Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.67

[1] The Athenians therefore, after all was done and said on both sides and everything ready, sailed away by night to Minoa, an island of the Megareans, with six hundred men of arms led by Hippocrates, and sat down in a certain pit, out of which bricks had been made for the walls, and which was not far off.

[2] But they that were with the other commander, Demosthenes, light-armed Plataeans and others called peripoli, lay in ambush at the temple of Mars, not so far off as the former.

[3] And none of the city perceived any thing of this, but only such as had peculiar care to know the passages of this same night. When it was almost day, the Megarean traitors did thus: They had been accustomed long, as men that went out for booty with leave of the magistrates, of whom they had obtained by good offices the opening of the gates, to carry out a little boat, such as wherein the watermen used an oar in either hand, and to convey it by night down the ditch to the sea-side in a cart, and in a cart to bring it back again and set it within the gates, to the end that the Athenians which lay in Minoa might not know where to watch for them, no boat being to be seen in the haven.

[4] At this time was that cart at the gates, which were opened according to custom as for the boat. And the Athenians seeing it (for so it was agreed on), arose from their ambush and ran with all speed to get in before the gates should be shut again, and to be there whilst the cart was yet in the gates and kept them open.

[5] And first those Plataeans and peripoli that were with Demosthenes ran in, in that same place where the trophy is now extant, and fighting presently within the gates (for those Peloponnesians that were nearest heard the stir), the Plataeans overcame those that resisted and made good the gates for the Athenian men of arms that were coming after.

[1] The Athenians, after plans had been arranged between themselves and their correspondents both as to words and actions, sailed by night to Minoa , the island off Megara , with six hundred heavy infantry under the command of Hippocrates, and took post in a quarry not far off, out of which bricks used to be taken for the walls;

[2] while Demosthenes, the other commander, with a detachment of Plataean light troops and another of Peripoli, placed himself in ambush in the precinct of Enyalius, which was still nearer. No one knew of it, except those whose business it was to know that night.

[3] A little before daybreak, the traitors in Megara began to act. Every night for a long time back, under pretence of marauding, in order to have a means of opening the gates, they had been used, with the consent of the officer in command, to carry by night a sculling boat upon a cart along the ditch to the sea, and so to sail out, bringing it back again before day upon the cart, and taking it within the wall through the gates, in order, as they pretended, to baffle the Athenian blockade at Minoa , there being no boat to be seen in the harbour.

[4] On the present occasion the cart was already at the gates, which had been opened in the usual way for the boat, when the Athenians, with whom this had been concerted, saw it, and ran at the top of their speed from the ambush in order to reach the gates before they were shut again, and while the cart was still there to prevent their being closed; their Megarian accomplices at the same moment killing the guard at the gates.

[5] The first to run in was Demosthenes with his Plataeans and Peripoli, just where the trophy now stands; and he was no sooner within the gates than the Plataeans engaged and defeated the nearest party of Peloponnesians who had taken the alarm and come to the rescue, and secured the gates for the approaching Athenian heavy infantry.

Die Athener nun, nachdem beiderseits in Wort und Werk
alle Vorbereitungen getroffen waren, segelten zur Nachtzeit gegen die
Megarische Insel Minoa und setzten sich mit sechshundert
Schwerbewaffneten, die Hippokrates anführte, in einem Graben fest, aus
welchem der Letten zu den Mauerziegeln genommen wurde, und der nicht
weit entfernt lag; die leichtbewaffneten Platäer aber und andere
bewegliche Streitbare^) unter dem zweiten Feldherrn Demosthenes
legten sich bei dem Arestempel in Hinterhalt, der noch weniger weit
ablag; Niemand aber merkte etwas, ausgenommen die Männer, welche
für diese Nacht davon in Kenntniß gesetzt werden mußten. Als eS
nun eben Tag werden wollte, veranstalteten diejenigen unter den
Megarern, welche die Stadt übergeben wollten, Folgendes: Sie hatten
schon seit längerer Zeit für die Eröffnung des Thores vorgesorgt,
indem sie gewöhnlich ein Boot mit Doppelrudern, um auf Seeraub
auszugehen, auf einem Wagen zur Nachtzeit durch den Graben zum Meer
brachten und dann ausliefen; dazu hatten sie den Befehlshaber sder
peloponnesifchen Besatzung^ überredet; und ehe eS noch Tag wurde,
führten sie es wieder auf dem Wagen bis zur Mauer und dann zum
Thor hinein, damit die Athener auf Minoa nicht wüßten, wo sie
aufzupassen hätten, da ein Fahrzeug im Hasen nicht sichtbar war.
Damals stand nun der Wagen grade schon vor dem Thore, und als dieß,
wie gewöhnlich, für das Boot geöffnet wurde, liefen die Athener, die
dieß sahen, der Verabredung gemäß in vollem Laufe aus ihrem Hinter- ^{1 2}
halt heran, um noch hineinzukommen, bevor das Thor wieder ge- ³
schlössen wäre, und so lange noch der Wagen, das Schließen hindernd,
sich dazwischen befände. Mit ihnen gemeinsam hieben dann ihre
Helfershelfer unter den Megarern die Wachen am Thore nieder.
Zuerst drangen nun die Platäer und die leichten Streitbaren unter
Demotshenes ein, dort, wo jetzt das Siegeszeichen steht; dann kam eS
aber gleich innert der Thore zum Gefecht, da die zunächst stehenden
Peloponnesier die Sache gemerkt hatten, und indem die Platäer die
zu Hülfe eilenden zurückschlugen, hielten sie den anrückenden
athenischen Schwerbewaffneten den Eingang frei.

LXVII. Toutes les conventions arrêtées et les préparatifs terminés de part et d’autres, les Athéniens, à l’entrée de la nuit, abordèrent à Minoa ¹ , île des Mégariens, au nombre de six cents hoplites, sous le commandement d’Hippocrates. Ils s’embusquèrent à peu de distance des remparts ² dans un fossé d’où l’on tirait de la terre à brique pour la construction des murs. Démosthènes, l’autre général, avec des troupes légères de Platée, et des péripoles ³ , alla s’établir dans le temple de Mars, plus près encore de la ville. Personne ne sut rien de ces dispositions, excepté ceux qui avaient intérêt à connaître les événements de cette nuit.

Un peu avant le lever de l’aurore, les Mégariens initiés au complot eurent recours au stratagème suivant : depuis longtemps déjà ils s’étaient ménagé l’ouverture des portes ; dans ce but, ils transportaient régulièrement à la mer, pendant la nuit, sous prétexte de piraterie, et avec l’autorisation du commandant qu’ils avaient gagné, une barque à deux rames. On plaçait cette barque sur un chariot, on traversait le fossé et on gagnait le large. Avant le jour ils ramenaient la barque sur le chariot et la faisaient rentrer par la porte en dedans des murs, afin, disaient-ils, qu’aucun bâtiment ne paraissant dans le port, l’attention des Athéniens qui croisaient à Minoa ne pût être éveillée. Cette nuit, le chariot était arrivé à la porte ⁴ et on venait de l’ouvrir, comme d’habitude, pour la barque : à cette vue, les Athéniens s’élancent de leur embuscade en courant (car tout cela se faisait d’accord avec eux) ; ils veulent arriver avant la clôture des portes, pendant que le chariot embarrasse l’entrée et empêche de fermer. Au même instant, les Mégariens du complot se joignent à eux et tuent les gardes des portes. Les Platéens, sous la conduite de Démosthènes, et les péripoles s’élancent les premiers par l’endroit où est maintenant le trophée. Un combat s’engage en dedans des portes entre eux et ceux des Péloponnésiens qui, plus rapprochés de ce point, étaient accourus au premier bruit. Les Platéens l’emportent, occupent la porte et en assurent l’entrée aux hoplites athéniens qui les suivent.

Lorsqu’on se fut mis d’accord et que tout fut prêt pour l’exécution, les Athéniens, à l’entrée de la nuit, débarquèrent dans nie de Minoa, dépendance de Mégare, avec six cents hoplites commandés par Hippocratès. Tls se blottirent à courte distance, dans un fossé d’où l’on tirait des briques pour les murs. Une seconde troupe, aux ordres de Démosthène, l’autre général, composée de Platéeos armés à la légère et de péripoles ¹ , s’embusqua dans le temple de Bellone , encore plus rapproché. A part les‘conjurés, nul ne s’aperçut de ces mouvements nocturnes. Un peu avant l’aube, les Mégariens qui trahissaient employèrent la ruse suivante. Depuis longtemps ils s’étaient ménagé l’ouverture des portes. Ils avaient obtenu du commandant la permission de transporter de nuit sur un char, à travers le fossé jusqu’au rivage, un bateau à deux rames, avec lequel ils couraient la mer comme des pirates; puis, avant qu’il fît jour, ils le ramenaient par la porte sur le même char. De cette façon, les Athéniens stationnés à Minoa ne voyaient dans le port aucun bâtiment, et leur attention n’était pas éveillée. En ce moment, le char était déjà devant la porte; on l’ouvrit, comme d’habitude, pour donner passage au bateau. A cette vue, les Athéniens qui avaient le mot, s’élancent de leur embuscade et accourent avant que la porte ne se . referme. Pendant que le char embarrasse l’entrée, les conjurés mégariens égorgent les gardes. Au même instant, les Platéens et les péripoles de Démosthène se précipitent les premiers, à l’endroit où est maintenant le trophée. Aussitôt le combat s’engage en dedans des portes avec les Péloponésiens postés dans le voisinage et accourus au premier bruit ; mais les Platéens les repoussent et assurent l’entrée aux hoplites athéniens.

[1] So, then, as soon as due preparations, both in word and act, had been made by both parties, the Athenians sailed under cover of night to Minoa, the island which lies off Megara, taking six hundred hoplites under the command of Hippocrates, and took cover in a ditch, not far from the town, where bricks had been made for the walls.

[2] A second company consisting of light-armed Plataeans and frontier-patrols under the command of the other general, Demosthenes, set an ambuscade at Enyalius, which is somewhat nearer. And all that night no one perceived what was going on except the men whose business it was to know.

[3] Then, at the approach of dawn, these would-be Megarian traitors began their work as follows. For a long time before this they had been carefully preparing for the opening of the gates by regularly assuming the guise of pirates and taking a sculling boat, drawn on a cart, through the ditch and down to the sea, where they would put out. This they did every night, first securing the consent of the commander. ¹ Then before daybreak they would cart the boat back into the fortifications, taking it in by way of the gates, their object being, as they pretended, to keep the Athenian garrison, which was stationed at Minoa, in the dark, as no boat would be visible in the harbour.

[4] On the night in question the cart was already at the gates, and when these were opened as usual as if to let the boat pass through, the Athenians, who were acting throughout in accordance with an agreement, seeing it, ran at top speed from their ambush, wishing to get there before the gates were closed again and while the cart was still in the passage, thus forming an obstacle to the shutting of the gates; and at the same time their Megarian accomplices killed the guards at the gates.

[5] And first the Plataeans and the patrols under Demosthenes' command rushed into the place where the trophy now stands, and as soon as they were inside the gates the Plataeans engaged with the reinforcements which came up—for the nearest Peloponnesians had become aware of what was going on—and defeated them, thus securing the gates for the onrushing Athenian hoplites.

[1] The Athenians therefore, when preparations had been made on each side, both by deeds and words, sailed in the night to Minoa, an island off Megara, with six hundred heavyarmed under the command of Hippocrates, and posted themselves in an excavated piece of ground, from which they used to make their bricks, and which was not far off;

[2] while the troops, with Demosthenes, the other commander, consisting of lightarmed Plataeans, and a second corps composed of ¹ peripoli, placed themselves in ambuscade in the ground consecrated to Mars, which was at a less distance. Now no one was aware of this but those who took care to know [what was doing] that night.

[3] When day was about to dawn, the traitors amongst the Megareans did as follows. They had for a long time past used means to secure the opening of the gates, and with the consent of the officer in command, in the guise of privateers, to carry on a cart, during the night, a boat worked by sculls along the trench down to the sea, and so sail out; and before it was day, they brought it again on the cart, and took it within the wall through the gates; that the Athenians, as they pretended, might not know what precautions to take, no boat being visible in the harbour.

[4] And on that occasion the cart was already at the gates, and on their being opened in the usual manner for the skiff, as they thought, the Athenians, (for this had been done by agreement with them,) on seeing it, ran full speed from their ambush, wishing to reach the spot before the gates were shut again, and while the cart was still in the entrance, and prevented their being closed; the Megareans who were in concert with them at the same time dispatching the guard at the gate.

[5] Demosthenes with his Plataeans and peripoli were the first to run in, (at the point where the trophy now stands,) and as soon as they were within the wall, (for now the nearest Peloponnesians were aware of it,) the Plataeans engaged with and defeated those who came to the rescue, and secured the gates for the advancing heavy-armed of the Athenians.

[1] Athenienses igitur, postquam omnia et facta et dicta utrinque erant, quae ad negotium conficiendum erant necessaria, sub noctem ad Minoam Megarensium insulam profecti cum sexcentis gravis armaturae militibus, quibus Hippocrates praeerat, in fossa consederunt, quae non inul tum illinc distabat, unde Megarenses lateres ad muros exstruendos sumebant

[2] Plataeenses vero expediti aliique circum-itores, qui cum Demosthene altero duce erant, ad Martis templum, quod minus remotum erat ab urbe, in insidiis consederunt. Et nullus Megarensium rem sensit, praeter illos, quibus scire curae erat, in hac nocte.

[3] Et quum crepusculum matutinum adventaret, isti Megarenses, qui proditionem moliebantur, hujusmodi fraudem excogitarunt. Navigiolum, quod utrinque singulis remis agebatur, veluti latrones, quum jam pridem officiis suis perfecissent, ut portae sibi aperirentur, plaustro impositum, conciliato sibi ad hoc magistratu noctu per fossam ad mare transportare et enavigare consueverant; et antequam dies illucesceret, idem plaustro vectum in urbem per portas rursus importabant, ut Atheniensium custodia, quam e Minoa agebant, falsa esset, quod nullum in portu navigium prorsus appareret.

[4] Tunc autem hoc plaustrum ad portas jam erat, et quum lue ex more ut emittendo navigiolo aperUe essent (fiebat enim hoc ex composito), Athenienses hoc animadverso ex insidiis cursu contenderunt, quod eo ocius pervenire vellent, antequam portae rursus clauderentur, et donec plaustrum in ipsis adhuc esset, et impediret, ne reponerentur; et una cum iis Megarenses, qui eorum partibus favebant, interfecerunt custodes, qui ad portas erant.

[5] et primum quidem Plataeenses et circuitores, qui circa Demo- sthenem erant, irruperunt, ubi tropaeum nunc exstat, et statim intra portas (Peloponnesii enim, qui proxime erant, rem senserunt) Plataeenses pugnando superarant eos, qui ad opem ferendam veniebant, et gravi Atheniensium armaturae advenienti portas tutas praestiterunt.

[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

Discorso e preparato il tutto da ambe le parti, gH Ateniesi con seicento di grave armatura comandati da Ippocrate sull' imbrunire navigarono a Minoa isola de’Megaresi, e posaronsi in un fosso scassato per ammattonare le mura, non molto lontano da Megara. Le gènti leggieri dei Plateesi, e le altre della ronda guidate dal secondo capitano

Demostene , imboscaronsi presso al sacro recinto di Marte che ne è anche men lontano. A Megara nissuno sapeva di ciò, fuorché quelli cui premeva di essere avvertiti di cotesta notte. Sul far dell' aurora quei tra’ Megaresi autori del tradimento misero in opera cotal fraude : fingendosi pirati avevano un pezzo prima co’ buoni ufizi indotto il capitano della porta ad aprirla ; e di notte solevano sopra un carro trasportare pel fosso fino al mare una barca a due remi e mettersi in corso : poi sul medesimo carro la riportavano sino al muro , e la introducevano per la porta prima del giorno , perchè non fosse veduta dalle sentinelle ateniesi di Minoa, tanto più che nel porto non si vedeva barca veruna. Allora già il carro era alla porta , che al solilo fu aperta per la barca. A tal vista gli Ateniesi, poiché la cosa era di concerto, correvano in fretta dall’aguato volendo arrivar prima che si richiudesse la porta , e mentre vi era appunto la barca che serviva d’impaccio a rabbatterla; e sostenuti da’Megaresi complici della trama, uccidono le guardie della porta. I Plateesi con Demostene e i soldati della ronda furono i primi a correre laddove ora è il trofeo ; e subito dentro la porta azzuffatisi coi Peloponnesi che essendo vicinissimi ed avvistisi del fatto vi erano accorsi, n’ebber vittoria , e resero sicura la porta pei soldati gravi ateniesi che sopravvenivano.