Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, Theodor Braun (Translator), 3.70

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In Kerkyra waren nämlich nach der Rückkehr ihrer in
den Seeschlachten wegen Epidamnos in Gefangenschaft ge
ratenen Landsleute Parteikämpfe ausgebrochen. Die Ge
fangenen waren von den Korinthern freigelassen, angeblich
gegen eine von ihrem dortigen Staatsgatsfreunde übernommene
Bürgschaft von achthundert Talenten, in der Tat aber, weil
sie sich anheischig gemacht hatten, Kerkyra auf ihre Seite zu
ziehen. Die gingen auch bei den Bürgern von Haus zu Haus
und suchten die Stadt von den Athenern abwendig zu machen.
Inzwischen war sowohl ein athenisches wie ein korinthisches
Schiff mit Gesandten an Bord in Kerkyra eingetroffen, und
nachdem diese zu Wort gekommen, hatten die Kerkyräer be
schlossen, an dem Bündnis mit den Athenern zwar festzuhalten,
sich aber doch auch wie früher wieder freundlich zu den Pelo
ponnesiern zu stellen. An der Spitze der demokratischen Partei
stand damals ein gewisser Peithias, der zugleich sozusagen
freiwilliger Staatsgastfreund der Athener war. Den klagten
jene Herren an, er wolle Kerkyra unter athenische Herrschaft
bringen. Er wurde jedoch freigesprochen, verklagte nun aber
seinerseits die fünf Reichsten unter ihnen, weil sie im heiligen
Haine des Zeus und des Alkinoos Weinpfähle gehauen hätten.
Darauf aber stand ein Stater Strafe für jeden Pfahl. Sie
wurden auch verurteilt, flüchteten sich aber in die Tempel und
baten, ihnen bei der Höhe der Strafe wenigstens zu gestatten,
sie in selbstgewählten Fristen abzuzahlet. Peithias aber, der
damals grade selbst dem Rate angehörte, setzte durch, daß es
bei der gesetzlichen Strafe sein Bewenden behielt. Nachdem
ihr Gesuch als unzulässig abgeschlagen war und sie überdies
erfuhren, daß Peithias beabsichtige, noch vor Ablauf seiner
Amtszeit ein Schutz- und Trutzbündnis mit Athen beim Volke
durchzusetzen, drangen sie und ihre Anhänger mit Dolchen be
waffnet plötzlich in den Rat und ermordeten Peithias und
gegen sechzig andere Ratsherren und Bürger mit ihm. Nur
wenigen seiner Anhänger gelang es, auf das noch im Hafen
liegende athenische Kriegsschiff zu entkommen.

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).) — 3.70.1 focus

[1] οἱ γὰρ Κερκυραῖοι ἐστασίαζον, ἐπειδὴ οἱ αἰχμάλωτοι ἦλθον αὐτοῖς οἱ ἐκ τῶν περὶ Ἐπίδαμνον ναυμαχιῶν ὑπὸ Κορινθίων ἀφεθέντες, τῷ μὲν λόγῳ ὀκτακοσίων ταλάντων τοῖς προξένοις διηγγυημένοι, ἔργῳ δὲ πεπεισμένοι Κορινθίοις Κέρκυραν προσποιῆσαι. καὶ ἔπρασσον οὗτοι, ἕκαστον τῶν πολιτῶν μετιόντες, ὅπως ἀποστήσωσιν Ἀθηναίων τὴν πόλιν.

[2] καὶ ἀφικομένης Ἀττικῆς τε νεὼς καὶ Κορινθίας πρέσβεις ἀγουσῶν καὶ ἐς λόγους καταστάντων ἐψηφίσαντο Κερκυραῖοι Ἀθηναίοις μὲν ξύμμαχοι εἶναι κατὰ τὰ ξυγκείμενα, Πελοποννησίοις δὲ φίλοι ὥσπερ καὶ πρότερον.

[3] καὶ (ἦν γὰρ Πειθίας ἐθελοπρόξενός τε τῶν Ἀθηναίων καὶ τοῦ δήμου προειστήκει) ὑπάγουσιν αὐτὸν οὗτοι οἱ ἄνδρες ἐς δίκην, λέγοντες Ἀθηναίοις τὴν Κέρκυραν καταδουλοῦν.

[4] ὁ δὲ ἀποφυγὼν ἀνθυπάγει αὐτῶν τοὺς πλουσιωτάτους πέντε ἄνδρας, φάσκων τέμνειν χάρακας ἐκ τοῦ τε Διὸς τοῦ τεμένους καὶ τοῦ Ἀλκίνου· ζημία δὲ καθ’ ἑκάστην χάρακα ἐπέκειτο στατήρ.

[5] ὀφλόντων δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ πρὸς τὰ ἱερὰ ἱκετῶν καθεζομένων διὰ πλῆθος τῆς ζημίας, ὅπως ταξάμενοι ἀποδῶσιν, ὁ Πειθίας (ἐτύγχανε γὰρ καὶ βουλῆς ὤν) πείθει ὥστε τῷ νόμῳ χρήσασθαι.

[6] οἱ δ’ ἐπειδὴ τῷ τε νόμῳ ἐξείργοντο καὶ ἅμα ἐπυνθάνοντο τὸν Πειθίαν, ἕως ἔτι βουλῆς ἐστί, μέλλειν τὸ πλῆθος ἀναπείσειν τοὺς αὐτοὺς Ἀθηναίοις φίλους τε καὶ ἐχθροὺς νομίζειν, ξυνίσταντό τε καὶ λαβόντες ἐγχειρίδια ἐξαπιναίως ἐς τὴν βουλὴν ἐσελθόντες τόν τε Πειθίαν κτείνουσι καὶ ἄλλους τῶν τε βουλευτῶν καὶ ἰδιωτῶν ἐς ἑξήκοντα· οἱ δέ τινες τῆς αὐτῆς γνώμης τῷ Πειθίᾳ ὀλίγοι ἐς τὴν Ἀττικὴν τριήρη κατέφυγον ἔτι παροῦσαν.

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.) — 3.70.1 focus

[1] The sedition in Corcyra began upon the coming home of those captives which were taken in the battles by sea at Epidamnus and released afterwards by the Corinthians at the ransom, as was voiced, of eighty talents for which they had given security to their hosts, but in fact for that they had persuaded the Corinthians that they would put Corcyra into their power.

[2] These men going from man to man solicited the city to revolt from the Athenians. And two galleys being now come in, one of Athens, another of Corinth, with ambassadors from both those states, the Corcyraeans upon audience of them both decreed to hold the Athenians for their confederates on articles agreed on but withal to remain friends to the Peloponnesians as they had formerly been.

[3] There was one Peithias, voluntary host of the Athenians and that had been principal magistrate of the people.

[4] Him these men called into judgment and laid to his charge a practice to bring the city into the servitude of the Athenians. He again, being acquit, called in question five of the wealthiest of the same men saying they had cut certain stakes in the ground belonging to the temples both of Jupiter and of Alcinus, upon every of which there lay a penalty of a state.

[5] And the cause going against them, they took sanctuary in the temples to the end, the sum being great, they might pay it by portions [as they should be taxed].

[6] But Peithias (for he was also of the senate) obtained that the law should proceed. These five being by the law excluded the senate and understanding that Peithias, as long as he was a senator, would cause the people to hold for friends and foes the same that were so to the Athenians, conspired with the rest and, armed with daggers, suddenly brake into the senate-house and slew both Peithias and others, as well private men as senators, to the number of about sixty persons; only a few of those of Peithias his faction escaped in the Athenian galley that lay yet in the harbour.

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.) — 3.70.1 focus

[1] The Corcyraean revolution began with the return of the prisoners taken in the sea-fights off Epidamnus . These the Corinthians had released, nominally upon the security of eight hundred talents given by their Proxeni but in reality upon their engagement to bring over Corcyra to Corinth . These men proceeded to canvass each of the citizens, and to intrigue with the view of detaching the city from Athens .

[2] Upon the arrival of an Athenian and a Corinthian vessel, with envoys on board, a conference was held in which the Corcyraeans voted to remain allies of the Athenians according to their agreement, but to be friends of the Peloponnesians as they had been formerly.

[3] Meanwhile, the returned prisoners brought Peithias, a volunteer Proxenus of the Athenians and leader of the commons, to trial, upon the charge of enslaving Corcyra to Athens .

[4] He, being acquitted, retorted by accusing five of the richest of their number of cutting stakes in the ground sacred to Zeus and Alcinous; the legal penalty being a stater for each stake.

[5] Upon their conviction, the amount of the penalty being very large, they seated themselves as suppliants in the temples, to be allowed to pay it by instalments; but Peithias, who was one of the senate, prevailed upon that body to enforce the law;

[6] upon which the accused, rendered desperate by the law, and also learning that Peithias had the intention, while still a member of the senate, to persuade the people to conclude a defensive and offensive alliance with Athens , banded together armed with daggers, and suddenly bursting into the senate killed Peithias and sixty others, senators and private persons; some few only of the party of Peithias taking refuge in the Athenian trireme, which had not yet departed.

Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs First1KGreek (Thucydides. Geschichte des Peloponnesischen Kriegs. Wahrmund, Adolf, translator. Stuttgart: Krais and Hoffmann, 1864.) — 3.70 focus

Die Kerkyräer nämlich waren unter sich uneins geworden,
nachdem die in den Seeschlachten wegen Epidamnos gemachten
Kriegsgefangenen wieder zurückgekommen waren, freigegeben von den
Korinthern , wie es hieß, weil sich die Staatsgastfreunde mit einer Summe ¹²
von achthundert Talenten für sie verbürgt hätten, in der That aber,
weil sie sich von den Korinthern hatten bereden lassen, ihnen Kerkyra
wieder zuzuwenden. Und in diesem Sinne wirken sie auch, indem sie
die einzelnen Bürger angingen, um sie zum Abfall von den Athenern
zu bereden. Als nun sowohl ein attisches, als auch ein korinthisches
Schiff Gesandte brachten und diese redend aufgetreten waren, so
beschlossen die Kerkyräer, den Athenern zwar dem Vertrage gemäß
Bundesgenossen zu bleiben, sich aber auch zu den Peloponnesiern so
freundlich zu stellen, wie früher. Nun war dort Peithias, der aus eigenem
Antrieb Gastfreund der Athener geworden war und damals zu
den Volksvorstehern gehörte. Den führten jene Männer vor Gericht,
indem sie behaupteten, er wolle Kerkyra den Athenern unterthänig
machen. Er wurde aber freigesprochen und stellte nun seinerseits die fünf
reichsten unter jenen Männern vor Gericht, mit der Beschuldigung,
daß sie aus dem heiligen Haine des Zeus und des Alkinoos Wein-
pfähle gehauen hätten. Jeder Pfahl aber sollte nach dem Gesetz mit
einem Stater gebüßt werden. Als nun jene verurtheilt' wurden
und wegen der hohen Strafsumme sich als Schutzflehcnde in die
Heiligthümer begaben, um zu erlangen, daß sie in selbstgewählten Fristen
abzahlen dürften, so setzte es Peithias durch, daß nach der Strenge
des Gesetzes verfahren werden sollte, denn er saß auch mit im Rathe.
Nach dem Buchstaben des Gesetzes aber durfte ihnen dieß nicht erlaubt
werden, und als sie nun auch erfuhren, daß Peithias, so lange er noch
im Rathe sitze, das Volk dahin stimmen wolle, der Athener Freunde
und Feinde auch für ihre Freunde und Feinde zu erklären, so
ermannten sie sich, drangen mit Dolchen bewaffnet plötzlich in die Rathsver« ³⁴
sammlung und stießen den Peithias nebst andern Rathsherrn, wie auch ⁵
einige sechzig Bürger nieder. Einige wenige von der Partei des Pei» <
thias flüchteten sich auf den attischen Dreiruderer, der noch im
Hafen lag.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponèse First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése, Vol. 1-2. Zévort, Marie Charles, translator. Paris: Charpentier, 1852.) — 3.70 focus

LXX. Les troubles de Corcyre avaient commencé au retour des citoyens faits prisonniers au combat naval d’Épidamne. Les Corinthiens disaient les avoir relâchés moyennant une rançon de huit cents talents, garantie par leurs proxènes ; mais en réalité ils avaient obtenu d’eux l’engagement de leur soumettre Corcyre. Et, en effet, ils se mirent à intriguer et à circonvenir chacun des citoyens, pour soulever la ville contre les Athéniens. Deux vaisseaux, l’un athénien, l’autre co- rinthien, étant arrivés avec des ambassadeurs, on entra en conférences : les Corcyréens décrétèrent qu’ils resteraient alliés des Athéniens, conformément au traité, mais qu’ils conserveraient avec les Péloponné- siens leurs anciennes relations d’amitié. Il y avait alors à Corcyre un certain Pithéas, proxène volontaire des Athéniens¹, et chef du parti populaire. Ceux de la faction opposée le citèrent en justice, sous prétexte qu’il voulait soumettre Corcyre au joug athénien. Il fut absous et cita à son tour cinq de ses accusateurs, choisis parmi les plus riches, comme coupables d’avoir coupé des échalas² dans le bois sacré de Jupiter et dans celui d’Alcinoüs. L’amende pour chaque échalas était d’un staière. Ils furent condamnés ; comme l’amende était considérable, ils se réfugièrent en qualité de suppliants dans les temples, et demandèrent qu’on leur assignât des termes pour se libérer. Mais Pithéas, qui se trouvait en même temps membre du conseil, fit décider qu’on leur appliquerait la loi. Alors, voyant leur demande repoussée aux termes de la loi, informés d’ailleurs que Pithéas voulait, pendant qu’il siégeait encore au conseil, engager le peuple dans une alliance offensive et défensive avec Athènes, ils formèrent un complot, s’armèrent de poignards et pénétrèrent à l’improviste au milieu du conseil. Là ils égorgèrent Pithéas avec d’autres sénateurs et une soixantaine de particuliers. Quelques-uns des partisans de Pithéas, mais en petit nombre, se réfugièrent sur la trirème athénienne qui était encore dans le port.

Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése First1KGreek (Thucydides. Histoire de la Guerre du Péloponnése. Bétant, Élie-Ami, translator. Paris: Librairie de L. Hachette, 1863.) — 3.70 focus

Les troubles de Corcyre avaient pris naissance au retour des citoyens faits prisonniers dans les batailles navales d’Épidamne¹. Les Corinthiens les avaient relâchés, soi-disant sous une caution de huit cents talents fournie par leurs pro-xènes², mais en réalité parce que ces prisonniers promettaient de leur soumettre Corcyre. Ils se mirent donc à l’oeuvre; et, par leurs démarches individuelles, ils cherchèrent à soulever la ville contre les Athéniens.

Sur ces entrefaites, il arriva deux vaisseaux, l’un d’Athènes, l’autre de Corinthe, qui amenaient des députés. On tint une assemblée, où il fut décidé que les Corcyréens, sans rompre avec Athènes, renoueraient leurs anciennes relations avec les Péloponésiens. Il y avait alors à Corcyre un certain Pithias, proxène volontaire des Athéniens³ et chef du parti démocratique. Les hommes dont nous venons de parler le citèrent en justice, comme asservissant Corcyre aux Athéniens. Il fut absous ; et, à son tour, il attaqua les cinq plus riches de ses adversaires, les accusant de couper des échalas dans les bocages de Jupiter et d’Alcinoüs⁴. L’amende était d'un statère par échalas⁵. Condamnés et hors d’état de payer cette somme exorbitante, ils allèrent s'asseoir en suppliants dans les temples, afin qu'on leur fixât plusieurs termes pour le payement. Mais Pithias, qui se trouvait alors membre du conseil, obtint qu’on appliquât la loi à la rigueur. Poussés à bout, et informés que Pithias voulait profiter du temps où il était encore en charge pour engager le peuple à faire avec les Athéniens une alliance offensive et défensive, ils formèrent un complot; et, s’armant de poignards, ils firent irruption dans la salle du conseil. Ils tuèrent Pithias, ainsi qu’une soixantaine d’autres conseillers ou de simples particuliers. Quelques rares partisans de Pithias se réfugièrent sur la trirème athénienne qui était encore dans le port.

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.) — 3.70.1 focus

[1] The Corcyraeans had been in a state of revolution ever since the home-coming of the captives who had been taken in the two sea-fights off Epidamnus¹ and had been released by the Corinthians. They had nominally been set free on bail in the sum of eight hundred talents² pledged by their proxeni, but in fact they had been bribed to bring Corcyra over to the Corinthian side.

[2] And these men had been going from citizen to citizen and intriguing with them, with a view to inducing the city to revolt from Athens. And on the arrival of an Attic and Corinthian ship bringing envoys, and after the envoys had held conferences with them, the Corcyraeans voted to continue to be allies to the Athenians according to their agreement,³ but on the other hand to renew their former friendship with the Peloponnesians.

[3] Thereupon the returned prisoners brought Peithias, a volunteer proxenus of the Athenians and leader of the popular party, to trial, charging him with trying to bring Corcyra into servitude to Athens.

[4] But he, being acquitted, brought suits in turn against the five wealthiest men of their number, alleging that they were cutting vine-poles from the sacred precincts of Zeus and Alcinous, an offence for which a fine of a stater⁴ for each stake was fixed by law.

[5] When they had been convicted and because of the excessive amount of the fine took refuge at the temples as suppliants, that they might arrange for the payment of the fine by instalments, Peithias persuaded the senate, of which he was also a member, to let the law take its course.

[6] The condemned men, seeing that they were debarred by the law from carrying out their proposal and at the same time learning that Peithias, so long as he continued to be a member of the senate, would persist in his attempt to persuade the populace to conclude an offensive and defensive alliance with the Athenians, banded together and suddenly rushing into the senate with daggers in their hands killed Peithias and others, both senators and private persons, to the number of sixty. A few, however, who held the same political views as Peithias, took refuge in the Attic trireme that was still in the harbour.

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.) — 3.70.1 focus

[1] For the Corcyraeans began their sedition on the return home of the prisoners taken in the sea-fights off Epidamnus, who had been sent back by the Corinthians, nominally on the security of eight hundred talents given for them by their proxeni, but in reality, because they had consented to bring over Corcyra to the Corinthians. These men then were intriguing, by visits to each of the citizens, to cause the revolt of the city from the Athenians.

[2] On the arrival of a ship from Athens and another from Corinth, with envoys on board, and on their meeting for a conference, the Corcyraeans voted to continue allies of the Athenians according to their agreement, but to be on friendly terms with the Peloponnesians, as they had formerly been.

[3] Now there was one Pithias, a ¹ volunteer proxenus of the Athenians, and the leader of the popular party;

[4] him these men brought to trial, on a charge of enslaving Corcyra to the Athenians. Having been acquitted, he brought to trial in return the five richest individuals of their party, charging them with cutting stakes in the ground sacred to Jupiter and to [the hero] Alcinous;

[5] the penalty affixed being a stater for every stake. When they had been convicted, and, owing to the amount of the penalty, were sitting as suppliants in the temples, that they might be allowed to pay it by instalments, Pithias, who was a member of the council also, persuades that body to enforce the law.

[6] So when they were excluded from all hope by the severity of the law, and at the same time heard that Pithias was likely, while he was still in the council, to persuade the populace to hold as friends and foes the same as the Athenians did, they conspired together, and took daggers, and, having suddenly entered the council, assassinated Pithias and others, both counsellors and private persons, to the number of sixty. Some few, however, of the same party as Pithias, took refuge on board the Athenian trireme, which was still there.

Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci First1KGreek (Historia Belli Peloponnesiaci. Haase, Friedrich, translator. Paris: Firmin Didot, 1869.) — 3.70.1 focus

[1] Nam Corcyraei discordiis intestinis laborare coeperunt, ex quo illi, qui in prodiis navalibus circa Epidamnum capti erant t ad ipsos redierant, a Corinthiis dimissi, verbo quidem, talentis octingentis redempti, datis fidejussoribus hospitibus suis publicis; re vero ipsa, quod adducti erant, ut Corinthiis Corcyram adjungerent. Hi autem hoc agebant singulos cives solicitanles, ut civitatem ad defectionem ab Atheniensibus faciendam impellerent

[2] Et quum Attica navis, item et Corinthia venisset, utraque legatos vehens, quumque ventum esset in colloquium, Corcyraei decreverunt, ut Atheniensibus quidem, ex pacto socii, Peloponnesiis vero, quemadmodum et prius, amici essent.

[3] Et Pithiam, hic enim erat voluntarius Atheniensium hospes et tunc populi princeps, isti viri in judicium vocant, crimini dantes, quod Corcyram in Atheniensium potestatem redigere moliretur.

[4] Hic vero absolutus, vicissim reos facit quinque ex illis omnium ditissimos, crimini dans, quod ex Jovis et Alcini sacro agro vitium statumina praeciderent; pro singulis autem eorum singuli stateres erat mulcla constituta.

[5] Quumque illi judicio mulctati essent, et ad templa consedissent supplices propter mulcfce magnitudinem , ut, compositione facta, certis pensionibus mulctam irrogatam persolverent, Pithias (erat enim et senator) Corcyraeis persuasit, ut lege in eos agerent.

[6] Illi verof quum propter hanc legem curia prohiberentur, et simul etiam audirent, Pithiam, quamdiu senator esset, multitudini persuasurum, ut eosdem amicos liostesque duceret, quos Athenienses, facta conjuratorum manu, cura pugionibus in senatum ex improviso irrumpunt, et quum ipsum Pithiam, tum etiam alios tam senatorum quam privatorum hominum ad sexaginta interficiunt. Pauci vero quidam, qui cum Pithia sentiebant, ad Atticam triremem, quae adhuc aderat, confugerunt.

Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides First1KGreek (Thucydides. Vier Staatsreden aus Thucydides. Gürsching, Heinrich, translator. Augsburg: Wirth, 1856.) — 2.64.1 focus

[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.

La storia di Tucidide First1KGreek (Thucydides. Della storia di Tucidide volgarizzata libri otto. Anonymous translator. Florence: Tipografia Galileiana, 1835.) — 3.70 focus

Trovaronsi i Corfuotti travagliati dalle sedizioni , dappoiché erano tornati loro i prigioni delle battaglie navali combattute presso Epidamno, rilasciati dai Corintii, in apparenza, per la taglia di ottocento talenti a cui eransi obbligati i loro corrispondenti, ma effettivamente , perchè avevan promesso di ridurre Corfù a devozione de’ Corintii. Costoro con segreti maneggi introduceudosi presso ciascun cittadino adopravansi a ribellare Li citta dagli Ateniesi. Arrivano intanto una nave attica ed

Una corintia con ambastintori, e tenutasi adunanza decretarono i Corfuotti di essere certamente confederati degli Ateniesi, a forma dei capitoli, ma amici come prima de’ Peloponnesi. Pitia, volontario ospite degli Ateniesi e rapo dei popolani, fu citato in giudizio da quei fautori dei Corintii , accusandolo che volesse soggettare Corfù agli Ateniesi. Ma egli uscitone assoluto, fece di rimando citare in giudizio cinque di loro i più facoltosi , dichiarando che e5 tagliavano pali da’ sacri recinti di Giove e di Alcino. Era per ogni palo imposta la multa di uno statere. Costoro adunque essendo stati condannati, se ne stavano, a cagione deUa gravezza della multa, assisi in atto di supplichevoli presso i templi, per ottenere di pagare a rate la tassa. Ma Pitia, che per avventura era Uno de’senatori, persuade questi a valersi della legge. Per lo che trovandosi i rei esclusi legalmente dal senato , ed insieme ragguagliati clic Pitia, fino a che durasse ad essere senatore , vorrebbe indurre la plebe a tenere alleanza offensiva e difensiva con gli Ateniesi, si ristrinsero insieme, e con de' pugnaletti entrati improvvisamente in senato , uccidono Pitia con altri senatori e privati, sino a sessanta. Alcuni pochi dell' opinione medesima di Pitia si rifugiarono sulla trireme attica che ancor non era partita.

Commentary

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

ἦλθον αὐτοῖς —see on c. 5.

ἐκ τῶν . . ναυμαχιῶν —there were two battles fought near the islands called Sybota. 250 of the principal Corcyreans were taken prisoners in the second battle, and were conveyed to Corinth, where they remained about five years.

ὀκτακοσίων —the ransom for not more than 250 men is very high, but the prisoners were very important. The price paid for a man varied very much, of course, as it does still. The lowest heard of is two minas (Herod. v. 77 ), the highest— in the case of an ambassador of Philip—nine talents. The sum here mentioned need not be thought so great as to rouse suspicion.

τοῖς προξένοις —i.e. the Corinthian representatives of Corcyra had gone bail for them.

ἀφικομένης . . ἀγουσῶν —edd. say ἀγουσῶν must be plur. because both ships had πρέσβεις on board. Yet we find pred. in sing. applying to several subjects; I. 42, 1, IV. 31, 2, VI. 31, 1, VII. 44, 6, 58, 4. For the attraction cf. e. 72, 2.

καταστάντων —sc. τῶν πρέσβεων.

ξυγκείμενα —it was a defensive alliance only.

πρότερον means before the convention with Athens, when Corcyra had been on good terms with the Pel., though not in alliance with any one.

ἦν γὰρ . . ὑπάγουσιν —the reason stated in advance in parenthesis; cf. c. 107, 3.

ἐθελοπρόξενος —only mentioned here; it prob. means that P. had not been appointed by Athens; and hence he could be prosecuted for his Athenian sympathies.

προειστήκει —unofficial leader.

χάρακας —‘vine-poles,’ Corcyra having many vineyards. The sites of the τεμένη are unknown. Alcinous is the Homeric king.

στατήρ —of silver, worth 2 1/2 Attic drachmas, the only form of stater coined in Corcyra.

ταξάμενοι ἀποδῶσιν —‘pay by a mutual arrangement,’ prob. on the instalment system.

τῷ τε νόμῳ ἐξείργοντο —nothing is to be supplied; ‘the law forced them, allowed them no escape.’ Cf. Herod. IX. 111 ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου ἐξεργόμενος.

τοὺς αὐτοὺς . . νομίζειν —i.e. to substitute a ξυμμαχία, offensive and defensive alliance, for the existing ἐπιμαχία .

τῆς αὐτῆς γνώμης —sc. ὄντες.

Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 3.70

Theodor Braun (Translator)

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