Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Theodor Braun (Translator), 3.55

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„So haben wir es in den alten großen Zeiten immer mit
euch gehalten. Später erst sind wir Feinde geworden, und
zwar durch eure Schuld. Denn damals, als die Thebaner uns
vergewaltigen wollten und wir euch um ein Bündnis baten,
habt ihr uns abgewiesen und unS geraten, uns an die Athener
zu wenden, die wir in der Nähe hätten, während ihr uns zu
fern wärt. In diesem Kriege aber haben wir euch doch wahr
lich nichts zuleide getan und würden das auch weiterhin
nicht getan haben. Wenn wir von den Athenern nicht ab
fallen wollten, wie ihr das verlangtet, so war das kein Unrecht.
Denn sie haben uns gegen die Thebaner beigestanden, als ihr
uns im Stich ließt, und es wäre nicht schön gewesen, wären
wir ihnen untreu geworden. Nachdem sie uns so viel Gutes
getan, uns auf unsere Bitten als Bundesgenossen angenommen
und uns zum Bürgerrechte zugelassen hatten, war es nur unsere
Pflicht und Schuldigkeit, ihren Befehlen bereitwillig nachzu
kommen. Wenn ihr beide euren Bundesgenossen etwas be
fehlt, was nicht recht ist, und sie gehorchen, so tun sie das
nicht auf ihre, sondern auf eure Verantwortung, weil sie euren
Willen tun müssen.

History of the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides. Theodor Braun (Translator). Leipzig. 1917.

Current edition First1KGreek

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs (German) (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Braun, Theodor, translator. Leipzig: Insel-Verlag, 1917.)

Editions (1)

Ἱστορίαι Perseus (Thucydides. Historiae, Vol 1-2. Jones, Henry Stuart, editor. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1910. (1942 printing).) — 3.55.1 focus

[1] ‘καὶ τὰ μὲν παλαιὰ καὶ μέγιστα τοιοῦτοι ἠξιώσαμεν εἶναι, πολέμιοι δὲ ἐγενόμεθα ὕστερον. ὑμεῖς δὲ αἴτιοι· δεομένων γὰρ ξυμμαχίας ὅτε Θηβαῖοι ἡμᾶς ἐβιάσαντο, ὑμεῖς ἀπεώσασθε καὶ πρὸς Ἀθηναίους ἐκελεύετε τραπέσθαι ὡς ἐγγὺς ὄντας, ὑμῶν δὲ μακρὰν ἀποικούντων.

[2] ἐν μέντοι τῷ πολέμῳ οὐδὲν ἐκπρεπέστερον ὑπὸ ἡμῶν οὔτε ἐπάθετε οὔτε ἐμελλήσατε.

[3] εἰ δ’ ἀποστῆναι Ἀθηναίων οὐκ ἠθελήσαμεν ὑμῶν κελευσάντων, οὐκ ἠδικοῦμεν· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι ἐβοήθουν ἡμῖν ἐναντία Θηβαίοις ὅτε ὑμεῖς ἀπωκνεῖτε, καὶ προδοῦναι αὐτοὺς οὐκέτι ἦν καλόν, ἄλλως τε καὶ οὓς εὖ παθών τις καὶ αὐτὸς δεόμενος προσηγάγετο ξυμμάχους καὶ πολιτείας μετέλαβεν, ἰέναι δὲ ἐς τὰ παραγγελλόμενα εἰκὸς ἦν προθύμως.

[4] ἃ δὲ ἑκάτεροι ἐξηγεῖσθε τοῖς ξυμμάχοις, οὐχ οἱ ἑπόμενοι αἴτιοι εἴ τι μὴ καλῶς ἐδρᾶτο, ἀλλ’ οἱ ἄγοντες ἐπὶ τὰ μὴ ὀρθῶς ἔχοντα.

Translations (10)

The History of the Grecian War Perseus (Thucydides. The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury. Hobbes, Thomas. translator. London: John Bohn, 1843.) — 3.55.1 focus

[1] "Such then we showed ourselves in those ancient and most important affairs. It is true, we have been your enemies since; but for that you are to blame yourselves. For when oppressed by the Thebans we sought league of you, you rejected us and bade us go to the Athenians that were nearer hand, yourselves being far off.

[2] Nevertheless, you neither have in this war nor were to have suffered at our hands anything that misbecame us.

[3] And if we denied to revolt from the Athenians when you bade us, we did you no injury in it. For they both aided us against the Thebans when you shrunk from us, and it was now no more any honesty to betray them, especially having been well used by them, and we ourselves having sought their league and being made denizens also of their city.

[4] Nay, we ought rather to have followed them in all their commands with alacrity. When you or the Athenians have the leading of the confederates, if evil be done, not they that follow are culpable but you that lead to the evil.

History of the Peloponnesian War Perseus (Thucydides. History of the Peloponnesian War. Crawley, Richard, translator. London and Toronto: J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.; New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1914.) — 3.55.1 focus

[1] On these great and historical occasions such was the part that we chose, although afterwards we became your enemies. For this you were to blame. When we asked for your alliance against our Theban oppressors, you rejected our petition, and told us to go to the Athenians who were our neighbors, as you lived too far off.

[2] In the war we never have done to you, and never should have done to you, anything unreasonable.

[3] If we refused to desert the Athenians when you asked us, we did no wrong; they had helped us against the Thebans when you drew back, and we could no longer give them up with honor; especially as we had obtained their alliance and had been admitted to their citizenship at our own request, and after receiving benefits at their hands; but it was plainly our duty loyally to obey their orders.

[4] Besides, the faults that either of you may commit in your supremacy must be laid, not upon the followers, but on the chiefs that lead them astray.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 3.55 focus

„In den großen Ereignissen der alten Zeit haben wir uns
also als solche Männer zu zeigen getrachtet; eure Feinde aber sind wir
erst später geworden, und davon trüget ihr die Schuld; denn da wir
um eure Bundesgenossenschast nachsuchten, weil uns die Thebaner zu
vergewaltigen trachteten, habt ihr uns zurückgewiesen und gerathen,
uns an die Athener zu wenden, da diese näher bei uns, ihr aber zu
weit entfernt wohntet. In diesem Kriege aber habt ihr von uns nichts
Sonderliches zu leiden gehabt, noch durftet ihr es überhaupt erwarten.
Wenn wir trotz eures Befehles von den Athenern nicht abfallen
wollten, so haben wir damit kein Unrecht gethan, denn auch jene haben
uns gegen die Thebaner beigestanden, als ihr uns von der Hand
wieset. Sie zu verrathen wäre nicht schön gewesen, zumal wir von ihnen
nur Gutes empfangen und sie durch unsere eigenen Bitten zu
Bundesgenossen gewonnen und an ihrem Bürgerrecht Theil erlangt haben.
Vielmehr war es selbstverständlich, daß wir ihren Befehlen eifrig
nachkamen. Was aber ihr beiden ^Lakedämonier und Atheners als
Führer euren Bundesgenossen vorshcriebet, davon fällt keine Schuld ¹²
auf die, welche euch folgten, wenn ihr irgend ein Unrecht beginget, ³
sondern auf euch selbst, die ihr zum Unrecht Anleitung gabt." <

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 3.55 focus

LV. « Voilà ce que nous avons cru devoir faire jadis, dans ces occasions mémorables. Si, depuis lors, nous sommes devenus ennemis, la faute en est à vous. Quand, opprimés par les Thébains, nous avons dû recourir à une alliance, vous nous avez repoussés ; vous nous avez conseillé de nous tourner vers les Athéniens, sous prétexte qu’ils étaient près de nous, et que vous étiez trop éloignés. Et pourtant, dans la guerre, vous n’avez reçu de nous aucune injure grave ; vous n’en aviez aucune à redouter pour l’avenir. Sans doute, nous avons refusé de nous détacher des Athéniens, malgré vos injonctions ; mais il n’y a là aucun crime : ils nous avaient secourus contre les Thébains, quand vous refusiez d’agir ; il eùt été mal de les trahir ensuite, surtout après avoir éprouvé leurs bienfaits, après avoir réclamé nousmêmes leur alliance dans un moment de détresse, et obtenu chez eux le droit de cité ; notre devoir était, au contraire, de déférer avec empressement à leurs ordres. Quant aux entreprises auxquelles vous avez les uns et les autres entraîné vos alliés, s’il en est de répréhensibles, la faute n’en est pas à ceux qui vous ont suivis, mais à vous, qui les dirigiez dans des actes condamnables.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 3.55 focus

« Tels sont les services que nous vous rendîmes jadis. Si depuis lors nous sommes devenus vos ennemis, c’est uniquement par votre faute. Lorsque, opprimés par les Tliébains, nous eûmes recours à votre alliance, vous nous renvoyâtes aux Athéniens, sous prétexte qu’ils étaient proches et vous trop éloignés¹. Toutefois, durant cette guerre, vous n’avez reçu de nous, ni de près ni de loin, aucune offense signalée. Il est vrai que, malgré vos instances, nous avons refusé d’abandonner les Athéniens. Mais comment nous en faire un crime ? Ne nous avaient-ils pas protégés contre les Thébains, quand vous refusiez de le faire? C’eût été nue honte de les trahir après avoir reçu leurs bienfaits, sollicité leur appui, et obtenu chez eux le droit de cité ². Dans les ordres que les uns ou les autres vous intimez à vos alliés, s’il y a quelque chose de répréhensible, ceux qui donnent l’impulsion vers le mal sont plus à blâmer que ceux qui la reçoivent.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides, Vol. 1-4. Smith, Charles Foster, translator. London and Cambridge, MA: Heinemann and Harvard University Press, 1919-1923.) — 3.55.1 focus

[1] "Such was the part we were proud to play in the great actions of the past. It was not until later that we became your enemies, and for this you yourselves were to blame; for when the Thebans oppressed us and we sought alliance with you, you rebuffed us and bade us apply to the Athenians, because they were near, whereas you lived far away.

[2] In the course of this war, however, you have neither suffered, nor were ever in danger of suffering, any extraordinary harm at our hands.

[3] And if we refused to revolt from the Athenians at your bidding, we were not in the wrong; for they helped us against the Thebans when you held back. After that it would not have been honourable for us to desert them, above all when we were their debtors and when at our own request we had been admitted to their alliance and had shared the rights of citizenship with them. On the contrary, there was every reason why we should heartily obey their commands.

[4] And whatever measures either you or they have initiated for your allies, it is not the followers who are to blame for any wrong that has been done, but those who have led them into evil courses.

History of the Peloponnesian War First1KGreek (Thucydides. The history of the Peloponnesian War, Volume 1-2. Dale, Henry, translator. London: Heinemann and Henry G. Bohn, 1851-1852.) — 3.55.1 focus

[1] "With regard to events of early date, and of the greatest importance, such was the part we thought right to act; though afterwards we became your enemies. But it is you that are to blame for that; for on our requesting an alliance with you, when the Thebans had used violence towards us, you rejected our suit, and told us to apply to the Athenians, since they were near to us, whereas you lived far away from us.

[2] In the war, however, you neither suffered, nor would have suffered, any improper treatment from us.

[3] But if we would not revolt from the Athenians at your bidding, we did no wrong in that; for it was they who assisted us against the Thebans, when you refused; and to give them up would not then have been honourable—especially as we had taken them for allies after receiving good from them, and at our own request, and had shared the rights of citizenship with them—but it was only reasonable that we should heartily obey their commands.

[4] And as to the measures in which either of you take the lead of your allies, it is not those who follow that are to blame, if you have ever done any thing wrong, but those who lead them on to what is not right.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 3.55.1 focus

[1] « Atque in veteribus quidem et maximis rebus tales nos praestare non dubitavimus; postea vero facti sumus hostes. Sed vos in culpa fuistis; quum enim a vobis peteremus, ut in vestram societatem nos reciperetis, tum quum Thebani vim nobis intulerant, nos rejecistis, et imperabatis, ut ad Athenienses nos converteremus, quod illi quidem essent vicini, vos vero in loco valde remoto habitaretis.

[2] In bello* tamen nullam insignem injuriam a nobis accepistis, nec accepturi eratis.

[3] Si vero ab Atheniensibus vestro jussu deficere noluimus, non injuste faciebamus; illi enim contra Thebanos auxilium nobis ferebant, quum vos tergiversabamini , nec amplius honestum erat eos prodere, praesertim homines , quos quis accepto beneficio suis ipse precibus in societatem adduxit, et a quibus civitate donatus est; imo vero ire decebat ad illorum imperata alacriter facienda.

[4] Sed quae utrique pro imperio vestro praei Us sociis, horum culpa non penes illos est, qui sequuntur, si quid non honeste faciebatis, sed penes illos, qui ad res pravas adducunt

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 2.59.1 focus

[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; ihr¹ 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?

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 3.55 focus

« Tali cr gloriammo d’essere nei tempi andati e nei più grandi bisogui : e se poi vi divenimmo nemici la colpa è tutta vostra« Conciossiachè urtati dai Tebani vi richiedemmo di alleanza , ma ci rifiutaste e ci confortaste a volgerci agli Ateniesi perchè vicini , mentre voi abitar vate lontano : pure in questa guerra non avete per noi sofferto nulla di strano , e non eravate per soffrirlo. Se poi ai vostri inviti non volemmo staccarci dagli Ateniesi, non però vi abbiamo ingiuriato ; dappoiché essi ci soccor-«ero contro i Tebani, mentre voi ve ne svogliaste. Il perchè non era più onesta cosa tradir quelli che aveano meritato di noi, e che per le nostre preghiere ci avevano ricevuto nella lega , ed ascritti alla loro cittadinanza : anzi richiedeva il decoro che seguissimo prontamente i loro comandamenti. Ora nelle imprese alle quali entrambi conducete gli alleati, non sono colpevoli quei che vi seguono, se qualche cosa men che onesta facciate ; ma bensì voi f che gli scorgete ad opere non buone.

Commentary

Commentary on Thucydides: Book 3 (Thucydides, Book III. Marchant, Edgar C., editor. London: Macmillan and Company, 1909.) focus

δεομένων γὰρ ξυμμαχίας —in 519 or 509 B.C. (see on c. 68, 5) Plataea, πιεζεύμενοι ὑπὸ Θηβαίων (Herod. VI. 108 ), applied to king Cleomenes to be admitted to alliance with Sparta.—Note (1) absence of noun with δεομένων, see c. 34, 3 n.: (2) gen. abs. though ἀπεώσασθε follows, a common sacrifice of form to sense in Herod. and Thuc.; for this variety cf. II. 5 ἀναχωρησάντων δὲ πάλιν (sc. αὐτῶν) ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἀποδώσειν αὐτοῖς.

ἀποικούντων —for the case here cf. II. 8 ἐς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίους, ἄλλως τε καὶ προειπόντων .

ἐν . . τῷ πολέμῳ —viz. ‘this war,’ as often in Thuc.

ὑμῶν κελευσάντων —this occurred in 429 B.C, when the Peloponnesians marched against Plataea. The demand was that Plataea should either join the Lacedaemonian alliance or remain neutral.

εὖ παθών —what services Plataea had received from Athens before she ‘won the alliance’ of 519 (or 509) B.C. is not known.

τις of course, means the Plataeans.

πολιτείας μετέλαβεν —this passage and c. 63 clearly imply that Athenian citizenship in some form was granted to Plataeans settling at Athens since the original alliance; and Isocr. Piat. 51, Pan. 49, Lysias XX III. 2, and [Dem.] c. Neaer. do not make this assumption impossible. But in II. Thuc. speaks only of a ξυμμαχία between Plataea and Athens, and possibly Thuc. here anticipates. It is certain that citizenship was conferred on the Plataean refugees after the destruction of Plataea. For the ὧν omitted see c. 51, 1 n.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.55

Theodor Braun (Translator)

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