Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.103

[1] Against this city marched Brasidas with his army, dislodging from Arnae in Chalcidea. Being about twilight come as far as Aulon and Bromiscus, where the lake Bolbe entereth into the sea, he caused his army to sup, and then marched forward by night.

[2] The weather was foul, and a little it snowed, which also made him to march the rather, as desiring that none of Amphipolis, but only the traitors, should be aware of his coming.

[3] For there were both Argilians that dwelt in the same city (now Argilus is a colony of the Andrians), and others, that contrived this, induced thereunto some by Perdiccas and some by the Chalcideans.

[4] But above all the Argilians, being of a city near unto it, and ever suspected by the Athenians, and secret enemies to the place, as soon as opportunity was offered and Brasidas arrived (who had also long before dealt underhand with as many of them as dwelt in Amphipolis to betray it), both received him into their own city, and revolting from the Athenians, brought the army forward the same night as far as to the bridge of the river.

[5] The town stood not close to the river, nor was there a fort at the bridge then as there is now; but they kept it only with a small guard of soldiers. Having easily forced this guard, both in respect of the treason and of the weather, and of his own unexpected approach, he passed the bridge and was presently master of whatsoever the Amphipolitans had that dwelt without.

[1] Brasidas now marched against this town, starting from Arne in Chalcidice . Arriving about dusk at Aulon and Bromiscus, where the lake of Bolbe runs into the sea, he supped there, and went on during the night.

[2] The weather was stormy and it was snowing a little, which encouraged him to hurry on, in order, if possible, to take every one at Amphipolis by surprise, except the party who were to betray it.

[3] The plot was carried on by some natives of Argilus, an Andrian colony, residing in Amphipolis , where they had also other accomplices gained over by Perdiccas or the Chalcidians.

[4] But the most active in the matter were the inhabitants of Argilus itself, which is close by, who had always been suspected by the Athenians, and had had designs on the place. These men now saw their opportunity arrive with Brasidas, and having for some time been in correspondence with their countrymen in Amphipolis for the betrayal of the town, at once received him into Argilus, and revolted from the Athenians, and that same night took him on to the bridge over the river;

[5] where he found only a small guard to oppose him, the town being at some distance from the passage, and the walls not reaching down to it as at present. This guard he easily drove in, partly through there being treason in their ranks, partly from the stormy state of the weather and the suddenness of his attack, and so got across the bridge, and immediately became master of all the property outside; the Amphipolitans having houses all over the quarter.

Gegen diese Stadt nun, aufbrechend von Arnä auf
Chalkidike, marfchirte Brasidas mit seinem Heere. Gegen Abend hatte er
Aulon und BromiSkos erreicht, wo der See Bolbe seine Mündung
in's Meer hat; dort ließ er abessen und marfchirte dann die Nacht
durch weiter. Es war nämlich stürmisches Wetter und schneite ein
wenig, weßhalb er um so mehr vorwärts strebte, um von denen in
Amphipolis unbemerkt zu bleiben, — die ausgenommen, welche daselbst
mit Verrath umgingen. Es wohnten nämlich daselbst auch Argilier
— Argilos ist ein Pflanzort von Andres — diese und einige andere
arbeiteten im Einverständnisse mit Brasidas, wozu sie theils durch
Perdikkas, theils durch die Chalkidier beredet worden waren —
vorzüglich aber wirkten die Argilier, die ganz in der Nähe wohnten und
sich von jeher den Athenern verdächtig gemacht hatten und sich
Amphipolis aufsäßig gezeigt hatten, da jetzt die Gelegenheit günstig
war und Brasidas heranrückte, bei ihren in Amphipolis wohnenden
Leuten dahin, daß die Stadt übergeben werden sollte. Jetzt nun
nahmen sie den Brasidas in ihre Stadt auf, erklärten ihren Abfall von
Athen und brachten noch in derselben Nacht vor Sonnenaufgang das
Heer bis an die Flußbrücke. Die Stadt selbst liegt aber noch etwas
weiter oberhalb der Brücke, und die Mauern zogen sich damals noch
nicht so weit herab, wie jetzt, sondern es stand dort nur ein schwacher
Posten, den Brasidas leicht bewältigte, einmal, weil auch hier Verrath ^{1 2}
thätig war, dann auch wegen der stürmischen Witterung, und weil der
Uebersall ganz unerwartet geschah. Dann überschritt er die Brücke
und nahm sogleich in der ganzen Gegend in Besitz, was den
außerhalb der Stadt wohnenden Amphipoliten gehörte.

CIII. C’est contre cette place que Brasidas, parti d’Arné en Chalcidique, marcha avec son armée. Il arriva sur le soir à Aulon et à Bromisque, à l’endroit où le lac Bolbé se jette dans la mer ; après le repas du soir, il continua à marcher de nuit. Le temps était mauvais et il neigeait un peu ; raison de plus pour lui d’avancer ; car il voulait cacher son approche aux habitants d’Amphipolis, à ceux du moins qui n’étaient pas d’intelligence avec lui. Des citoyens d’Argila, colonie d’Andros, établis dans la ville, conspiraient avec d’autres pour la lui livrer, à la suggestion soit de Perdiccas, soit des Chalcidiens. Mais les plus actifs de beaucoup étaient les Argiliens : habitant dans le voisinage, toujours suspects aux Athéniens, ils avaient des vues sur Amphipolis et profitèrent de l’occasion que leur offrait l’arrivée de Brasidas ; car depuis longtemps déjà ils intriguaient auprès de ceux des leurs établis dans la place pour se la faire livrer. Ils accueillirent donc Brasidas ¹ , se déclarèrent cette nuit-là même contre les Athéniens, et conduisirent l’armée de Bra- sidas en avant, vers le pont sur le fleuve. La ville est à quelque distance de l’autre côté ² ; les murs ne descendaient point encore jusque-là, comme aujourd’hui, et il ne s’y trouvait qu’un poste peu important. Brasidas n’eut pas de peine à le forcer, secondé tout à la fois par la trahison, par le mauvais temps et par le trouble d’une attaque imprévue : il passa le pont et se trouva, par là, maître de tout ce que possédaient les habitants établis au dehors ³ .

C’est contre cette place que Brasidas, parti d’Arné en Chalcidique, s’avança avec son armée. Il arriva dans la soirée à Aulon et à Bromiscos, près de l’endroit où le lac Bolbé se déverse dans la mer. Après le repas du soir, il continua sa route pendant la nuit. Le temps était mauvais et neigeux, raison de plus pour accélérer sa marche ; car il voulait dérober son approche à ceux des habitants qui Tignoraient. La population d’Amphipolis renfermait un certain nombre d’Argiliens originaires d’Andros, ainsi que d’autres gens qui étaient entrés dans le complot à l’instigation de Perdiccas ou des Chalcidéens; mais les plus chauds partisans de l’entreprise étaient les Argiliens. Habitants du voisinage, ils étaient en mauvais termes avec les Athéniens. Il y avait longtemps qu’en vue de s’emparer d’Am-phipolis, ils avaient noué des intelligences avec leurs concitoyens domiciliés dans cette ville. L’arrivée de Brasidas leur parut le moment d’agir. Ils accueillirent donc ce général dans leurs murs, se déclarèrent en révolte contre les Athéniens, et cette nuit même ils conduisirent l’armée jusqu’au pont jeté sur le fleuve ¹ . La ville d’Amphipolis en est peu éloignée, et à cette époque les murs n’y aboutissaient pas comme aujourd’hui. On n’y tenait qu’un faible poste, que Brasidas n’eut pas de peine à enlever. Secondé à la fois par la trahison, par le mauvais temps et par le mystère de son approche, ü franchit le pont, et se trouva aussitôt maître de tout ce que les habitants possédaient hors des murs.

[1] Against this place Brasidas marched with his army, setting out from Arnae in Chalcidice. Arriving about dusk at Aulon and Bromiscus, ¹ where the lake Bolbe has its outlet into the sea, he took supper and then proceeded by night.

[2] The weather was bad and somewhat snowy, and for this reason he made the more haste, wishing to escape the notice of the people in Amphipolis, except those who were to betray it.

[3] For there were in the place some settlers from Argilus, an Andrian colony; these and some others were his accomplices in this intrigue, some instigated by Perdiccas, others by the Chalcidians.

[4] But the chief plotters were the Argilians, who dwelt near by, were always suspected by the Athenians, and were secret enemies of the place; now that opportunity offered and Brasidas had come, they had some time before negotiated with their countrymen who resided in Amphipolis with a view to the surrender of the place. So at this time they received Brasidas into their town, revolted from the Athenians that same night, and before dawn brought his army down to the bridge over the river, which is some distance from the town and not connected with it by walls as now.

[5] Brasidas easily forced the small guard stationed at the bridge, partly because there was treachery, partly because he had fallen upon them in stormy weather and unexpectedly; and as soon as he had crossed the bridge he was at once master of the property of the Amphipolitans outside the walls; for they had houses all over the neighbourhood.

[1] Against this town then Brasidas marched with his forces, starting from Arnae in Chalcidice. Having arrived about dusk at Aulon and Bromiscus, where the lake Bolbe empties itself into the sea, and there supped, he proceeded during the night. The weather was stormy, and it was snowing a little;

[2] on which account he hurried or the more, wishing to surprise the people of Amphipolis, except those who were to betray it.

[3] For there were residing in it some Argilians, (this people are a colony from Andros,) and some others, who were carrying on this intrigue together; some at the suggestion of Perdiccas, others at that of the Chalcidians.

[4] But most active of all were the Argilians, who lived close by, and had always been suspected by the Athenians of forming designs upon the place. For when the opportunity now presented itself, and Brasidas had come; as they had for some time past been intriguing with their countrymen who resided there with a view to its being delivered up to him, so at that time they received him into their own town, and revolted from Athens, and took him forward that same night to the bridge over the river.

[5] The town stands further off than the passage of the river, and the walls did not reach down to it as they do now, but there was only a small guard posted there; which Brasidas easily drove in, (partly from there being treason amongst them, and partly from the stormy weather and the suddenness of his attack,) and then crossed the bridge, and was at once master of all the property outside the town belonging to the Amphipolitans, who had houses over the whole quarter.

[1] Adversus hanc igitur Brasidas castris ex Arnis agri Chalcidensis urbe motis cum suis copiis proficiscebatur. Et quum circa solis occasum ad Aulonem pervenisset et Bromiscum, qua Bolbe stagnum in mare ingreditur, coenatus noctu ire pergebat.

[2] Coelum autem erat turbidum , et subningebat; quo etiam luhentius iter fecit, quod eos, qui Amphipoli erant, praeter proditores, latere vellet.

[3] Nam in ea erant quum Argiliorum nonnulli coloni (Argilii autem sunt Andriorum coloni), tum etiam alii, qui proditionis hujus erant socii, partim quidem a Perdicca, partim vero a Chalcidensibus inducti.

[4] Sed potissimum Argilii, qui et proxime habitabant, et Atheniensibus semper erant suspecti, et huic urbi insidiantes, postquam occasio oblata est et Brasidas advenit, et multo ante jam egerunt cum iis ex se, qui illic cives erant, ut urbs dederetur, et tunc urbe eum receperunt, et illa nocte defectione ab Atheniensibus facta, Brasidae copias ante lucem ad fluvii pontem deduxerunt.

[5] Urbs autem inde distat amplius, quam transitus, * nec muri erant eo deducti, quemadmodum nunc, sed quoddam modicum praesidium ibi collocatum erat. Quod cum facile Brasidas reppulisset, simul proditionis, simul tempestatis , simul etiam adventus repentini beneficio, pontem trapsiit, et Amphipolitanorum res, quae extra urbem erant, per totam illam regionem statim in suam potestatem redegit.

Brasida adunque movendo da Arne della Calcidica marciava col suo esercito contro Amfipoli. Arrivato sulla sera ad Aulona e a Bromesco, ove sbocca nel mare la palude Bolbe, cenò e la notte proseguì la sua gita. T aceva temporale con del nevischio , e però sollecitò la partenza volendo tenersi celato a quei d’Amlipoli, .salvo clic ai complici del tradimento ; perocché abitavano in quella città alcuni di Argilo, colonia degli Andrii, ed a Uri che favoreggiavano questo trattato, parte mossi da Perdicca, parte da’Calcidesi. Ma in questa trama adopravansi soprattutto quelli d’Argilo , si perchè vicinavano con Amfipoli , sì ancora perchè dagli Ateniesi erano avuti in sospetto di niale intenzionati contro questa città : laonde quando si of- ferse l’occasione all’arrivo di Brasida, che già moltò prima teneva delle pratiche con quei di loro che avevano preso casa in Amfipoli, trattavano del modo onde si dovesse rendere quella città. E non solo lo ricevettero in Argilo; ma ribellatisi agli Ateniesi, in quella medesima notte prima dell’alba collocarono l’esercito presso al ponte del fiume da cui Amfipoli è distante un poco più della larghezza del fiume stesso. Non vi erano ancora state tirate le mura come adesso, ma vi stava piccolo presidio, cui Brasida respinse agevolmente mediante il tradimento, il temporale e l’improvviso assalto. Traversato così il ponte s’impadronì delle cose fuori di città appartenenti agli Amfipolitani che abitavano tutto quel luogo.