Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.113

[1] The next day there came a herald from those Ambraciotes which fled from Olpae into Agrais to demand leave to carry away the bodies of those dead which were slain after the first battle, when without truce they went away together with the Mantineans and with those that had truce.

[2] But when the herald saw the armours of those Ambraciotes that came from the city, he wondered at the number, for he knew nothing of this last blow but thought they had been armours of those with them.

[3] Then one asked him what he wondered at and how many he thought were slain; for he that asked him the question thought, on the other side, that he had been a herald sent from those at Idomene. And he answered, about two hundred. Then he that asked replied and said: Then these are not the armours of them, but of above a thousand. —

[4] Then, said he again, they belong not to them that were in battle with us. The other answered: Yes, if you fought yesterday in Idomene. — But we fought not yesterday at all, but the other day in our retreat. — But we yet fought yesterday with those Ambraciotes that came from the city to aid the rest.

[5] When the herald heard that and knew that the aid from the city was defeated, he burst out into Aimees, and astonished with the greatness of the present loss, forthwith went his way without his errand and required the dead bodies no farther.

[6] For this loss was greater than, in the like number of days, happened to any one city of Greece in all this war. I have not written the number of the slain because it was said to be such as is incredible for the quantity of the city. But this I know: that if the Acarnanians and Amphilochians, as Demosthenes and the Athenians would have had them, would have subdued Ambracia, they might have done it even with the shout of their voices. But they feared now that if the Athenians possessed it, they would prove more troublesome neighbours unto them than the other.

[1] The next day arrived a herald from the Ambraciots who had fled from Olpae to the Agraeans, to ask leave to take up the dead that had fallen after the first engagement, when they left the camp with the Mantineans and their companions, without, like them, having had permission to do so.

[2] At the sight of the arms of the Ambraciots from the city, the herald was astonished at their number, knowing nothing of the disaster and fancying that they were those of their own party.

[3] Some one asked him what he was so astonished at, and how many of them had been killed, fancying in his turn that this was the herald from the troops at Idomene. He replied, ‘About two hundred;’ upon which his interrogator took him up, saying,

[4] ‘Why, the arms you see here are of more than a thousand.’ The herald replied, ‘Then they are not the arms of those who fought with us?’ The other answered, ‘Yes, they are, if at least you fought at Idomene yesterday.’ ‘But we fought with no one yesterday; but the day before in the retreat.’ ‘However that may be, we fought yesterday with those who came to reinforce you from the city of the Ambraciots.’

[5] When the herald heard this and knew that the reinforcement from the city had been destroyed, he broke into wailing, and stunned at the magnitude of the present evils, went away at once without having performed his errand, or again asking for the dead bodies.

[6] Indeed, this was by far the greatest disaster that befell any one Hellenic city in an equal number of days during this war; and I have not set down the number of the dead, because the amount stated seems so out of proportion to the size of the city as to be incredible. In any case I know that if the Acarnanians and Amphilochians had wished to take Ambracia as the Athenians and Demosthenes advised, they would have done so without striking a blow; as it was, they feared that if the Athenians had it they would be worse neighbors to them than the present.

Zu ihnen kam Tags darauf ein Herold der
Amprakioten, die von Olpä aus auf agräifches Gebiet entkommen waren, die
Verabfolgung ihrer Todten zu begehren, die nach der ersten Schlacht ^{1 2}
niedergehanen worden, als sie mit den Mantmeern und den m den
Vertrag Eingeschlossenen zu entkommen suchten, ohne in dem Vergleich
mit inbegriffen zu sein. Da nun der Herold die Waffenrüstungen
derer aus der Amprakiotischen Hauptstadt sah, wunderte er sich sehr
über die große Menge; denn er wußte nichts von dem neuen Unglück,
sondern glaubte, es seien die Waffen der mit ihnen selbst
Ausgezogenen. Da fragte ihn Einer, worüber er sich so wundere, und wie
viele von ihnen denn gefallen seien? Der so Fragende glaubte aber,
der Herold sei von denen von Jdomene. Dieser nun meinte,
ungefähr zweihundert. Darauf erwiderte der gefragt hatte: „Das
scheint doch nicht nach diesen Waffen da, sondern es sind ihrer mehr
als Tausend." „So können sie," sagte der Herold, „nicht von
unsern Leuten sein." „Doch freilich," erwiderte Jener, „dafern ihr
gestern bei Jdomene gefochten habt." „Aber wir haben gestern mit
Niemanden zu thun gehabt, sondern vorgestern bei dem Abzüge."
„Nun und wir haben gestern mit denen hier gefochten, die ans der
Amprakiotischen Hauptstadt zu Hülfe heranzogen." Wie der Herold
dieß hörte und nun wußte, daß der Zuzug aus ihrer Stadt
zusammengehauen sei, so seufzte er tief auf, und ganz außer sich über die
Größe des hereingebrochenen Unglücks, ging er zurück, ohne seines
Auftrags zu gedenken und verlangte nicht weiter die Ausfolgung
der Todten. Und in der That war im Verlaufe dieses Krieges dieß
das größte Unglück, welches eine hellenische Stadt im Raume so
weniger Tage erlitten hat. Die Zahl der Gefallenen habe ich nicht
niedershcreiben wollen, weil die, welche allgemein angegeben wird,
nicht in dem Verhältnis; zur Größe der Stadt steht, um glaublich zu
ershceinen. Amprakia aber, das weis; ich gewiß, hätten die
Akarnaner und Amphilochier im ersten Anschrei genommen, wenn sie hierin
den Athenern und dem Demosthenes hätten folgen wollen, die zur
Erstürmung aufforderten. Sie fürchteten jedoch, daß die Athener,
wenn sie die Stadt erst hätten, ihnen noch schwierigere Nachbarn
würden.

CXIII. Le lendemain, arriva près d’eux un héraut, de la part de ceux des Ambraciotes qui, d’Olpes, s’étaient réfugiés chez les Agréens. Il venait réclamer les corps de ceux qui avaient été tués après le premier combat, lorsque, sans être compris dans la convention, ils étaient sortis avec les Mantinéens et ceux que couvrait le traité. Le héraut, à l’aspect des armes prises sur les Ambraciotes de la ville, s’étonna d’en voir un si grand nombre ; car il ignorait le dernier désastre et pensait que c’étaient celles de ses compagnons. Quelqu’un lui demanda ce qui l’étonnait et combien ils avaient perdu de monde ; celui qui fai- sait cette question croyait, de son côté, que le héraut venait de la part de ceux d’Idomène. — Deux cents en tout, répondit celui-ci. — Mais, reprit celui qui l’interrogeait, ce ne sont pas là, ce semble, les armes de deux cents hommes, mais de plus de mille. — Alors, dit à son tour le héraut, ce ne sont pas les armes de ceux qui ont combattu avec nous. — Ce sont elles, reprit l’autre, si c’est vous qui avez combattu hier à Idomène. — Hier nous n’avons combattu contre personne, mais bien avant-hier dans notre retraite. — Et nous, c’est hier que nous avons combattu contre ceux-ci, qui étaient venus de la ville d’Ambracie au secours des leurs. A ces mots, le héraut comprit que le secours venu de la ville avait été défait ; il éclata en gémisse- ments, et, atterré par l’immensité de ce désastre, il se retira aussitôt sans remplir sa mission ni réclamer les morts. Ce fut, en effet, dans tout le cours de cette guerre, la plus grande catastrophe qu’une ville grecque ait éprouvée en aussi peu de jours. Je n’ai pas relaté le nombre des morts, parce que ce qu’on en rapporte n’est pas croyable, eu égard à l’importance de la ville. Ce que je sais, c’est que si les Acarnanes et les Amphiloquiens eussent voulu s’emparer de la ville, conformément à l’avis des Athéniens et de Démosthènes, ils pouvaient la prendre d’emblée ; mais ils craignaient alors que les Athéniens, maîtres de cette ville, ne devinssent pour eux des voisins trop incommodes.

Le lendemain arriva un héraut de la part des Ambraciotes réfugiés d’Olpæ chez les Agréens. Il demandait la permission de relever les corps des hommes tués à la suite du premier combat, lorsque, sans y être autorisés, ils étaient sortis avec les Mantinéens et autres protégés par la capitulation. Ce héraut, voyant les armes des Ambraciotes de la ville, n’en pouvait croire ses yeux; car il ignorait le désastre de la veille, et prenait ces armes pour celles de ses compagnons. Un des assistants, qui le croyait envoyé par ceux d’idomène, lui demanda la cause de sa surprise et combien d'hommes ils avaient perdus, c Environ deux cents, répondit le héraut.—Ce ne sont pas là les armes de deux cents hommes, mais de plus de mille. — Dans ce cas, ce ne sont pas celles de nos gens. — Ce sont elles, si vous avez combattu hier à Idomène. — Hier nous n’avons eu affaire avec personne ; c’est avant-hier, dans la retraite. —Et nous, c’est hier que nous nous sommes battus contre ceux-ci qui venaient d’Ambracie. » A ces mots le héraut comprit que le renfort parti de la ville avait été détruit. Atterré de cette catastrophe, il poussa un profond soupir et se retira immédiatement, sans remplir sa mission et sans réclamer les morts.

Ce fut dans cette guerre le plus grand désastre éprouvé par une ville grecque en si peu de jours. Je n’ai pas indiqué le nombre des morts, parce qu’on le fait monter à un chiffre incroyable , eu égard à la grandeur de la ville. Ce que je sais bien, c’est que si les Acamaniens et les Amphilochiens eussent voulu s’emparer d’Ambracie, comme Démosthène et les Athéniens le leur conseillaient, rien ne leur eût été plus aisé ; mais ils craignirent que les Athéniens, une fois maîtres de cette ville, ne fussent pour eux de dangereux voisins ¹ .

[1] On the next day a herald came to the Athenians from the Ambraciots who had escaped from Olpae and taken refuge among the Agraeans, to ask for the bodies of those who had been slain after the first battle, at the time when unprotected by a truce these attempted to leave Olpae along with the Mantineans and the others who were included in the truce.

[2] Now when the herald saw the arms taken from the Ambraciots who came from the city, he was amazed at their number; for he did not know of the recent disaster, but thought that the arms belonged to the men of his own division.

[3] And someone asked him why he was amazed, and how many of his comrades had been slain, the questioner on his part supposing that the herald had come from the forces which had fought at Idomene.

[4] The herald answered, “About two hundred.” The questioner said in reply, “These arms, though, are clearly not those of two hundred men, but of more than a thousand.” And again the herald said, “Then they are not the arms of our comrades in the battle.” The other answered, “They are, if it was you who fought yesterday at Idomene.” “But we did not fight with anyone yesterday;

[5] it was the day before yesterday, on the retreat.” “And it is certain that we fought yesterday with these men, who were coming to your aid from the city of the Ambraciots.” When the herald heard this and realized that the force which was coming to their relief from the city had perished. he lifted up his voice in lamentation and, stunned by the magnitude of the calamity before him, departed at once, forgetting his errand and making no request for the dead.

[6] Indeed this was the greatest calamity that befell any one Hellenic city in an equal number of days during the course of this whole war. The number of those who fell I have not recorded, seeing that the multitude reported to have perished is incredible when compared with the size of the city. I know, however, that if the Acarnanians and Amphilochians had been willing to hearken to the Athenians and Demosthenes and had made an attack upon Ambracia they would have taken it at the first onset; but as it was, they were afraid that the Athenians, if they had the town in their possession, would be more troublesome neighbours than the Ambraciots.

[1] The next day there came to them a herald from the Ambraciots who had fled from Olpae into Agraea, to ask permission to take up the dead whom they had slain after the first engagement, when they left the camp without permission with the Mantineans and those who had received it.

[2] At sight of the arms taken from the Ambraciots from the city, the herald was astonished at their number; for he was not acquainted with the disaster, but imagined that they had belonged to their own party.

[3] And some one asked him why he was so astonished; and how many of them had been killed; his interrogator again supposing him to be the herald from the troops at Idomene. He said, His interrogator, taking him up, said,

[4] The herald said in reply, He answered,

[5] When the herald heard that, and learned that the reinforcement from the city had been cut off, breaking out into wailing, and astounded at the magnitude of the present evils, he returned without executing his commission, and no longer asked back the bodies.

[6] For this was the greatest disaster that befell any one Grecian city in an equal number of days during the course of this war: and I have not recorded the numbers of the slain, because the multitude said to have fallen is incredible, in comparison with the size of the city. I know, however, that if the Acarnanians and Amphilochians had wished, in compliance with the advice of Demosthenes, to take Ambracia, they would have done so on the first assault: but as it was, they were afraid that the Athenians, if they had possession of it, might prove more troublesome neighbours to themselves.

[1] Et ad eos postero die venit caduceator missus ab Ampraciotis, qui ex Olpa ad Agraeos confugerant, petituras, ut liceret suscipere cadavera suorum, quos post primum pnrlium interfecerant, quum una cum Mantinensi-bus et ceteris, quibus abeundi potestas facta erat, ipsi nulla fide data egressi erant.

[2] Caduceator autem intuitus arma Ampradotarum, qui ex urbe prodierant, multitudinem admirabatur; cladis enim acceptae ignarus erat, sed ea opinabatur eorum esse, qui cum ipsis fuerant.

[3] Tunc vero aliquis eum interrogat, quidnam admiraretur, et quot ex ipsis putaret periisse, quum quidem is, qui interrogabat, rursus existimaret, istum caduceatorem ab illis missum, qui apud Idomenas erant. Ille vero respondit ducentos ferme.

[4] Contra vero interrogans ait: « non igitur haec eorum arma esse apparet, sed pius quam mille hominum. » Et ille rursus : « non eigo sunt eorum, qui nobiscum in acie steterunt. » Alter autem respondit : « siquidem voe apud Idomenen heri pugnabatis. » « Atqui nos heri cum nullo puguabamus sed, nudius tertios inter redeundum. » « At vero nos cum istis quidem heri, quum ex Ampra-ciotarum urbe nobis occurrissent, pugnabamus. »

Quum autem caduceator hocaudisset et intellexisset auxilium urbanum profligatum esse, ingemiscens et vehementer | commotus praesentium malorum magnitudine, discessit confcstini re infecta nec ulterius suorum cadavera flagitabat.

[6] Haec enim clades uni Graecae civitati intra totidem dies maxima accidit omnium in hoc bello. Ac caesorum numerum non scripsi, quia multitudo, quae dicitur interiisse, fidem superat, pro magnitudine quidem civitatis. Ampraciam autem sat scio Acarnanes et Amphilochi, si Atheniensibus ac Demostheni morem gerentes expugnare voluissent, primo statim clamore expugnassent; nunc autem timuerunt, ne Athenienses, si eam tenuissent, molestiores sibi accolae essent.

[1] So wenig geben wir uns Täuschungen hin über unser wahres Interesse. Und wer könnte euch auch ausser dem Eide eine festere Bürgschaft bieten, als diejenigen, deren Handlungen nach ihren Versprechungen beurtheilt zu dem Schlusse nöthigen, dass ihre Zusagen mit ihrem Vortheil zusammenfallen? Solltet ihr jedoch meinem Ansinnen euer Unvermögen entgegenhalten, dabei aber doch Schonung ansprechen von denen, die ihr von euch stosst; die Freiheit sei für euch zu gefahrlich, man solle sie nur denen anbieten, die sie auch anzunehmen im Stande seien und sie keinem wider seineu Willen aufdrängen, so werde ich die Götter und Heroen des Landes zu Zeugen aufrufen, dass meine redlichen Absichten verkannt werden, und werde zu Zwangsmitteln greifen und euer Land verheeren. Die Schuld ist fortan nicht auf mir, den eine doppelte Notwendigkeit mehr als genug entschuldigt. Sollen die Lacedämonier, wenn ihr nicht beitreten werdet, von eurer Feindschaft den Schaden haben und eure Geldmittel den Athem zufliessen lassen? Oder sollt ihr die Befreiung Griechenlands aus seiner Knechtschaft hintertreiben dürfen? Denn freilich ohne den Rechtsgrund eines (grossen) vaterländischen Interesses dürften wir nicht so verfahren ¹ , noch würde sich Sparta berufen fühlen, ein widerstrebendes Volk zu befreien. Ja wenn wir nach Herrschaft trachteten; allein wir streben vielmehr, dem Herrscherwesen ein Ende zu machen, so dass es Unrecht an der Mehrzahl wäre, wenn wir im Bewustsein, der Welt die Freiheit zu bringen, euer Widerstreben duldeten. Erwäget dies wohl und schätzet euch glücklich, zu eurem unvergänglichen Ruhme den ersten Grundstein für Griechenlands Befreiung zu legen, was euch die Verwüstung der eigenen Habe ersparen und der Stadt den gefeiertsten Namen erwerben wird.

Il dì seguente da parte degli Ambracioti, che da Olpa erano fuggiti presso gli Argei, venne agli Acarnani un araldo domandando di riprendere i cadaveri di quelli che erano rimasti uccisi il giorno dopo la prima battaglia, quando senza salvocondotto uscirono insieme co' Mantinei e con gli altri coi quali si era convenuto. Ma poiché vide le armi degli Ambracioti che dalla città erano andati a soccorso, fu sorpreso del gran numero, perchè non sapeva nulla di questa sconfitta, e credeva che fossero quelle de’ suoi compagni. Un tale domandollo di che maravigliasse, e quanti fossero i morti de’ loro ( domanda che faceva , credendo che l’araldo venisse da quei battuti a Idomene) , quegli rispose : circa dugento : e colui che lo aveva interrogato riprese : Queste non paiono certo le armi di dugento, ma bensì di più di mille. Non sono dunque (soggiunse l’araldo) di quei che combatterono con noi? Forse che sì, rispose l’altro, se pure ieri voi combatteste a Idomene. — Noi, ieri non combattemmo con alcuno ; ma sì ieri l’altro nel far la ritirata —• Fatto sta che noi combattemmo ieri con quelli che dalla città di Ambracia andavano a soccorso. L’araldo per queste parole avendo compreso che il rinforzo spedito dalla città era stato trucidato , diè un alto grido ; e stupefatto per la grandezza delle sciagure che aveva dinanzi agli occhi , partì senza effettuata alcuna cosa ; nè più richiese i cadaveri. Ed invero fu questa in una sola città greca la sconfitta più grande di quante ne accaddero in altrettanti giorni durante questa guerra : ed io non ho scritto il numero de’morti, perchè si dice che secondo la grandezza di quella città ne perisse una moltitudine incredibile. Quello che io so però è, che se gli Acarnani e gli Amfilochi, dando retta agli Ateniesi e a Demostene, avessero volute» conquistare l’Ambracia, ne sarebbero venuti a capo al primo assalto. Ma in tal caso temettero essi che tenendosi quei paese per gli Ateniesi, non gli avessero a provare confinanti troppo incomodi.