Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.85

[1] "Men of Acanthus, the reason why the Lacedaemonians have sent me and this army abroad is to make good what we gave out in the beginning for the cause of our war against the Athenians, which was that we meant to make a war for the liberties of Greece.

[2] But if we be come late, as deceived by the war there in the opinion we had that we ourselves should soon have pulled the Athenians down without any danger of yours, no man hath reason therefore to blame us.

[3] For we are come as soon as occasion served, and with your help will do our best to bring them under.

[4] But I wonder why you shut me forth of your gates, and why I was not welcome. For we Lacedaemonians have undergone this great danger of passing many days' journey through the territory of strangers, and showed all possible zeal, because we imagined that we went to such confederates as before we came had us present in their hearts and were desirous of our coming.

[5] And therefore it were hard that you should now be otherwise minded and withstand your own and the rest of the Grecians' liberty,

[6] not only in that yourselves resist us, but also because others whom I go to will be the less willing to come in, making difficulty because you to whom I came first, having a flourishing city and being esteemed wise, have refused us. For which I shall have no sufficient excuse to plead, but must be thought either to pretend to set up liberty unjustly, or to come weak and without power to maintain you against the Athenians.

[7] And yet against this same army I now have, when I went to encounter the Athenians at Nisaea, though more in number they durst not hazard battle. Nor is it likely that the Athenians will send forth so great a number against you as they had in their fleet there at Nisaea.

[1] ‘Acanthians, the Lacedaemonians have sent out me and my army to make good the reason that we gave for the war when we began it, viz. that we were going to war with the Athenians in order to free Hellas .

[2] Our delay in coming has been caused by mistaken expectations as to the war at home, which led us to hope, by our own unassisted efforts and without your risking anything, to effect the speedy downfall of the Athenians and you must not blame us for this, as we are now come the moment that we were able, prepared with your aid to do our best to subdue them.

[3] Meanwhile I am astonished at finding your gates shut against me, and at not meeting with a better welcome.

[4] We Lacedaemonians thought of you as allies eager to have us, to whom we should come in spirit even before we were with you in body; and in this expectation undertook all the risks of a march of many days through a strange country, so far did our zeal carry us.

[5] It will be a terrible thing if after this you have other intentions, and mean to stand in the way of your own and Hellenic freedom.

[6] It is not merely that you oppose me yourselves; but wherever I may go people will be less inclined to join me, on the score that you, to whom I first came—an important town like Acanthus, and prudent men like the Acanthians—refused to admit me. I shall have nothing to prove that the reason which I advance is the true one; it will be said either that there is something unfair in the freedom which I offer, or that I am here in insufficient force and unable to protect you against an attack from Athens .

[7] Yet when I went with the army which I now have to the relief of Nisaea , the Athenians did not venture to engage me although in greater force than I; and it is not likely they will ever send across sea against you an army as numerous as they had at Nisaea .

„Daß ich und dieß Heer von den Lakedämoniern
ausgesandt worden sind, ihr Akanthier, ist zur Bethätigung dessen
geschehen, was wir beim Beginne des Krieges erklärt haben, daß wir
nämlich Krieg gegen die Athener führen, um Hellas frei zu machen. Wenn
wir aber erst nach so geraumer Zeit hieher kommen, getäuscht in der
aus den dortigen Kämpfen gewonnenen Ansicht, wonach wir der
Athener allein, ohne euch mit in die Gefahr zu ziehen, in Bälde Meister
zu werden hofften, so möge uns deßhalb Niemand tadeln. Denn jetzt,
sobald es nur anging, sind wir wirklich da und werden mit euch ver­ ¹
suchen, sie niederzuwerfen. Ich wundere mich aber, daß ihr die Thore ²
vor mir verschließet und daß ich euch nicht erwünscht komme. Denn<
wir Lakedämonier glaubten, zu Solchen zu kommen, die auch schon
vor unserer wirklichen Ankunft uns wenigstens der Gesinnung nach
Verbündete seien, und daß wir euch erwünscht kommen werden, und
nur deßhalb haben wir die so große Gefahr eines vieltägigen
Marsches durch fremdes Gebiet nicht gescheut und auch sonst allen Eifer
aufgeboten. Solltet ihr aber etwas Anderes im Sinne haben, oder
auch gar eurer und der andern Hellenen Freiheit in den Weg stellen
wollen, so wäre das sehr schlimm; und zwar nicht allein, weil ihr selbst
mir entgegentretet, sondern auch weil von denen, zu welchen ich noch
komme, schon Mancher sich mir nicht so leicht anschließt, indem er ein
Haar darin findet, daß ihr mich nicht aufgenommen habt, zu denen
ich zuerst gekommen bin, und die ihr eine ansehnliche Stadt vorstellet
und für verständige Leute geltet. Und ich wüßte dafür keinen andern
triftigen Grund anzugeben, als entweder, daß ich euch eine Freiheit
biete, die anzunehmen unrecht ist, oder daß ich zu schwach und
ohnmächtig dastehe, um euch gegen die Athener zu schützen, wenn sie
angreifen sollten; obwohl die Athener nicht den Muth hatten, daSHeer,
welches ich hier bei mir habe, als ich mit demselben Nisäa zu Hülfe
zog, trotz ihrer Uebermacht anzugreisen; und es ist doch nicht
wahrscheinlich, daß sie aus einer Flotte ein Heer gegen euch absenden werden,
das zahlreicher ist, als das bei Nisäa!"

LXXXV. « Citoyens d’Acanthe, les Lacédémoniens, en m’envoyant avec mon armée, ont eu en vue de réaliser la promesse par nous faite au commencement de la guerre, de combattre les Athéniens pour l’affran- chissement de la Grèce. Sans doute nous arrivons tard et après avoir vu là-bas nos espérances trompées, dans une guerre où nous comptions réduire bientôt les Athéniens à nous seuls, sans qu’il vous en coulât aucun danger ; cependant on ne saurait nous faire aucun reproche ; car nous accourons aujourd’hui, dès que les circonstances le permettent, et nous allons travailler avec vous à leur ruine. Je m’étonne que vous m’ayez fermé vos portes, au lieu d’accueillir avec joie mon arrivée. Nous comptions, nous autres Lacédémoniens, trouver ici des alliés, des hommes unis à nous par leurs voeux, même avant que nous fussions arrivés ; c’est dans cet espoir que nous avons bravé de tels périls, traversé pendant plusieurs jours une contrée étrangère, et montré un zèle à toute épreuve.

Si vos intentions étaient autres, si vous deviez mettre obstacle et à votre propre liberté et à celle du reste des Grecs, cela serait déplorable ; car, à part même l’opposition que vous me feriez, les peuples chez lesquels je vais me rendre me montreraient dès lors des dispositions moins favorables ; ils auraient à objecter que vous, les premiers que j’ai visités, vous habitants d’une ville importante, renommés pour votre sagesse, vous ne m’avez pas accueilli ! Et je n’aurais à alléguer aucune raison plausible ! On croira, ou que j’apporte une liberté perfide, ou que je suis venu avec de faibles ressources, sans forces suffisantes pour repousser les Athéniens en cas d’attaque. Et pourtant, les Athéniens, quoique supérieurs en nombre, n’ont point osé attaquer cette même armée que j’ai maintenant sous la main, lorsque je l’ai conduite au secours de Nisée ; et il n’est pas présumable qu’ils envoient par mer contre vous une armée aussi nombreuse que celle qu’ils avaient à Nisée.

« En me faisant partir avec une armée, les Lacédémoniens ont voulu confirmer ce que nous avons déclaré dés le début de cette guerre, savoir que nous prenions les armes pour affranchir la Grèce du joug des Athéniens. Si nous arrivons tard, ne nous en faites point de reproches. Nous nous sommes trompés sur la durée probable des hostilités entreprises sur un autre théâtre. Nous avions espéré avoir promptement raison des Athéniens à l’aide de nos seules forces et sans vous impliquer dans le danger. Nous sommes venus aussitôt que nous l’avons pu; et nous essayerons, avec votre coopération, de consommer leur ruine.

« Je m’étonne que vous m’ayez fermé vos portes; au lieu de me recevoir à bras ouverts. Nous pensions venir à vous comme à des alliés qui, même avant notre arrivée, nous attendaient avec sympathie et nous appelaient de leurs vœux. C’est là ce qui nous a fait affronter le péril d’une longue marche à travers un pays étranger et déployer tout le zèle possible.

« Si vos intentions étaient différentes, si vous deviez contrarier votre propre délivrance et celle des autres Grecs, ce serait fort regrettable; car non-seulement vous seriez pour moi une entrave, mais votre exemple détournerait de se joindre à moi ceux à qui je pourrais m’adresser. Ils se montreraient difficiles en me voyant repoussé par vous, les premiers que j’ai visités; par vous qui possédez une ville si importante et qui passez pour un peuple intelligent. Je ne pourrais plus alléguer de raison valable: il semblerait que je n’apporte qu’une liberté mensongère ou que, si les Athéniens viennent vous attaquer, je serai sans force et impuissant à vous défendre.

« Et pourtant lorsque, avec cette même armée que je commande, je me suis présenté devant Niséa, les Athéniens, quoique supérieurs en nombre, n’ont point osé accepter le combat Or il n’est pas vraisemblable qu’ils envoient par mer contre vous une armée aussi formidable que celle de Niséa.

[1] "Citizens of Acanthus, the Lacedaemonians have sent me and my army to prove the truth of what we proclaimed at the beginning to be the cause of the war, when we said that we were going to war with the Athenians for the liberation of Hellas.

[2] But if we have arrived late, disappointed as we have been with regard to the war at home, where we had hoped to destroy the Athenians quite speedily, by our own efforts and without involving you in the danger, do not blame us;

[3] for we are here now, having come as soon as opportunity offered, and together with you we shall try to subdue them.

[4] But I am amazed at the closing of your gates against me, and that my coming has been unwelcome to you. For we Lacedaemonians, thinking, even before we actually came, that we should find ourselves among men who were allies in spirit at least and that we should be welcomed, have hazarded the great danger of travelling a journey of many days through an alien territory and have shown all possible zeal.

[5] But if you have aught else in mind, or intend to stand in the way of your own freedom and that of the rest of the Hellenes, that would be monstrous.

[6] For it is not merely that you yourselves oppose me, but that all to whom I may apply will be less inclined to join me, raising the objection that you to whom I first came, representing as you do an important city and reputed to be men of sense, did not receive me. And it will seem ¹ that the reason which I give for your refusal is not to be believed, but that either the freedom I offered you is not honourable, or that when I came to you I was powerless and unable to defend you against the Athenians if they should attack you.

[7] And yet when I brought aid to Nisaea with the very army which I now have, the Athenians were unwilling, though superior in numbers, to engage us, so that they are not likely to send against you by sea a number equal to the armament they had at Nisaea.

[1] "The sending out, Acanthians, of myself and my army by the Lacedaemonians, has been executed to verify the reason we alleged for hostilities at the commencement of them, viz. that to liberate Greece we should go to war with the Athenians.

[2] And if we have been long in coming to you, through being disappointed in our expectation regarding the war in those parts, according to which we hoped quickly by ourselves, and without any risk on your part, to overthrow the Athenians, let no one find fault with us; for now, when we had an opportunity, we are come, and will endeavour, in concert with you, to subdue them. But I am astonished at my being shut out of your gates, and that my arrival should be unwelcome to any of you.

[3] For we Lacedaemonians, as thinking that we should come to men who in feeling, at any rate, were on our side, even before we actually joined them, and that we should be welcome to you, ran the great risk of making a march of many days through the country of strangers, and ¹ evinced all possible zeal:

[4] and now, if you have aught else in mind, or if you should stand in the way of your own liberty, and that of the rest of the Greeks, it would be a hard case.

[5] For it is not merely that you oppose me yourselves, but of those also to whom I may apply, each will be less disposed to come over to me, raising a difficulty on the ground that you, to whom I first came, and who are seen in the possession of a considerable city, and are considered to be prudent men, did not admit me.

[6] And I shall not be able to prove the credibility of the reason [alleged by us for the war], but shall be charged with either bringing to them a liberty which has an unjust end in view, or of having come too weak and powerless to assist them against the Athenians, in case of their attacking them. And yet when I went with the army I now have to the relief of Nisaea, the Athenians, though more numerous, were unwilling to engage with me: so that it is not likely, that coming with forces conveyed ² by sea, they will send against you an army equal in numbers to that at Nisaea.

[7] With regard to myself, too, I have come to you, not for the injury, but for the liberation of the Greeks-having bound the Lacedaemonian authorities by the most solemn oaths, that such as I win over shall assuredly be independent confederates-nor, again, that we may have allies whom we have got by violence or deceit, but, on the contrary, prepared to act as allies to you, who are enslaved by the Athenians. I claim, therefore, neither to be suspected myself, since I have given the strongest pledges for my honesty, nor to be considered a powerless avenger; and I call on you to come over to me with confidence.

[1] « Quod ego atque exercitus, viri Acanthii, a Lacedaemoniis huc emissi sumus, aperte declarat veram esse causam, quam belli initio praediximus Atheniensibus, nos ut Graeciam in libertatem vindicemus, bellum esse gesturus;

[2] si autem sero venimus, decepti opinione belli, quod in illis regionibus geritur, qua speravimus fore, ut sine vestro periculo Athenienses debellaremus, nemo repre-hendat;mmc enim, quando facultas est data, venimus, et vobiscum operam dabimus, ut eos debellemus.

[3] Miroi vero, quod portas mihi clauseritis, et si meus adventus vobis ingratus accidit.

[4] Nos enim Lacedaemonii, existimantes nos venturos ad eos, qui rei priusquam re ipsa, advenisssemus, animo saltem socii essent, et nostrum adventum exoptatum fore, tantum periculum subiimus, per alienum agrum iter multorum dierum facientes sum mumque studium exhibentes;

[5] vos vero, si quid aliud in animo habetis, aut si vestrae ipsorum et ceterorum Graecorum libertati obsistatis, grave hoc fuerit.

[6] Nam non solum vos ipsi obsistitis, verum etiam ceteri Graeci, quos adibo, se mihi minus adjungent, hac diflirullate permoti, quod vos, ad quos primum accessi, qui et urbem opibus et auctoritate florentem obtinetis, et qui prudentes habemini, me non receperitis; neque facere potero, ut adventus mei causa fide digna videatur, sed videbor aut injustam libertatem afferre, aut huc venisse imbecillis et invalidus ad propulsandam Atheniensium vim, si invaserint.

[7] Atqui cum hoc ipso exercitu, quem nunc habeo, quum ad Ni-sa-am profectus sum, ut opem ei ferrem, Athenienses, quamvis numero superiores confligere non sunt ausi; quamobrem haud verisimile videtur, ipsos tantum copiarum contra vos esse missuros, quantus erat classiarius exercitus ad Nisaeam.

[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

« Cittadini d’Acanto, la spedizione di me e del mio esercito fatta dai Lacedemoni viene a verificare il motivo di questa guerra da noi divolgalo in priucipio, cioè che noi guerreggeremmo per liberare la Grecia. E nessun ci apponga a colpa se falliti nella nostra credenza quanto alla guerra fatta colà, per cui speravamo di presto abbattere gli Ateniesi senza vostro pericolo , venimmo qua un poco lardi ; perchè arrivati adesso , quando ci fu possibile , daremo opera insieme con voi a debellarli. Stupisco però di vedermi chiuse le porte e di non giungervi grato. Imperciocché laddove noi Lacedemoni stimando anche prima del nostro arrivo di dover venire presso un popolo alleato almeno per volontà, ed a cui saremmo accetti, ci siamo gettati in tanto pericolo facendo viaggio per molte giornate in terra straniera, e mostrando ogni sollecitudine , sarebbe un’ indegnità se voi aveste in mente altri pensieri, e contrariaste la libertà vostra e quella degli altri Greci. Essendoché non solo voi mi vi opponete , ma farete anche sì che ovunque mi presenti men prontamente si uniscano a me gli altri, i quali si adombreranno, perchè essendo primieramente venuto presso voi che avete città considerevolissima e nomea di prudenza, non mi abbiate ricevuto. Nè io potrò giustiGcare il motivo di mia venuta, ma sarò creduto o di volere imporre una iniqua libertà , o di trovarmi qui debole e inabile a protegger quelli che vengano assaliti dagli Ateniesi. Eppur questi Ateniesi, essendo io andato a soccorrer Nisea , tuttoché fossero in maggior numero non vollero azzuffarsi con quelle medesime genti che adesso ho meco. Ora non è presumibile che essi sieno per mandare contro di voi un esercito cosi grosso come l’armata di Nisea.