Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.46

[1] About the same time that these things were in doing, Eurymedon and Sophocles, after their departure from Pylus with the Athenian fleet towards Sicily, arriving at Corcyra, joined with those of the city, and made war upon those Corcyraeans which lay encamped upon the hill Istone, and which after the sedition had come over, and both made themselves masters of the field and much annoyed the city, and having assaulted their fortification, took it.

[2] But the men all in one troop escaped to a certain high ground and thence made their composition, which was this: that they should deliver up the strangers that aided them; and that they themselves, having rendered their arms, should stand to the judgment of the people of Athens.

[3] Hereupon the generals granted them truce and transported them to the island of Ptychia to be there in custody till the Athenians should send for them; with this condition, that if any one of them should be taken running away, then the truce to be broken for them all.

[4] But the patrons of the commons of Corcyra, fearing lest the Athenians would not kill them when they came thither, devise against them this plot.

[5] To some few of those in the island they secretly send their friends and instruct them to say, as if forsooth it were for good will, that it was their best course with all speed to get away; and withal, to offer to provide them of a boat; for that the Athenian commanders intended verily to deliver them to the Corcyraean people.

[1] While these events were going on, Eurymedon and Sophocles had put to sea with the Athenian fleet from Pylos on their way to Sicily , and arriving at Corcyra , joined the townsmen in an expedition against the party established on Mount Istone, who had crossed over, as I have mentioned, after the revolution, and become masters of the country, to the great hurt of the inhabitants.

[2] Their stronghold having been taken by an attack, the garrison took refuge in a body upon some high ground and there capitulated, agreeing to give up their mercenary auxiliaries, lay down their arms, and commit themselves to the discretion of the Athenian people.

[3] The generals carried them across under truce to the island of Ptychia, to be kept in custody until they could be sent to Athens , upon the understanding that if any were caught running away, all would lose the benefit of the treaty.

[4] Meanwhile the leaders of the Corcyraean commons, afraid that the Athenians might spare the lives of the prisoners, had recourse to the following stratagem.

[5] They gained over some few men on the island by secretly sending friends with instructions to provide them with a boat, and to tell them, as if for their own sakes, that they had best escape as quickly as possible, as the Athenian generals were going to give them up to the Corcyraean people.

Um dieselbe Zeit, als dieß vorfiel, waren auch Eurymedon
und Sophokles, nachdem sie mit den für Sicilien bestimmten Schiffen
der Athener von Pylos abgefahren waren, in Kerkyra angekommen
und mit den Kerkyräern aus der Stadt gegen die auf dem Berge
Jstone Verschanzten ausgezogen, welche sich damals nach dem
Aus-bruch der Zwistigkeiten hier festgesetzt hatten und von da ans das
platte Land beherrschten und vielen Schaden thaten. Deren
Verschanzung nun nahmen sie durch Berennung; die Leute darin aber
flüchteten sich Alle insgesammt auf einen hochgelegenen Punkt und
ergaben sich dann unter der Bedingung, daß sie ihre Hülsstruvpen
und ihre eigenen Waffen ausliefern sollten, über ihre eigenen
Personen aber sollte das Volk der Athener entscheiden. Unter dem Schutze
dieses Vergleiches ließen die Feldherrn die Männer in ein
Gewahrsam auf der Insel Ptychia bringen, bis sie dann nach Athen geschickt
würden; wenn jedoch unterdessen auch nur Einer von ihnen aus einem
Fluchtversuch ertappt würde, so solle der Vergleich Keinen mehr
schützen. Nun fürchteten aber die Vorstände der Volkspartei in Ker­ ^{1 2 3 4}
kyra, die Athener möchten jene vielleicht am Leben lassen, wenn sie
erst dorthin gebracht wären, und setzten daher folgende List in's Werk.
Sie überredeten einige von den Männern auf der Insel, indem sie
ihnen befreundete Leute hinschickten, mit dem Auftrag, so zu thun,
als ob sie aus Theilnahme für sie handelten: es sei für sie das Beste,
so schnell als möglich zu entlaufen, wozu sie schon selbst ein Fahrzeug
bereit halten würden; denn die athenischen Feldherrn seien Willens,
sie der Volkspartei in Kerkyra auszuliefern.

XLVI. Pendant le cours de ces événements, Eurymédon et Sophocle, partis de Pylos avec la flotte athénienne pour se rendre en Sicile, abordèrent à Corcyre. Réunis aux habitants de la ville, ils marchèrent contre ceux des Corcyréens qui s’étaient établis sur le mont Istone, lorsqu’ils revinrent du continent après la sédition. De là, ils dominaient le pays et y faisaient beaucoup de mal. On attaqua leur fort et on s’en empara ; ils se réfugièrent sur une hauteur et capitulèrent à la condition de livrer les troupes auxiliaires, d’abandonner leurs armes et de s’en remettre, pour leurs personnes, à la discrétion des Athéniens. Les généraux les transportèrent, sous la garantie de ce traité, dans l’île de Ptychia ¹ , pour y être gardés jusqu’à leur translation à Athènes, avec cette clause, que, si un seul d’entre eux était surpris à s’échapper, la convention serait annulée pour tous. Cependant les chefs du parti populaire à Corcyre, craignant qu’à leur arrivée à Athènes on ne leur laissât la vie, imaginèrent cet expédient : dans le but de tromper les prisonniers, ils envoyèrent à quelques-uns d’eux des amis leur représen ter, comme par bienveillance, que le mieux pour eux était de s’é- chapper au plus vite ; qu’eux-mêmes leur tiendraient prêt quelque bâtiment ; car les généraux athéniens devaient les livrer au peuple de Corcyre.

Pendant que ces événements se passaient, Eurymé-don et Sophoclès, partis de Pylos pour la Sicile, avec la flotte athénienne, étaient arrivés à Corcyre. Là, de concert avec ceux de la ville, ils firent une expédition contre les Corcy réens établis sur le mont Istone ¹ , lesquels, après la sédition, avaient passé dans rïle et s’étaient rendus maîtres de la campagne qu’ils infestaient. Le fort fut emporté d’assaut. Les défenseurs, retirés ensemble sur une éminence, capitulèrent à condition de livrer leurs auxiliaires, de mettre bas les armes et de s’en rapporter pour leurs personnes à la décision du peuple athénien. Les généraux, transportèrent ces captifs, sous U foi d’un traité, dans l’ile de Ptychia ² , pour y être gardés jusqu’à ce qu’ils fussent envoyés à Athènes, sous la réserve expresse que, si l’un d’eux cherchait à s’évader, la convention serait annulée pour tous.

Les chefs du peuple de Corcyre, craignant que les Athéniens ne laissassent la vie à ces prisonniers, imaginèrent un stratagème. Ils envoyèrent ^pus main des hommes dévoués, qui, avec un faux-semblant de bienveillance, firent savoir à quelques-uns des prisonniers que ce qu’ils avaient de mieux à faire était de s’échapper au plus vite sur un bâtiment qu’on tiendrait à leur disposition, attendu que les généraux athéniens étaient sur le point de les livrer au peuple de Corcyre.

[1] It was at this time, while these events were occurring, that Eurymedon and Sophocles, ¹ setting sail from Pylos for Sicily with an Athenian fleet, arrived at Corcyra. There they took part with the men from the city ² in an expedition against the Corcyraeans who had established themselves on Mt. Istone, and who at this time, after crossing over thither subsequently to the revolution, were dominating the country and doing a great deal of damage.

[2] The stronghold was taken by assault, but the men in it fled in a body to some high ground and there capitulated, on condition that they should surrender their mercenary troops and give up their arms, leaving it to the Athenian people to decide upon their own fate.

[3] The generals accordingly conveyed the men under truce to the island of Ptychia ³ to be kept under custody there until they should be sent to Athens, and the understanding was that if anyone should be caught trying to run away the truce should be regarded as broken for them all.

[4] But the leaders of the popular party at Corcyra were afraid that the Athenians would not put them to death on their arrival at Athens, and therefore resorted to the following stratagem.

[5] They first tried to persuade a few of the men on the island to run away, by secretly sending thither friends who were instructed to say, with a show of good will, that the best course for them was to do this with no loss of time, and promising to have a boat ready; for the Athenian generals, they explained, were intending to deliver them up to the Corcyraean populace.

[1] At the same time that these things were being done, Eurymedon and Sophocles, after weighing from Pylus for Sicily with an Athenian squadron, came to Corcyra, and with the Corcyraeans in the city carried on war upon those that had established themselves on Mount Istone, and who at that time, after crossing over subsequently to the insurrection, commanded the country, and were doing them much damage.

[2] They attacked their strong-hold and took it, but the men, having escaped in a body to a higher eminence, surrendered on condition of giving up their auxiliaries, and letting the Athenian people decide their own fate, after they had given up their arms. So the generals carried them across under truce to the island of Ptychia, to be kept in custody until they were sent to Athens;

[3] with an understanding that if any one were caught running away, the treaty would be void in the case of all.

[4] But the leaders of the popular party at Corcyra, fearing. that the Athenians might not put to death those that were sent to them, contrive the following stratagem.

[5] They persuade some few of the men in the island, by secretly sending friends to them, and instructing them to say, as though with a kind motive, that it was best for them to make their escape as quickly as possible, and that they would themselves get a vessel ready, for that the Athenian generals intended to give them up to the Corcyraean populace.

[1] Per idem tempus, quo haec gerebantur, etiam Eurymedon et Sophocles, qui e Pylo cum Atheniensium classe in Siciliam proficiscebantur, quum Corcyram pervenissent, una cum urbis incolis bellum intulerunt Corcyraeis iis, qui sedes in Istone monte posuerant, qui post seditionem, ut dixi, eo profecti agro potiebantur et multa damua dabant.

[2] Illos igitur adorti, munitionem quidem cepe runt; homines vero conglobati in editum quemdam locum fuga se receperunt, et compositionem hac conditione fecerunt, ut auxiliarios quidem milites ipsis traderent, de se vero armis traditis Atheniensium populus arbitratu suo statueret.

[3] Duces autem Atheniensium ipsos fide publica interposita in insulam Ptychiam asservandos transportarunt, donec Athenas mitterentur, ita ut, si quis aufugiens deprehenderetur, fides, quae data erat, omnibus esset irrita.

[4] Verum primores populi Corcyraei, veriti, ne Athenienses hos Athenas profectos non interficerent, hujusmodi fraudem moliuntur.

[5] Illorum, qui in insula servabantur, aliquibus paucis persuadent, submissis amicis et monitis, ut quasi per benevolentiam dicerent, e re ipsorum maxime esse primo quoque tempore fugam capessere, se vero navigium aliquod praeparaturos; Atheniensium enim duces ipsos populo Corcyraeo tradere statuisse.

[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

Al tempo stesso di questi fatti Eurimedonte e Sofocle partili colla flotta ateniese da Pilo per Sicilia, quando furono a Corfù si unirono con quelli di città, per andar contro quei Corfuotti che dopo la sedizione eran passati a fortificarsi sul monte Istone ; e che padroni della campagna vi facevano grandi guasti. Assalirono il forte, e lo espugnarono; le genti di esso scamparono sopra un altura, e capitolarono a patti di rendere gli ausiliari; e quanto a sè, consegnate le armi, si rimettevano all’ arbitno del popolo ateniese. I capitani li fecer passare con salvocondotto nell’ isola Ptichia, per tenerli sottoguardia finché non venissero spediti ad Atene ; colla condizione che se alcuno fosse colto fuggendo s’intendesse sciolta per tutti la convenzione. Ma i primari tra i popolani di Corfu sospettando che, quando coloro fossero arrivati ad Atene, forse gli Ateniesi non vorrebbero ucciderli, macchinano questo. Spediscono a Ptichia pochi loro aderenti, e li ammoniscono che fingendo benevoglienza dicessero a quelle genti « che per loro miglior cosa sarebbe il trafugarsi prontissimamente , e che essi appresterebbero loro una barca a tal uopo ; perchè i capitani ateniesi vorranno darli in balla della setta popolare di Corfu ».