Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 2.96

[1] Beginning therefore with the Odrysians, he levied first those Thracians that inhabit on this side the mountains Haemus and Rhodope, as many as were of his own dominion, down to the shore of the Euxine Sea and the Hellespont. Then beyond Haemus he levied the Getes and all the nations between Ister and the Euxine Sea. The Getes and the people of those parts are borderers upon the Scythians and furnished as the Scythians are, all archers on horseback.

[2] He also drew forth many of those Scythians that inhabit the mountains and are free states, all swordsmen, and are called Dii, the greatest part of which are on the mountain Rhodope; whereof some he hired, and some went as voluntaries.

[3] He levied also the Agrianes and Laeaeans and all other the nations of Paeonia in his own dominion. These are the utmost bounds of his dominion, extending to the Graaeans and Laeaeans, nations of Paeonia, and to the river Strymon, which, rising out of the mountain Scomius, passeth through the territories of the Graaeans and Laeaeans, who make the bounds of his kingdom toward Paeonia and are subject only to their own laws.

[4] But on the part that lieth to the Triballians, who are also a free people, the Treres make the bound of his dominion, and the Tilataeans. These dwell on the north side of the mountain Scomius and reach westward as far as to the river Oscius, which cometh out of the same hill Nestus and Hebrus doth; a great and desert hill adjoining to Rhodope.

[1] Beginning with the Odrysians, he first called out the Thracian tribes subject to him between Mounts Haemus and Rhodope and the Euxine and Hellespont ; next the Getae beyond Haemus , and the other hordes settled south of the Danube in the neighborhood of the Euxine, who, like the Getae, border on the Scythians and are armed in the same manner, being all mounted archers.

[2] Besides these he summoned many of the Hill Thracian independent swordsmen, called Dii and mostly inhabiting Mount Rhodope, some of whom came as mercenaries, others as volunteers;

[3] also the Agrianes and Laeaeans, and the rest of the Paeonian tribes in his empire, at the confines of which these lay, extending up to the Laeaean Paeonians and the river Strymon, which flows from Mount Scombrus through the country of the Agrianes and Laeaeans; there the empire of Sitalces ends and the territory of the independent Paeonians begins.

[4] Bordering on the Triballi, also independent, were the Treres and Tilataeans, who dwell to the north of Mount Scombrus and extend towards the setting sun as far as the river Oskius. This river rises in the same mountains as the Nestus and Hebrus , a wild and extensive range connected with Rhodope .

Zu diesem Zuge aus dem Odryserlande hatte er zuerst von
den Thrakern diejenigen in die Waffen gerufen, welche zwischen dem
Hämos ^Balkan^s und dem Rhodope-Gebirge ^Despoto-Dag^ wohnen,
soweit sie eben unter seiner Herrschaft standen, hinüber bis zum Meere,
dem Euxinos ^schwarzen Meeres nämlich und dem Hellespont ^Straße
der Dardanellen). Darauf auch die Geten jenseits des Hämos und
die übrigen Völker, so viele ihrer diesseits des Jster ^Donau^ weiter
gegen den Euxinos hin wohnen. Die Geten und die Anderen in jenen
Gegenden sind aber Gränznachbarn der Skythen und haben dieselbe ^{1 2}
Bewaffnung, denn Alle sind Bogenschützen zu Pferde. Auch von den
freien Thrakern im Gebirge, welche Schwerter tragen und unter dem
Namen der Dier meist den Rhodope bewohnen, rief er Viele zu sich.
Die Einen hatte er um Sold gedungen, Andere aber gingen als
Freiwillige mit. Auch die Agrianer und Lääer und die übrigen
Päonischen Völker, die unter ihm standen und die Gränze seiner Herrschaft
bildeten, bis zu den Graäischen Päoniern und dem Strymon-Flusse
[Jskar] , der vom Skomischen Gebirge ^Witoscha^ herab durch das
Gebiet der Graäer und Lääer fließt, wo schon die Gränze seiner
Herrschaft gegen das Land der freien Päonier hin war. Gegen die
Triballer hin, welche ebenfalls unabhängig sind, bildeten die Trerer und
Tilatäer die Gränze. Diese wohnen nämlich vom Skomischen
Gebirge nordwärts und erstrecken sich gegen Sonnenaufgang bis zum
Oskios-Fluffe ^Jskru^. Dieser kommt aber von demselben Gebirge,
auf welchem auch der Nestos ^Karasu^ und der Hebros Wariza^
entspringen. Dies Gebirg ist unbewohnt und dehnt sich weit hin,
denn es schließt sich an den Rhodope an.

XCVI. Parti de chez les Odryses, Sitaleès mit en mouvement d’abord les Thraces soumis à sa domination, en deçà des monts Hémus et Rhodope ¹ , jusqu’au Pont-Euxin et à l’Hellespont ; ensuite les Gètes ² audelà de l’Hémus et tous les autres peuples qui habitent en deçà de l’Ister, surtout en descendant vers le PontEuxin. (Les Gètes et les peuples de cette contrée confinent aux Scythes et ont les mêmes armes ; tous sont archers à cheval.) Il appela aussi beaucoup de montagnards indépendants de la Thrace ; ils portent le nom de Diens, sont armés de coutelas ³ et habitent pour la plupart le Rhodope. Les uns le suivaient en qualité de mercenaires, les autres comme alliés volontaires. Il fit lever également les Agrianes, les Lééens et toutes les autres nations péoniennes de sa domination. Ces peuples, les derníers de sa domination, confinent aux Péoniens Gréens, et au Strymon ; ce fleuve, descendant du mont Scombrus, coule entre les Gréens et les Lééens et forme la frontière de son empire. Au-delà sont les Péoniens indépendants. Du côté des Triballes, également indépendants, il était limité par les Trères et les Tilatéens. Ces peuples habitent au nord du mont Scombrus et s’étendent, au couchant, jusqu’au fleuve Oscius qui sort de la même montagne que le Nestus et l'Hèbre. C’est une montagne élevée et déserte, qui fait partie de la chaîne du Rhodope.

Parti de chez les Odryses, Sitalcès appela d’abord aux armes ses sujets de Thrace, qui habitent en deçà des monts Hémus et Rhodope ¹ , jusqu’au Pont-Euxin et à l’Hellespont ; ensuite les Gètes d’au delà de l’Hémus, ainsique toutes les nations fixées en deçà du fleuve Ister, dans le voisinage du Pont-Euxin. Les Gètes et autres peuples de ces contrées confinent aux Scythes et font usage des mêmes armes que cette nation ; ils sont tous archers à cheval. Sitalcès appela aussi de leurs montagnes un grand nombre de Thraces indépendants et armés d’épées, connus sous le nom de Diens, la plupart habitant le Rhodope; les uns étaient stipendiés, les autres marchaient comme volontaires. Il se recruta pareillement chez les Agriens, les Lééens et les autres peuplades péoniennes qui lui étaient soumises. C’étaient les derniers peuples de son empire, lequel s’étendait jusqu’aux Grééens de Péonie et au Strymon. Ce fleuve prend sa source dans le mont Scombros, traverse le pays des Grééens, celui des Lééens, et forme la limite de l’empire de Odryses ; au delà sont les Péoniens indépendants. Du côté des Triballiens, également indépendants, les derniers peuples sujets des Odryses étaient les Trères et les Tilatéens. Ceux-ci habitent au nord du mont Scombros et s'étendent à l’occident jusqu’au fleuve Oskios, lequel sort de la même montagne que le Nestos et l’Hèbre. Cette montagne, grande et déserte, est un anneau de la chaîne du Rhodope.

[1] Sitalces, accordingly, beginning with the Odrysians, summoned to his standard, first the Thracians under his sway between the mountains Haemus ¹ and Rhodope ² and the sea,—as far as the shores of the Euxine and the Hellespont,— then, beyond Haemus, the Getae, and all the other tribes that are settled south of the river Ister ³ in the general direction of the seaboard of the Euxine sea; and the Getae and the people of that region are not only neighbours of the Scythians but are also equipped like them, all of them being mounted archers.

[2] And he summoned also many of the mountain Thracians who are independent and wear short swords, who are called Dii, most of them inhabiting Rhodope; and some of these were won to his service by pay, while others came along as volunteers.

[3] He called out, further, the Agrianians and Laeaeans, and all the other Paeonian tribes which were under his sway. ⁴ These peoples were at the outer limits of his empire ; for the bounds of his empire extended, on the side towards the Paeonians, who are independent, as far as the Laeaean Paeonians and the river Strymon, ⁵ which flows from mount Scombrus through the country of the Agrianians and the Laeaeans.

[4] On the side toward the Triballi, who also are independent, the boundary is formed by the Treres and Tilataeans; and these dwell to the north of Mount Scombrus and extend toward the west as far as the river Oscius. ⁶ This river has its source in the same mountains as the Nestus ⁷ and the Hebrus ⁸ -a mountain range of great extent and uninhabited that is adjacent to Rhodope.

[1] Setting out then from the Odrysians, he summoned to his standard, first the Thracians within Mount Haemus and Rhodope, as many as were subject to him, as far as the coast of the Euxine and the Hellespont; next the Getae beyond Haemus, and all the other hordes that were settled ¹ south of the Danube, more towards the sea-board of the Euxine; the Getae and the tribes in this part being both borderers on the Scythians, and equipped in the same manner, for they are all mounted bowmen.

[2] He also invited many of the Highland Thracians, who are independent, and armed with swords; they are called the Dii, and are mostly inhabitants [of the valleys] of Haemus: some of these he engaged as mercenaries, while others followed him as volunteers.

[3] Moreover, he summoned the Agrianians and Laeaemans and all the other Paeonian tribes that acknowledged his sway. And these were the last people in his dominion, for at the Graaeans and Laeaeans, both of them Paeonian tribes, and at the river Strymon, which flows from Mount Scomius through their country, his empire terminated on the side of the Paeonians, who from this point were independent.

[4] On the side of the Triballi, who were also independent, the border tribes were the Treres and Tilataeans, who live to the north of Mount Scombrus, and stretch towards the west as far as the river Oscius. This river flows from the same mountain as the Nestus and the Hebrus, an uninhabited and extensive range, joining on to Rhodope.

[1] Ab Odrysis igitur proficiscens primum quidem ex suis sedibus excitat Thraces, qui intra montem Haemum et Rhodopen habitant, quibus usque ad Pontum Euxinum, et Hellespontum imperabat; deinde vero Getas, qui superato Haeino monte in ulterioribus partibus habitant, et quotquot alii populi cis Istrum fluvium ad Pontum Euxinum magis vergentes incolebant; sunt autem Gelae et qui regionem illam accolunt, Scythis finitimi et cultu similes, omnesque sagittarii equestres.

[2] Advocabat praeterea etiam multos Thracum montanorum, qui sui juris sunt et ensiferi, qui Dii vocantur, quorum maxima pars Rhodopen incolit; atque alios quidem mercede inducebat, alii vero voluntarii sequebantur.

[3] Excibat etiam Agrianas et Laraeos et ceteras gentes Paeonicas, quibus imperabat; atque hi imperii erant ultimi, usque ad Graaeos Paeonas, et Strymonem fluvium, qui ex Scomio monte per Graaeos et Laesos fluit, ubi erat terminus imperii ab ea parte, quae spectat Paeonas, qui jam sui juris sunt.

[4] At ab ea parte, quae Triballos spectat, qui et ipsi sunt sui juris, Treres et Tilataei terminabant imperium; hi autem ad septentrionales Scomii montis partes habitant, et a solis occidentis partibus pertingunt usque ad Oscium flumen; hoc autem fluit ex eodem monte, ex quo etiam Nestus et Hebrus; est autem desertus hic mons et magnus et Rhodopae junctus.

[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.

Partito adunque dagli Odrisii sommuove prima tutti i Traci infra il monte Emo e Rodope, su’ quali egli imperava sino al mare, dal Ponto Eussino all’ Ellesponto ; poi i Geti al di là del monte Emo, e tutte le altre parti abitate di qua dal fiume Istro più verso il mare detto Ponto Eussino. I Geti e gli altri di questi luoghi confinano con gli Sciti, usano la medesima armatura, e son tutti arcieri a cavallo. Invitava ancora molti dei Traci montanari che sono liberi, armati di coltella ; e chiamansi Dii , ed abitano la maggior parte sul Rodope ; dei quali alcuni ne guadagnava col soldo, altri lo seguivano volontari. Sollecitava ancora gli Agriani ed i Leei, e gli altri popoli della Peonia soggetti al suo impero. Questi erano gli ultimi del suo dominio che si stendeva sino ai Graei e Leei della Peonia t e sino al fiume Strimone, che dal monte Scomio'scorre a traverso dei Graei e dei Leei, ove aveva confine il suo territorio dalla parte che guarda i Peonii, i quali di lì in poi sono liberi. Dalla parte dei Triballi pure liberi lo confinavano i Treri ed i Tilatei. Abitano costoro a settentrione del monte Scomio, ed a ponente si stendono sino al fiume Oscio che nasce nel monte stesso, come pure il Nesto e l’Ebro. Cotesto monte è disabitato, vasto ed attaccato a Rodope.