Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.54

[1] "Nevertheless, we will produce our reasons of equity against the quarrel of the Thebans and withal make mention of our services done both to you and to the rest of Greece, and make trial if by any means we can persuade you.

[2] As to that short interrogatory, whether we have any way done good in this present war to the Lacedaemonians and their confederates, or not, if you ask us as enemies, we say that, if we have done them no good, we have also done them no wrong;

[3] if you ask us as friends, then we say that they rather have done us the injury in that they made war upon us. But in the time of the peace and in the war against the Medes we behaved ourselves well;

[4] for the one we brake not first, and in the other we were the only Boeotians that joined with you for the delivery of Greece. For though we dwell up in the land, yet we fought by sea at Artemisium; and in the battle fought in this our own territory, we were with you; and whatsoever dangers the Grecians in those times underwent, we were partakers of all, even beyond our strength.

[5] And unto you, Lacedaemonians, in particular, when Sparta was in greatest affright after the earthquake, upon the rebellion of the Helotes and seizing of Ithome, we sent the third part of our power to assist you, which you have no reason to forget.

[1] Nevertheless, we will place before you what we can justly urge, not only on the question of the quarrel which the Thebans have against us, but also as addressing you and the rest of the Hellenes; and we will remind you of our good services, and endeavor to prevail with you.

[2] To your short question, whether we have done the Lacedaemonians and allies any service in this war, we say, if you ask us as enemies, that to refrain from serving you was not to do you injury; if as friends, that you are more in fault for having marched against us.

[3] During the peace, and against the Mede , we acted well: we have not now been the first to break the peace, and we were the only Boeotians who then joined in defending against the Mede the liberty of Hellas .

[4] Although an inland people, we were present at the action at Artemisium ; in the battle that took place in our territory we fought by the side of yourselves and Pausanias; and in all the other Hellenic exploits of the time we took a part quite out of proportion to our strength.

[5] Besides, you, as Lacedaemonians, ought not to forget that at the time of the great panic at Sparta , after the earthquake, caused by the secession of the Helots to Ithome , we sent the third part of our citizens to assist you.

„Gleichwohl wollen wir vorbringen, was wir an Rechts-
gründen in Betreff unserer MißHelligkeiten mit den Thebanern haben,
und die Erinnerung an das wachrufen, was wir euch und den andern
Hellenen Gutes gethan, und eben damit wollen wir euch zu überreden
versuchen. Auf eure kurze Frage, ob wir in dem gegenwärtigen Kriege
um die Lakedämonier und ihre Bundesgenossen uns ein Verdienst
erworben, geben wir zur Antwort: Fragt ihr uns als Feinde, so ist euch
von uns kein Unrecht geschehen, wenn ihr nichts Gutes von uns
empfangen habt; laßt ihr uns aber als Freunde gelten, so habt ihr das
größere Unrecht begangen, da ihr uns mit Krieg überzöget. Sowohl
im Frieden als auch im Kampfe gegen die Meder haben wir uns als
wackere Männer erzeigt, denn den Frieden haben wir jetzt nicht zuerst
gebrochen, und damals haben wir allein von allen Böotiern zur
Befreiung von Hellas die Waffen mit euch vereinigt. Denn obwohl wir
Festlandsbewohner sind, haben wir doch zur See bei Artemision
mitgekämpft, und in der Schlacht, die hier auf unserem eigenen Boden
geliefert wurde, haben wir bei euch und dem Pausanias gestanden,
und wenn damals noch sonst etwas Anderes sich ereignete, woher den
Hellenen Gefahr drohte, so haben wir über Vermögen an Allem uns
betheiligt, und euch insbesondere, ihr Lakedämonier, als damals die ¹
größte Gefahr Sparta umdrohte, da nach dem Erdbeben die Heloten
aufstanden und sich nach Jthome warfen, haben wir den dritten Theil
unserer eigenen Bürgermannschaft zur Hülfe gesandt ^'). Unrecht ist
es, das zu vergessen."

LIV. « Néanmoins, après avoir exposé quels sont, dans notre différend avec les Thébains, nos droits en regard de vous et des autres Grecs, nous rappellerons nos services et tâcherons de vous persuader. A cette courte question : « Si, dans cette guerre, nous avons fait quelque bien aux Lacédémoniens et à leurs alliés, » nous répondons que, si vous nous interrogez comme ennemis, nous ne sommes pas coupables de ne pas vous avoir fait de bien, et que, si vous nous regardez comme amis, la faute est bien plutôt à vous d’être venus nous combattre. Soit dans la paix, soit dans la guerre contre le Mède, nous nous sommes montrés irréprochables ; ce n’est pas nous qui, dernièrement, avons les premiers rompu la paix ; et jadis on nous vit, seuls des Béotiens, concourir à la liberté de la Grèce ¹ . Habitant le continent, nous avons néanmoins combattu sur mer à Arté- misium. Dans la bataille livrée sur notre territoire, nous étions également avec vous et Pausanias. Tous les autres dangers qui ont pu menacer la Grèce à cette époque, nous les avons partagés dans la mesure de nos forces ; et vous-mêmes, en particulier, Lacédémoniens, quand une immense terreur enveloppait Sparte, quand, après le tremblement de terre, les Hilotes révoltés s’enfermèrent dans Ithome, vous avez vu arriver à votre secours le tiers de nos forces. De tels services ne doi- vent point être oubliés.

« Néanmoins nous essayerons de nous défendre en exposant, d'une part, la justice de notre conduite dans nos démêlés avec les Thébains, de l’autre les droits que nous avons à votre reconnaissance et à celle de toute la Grèce.

« Et d’abord, quant à la question sommaire qui nous est posée : c Avez-vous, dans le cours de la guerre actuelle, rendu « quelque service aux Lacédémoniens et à leurs alliés? » voici notre réponse : Si c'est à des ennemis que cette question s’adresse, vous ne devez pas trouver mauvais qu’ils ne vous aient rendu aucun service ; si au contraire c’est à des amis, ce serait plutôt vous qui seriez coupables d’avoir tourné vos armes contre eux. Mais où notre conduite fut exemplaire, ce fut pendant la paix et dans la guerre contre le Barbare. Nous ne rompîmes point celle-là les premiers, et seuls des Béotiens nous combattîmes celui-ci pour la liberté de la Grèce. Bien qu'habitant la terre ferme, nous prîmes part au combat naval de l'Artémision ; et, dans la journée qui eut lieu sur notre territoire, nous étions près de vous et de Pausanias ¹ . Tous les autres dangers qui, dans ce temps, menacèrent les Grecs, nous les partageâmes avec un zèle au-dessus de nos forces. Lorsque, après le tremblement de terre et la retraite des Hilotes sur le mont lthome, Sparte était plongée dans la consternation, nous envoyâmes à votre secours le tiers de nos citoyens ² . Ce sont là de ces traits qui méritent de n’être pas oubliés.

[1] "Nevertheless, we shall present whatever just claims we have, both as regards our quarrel with the Thebans and as touching you and the rest of the Hellenes, and thus, by reminding you of our public services, shall try to persuade you.

[2] In reply to the curt inquiry of yours, whether we have rendered any good service to the Lacedaemonians and their allies in this war, if you ask us as enemies, we say that you are not wronged if you did not receive benefit at our hands; but if in asking it you regard us as friends, we reply that you yourselves rather than we are at fault, in that you made war upon us.

[3] But in the war against the Persians and during the peace which followed we have proved ourselves good and true men; we have not now been the first to break the peace, and then we were the only Boeotians ¹ who rallied to defend the freedom of Hellas.

[4] For though we are an inland people, we took part in the sea-fight at Artemisium; in the battle that was fought here in our own land ² we stood side by side with you and Pausanias; and whatever perils arose to threaten the Hellenes in those days, we bore our part in them all beyond our strength.

[5] And to you in particular, Lacedaemonians, at that critical moment when after the earthquake Sparta was encompassed by a mighty terror owing to the revolt of the Helots and their occupation of Ithome, we sent a third part of our citizens to bring aid. These are things you ought not to forget.

[1] " Nevertheless, while we urge what claims of justice we have, both against the Thebans, and with respect to you, and the rest of the Greeks, we will remind you of our good deeds, and endeavour to persuade you [to have mercy on us].

[2] With regard then to your brief question, 'whether we have done any service to the Lacedaemonians and the allies in this war,' we say, that if you ask us as enemies, you are not wronged by us, though you should have received no good at our hands; and that if you consider us as friends, you are yourselves more in the wrong, for having marched against us.

[3] With respect, however, to what happened during the peace, and in opposition to the Mede, we proved ourselves good and true men; for we have not now been the first to break the peace, and we were then the only part of the Boeotians who joined in attacking the Mede for the liberty of Greece.

[4] Even though we are an inland people, we were present in the sea-fight at Artemisium, and in the battle fought in our territory we stood by you and Pausanias; and whatever other perilous achievement was performed by the Greeks, we took part in every thing beyond our strength.

[5] And to you, Lacedaemonians, in particular, at the very time when, after the earthquake, the greatest alarm surrounded Sparta, because of the Helots who had established themselves in revolt at Ithome, we sent the third part of our own people to your assistance: and you ought not to forget this.

[1] « Nihilo tamen minus proferentes quidquid juris habemus et adversus Thebanorum simultates et adversus vos reliquosque Graecos, beneficia nostra commemorabimus, et flectere vos conabimur.

[2] Respondemus enim ad vestram illam perbrevem interrogationem, nunquid in hoc bello de Lacedaemoniis eorumque sociis aliquo modo bene meriti simus, si nos ut hostes interrogatis, nullam vobis injuriam fieri, quod nullis beneficiis affecti estis; amicos vero si nos ducitis, vos potius peccare, qui bellum nobis intuleritis.

[3] Quod autem ad pacem attinet, et ad bellum contra Medos gestum, bonorum virorum officium fecimus, quippe qui illam quidem non violavimus nunc priores, hos vero tunc soli ex omnibus Boeotis una vobis-cum pro libertate Graecorum aggressi sumus.

[4] Nam, quamvis in locis mediterraneis habitaremus, tamen navale proelium ad Artemisium commisimus, et quum in agro nostro pugna commissa est, in ea vobis Pausaniaeque adfuimus; et si qua alia res per id tempus periculum Graecis minaretur, omnium participes supra vires exstitimus.

[5] Vobis etiam, Lacedaemonii, privatim, quum maximus terror Spartam circumstetit, post terrae motum, quo tempore Helotes defectione a vobis facta in Ithomen se receperant, tertiam nostrae civitatis partem auxilio misimus; quarum rerum memoriam vos deponere non decet.

[1] Männer von Sicilien! Ihr wisset, nicht die Ohnmacht meiner Vaterstadt oder ihre Erschöpfung durch den Krieg ist es, was mir diese Worte eingibt, sondern allein die uneigennützige Absicht, dem gesamten Sicilien den besten Rath zu ertheilen, den es nach meiner Ueberzeugung für dasselbe gibt. Ich möchte von dem Krieg und seinen Leiden anheben und über seine zahllosen Uebel mich verbreiten; indes ihr kennet sie ja. Denn so wenig Unkunde die Schuld trägt an einem aufgenöthigten Kriege, ebensowenig lässt sich die Eroberungslust durch Furcht von ihm zurückschrecken. Natürlich; ihr ¹ erscheinen die Vortheile grösser als die Gefahren, während man dort sich lieber den Kriegsgefahren aussetzen will, um einem gewissen Verlust zu entgehen. Aber eben wenn es sich ergibt, dass beide Grundsätze zur Unzeit in Anwendung gebracht werden, dann ist eine Mahnung zur Friedfertigkeit am Platze. Dies ist gerade unser Fall, und es liegt alles daran, dass wir uns davon überzeugen.

Hat uns nicht alle bisher die Erwägung unserer Sonderinteressen geleitet in diesem Kriege wie heute bei unsern Friedensvorschlägen, wo wieder hin und hergerechtet wird, und falls es nicht jedem gelingt, zu seinem Rechte zu kommen, der Wiederausbruch des Krieges in gewisser Aussicht steht?

« Nondimeno esponendo i nostri giusti titoli di difesa riguardo alle differenze coi Tebani, come ancora rispetto a voi ed agli altri Greci, faremo menzione dei servigi nostri per tentar di persuadervi. Quanto alla breve domanda « se in questa guerra abbiamo fatto alcun bene ai Lacedemoni ed agli alleati » se ci interrogate come nemici , rispondiamo, non aver noi oprato ingiustamente contro di voi, se non vi abbiamo giovato ; se come amici, aver voi più presto il torto , che ci portaste contro le armi. Quanto poi alla pace ed alla guerra col Medo abbiamo fatto il debito nostro ; perchè quella non violammo i primi, a questa soli noi tra' Beozi allora concorremmo con voi per la libertà di Grecia : e benché gente di terraferma venimmo a naval combattimento con lui presso Artemisio ; e nell’altra battaglia avvenuta sul nostro suolo ci unimmo a voi ed a Pausania : e se altro pericolo in qnei tempi sovrastò ai Greci, di tutti partecipammo oltre le forze nostre. Ma per voi stessi, o Lacedemoni, noi spedimmo in aiuto la terza parte di nostre genti, quando dopo il terremoto, ritiratisi gli Iloti ad Itome , trovossi Sparta nel massimo sbigottimento : or questi fatti non sono da porre in dimenticanza.