Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.43

[1] Battus, one of their commanders (for there were two of them present at the battle), with one squadron went toward the village of Solygeia, being an open one, to defend it; and Lycophron with the rest charged the enemy.

[2] And first they gave the onset on the right wing of the Athenians, which was but newly landed before Chersonesus; and afterwards they charged likewise the rest of the army. The battle was hot and at hand-strokes.

[3] And the right wing of the Athenians and Carystians (for of these consisted their utmost files) sustained the charge of the Corinthians; and with much ado drave them back. But as they retired they came up (for the place was all rising ground) to a dry wall, and from thence, being on the upper ground, threw down stones at them; and after having sung the Paean, came again close to them, whom when the Athenians abode, the battle was again at hand-strokes.

[4] But a certain band of Corinthians that came in to the aid of their own left wing put the right wing of the Athenians to flight and chased them to the sea-side; but then from their galleys they turned head again, both the Athenians and the Carystians.

[5] The other part of their army continued fighting on both sides, especially the right wing of the Corinthians, where Lycophron fought against the left wing of the Athenians; for they expected that the Athenians would attempt to go to Solygeia.

[1] Battus, one of the two generals present at the action, went with a company to defend the village of Solygia, which was unfortified; Lycophron remaining to give battle with the rest.

[2] The Corinthians first attacked the right wing of the Athenians, which had just landed in front of Chersonese , and afterwards the rest of the army. The battle was an obstinate one, and fought throughout hand to hand.

[3] The right wing of the Athenians and Carystians, who had been placed at the end of the line, received and with some difficulty repulsed the Corinthians, who thereupon retreated to a wall upon the rising ground behind, and throwing down the stones upon them, came on again singing the paean, and being received by the Athenians, were again engaged at close quarters.

[4] At this moment a Corinthian company having come to the relief of the left wing, routed and pursued the Athenian right to the sea, whence they were in their turn driven back by the Athenians and Carystians from the ships.

[5] Meanwhile the rest of the army on either side fought on tenaciously, especially the right wing of the Corinthians, where Lycophron sustained the attack of the Athenian left, which it was feared might attempt the village of Solygia.

Battos, der eine ihrer Anführer — denn eS waren deren
zwei bei der Schlacht anwesend — nahm eine Abtheilung nnd
marschirte nach dem Dorfe Solygea, um dies zu schützen, da es keine
Mauern hatte; Lykophron aber mit den übrigen Truppen nahm das
Gefecht an. Und zuerst nun griffen die Korinther den rechten
athenischen Flügel vorwärts der Halbinsel an, gerade, als diese eben an's
Land gestiegen waren, dann auch die andern Abtheilungen. Der
Kampf war hitzig und durchaus Mann gegen Mann. Der rechte
Flügel der Athener und Karystier, — denn diese standen bei ihnen
aus der äußersten Spitze des Flügels — empfing die angreifenden ^{1 2 3 4}
Korinther und trieb sie, obgleich mit Anstrengung, zurück. Diese
zogen sich weichend gegen eine Mauer, und da die ganze Gegend
abschüssig ist, warfen sie von ihrer höheren Stellung herab mit Steinen;
dann stimmten sie den Schlachtgesang an und gingen wieder zum
Angriff, und da die Athener Stand hielten, kam es wieder zum
Handgemenge. Da kam aber eine Korinthische Abtheilung ihrem linken
Flügel zu Hülfe, brachte den rechten der Athener zum Weichen und
drängte sie bis an das Meer hin. Nun machten aber die Athener
und Karystier bei den Schiffen wieder Kehrt und gewannen wieder
Raum. Auf den übrigen Punkten kämpfte das Heer beiderseits
ununterbrochen, besonders suchte sich der rechte korinthische Flügel unter
Lykophron des linken der Athener zu erwehren, denn sie befürchteten,
derselbe möchte einen Versuch gegen das Dorf Solygea machen.

XLIII. Battus, un de leurs généraux (car il yen avait deux à cette bataille), prit avec lui une division et se porta sur Solygie, bourg ouvert, pour le garder. Lycophron attaqua avec le reste. Ce fut sur l’aile droite des Athéniens, au moment où elle venait d’opérer sa descente devant la Chersonnèse, que porta d’abord l’effort des Corinthiens ; ils attaquèrent ensuite le reste de l’armée. L’engagement fut vif ; on se battait corps à corps sur toute la ligne. L’aile droite des Athéniens et les Carystiens, qui formaient l’extrémité de cette aile, reçurent les Corinthiens et les repoussèrent, mais non sans peine. Ceux-ci reculèrent jusqu’à un enclos, et, favorisés par la pente du terrain, ils dominèrent l’ennemi, l’accablèrent de pierres, chantèrent le Péan et reprirent l’offensive. Les Athéniens reçurent le choc, et le combat recommença corps à corps. Cependant un corps de Corinthiens, venu au secours de leur aile gauche, mit en fuite la droite des Athéniens et les poursuivit jusqu’à la mer ; mais bientôt Athéniens et Carystiens redescendirent des vaisseaux et revinrent à la charge. De part et d’autre on combattait avec opiniâtreté sur toute la ligne, mais principalement à la droite des Corinthiens, où Lycophron était engagé avec la gauche des Athéniens ; car on pensait qu’ils feraient une tentative sur le bourg de Solygie.

Battos, Tun des deux généraux présents à cette journée, prit avec lui une division et alla occuper le village de Solygie, qui n’était pas fortifié. Lycophron avec le reste des troupes engagea lë combat. D’abord les Corinthiens attaquèrent l’aile droite des Athéniens, à peine débarquée en avant de Ja Chersonèse ; ensuite l’action devint générale. On se battit pendant longtemps et toujours corps à corps. L’aile droite des Athéniens et les Carystiens qui en formaient l’extrémité, soutinrent le choc des Corinthiens et les repoussèrent non sans peine. Ceux-ci rétrogradèrent jusqu’à une muraille située au-dessus d’eux, sur un terrain incliné. De là ils se mirent à lancer des pierres, chantèrent le Péan et revinrent à la charge. Les Athéniens les attendirent de pied ferme et la mêlée recommença. Une division de Corinthiens, venue au secours de leur aile gauche, mit en fuite la droite des Athéniens, et la refoula jusqu’à la mer : mais arrivés près des vaisseaux, les Athéniens et les Carystiens firent volte-face. Le reste des deux armées combattit sans interruption, surtout l’aile droite des Corinthiens, où était Lycophron, et qui avait affaire à la gauqhe des Athéniens. On craignait que ceux-ci ne se portassent contre le village de Solygie.

[1] Thereupon Battus, one of the two Corinthian generals present at the battle, took a company and went to the village of Solygeia, which was unwalled, to guard it, while Lycophron attacked with the remainder of their troops.

[2] Now at first the Corinthians assailed the right wing of the Athenians, which had just disembarked in front of Chersonesus, and afterwards engaged the rest of the army also. The battle was stubbornly contested throughout and fought at close quarters.

[3] The Athenian right wing, at whose extremity were stationed the Carystians, received the charge of the Corinthians and drove them back, though with difficulty; but the latter retreated to a stone fence and, since the ground was everywhere a steep slope, pelted the Athenians with stones, being on higher ground, and then, raising the paean, charged a second time. The Athenians received the charge and the battle was again waged at close quarters.

[4] Then a company of the Corinthians, reinforcing their own left wing, routed the right wing of the Athenians and pursued it to the sea; but again upon reaching the ships the Athenians and Carystians rallied.

[5] The other divisions of the two armies were continuously engaged, especially the right wing of the Corinthians, where Lycophron was in command against the Athenian left and kept it in check; for they expected the Athenians to make an attempt against the village of Solygeia.

[1] And Battus, one of the generals, (for there were two present in the engagement,) took a battalion, and went to the village of Solygia to defend it, as it was unwalled; while Lycophron gave them battle with the rest.

[2] First, the Corinthians attacked the right wing of the Athenians, immediately after it had landed in front of Chersonesus; then the rest of their army also. And the battle was an obstinate one, and fought entirely hand to hand.

[3] The right wing of the Athenians and Carystians (for these had been posted in the extremity of the line) received the charge of the Corinthians, and drove them back after some trouble; but after retreating to a wall (for the ground was all on a rise) they assailed them with stones from the higher ground, and singing the paean, returned to the attack; which being received by the Athenians, the battle was again fought hand to hand.

[4] Meanwhile a battalion of the Corinthians, having gone to the relief of their left wing, broke the right of the Athenians, and pursued them to the sea; but the Athenians and Carystians from the ships drove them back again.

[5] The rest of the army on both sides was fighting without cessation, especially the right wing of the Corinthians, in which Lycophron was opposed to the left of the Athenians, and acting on the defensive; for they expected them to try for the village of Solygia.

[1] Et Battus quidem, alter e ducibus (duo enim proelio intererant) assumpto cohorte contendit ad Solygiam pagum tutaturus illum, quod nullis muris erat cinctus; cuin reliquis vero Lycophro manus cum hoste conseruit.

[2] Et primum quidem Corintliii in dextrum Atheniensium cornu, quod statiin ante Chersonesum in terram descende» rat, impetum faciebant, deinde vero et in reliquas eorum I copias. Asperumque pixrlium totumque cominus commissum.

[3] Et dcxtrfim quidem Atheniensium et Carystiorum cornu (hi enim in acie postremi erant) Corinthios exceperunt aegreque reppulerunt; iili vero quum ad maceriam se recepissent (totus enim ille locus acclivis erat) superne lapidibus hostem petebant, et paeana exorsi rursus invadebant; quum autem Athenienses eos excepissent, pugna iterum cominus committebatur.

[4] Quaedam autem Corinthiorum cohors sinistro suorum cornu subsidio profecta dextrum Atheniensium cornu in fugam vertit et ad mare usque persecuta est; rursus autem a navibus reverterunt et Athenienses et Carystii.

[5] Reliquus vero exercitus utrinque continenter dimicabat; praecipue vero dextrum Corinthiorum cornu, in quo stans Lycophro sinistro Atheniensium resistebat; suspicabantur enim eos Solygiam pagum temptaturos.

[1] Akanthier! Die Absicht Spartas bei Aussendung meines Heeres ist keine andere, als den Zweck unseres Krieges mit Athen, als welchen wir in der Kriegserklärung die Befreiung Griechenlands angekündigt, zur Wirklichkeit zu machen. An unserm späten Erscheinen aber ist die durch die bisherigen Feldzüge getäuschte Hoffnung schuld, euch den Kampf zu ersparen und in kurzer Zeit allein mit Athen fertig zu werden; und es kann uns dasselbe um so weniger zum Vorwurf gemacht werden, da wir jetzt die erste Gelegenheit ergreifen, hieher zu kommen und auch euch zur Theilnahme an dem Vernichtungskampfe einzuladen. Um so mehr befremdet es mich, aus dem Sperren der Thore auf eine unfreundliche Stimmung bei euch schliessen zu müssen. In dem guten Glauben, in euch längst, vor unserer Ankunft schon, entschiedene Bundesgenossen zu finden, denen wir nur willkommen sein würden, haben wir Lacedämonier die Gefahr nicht angesehen, die mit einem so weiten Marsch durch fremdes Gebiet verbunden war, und jedes mögliche Opfer gebracht, — und wie, ihr solltet ganz andere Gesinnungen hegen, solltet eurer eigenen und aller Griechen Befreiung euch widersetzen wollen? Denn nicht allein, dass ihr zu dem Feinde stehet, es müsste auch alle folgenden Städte zurückhaltend und besorgt machen, wenn gleich anfangs eine so ansehnliche und einflussreiche Stadt wie die eurige mich abwiese. Der Glaube an meine Sendung wäre dahin ¹ , man argwohnte nur Böses in der Freiheit, die ich bringe ² , oder sähe in meinem Heere einen zu schwachen und nichtssagenden Schutz gegen Athens drohende Rache. Zwar es war dasselbe Heer, mit dem ich vor Nisäa zog, wo die Athener trotz ihrer Uebermacht keinen Angriff wagten, und ein so zahlreiches Heer wie das nisäische würden sie ohnehin in keinem Fall gegen euch über's Meer schicken. ³

Batto, uno de'due capitani Corintii (perchè due u erano in quella guerra), presa seco una compagnia di soldati andò al borgo Soligia , che era senza mura, per guardarlo ; e Licofrone e gli altri arrufiaronsi col nemico. I Coriutii caricarono primieramente Pala destra degli Ateniesi, appena sbarcata dinanzi al Chersoneso; e quindi anco il resto dell9 esercito. La battaglia era per tutto aspra e petto a petto. L’ ala destra composta di Ateniesi e Caristii ( essendo questi schierati gli ultimi ) , sostenne ed a gran pena rispinse i Corintii, che ritiraronsi presso una macìa ; ed essendo quel luogo tutto declivo, scagliavano dall’ alto sassi sul nemico , cui nuovamente assalirono cantato il Peana. Gli Ateniesi resistevano, e rinnuovossi la zuffa petto a petto : se non che una compagnia di Corintii sopraccorsa in aiuto dell’ala sinistra de9suoi, fece piegare la destra degli Ateniesi , e gl7 inseguì fino al mare. Pure gli Ateniesi ed i Caristii tornarono di nuovo indietro dalle navi. il rimanente poi dell’ esercito sì dell’ una che dell’ altra parte non cessò dal combattere ; ma specialmente l' ala diritta de’ Corintii sulla quale era Licofroue, faceva resistenza contro la sinistra degli Ateniesi, sospettando che e’ volessero tentare l' impresa del villaggio Soligia.