima al Pireo vararono le navi ; e salitivi sopra in fretta e alla rinfusa , andarono con esse a Salamina, e misero la fanteria a guardia del Pireo. Come i Peloponnesi ebbero sentore di questo rinforzo, corsero gran parte di Salamina, prendendo uomini, bottino e le tre navi della fortezza di Budoro : quindi navigarono speditamente a Nisea, giacché temevano anche delle proprie navi, che varate dopo molto tempo non tenevano punto; ed arrivati a Megara ritornarono per terra a Corinto. Gli Ateniesi non avendoli trovati più intorno a Salamina, tornarono indietro con la flotta ; e dopo questo avvenimento più accuratamente guardavano il Pireo eoi tenerne serrati i porti, e con ogni altra sorta di diligenza.