Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.57

[1] When the Athenians were coming towards them, the Aeginetae left the wall which they happened to be then building toward the sea-side and retired up into the city above where they dwelt, and which was not above ten furlongs from the sea.

[2] There was also with them one of those garrisons which the Lacedaemonians had distributed into the several parts of the country; and these, though they helped them to build the fort below, yet would not now enter with them into the town, though the Aeginetae entreated them, apprehending danger in being cooped up within the walls; and therefore retiring into the highest ground, lay still there, as finding themselves too weak to give them battle.

[3] In the meantime the Athenians came in, and marching up presently with their whole army, won Thyrea, and burnt it, and destroyed whatsoever was in it. The Aeginetae, as many as were not slain in the affray, they carried prisoners to Athens, amongst whom Tantalus also, the son of Patroclus, captain of such Lacedaemonians as were amongst them, was wounded and taken alive.

[4] They carried likewise with them some few men of Cythera, whom for safety's sake they thought good to remove into some other place. These therefore, the Athenians decreed, should be placed in the islands; and that the rest of the Cythereans at the tribute of four talents should inhabit their own territory; that the Aeginetae, as many as they had taken (out of former inveterate hatred), should be put to death; and that Tantalus should be put in bonds amongst those Lacedaemonians that were taken in the island.

[1] While the Athenians were still at sea, the Aeginetans evacuated a fort which they were building upon the coast, and retreated into the upper town where they lived, rather more than a mile from the sea.

[2] One of the Lacedaemonian district garrisons which was helping them in the work, refused to enter here with them at their entreaty, thinking it dangerous to shut themselves up within the wall, and retiring to the high ground remained quiet, not considering themselves a match for the enemy.

[3] Meanwhile the Athenians landed, and instantly advanced with all their forces and took Thyrea. The town they burnt, pillaging what was in it; the Aeginetans who were not slain in action they took with them to Athens , with Tantalus, son of Patrocles, their Lacedaemonian commander, who had been wounded and taken prisoner.

[4] They also took with them a few men from Cythera whom they thought it safest to remove. These the Athenians determined to lodge in the islands: the rest of the Cytherians were to retain their lands and pay four talents' tribute; the Aeginetans captured to be all put to death, on account of the old inveterate feud; and Tantalus to share the imprisonment of the Lacedaemonians taken on the island.

Während nun die Athener noch im Ansegeln begriffen
waren, ließen die Aegineten das Bollwerk, mit dessen Ban sie eben
beschäftigt waren, im Stich und zogen sich landeinwärts nach der Stadt
zurück, in der sie wohnten und die ungefähr zehn Stadien vom Meere
abliegt. Einer der Lakedämonischen Posten in der Gegend, welcher ^{1 2}
auch an der Verschanzung bauen half, wollte, trotz der Bitte der
Aegineten, nicht mit in die Stadt ziehen, sondern es schien ihnen gefährlich,
sich hinter die Mauer sperren zu lassen. Sie zogen sich also auf die
Anhöhen zurück und verhielten sich unthätig, da sie sich nicht stark
genug glaubten, das Gefecht annehmen zu dürfen. Unterdessen waren
die Athener schon gelandet, marshcirten sogleich mit ihrer ganzen Macht
an, nahmen Thyrea, verbrannten die Stadt und plünderten, was
darin war. Die Aegineten, soviel ihrer nicht im Handgemenge
gefallen waren, führten sie nach Athen und mit ihnen auch den
lakedämonischen Stadthauptmann, der bei ihnen war, Tantalos, den Sohn
des Patrokles, der verwundet gefangen genommen wurde. Auch aus
Kythera führten sie einige Männer mit sich, die ihnen der Sicherheit
wegen gut dünkte anderswo unterzubringen. Diese letzteren
beschlossen die Athener zur Ueberwachung auf die Inseln zu geben, die
übrigen Kytherier sollten aus ihrem Grund und Boden wohnen bleiben
und eine Steuer von vier Talenten zahlen; alle gefangenen Aegineten
aber beschlossen sie, wegen der von jeher vererbten Feindschaft, hinzu-
richten und den Tantalos bei den andern Lakedämoniern von der Insel
(Sphakteria) in Ketten zu verwahren.

LVII. Avant le débarquement des Athéniens, les Éginètes abandonnèrent la muraille qu’ils construisaient alors sur le bord de la mer, et se retirèrent dans la ville haute qu’ils habitaient, à dix stades du rivage. Une des garnisons lacédémoniennes du voisinage, qui travaillait avec eux aux fortifications, refusa, malgré leurs prières, d’entrer dans la place, parce qu’il lui semblait dangereux de s’y enfermer. Elle gagna les hauteurs, et, ne se croyant pas en état de combattre, elle se tint en repos.

Cependant les Athéniens abordent, s’avancent aussitôt avec toutes leurs forces, et emportent Thyrée. Après avoir incendié la ville et saccagé tout ce qui s’y trouvait, ils retournèrent à Athènes. Ils emmenaient avec eux les Éginètes qui n’avaient pas été tués dans l’action, et Tantale, fils de Patroclès, commandant de la place pour les Lacédémoniens, qu’ils avaient pris blessé. Ils enlevèrent aussi quelques-uns des Cythériens, qu’ils crurent devoir, par précaution, transporter ailleurs. On décida qu’ils seraient déposés dans les îles ; que les autres Cythériens resteraient dans leur pays, en payant un tribut de quatre talents, et que tous les Éginètes faits prisonniers seraient mis à mort, à cause de l’inimitié qu’ils avaient toujours montrée. Tantale fut mis aux fers, avec les autres Lacédémoniens pris dans l’île ¹ .

A l’apprôche des Athéniens, les Ëginètes abandonnèrent le fort qu’ils construisaient près du rivage, et se retirèrent dans la ville haute qu’ils habitaient, à dix stades de la mer. Une garnison lacédémonienne du voisinage, qui travaillait avec em à la fortification, refusa, malgré leurs instances, d’entrer dans la ville, où il lui sembla dangereux de s’enfermer. Elle aima mieux se retirer sur la hauteur ; et, ne se jugeant pas en mesure de combattre, elle se tint en repos.

Les Athéniens abordent ; et, s’avançant aussitôt avec toutes leurs forces, ils s’emparent de Thyréa. La ville fut entièrement pillée et livrée aux flammes. Ils repartirent ensuite, emmenant tous les Éginètes qui n’avaient pas péri dans la mêlée, et avec eux le Lacédémonien Tantalos fils de Patroclès, qui commandait la place et qui fut pris blessé. Ils emmenèrent pareillement un certain nombre de Cythériens, qu’ils estimaient prudent de déporter. Le peuple d’Athènes décida que ces derniers seraient déposés dans les îles ; que les autres Cythériens demeureraient dans leur patrie, à condition de payer un tribut de quatre talents; que tous les Éginètes seraient mis à mort, à cause de leur ini-. mitié invétérée ; enfin que Tantalos serait tenu dans les fers avec les autres Lacédémoniens pris à Sphactérie.

[1] While, then, the Athenians were still sailing up, the Aeginetans left the fort by the sea which they happened to be building and withdrew to the upper town, where they dwelt, at a distance of about ten stadia from the sea.

[2] Now a detachment of the Lacedaemonian troops which were distributed in garrisons about the country was assisting the Aeginetans to build this fort. But they refused to enter the fort with them, as they requested, since it seemed to them dangerous to be cooped up in it; but retreating to high ground they kept quiet, thinking themselves no match for the enemy.

[3] Meanwhile the Athenians landed, and advancing straightway with their whole force took Thyrea. They burned the city and pillaged what was in it; but they carried to Athens all the Aeginetans who did not perish in the action, together with their Lacedaemonian commander who was present, Tantalus son of Patrocles, who was wounded and taken prisoner.

[4] They brought also a few men from Cythera, whom they thought best to remove for the sake of safety. These the Athenians determined to place for safekeeping on the islands, and to permit the rest of the Cytherians to occupy their own territory on payment of a tribute of four talents, ¹ but to put to death all the Aeginetans who had been captured, because of their former inveterate enmity, and to imprison Tantalus along with the other Lacedaemonians captured on the island of Sphacteria.

[1] While then the Athenians were yet sailing towards them, the Aeginetans evacuated the fortifications on the sea which they had happened to be building, and retreated to the upper town, in which they lived, at the distance of about ten states from the sea.

[2] And one of the garrisons in the country, which was also assisting them in the works, would not go with them within the wall, though the Aeginetans requested them; but thought it dangerous to be shut up within it; and so having retreated to the higher ground remained quiet, as they did not consider themselves a match for the enemy.

[3] In the mean time the Athenians landed, and advanced straightway with all their forces, and took Thyrea. The town they burnt down, and plundered the property in it, and took the Aeginetans with them to Athens, excepting those that had fallen in battle, and the Lacedaemonian commander who was amongst them, Tantalus the son of Patrocles; for he was taken prisoner after being wounded.

[4] They also took with them some few individuals from Cythera, whom they thought best to remove for security. These the Athenians determined to deposit in the islands; to order the rest of the Cytherians, while they retained their own country, to pay a tribute of four talents; to put to death all the Aeginetans that had been taken, for their former perpetual hostility; and to throw Tantalus into prison with the other Lacedaemonians taken in the island.

[1] Atheniensibus igitur cum classe adventantibus EgineUe murum, quem forte ad mare aedificabant, reliquerunt , et in superiorem urbem stadiis circiter decem a mari distantem, quam incolebant, se receperunt.

[2] Et una Lacedaemoniorum praesidiaria cohors, quae agri tutandi causa illic erat, quae eos etiam in illo muro aedificando adjuvabat, cum iis in urbem ingredi noluit, licet EgineUe id peterent, sed iis periculosum esse videbatur intra muros concludi; quare quum in editiora loca se recepissent, quod se ad pugnam cum hoste committendam impares esse judicarent, quiescebant.

[3] Interea vero Athenienses quum appulissent et confcstim omnibus copiis ad Thyream ivissent, eam ceperunt. Atque et urbem incenderunt, et res, qua? in ea erant, diripuerunt, et Eginetas, quotquot in ipso congressu non occubuerant, secum Athenas abduxerunt, et Tantalum Pa- troclis filium, qui apud illos ex Lacedaemoniis magistratus erat; quum enim vulneratus esset, vivus captus est.

[4] Nonnullos etiam ex Cytheris abducebant, quos periculi vitandi causa alio transferre placebat. Atque hos quidem Athenienses in insulis collocare decreverunt, et ceteros Cytherios suum agrum colentes, tributum quaterna talenta pendere, jEginetas vero omnes, quotquot capti erant, interficere, propter priorem perpetuam simultatem, Tantalum vero praeter ceteros Lacedaemonios in insula captos in vincula conjicere.

[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

Questi Egineti adunque, all’appressarsi dell« flotta ateniese, abbandonarono la cittadella che stavano fabbricando sul mare , e si ritirarono nella città dentro terra distante circa dieci stadii dal mare dove avevano le case. Una delle guarnigioni de’Lacedemoni, distribuite per la campagna che li aiutava alla costruzione della cittadella , tuttoché pregata dagli Egineti non volle entrar con loro nelle mura della città , stimando cosa pericolosa il rinchiudersi dentro; ma si ritirò sulle alture ove non credendosi in stato da battagliare stava in sulle sue. Intanto gli Ateniesi approdano , e tosto si avviano con tutto l’esercito a Ti rea ; la espugnano, la saccheggiano e la mettono a fuoco e fiamma. Quindi tornarono ad Atene conducendo gli Egineti sopravvissuti al conflitto, e Tantalo di Patroclo destinato loro a comandante da’ Lacedemoni, che fu preso vivo coperto di ferite. Parimente menaron via pochi cittadini di Citerà parendo lor bene di tramutargli altrove per sicurezza. Quanto a questi, deliberarono gli Ateniesi di depositarli nelle isole, e lasciar gli altri Citerii abitare nelle loro terre purché pagassero un tributo di quattro talenti ; quanto poi agli Egineti, di ammazzare tutti i prigionieri, per l' odio antico che sempre avevano ; e di incarcerar Tantalo con gli altri Lacedemoni presi in Sfatteria.