Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.117

[1] The Lacedaemonians and Athenians, in the spring of the summer following, made a cessation of arms presently for a year, having reputed with themselves, the Athenians, that Brasidas should by this means cause no more of their cities to revolt, but that by this leisure they might prepare to secure them; and that if this suspension liked them, they might afterwards make some agreement for a longer time; the Lacedaemonians, that the Athenians fearing what they feared, would, upon the taste of this intermission of their miseries and weary life, be the willinger to compound, and with the restitution of their men to conclude a peace for a longer time.

[2] For they would fain have recovered their men while Brasidas' good fortune continued; and whilst, if they could not recover them, they might yet (Brasidas prospering and setting them equal with the Athenians) try it out upon even terms and get the victory.

[3] Whereupon a suspension of arms was concluded, comprehending both themselves and their confederates, in these words:

[1] In the spring of the summer following, the Lacedaemonians and Athenians made an armistice for a year; the Athenians thinking that they would thus have full leisure to take their precautions before Brasidas could procure the revolt of any more of their towns, and might also, if it suited them, conclude a general peace; the Lacedaemonians divining the actual fears of the Athenians, and thinking that after once tasting a respite from trouble and misery they would be more disposed to consent to a reconciliation, and to give back the prisoners, and make a treaty for the longer period.

[2] The great idea of the Lacedaemonians was to get back their men while Brasidas' good fortune lasted: further successes might make the struggle a less unequal one in Chalcidice , but would leave them still deprived of their men, and even in Chalcidice not more than a match for the Athenians and by no means certain of victory.

[3] An armistice was accordingly concluded by Lacedaemon and her allies upon the terms following:—

Sogleich mit Frühlingsanfang des folgenden Jahres
schloßen Lakedämonier und Athener einen Waffenstillstand auf ein
ganzes Jahr; die Athener, weil sie dachten, Brasidas könne ihnen so
weiter keine Städte mehr zum Abfall bewegen, bis sie sich in
Ruhe gerüstet hätten; und wenn sie sich so in eine günstige Lage
versetzt, würden sie auch weitere Friedensvereinbarungen treffen
können; die Lakedämonier aber dachten sich, daß die Athener eben
dergleichen Befürchtungen hegten, wie sie deren wirklich hatten, und wenn
sie erst von Knegsübeln und Mühseligkeiten einige Ausrast verschmeckt
hätten, würden sie sich noch mehr nach Frieden sehnen und unter
Auslieferung ihrer Leute auch aus längere Zeit einen Vertrag schließen.
Sie wünschten nämlich dringender ihre Leute zurückzuerhalten,
während Brasidas noch in glücklichem Fortschreiten begriffen war, denn
hätte er erst noch Größeres erreicht und den Athenern gegenüber
wieder ein vollständiges Gleichgewicht hergestellt, so würden sie gewiß
jener Leute verlustig gehen, und dann sei bei weiterem gefahrvollem
Kampf mit beiderseits gleicher Macht der Sieg doch noch ungewiß.
Es wurde also zwischen den beiden Parteien und ihren
Bundesgenossen folgender Waffenstillstand abgeschlossen:

CXVII. Les Athéniens et les Péloponnésiens conclurent, dès le commencement du printemps de l’été suivant, une trêve d’une année. Les Athéniens pensaient que Brasidas serait mis par là dans l’impos- sibilité de détacher d’eux de nouveaux alliés, avant qu’ils eussent fait à loisir leurs préparatifs ; que d’ailleurs, s’ils y trouvaient avantage, ils pourraient proroger la trêve. Les Lacédémoniens soupçonnaient parfaitement quelles étaient les appréhensions des Athéniens ; ils espéraient donc qu’en les laissant un peu respirer de leurs maux et de leurs souffrances, la jouissance du repos leur ferait désirer encore plus ardemment un accord ; qu’ils leur rendraient alors les guerriers et feraient une paix de plus longue durée. Ils attachaient le plus grand prix à se faire rendre ces prisonniers pendant que la fortune était encore favorable à Brasidas ; car, à supposer même que Brasidas continuât ses progrès et rétablît l’équilibre, ils pourraient d’abord perdre leurs prisonniers, et ensuite voir, dans une lutte à forces égales contre les Athéniens, la victoire remise au hasard. Ils conclurent donc pour eux et leurs alliés la trêve suivante :

Dès le printemps de l’année suivante ¹ , les Lacédémoniens et les Athéniens firent une trêve d’un an. Les Athéniens voulaient par là empêcher Brasidas d’exciter de nouveaux soulèvements dans les villes alliées, avant qu’eux-mêmes fussent en mesure de s'y opposer; ils pensaient qu’au besoin cette trêve pourrait être prolongée. Les Lacédémoniens pénétraient à merveille leurs appréhensions. Ils espéraient qu’après ce répit apporté aux souffrances de la guerre, les Athéniens seraient plus enclins à la terminer par une paix définitive et à leur rendre leurs prisonniers. Ils tenaient essentiellement à les recouvrer pendant que la fortune leur était encore favorable. Ils sentaient bien que, si Brasidas poussait plus loin ses avantages et rétablissait l'équilibre, leurs prisonniers seraient perdus et eux-mêmes contraints de courir les chances de la lutte. Ils conclurent donc, pour eux et pour leurs alliés, la trêve suivante ² .

[1] But at the opening of spring in the fol- ¹ lowing summer season, the Lacedaemonians and Athenians at once concluded an armistice for a year. The Athenians believed that Brasidas would thus not be able to cause any more of their allies to revolt and they meanwhile could make preparations at their leisure, and at the same time that, should it be to their advantage, they might make further agreements; the Lacedaemonians, on their part, thought that the Athenians were moved by precisely the fears which actuated them, ² and that, when once they had enjoyed a respite from troubles and hardships, they would, after such an experience, be more anxious to be reconciled, restore their men and make a truce for

[2] a longer time. For it was their men they made a special point of recovering, while Brasidas was still in good luck. If he were still further successful and established the contending forces on an even footing, the likelihood was that they would still be deprived of these men, and it would be doubtful whether, fighting on equal terms, they could prevail

[3] with the remainder. Accordingly an armistice was concluded for them and their allies on the following terms:

[1] At the commencement of the spring of the following summer, the Lacedaemonians and Athenians immediately concluded an armistice for a year; the Athenians considering that Brasidas would then no longer win any more of their towns to revolt, before they had made their preparations for securing them at their leisure; and at the same time, that if it were for their interest, they might conclude a general peace: while the Lacedaemonians thought that the Athenians feared what they really were afraid of; and that after having a suspension of their miseries and suffering, they would be more desirous, from their taste of it, to effect a reconciliation, and, restoring their men, to make a treaty for a longer time.

[2] For they deemed it of ¹ greater importance to recover their men at a time when Brasidas was still prosperous: and, [on the other hand,] if he reached a still greater measure of success, and put matters on an equality, they were likely to lose those men, and while defending themselves with their others, on equal terms, still to run a risk of not gaining the mastery.

[3] An armistice was therefore concluded by them and their allies on the following terms:

[1] Ineunte autem sequentis aestatis vere Lacedaemonii et Athenienses statim annuas inducias fecerunt, Aliie-nienses quidem, quod existimarent, Brasidam nullam prae terea suorum sociorum civitatem ad defectionem faciendam amplius impulsurum, priusquam ad bellum se per otium comparassent, simul etiam, si res sibi feliciter succederet, se compositionem diuturniorem facturos; Lacedirmonii vero, quod putarent Athenienses ea metuere, quae reapse metuebant, datoque malorum ac miseriarum laxamento, ubi pacem experli essent, majore desiderio paratos fore redire secum in gratiam et restitutis sibi viris pacem vel diuturniorem facere.

[2] Cives enim suos plurimi faciebant recuperare, quando Brasidas adhuc rem feliciter gereret; et si ipse majores progressus fecisset, et res aequasset, foturum putabant, ut his quidem privarentur, cum illis vero aequis viribue certantes belli fortunam periclitarentur.

[3] Induciae igitur inter ipsos ipsorumque socios factae sunt in haec verba.

Cominciando la primavera della estate seguente fu fatto tregua per un anno dai Lacedemoni agli Ateniesi. Credevano gli Ateniesi che Brasida in questo modo non potrebbe ribellar loro alcun’altra terra , prima che e' si fossero a hell'agio apparecchiati ; e che se le cose passassero bene, essi otterrebbero un più lungo accomodamento.

I Lacedemoni poi da varisi a credere che gli Ateniesi ilotessero temere qdei mali che di fatto temevano, e che però , dandosi luogo a cessamento di calaihità e di fatiche, per questa esperiènza é’ sarebbero più bramosi di accomodamento e restituirebbero la gente di Sfatteria perchè la tregua si concludesse per più lungo tempo. il riscatto di quelle genti stava in cima de’ loro pensieri, riflettendo essi alle continovate vittorie di Bfasida ; conciossiachè se egli facesse nuovi acquisti sino a mettere alla pari tra sè le due potenze belligeranti, nondimeno ( quantunque allora fossero in istato di combattete gli Ateniesi a forze eguali, e forse di Vincerli ) potrebbe darri il ,ca$o di perdere quelle genti. Pertanto fanno tregua insieme, comprendendovi anche gli alleati, in questi termini. '