Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.28

[1] Those that managed the state perceiving this and unable to hinder it, knowing also their own danger in case they were excluded out of the composition, they all jointly agreed to yield the city to Paches and his army with these conditions: to be proceeded withal at the pleasure of the people of Athens and to receive the army into the city; and that the Mytilenaeans should send ambassadors to Athens about their own business; and that Paches, till their return, should neither put in bonds, nor make slave of, nor slay any Mytilenaean. This was the effect of that composition.

[2] But such of the Mytilenaeans as had principally practised with the Lacedaemonians, being afraid of themselves, when the army was entered the city durst not trust to the conditions agreed on but took sanctuary at the altars. But Paches, having raised them upon promise to do them no injury, sent them to Tenedos to be in custody there till the people of Athens should have resolved what to do.

[3] After this he sent some galleys to Antissa and took in that town and ordered the affairs of his army as he thought convenient.

[1] The government, aware of their inability to prevent this, and of the danger they would be in, if left out of the capitulation, publicly agreed with Paches and the army to surrender Mitylene at discretion and to admit the troops into the town upon the understanding that the Mitylenians should be allowed to send an embassy to Athens to plead their cause, and that Paches should not imprison, make slaves of, or put to death any of the citizens until its return.

[2] Such were the terms of the capitulation; in spite of which the chief authors of the negotiation with Lacedaemon were so completely overcome by terror when the army entered, that they went and seated themselves by the altars, from which they were raised up by Paches under promise that he would do them no wrong, and lodged by him in Tenedos , until he should learn the pleasure of the Athenians concerning them .

[3] Paches also sent some triremes and seized Antissa , and took such other military measures as he thought advisable.

Da nun die am Ruder waren wohl sahen, daß sie nicht
im Stande wären jenes zu hindern, und daß sie große Gefahr liefen,
wenn sie von dem Vergleiche ausgeschlossen würden, so schlossen sie im
Namen des ganzen Gemeinwesens einen Vertrag mit Paches und dem
Heere unter solchen Bedingungen, daß es den Athenern anheimgestellt
sein sollte, über die Mytilenäer zu verfügen, wie es ihnen gutdünkc.
Inzwischen wollten sie das Heer in die Stadt aufnehmen und eine
Gesandtschaft nach Athen schicken, dort ihre eigene Sache zu vertreten.
Bis diese wieder zurückgekommen, dürfe Paches keinen Mytilenäer
weder in das Gefängniß werfen, noch in die Knechtschaft verkaufen, noch
tödten. Also lautete der Vergleich. Die aber von den Mytilenäern
am meisten zu den Lakedämoniern gehalten hatten, waren nun sehr in
Furcht, und als das Heer einzog, trauten sie nicht, sondern flüchteten
gleichwohl noch vorher zu den Altären. Paches aber bewog sie,
herauszutreten, indem er versprach, sie nicht zu kränken, und verwahrte
sie auf Tenedos, bis die Athener Beschluß gefaßt hätten. Er schickte
aber auch nach Antissa Dreiruderer und erzwang die Uebergabe, und
schaltete auch im Uebrigen mit der Flotte, wie es ihm gutdünkte.

XXVIII. Ceux qui étaient à la tête des affaires, voyant qu’ils n’étaient pas en état de résister au peuple, et qu’il y aurait danger pour eux-mêmes à être exclus de la capitulation, firent avec Pachès et son armée une convention, commune à tous les citoyens ; elle portait que les Mytiléniens s’en remettaient complètement à la discrétion des Athéniens, qu’ils recevraient l’armée dans la ville, et enverraient des ambassadeurs à Athènes pour traiter de leurs intérêts. Jusqu’à leur retour. Pachès s’engageait à ne mettre aucun Mytilénien dans les fers, à ne réduire en servitude et à ne faire périr personne. Telle fut la convention. Ceux des Mytiléniens qui s’étaient montrés le plus favorables aux Lacédémoniens, saisis de crainte lors de l’entrée des ennemis, ne purent maîtriser leur défiance et, malgré les garanties du traité, allèrent s’asseoir au pied des autels. Pachès les fit relever, promit de ne leur faire aucun mal, et les déposa à Ténédos jusqu’à ce que les Athéniens eussent décidé de leur sort. Il envoya ensuite des trirèmes à Antissa, s’en rendit maître, et prit sous le rapport militaire les dispositions qu’il jugea convenables.

Les magistrats, sentant qu’il n’était plus possible de contenir le peuple et qu’ils avaient tout à craindre s’ils étaient exclus de la capitulation, traitèrent en commun avec Pachès et son armée. Il fut stipulé que les Mytiléniens s’en remettraient à la décision des Athéniens ; qu’ils recevraient l’armée dans leur ville; qu’enfin ils enverraient à Athènes des députés chargés de défendre leurs intérêts. Jusqu’à leur retour, Pachès s’engageait à ne mettre ni aux fers ni en esclavage ni à mort aucun Mytilénien. Tels furent les termes de la capitulation. Néanmoins ceux qui avaient entretenu le plus de relations avec Lacédémone, furent saisis de frayeur à l’entrée de l’armée ; et, ne se croyant pas en sûreté, ils allèrent s’asseoir au pied des autels. Pachès les releva sous promesse de ne leur faire aucun mal, et les mit en dépôt à Tenedos, jusqu’à ce que les Athéniens eussent statué sur leur sort.

Il détacha aussi quelques trirèmes contre Antissa, dont il se rendit maître, et prit toutes les mesures militaires qu’il jugea convenables.

[1] Thereupon the men in authority, realizing that they could not prevent this and that they would be in peril if excluded from the capitulation, joined the commons in making an agreement with Paches and his army. The conditions were that the Athenian state should have the power to decide as they pleased about the fate of the Mytileneans and that the besieging army should be admitted into the city; but it was conceded that the Mytilenaeans might send an embassy to Athens to treat for terms, Paches, meanwhile, until the return of the embassy, agreeing not to imprison or enslave or put to death any Mytilenaean. Such was the agreement.

[2] But those of the Mytilenaeans who had been most involved in the intrigue with the Lacedaemonians were in great terror when the army entered the town, and could not keep quiet, but notwithstanding the agreement took refuge at the altars. Paches, however, induced them to leave the altars, promising to do them no injury, and placed them for safe keeping in Tenedos until the Athenians should reach a decision.

[3] He also sent triremes to Antissa and took possession of it, and made such other dispositions with reference to the army as seemed best to him.

[1] The members of the government, knowing that they would not be able to prevent them, and that they would themselves be exposed to danger if excluded from the arrangement, made a general agreement with Paches and the army, that the Athenians should be at liberty to adopt what measures they chose respecting the Mytilenaeans; that they should receive the army into the city, and send ambassadors to Athens to plead their cause; and that until they returned, Paches should neither throw into prison, nor reduce to slavery, nor put to death, any of the Mytilenaeans. This was the nature of the agreement:

[2] but those of the inhabitants who had been most prominent in negotiating with the Lacedaemonians, were very much alarmed when the army entered the city, and could not restrain themselves, but went and seated themselves by the altars, notwithstanding [the assurances that had been given]. Paches, however, raised them up with a promise to do them no harm, and deposited them in Tenedos until the Athenians should have come to some determination about them.

[3] He also sent some triremes to Antissa, and won the place over; and arranged all other matters concerning the forces as he pleased.

[1] Quae ubi illi, qui reipublicae praeerant, intellexerunt, quoniam nec impedire poterant, et periculum instabat, si compositione excluderentur, communiter paciscuntur cum Pachete ejusqne copiis, ut Atheniensibus arbitratu suo de Mytilenaeis statuere liceret, ipsique exercitum in urbem reciperent, legationem autem Mytilenaei pro se ipsis Athenas mitterent; interea vero, dum redirent, Pacbes neminem Mytilenaeorum neque in vincula conjiceret, neque in servitutem redigeret, neque occideret.

[2] Atque compositio quidem haec foit At illi Mytilenaeorum qui potissimum cum Lacedaemoniis egerant, sibi vehementer metuentes, postquam exercitus est ingressus, non acquieverant, sed tamen ad aras consederant. Paches vero eos illinc excitatos, ne quid injuriae iis fieret, in Tenedum custodiendos transmittit , donec Athenienses aliquid statuissent.

[3] Triremibus etiam Antissam missis eam sibi abjunxit, et cetera, quae ad exercitum pertinebant, arbitratu suo constituebat.

[1] Wenn es bisher bei den Rednern an dieser Stätte fast allgemeiner Brauch geworden, den Mann zu rühmen, der mit der Bestattung diese Rede verband, weil an dem Grabe gefallener Krieger ein ehrendes Wort sich zieme, so würde ich es für hinreichend gehalten haben, dass man Helden der That mit einer festlichen Handlung ehre, — wie das denn der Staat durch die Bestattung gethan hat, deren Zeugen ihr so eben gewesen — und würde die Verherrlichung so vieler Männer nicht einem Einzelnen und der zufälligen Wirkung seines Vortrags anheimgegeben haben.

Quelli che erano al maneggio del governo vedendosi mal atti a contenerli, ed in pericolo se restassero esclusi dalla capitolazione, ristrettisi insieme, fanno accordo con Pachete e col suo esercito, a patto che gli Ateniesi potessero, come più loro piacesse, risolvere intorno ai Mitilenei : che questi gli ammetterebbero in città, e spedirebbero ad Atene ambasceria per trattar dei propri affari ; e che fino al ritorno dell’ambasceria Pachete non dovesse nè incarcerare, nè fare schiavo, nè uccidere veruno dei Mitilenei. Tale fu questa convenzione. Ma quei Mitilenei che più manifestamente si erano intromessi coi Lacedemoni, impauriti oltre misura, all’entrar dell’esercito non patirono di rimanersi ; anzi, nonostante la capitolazione , si assidono presso gli altari. Pachete però fatj tili alzare colla promessa di non far loro alcun male, li deposita in Tenedo fino alla risoluzione degli Ateniesi. Spedi delle triremi anche ad Antissa e se ne impadronì ; ed acconciò del rimanente l’esercito in quella guisa che gli sembrò più opportuna.