Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.106

[1] When the commons heard this, their minds were turned; and the rather, because the Athenians amongst them were but few, and the most were a promiscuous multitude; and the kinsmen of those that were taken without flocked together within. And in respect of their fear, they all thought the proclamation reasonable; the Athenians thought it so because they were willing to go out, as apprehending their own danger to be greater than that of the rest, and withal, not expecting aid in haste; and the rest of the multitude, as being thereby both delivered of the danger, and withal to retain their city with the equal form of government.

[2] Insomuch that they which conspired with Brasidas now openly justified the offer to be reasonable; and seeing the minds of the commons were now turned and that they gave ear no more to the words of the Athenian general, they compounded, and upon the conditions proclaimed received him.

[3] Thus did these men deliver up the city. Thucydides with his galleys arrived in the evening of the same day at Eion.

[4] Brasidas had already gotten Amphipolis, and wanted but a night of taking Eion also; for if these galleys had not come speedily to relieve it, by next morning it had been had.

[1] The bulk of the inhabitants, upon hearing this, began to change their minds, especially as only a small number of the citizens were Athenians, the majority having come from different quarters, and many of the prisoners outside had relations within the walls. They found the proclamation a fair one in comparison of what their fear had suggested; the Athenians being glad to go out, as they thought they ran more risk than the rest, and further, did not expect any speedy relief, and the multitude generally being content at being left in possession of their civic rights, and at such an unexpected reprieve from danger.

[2] The partisans of Brasidas now openly advocated this course, seeing that the feeling of the people had changed, and that they no longer gave ear to the Athenian general present; and thus the surrender was made and Brasidas was admitted by them on the terms of his proclamation.

[3] In this way they gave up the city, and late in the same day Thucydides and his ships entered the harbour of Eion ,

[4] Brasidas having just got hold of Amphipolis , and having been within a night of taking Eion had the ships been less prompt in relieving it, in the morning it would have been his.

Die Mehrzahl der Amphipoliten nun, als sie dieß hörten,
wurden anderer Gesinnung, zumal sich auch nur wenige Athener unter
den Bürgern fanden, vielmehr die meisten gemischtes Ursprungs waren.
Auch wohnten in der Stadt viele Angehörige der vor den Mauern
Gefangenen. Im Verhältniß zu dem, was sie gefürchtet hatten, schien
ihnen des Brasidas Aufforderung gemäßigt: den Athenern, weil sie
froh waren, hinauszukommen, da so die Gefahr für sie unvergleichlich
geringer schien, und dann auch, weil sie Hülse so bald nicht
erwarteten; dem übrigen Haufen, weil er nicht in gleicher Weise aus der
Stadt ausgetrieben wurde und sich wider Erwarten aller Furcht ledig
sah. So traten denn auch die, welche mit Brasidas unter der Decke
gespielt, bereits ganz offen auf und verfechten diese Ansicht, da sie
sahen, wie auch die Menge jetzt anderer Meinung geworden war und
dem anwesenden athenischen Feldherrn kein Gehör mehr schenkte. So
wurde also der Vergleich abgeschlossen, und sie nahmen den Brasidas
unter den von ihm verkündeten Bedingungen in die Stadt auf. — Diese
nun übergaben die Sadt auf die angegebene Art, Thukydides aber
mit feinen Schiffen segelte am Abend desselben TageS in Eion ein.
Amphipolis hatte Brasidas bereits in Besitz und um eine Nacht hätte
er auch Eion genommen; denn wären die Schiffe nicht schleunig zu
Hülfe gekommen, so wäre am Morgen der Platz schon verloren
gewesen.

CVI. Cette proclamation changea les dispositions de la foule ; d’autant plus qu’il y avait peu d’Athéniens dans la ville, et que le reste était une population mêlée. Beaucoup, d’ailleurs, avaient des liens de parenté avec les prisonniers faits au dehors ; enfin la crainte qu’on éprouvait avait fait trouver équitables les conditions proposées : les Athéniens s’estimaient heureux de sortir, parce qu’ils se croyaient plus exposés que les autres et ne comptaient pas sur un prompt secours ; le reste du peuple se voyait maintenu en possession de l’égalité politique et hors de danger, contre toute attente. Déjà même les partisans de Brasidas vantaient hautement la modération de ses offres, encouragés par le changement qu’ils remarquaient dans les dispositions du peuple, et par le peu d’attention qu’on prêtait aux discours du général athénien présent dans la ville. La capitulation fut conclue, et on reçut Brasidas aux conditions qu’il avait fait proclamer. C’est ainsi que la ville fut livrée. Le jour même, sur le soir, Thucydide aborda à Eion avec ses vaisseaux ; Brasidas venait d’occuper Amphipolis, et il ne s’en fallut que d’une nuit qu’il s’emparât d’Eion ; car, si les vaisseaux n’eussent promptement secouru la place, elle aurait été occupée au point du jour.

Cett j proclamation produisit un effet d’autant plus sensible, qu’il y avait peu d’Athéniens dans la ville ; le surplus se composait d’une population mélangée; les prisonniers du dehors avaient beaucoup de parents dans l'intérieur; enfin les conditions offertes paraissaient équitables dans ce moment d’alarme. Les Athéniens ne demandaient pas mieux que de sortir, parce qu’ils se croyaient plus exposés que les autres et comptaient peu sur un prompt secours ; le reste du peuple se voyait, contre son attente, maintenu dans ses droits et délivré du danger. Déjà les affidés de Brasidas, témoins du changement de la multitude qui avait cessé d’obéir au général athénien alors présent, ne se gênaient plus pour dire qu’il fallait accepter ces offres. La capitulation fut donc conclue, et Brasidas reçu aux termes de sa proclamation. C’est ainsi qu’Amphipolis fut livrée. Ce jour même, vers le soir, Thucydide aborda à Ëïon avec ses vaisseaux. Brasidas venait d’occuper Amphipolis. Il ne s'en fallut que d’une nuit qu’il s’emparât également d’Éïon; car, si la flotte ne s’y était portée avec célérité, au point du jour cette ville était prise.

[1] On hearing this the majority became irresolute, especially as few of the citizens were Athenians, the greater number being a mixed multitude, and a considerable number of those who had been captured outside had relatives inside the city. As compared with their fears they conceived the proclamation to be fair—the Athenians, because they were only too glad to be able to leave, since they realized that their share of the dangers was greater, and besides, did not expect any speedy relief; the general multitude, because they were not to lose their civil rights but to retain them as before and also, contrary to their expectation, were to be released from peril.

[2] And so, as the partisans of Brasidas were already quite openly justifying his proposals, since these saw that the populace had changed its attitude and no longer hearkened to the Athenian general who was in the city, the capitulation was made, and Brasidas was received on the terms of his proclamation.

[3] In this way they gave up the city, and on the evening of the same day Thucydides and his ships sailed into Eion.

[4] Brasidas had just got possession of Amphipolis, and he missed taking Eion only by a night; for if the ships had not come to the rescue with all speed, it would have been taken at dawn.

[1] The mass of the people, on hearing this, rather changed their minds; especially as only a small number of Athenians were citizens of the place, the majority being a mixed multitude. There were also within the walls many relations of those who had been taken without; and they considered the proclamation to be reasonable, when measured by the standard of their fear. The Athenians took this view of it, because they were glad to go out, thinking that the danger was greater for them than the rest, and, besides, not expecting any speedy relief; the rest of the multitude, because they were not to be deprived of their franchise, on an equal footing, and were released from peril beyond their expectation.

[2] When therefore the partisans of Brasidas now openly advocated these proposals, on seeing that the populace had changed their minds, and no longer listened to the Athenian commander, who was present;

[3] the surrender was made, and they admitted him on the terms of his proclamation. In this way they delivered up the city; and Thucydides and his ships landed at Eion late on the same day.

[4] Brasidas had just taken possession of Amphipolis, and was within a night of taking Eion; for if the ships had not quickly come to its aid, in the morning it would have been in his hands.

[1] Plebs vero, hoc audito, magis aliquanto animo alienata est, praesertim quod Atheniensium quidem in urbe habitantium exiguus esset numerus, major vero pars esset turba promisca. Atque etiam multi intus erant propinqui illorum, qui extra capti erant, et pro metu suo edictum «equum esse existimabant, Athenienses quidem, quod illinc exire vehementer cuperent, tum quia non paria pericula sibi imminere ducebant, tum etiam quia auxilium sibi non celeriter latum iri putabant; cetera vero multitudo, quod aequabili civitatis jure non privarentur, et quod praeter opinionem periculo liberarentur.

[2] Quare quum illi, qui cum Brasida sentiebant, jam vel palam affirmarent ®quas esse conditjones, postquam animadverterunt ipsam quoque plebem mutasse sententiam, neque Atheniensium duci, qui aderat, aures amplius praebere, facta est conventio , et Brasidam receperunt iis conditionibus, quas per praeconem edixerat.

[3] Atque illi quidem hoc modo urbem dediderunt, Thucydides vero ejusque naves eodem dic sero Eionem appulerunt.

[4] Et Amphipolin quidem Brasidas modo occupaverat, Eionem vero quin occuparet, per unam duntaxat noctem stetit; nisi 'enim naves ad opem ei ferendam celeriter venissent, simul atque dies illuxisset, in ejus potestatem redacta esset.

La plebe udito ciò mutossi di pensiero, tanto più che in città vi erano pochi Ateniesi, e il più degli abitanti era un miscuglio di varii popoli, e molti erano parenti di quelli arrestati al di fuori. Insomma tutti, atteso il timore, tenevano per discreto quel bando : gli Ateniesi perchè giudicavano loro pericoloso l’uscire, e perchè non si aspettavano un pronto soccorso ; il resto della moltitudine poi perchè goderebbero come prima dei loro diritti , contro ogni credenza si trarrebbero del pericolo. Cosicché i fautori di Brasida vedendo che la plebe mutata non udiva più il generale ateniese ivi presente, giustificavano oramai apertamente le proposizioni di Brasida, e si venne alla capitolazione per cui ricevettero gli Spartani colle condizioni del bando. Per tal modo resero la città. Tucidide sulla sera di questo stesso giorno approdò colle sue navi a Eiona. Avendo Brasida di poco occupata Àmfipoli , stette solo per una notte che ei non prendesse anco Eiona : perocché se quelle navi non erano sollecitamente venute a soccorrerla , l'avrebbe occupata sul far del l’alba.