Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.89

[1] In the very beginning of the next winter, when the Boeotian cities should have been delivered to Hippocrates and Demosthenes, generals of the Athenians, and Demosthenes should have gone to Siphae, and Hippocrates to Delium; having mistaken the days on which they should have both set forward, Demosthenes went to Siphae first, and having with him the Acarnans and many confederates of those parts in his fleet, [yet] lost his labour. For the treason was detected by one Nicomachus, a Phocean of the town of Phanotis, who told it unto the Lacedaemonians, and they again unto the Boeotians.

[2] Whereby the Boeotians, concurring universally to relieve those places (for Hippocrates was not yet gone to trouble them in their own several territories), preoccupied both Siphae and Chaeroneia. And the conspirators, knowing the error, attempted in those cities no further.

[1] It was in the first days of the winter following that the places in Boeotia were to be put into the hands of Athenian generals, Hippocrates and Demosthenes, the latter of whom was to go with his ships to Siphae , the former to Delium . A mistake, however, was made in the days on which they were each to start; and Demosthenes sailing first to Siphae , with the Acarnanians and many of the allies from those parts on board, failed to effect anything, through the plot having been betrayed by Nicomachus, a Phocian from Phanotis, who told the Lacedaemonians, and they the Boeotians.

[2] Succours accordingly flocked in from all parts of Boeotia , Hippocrates not being yet there to make his diversion, and Siphae and Chaeronea were promptly secured, and the conspirators, informed of the mistake, did not venture on any movement in the towns.

Im folgenden Winter, sogleich nach dessen Anfang, als
dem Hippokrates und Demotshenes, den Feldherrn der Athener, die
Plätze in Böotien übergeben werden sollten, wozu Demotshenes mit
den Schissen vor Siphä, jener aber bei Delion eintreffen sollte, fand
ein Irrthum wegen der Tage statt, an welchen beide ausziehen sollten,
indem zuerst Demotshenes mit Akarnanern und vielen dortigen
Bundesgenossen auf seinen Schissen gegen Siphä segelte, aber Nichts
ausrichten konnte, weil der Plan von NikomachoS, einem Phokischen
Manne aus Phanoteus, verrathen worden war, indem dieser den
Lakedämoniern, diese aber den Böotern Mittheilung gemacht hatten. Da
nun von sämmtlichen Böotern Hülfszuzug erfolgte, weil Hippokrates ¹
noch nicht im Lande stand und ihnen gleichzeitig Schaden zufügte, so
wurden Siphä und Chäronea noch vorher rechtzeitig besetzt. Als aber
die Anstifter des Verrathes dieß merkten, so ließen sie es in den
Städten gleichfalls beim Alten und verhielten sich ruhig.

LXXXIX. Dès le commencement de l’hiver suivant, une intrigue devait livrer la Béotie aux généraux athéniens Hippocrates et Démosthènes : Démosthènes devait, avec sa flotte, se présenter devant Siphé, et Hip- pocrates marcher contre Délium. Il y eut erreur sur le jour où devait avoir lieu simultanément cette double attaque : Démosthènes prit l’avance et fit voile pour Siphé, avec un grand nombre d’Acarnanes et d’alliés du pays, embarqués sur sa flotte. Mais le coup manqua, le complot ayant été dénoncé par Nicomaque, Phocéen de Phanotée : il en fit part aux Lacédémoniens, et ceux-ci aux Béotiens. De toutes parts, les Béotiens accoururent au secours de la place, — car Hippocrates n’était pas encore dans le pays pour les inquiéter ; — et ils prévinrent l’ennemi en occupant Siphé et Chéronée. Les affidés, informés de ce contretemps, n’excitèrent aucun mouvement dans les villes.

Dès l’entrée de l’hiver suivant, les mesures se trouvèrent prises pour livrer la Béotie aux généraux athéniens Hippocratès et Déinosthène. Ce dernier avec la flotte devait se porter à Siphæ, tandis que son collègue marcherait sur Délion. Mais il y eut erreur sur le jour convenu pour ce double coup de main. Démosthène partit le premier et cingla vers Siphæ avec bon nombre d’Acarnaniens et d’alliés de ces contrées embarqués sur sa flotte. Le complot échoua ; il fut dévoilé par Nicomachos de Phanotée en Phocide, qui le communiqua aux Lacédémoniens, et ceux-ci aux Béotiens. Ces derniers, n’étant pas encore gênés dans leurs mouvements par la présence d’flip-pocratès, accoururent en forces à Siphæ et à Chéronée. Ce contre-temps empêcha les conjurés de remuer dans ces villes.

[1] At the very beginning of the following winter, ¹ when the places in Boeotia were to be delivered to Hippocrates and Demosthenes, the Athenian generals, Demosthenes was to have been present with his ships at Siphae, the other general at Delium. But a mistake was made as to the days when both were to start, and Demosthenes sailed too soon to Siphae, having Acarnanians and many allies from that region on board, and so proved unsuccessful; for the plot had been betrayed by Nicomachus, a Phocian from Phanotis, who told the Lacedaemonians, and they the Boeotians.

[2] Accordingly succour came from all the Boeotians-for Hippocrates was not yet in their country to annoy Them—and both Siphae and Chaeroneia were occupied in advance; and the conspirators, learning of the mistake, attempted no disturbance in the towns.

[1] At the very commencement of the following winter, when the towns in Boeotia were to be delivered up to Hippocrates and Demosthenes, the Athenian generals, and Demosthenes was to repair with his ships to Siphae, Hippocrates to Delium; a mistake having been made in the days on which they were both to take the field, Demosthenes sailed first to Siphae, with the Acarnanians and many allies from those parts on board, but did not succeed in his undertaking, through information of the design having been given by Nicomachus, a Phocian of Phanoteus, who told the Lacedaemonians, and they the Boeotians.

[2] Accordingly, succours being brought by all the Boeotians, (for Hippocrates was not yet in their country to ¹ make a diversion,) Siphae and Chaeronea were secured by surprise; and when the conspirators were aware of the mistake, they attempted no movement in the cities.

[1] Sequentis autem hiemis initio statim, quum Hippocrati et Demostheni Atheniensium imperatoribus res Boeotorum proderentur, et oporteret Demosthenem quidem eum classe ad Siphas occurrere, illum vero ad Delium, facto dierum errore, ad quos utrumque cum suis copiis proficisci oportebat, Demosthenes quidem (|uum prius ad Siphas appulisset, et Acarnanas multosque ex illis locis socios in sua classe haberet, voto frustratus est, insidiis per Nicomachum, virum Phocensem ex Phanoteo, detectis, qui rem Lacedaemoniis indicavit, illi vero Boeotis;

[2] quumque omnes Boeoti ad opem ferendam undique concurrissent (nondum enim Hippocrates ab altera parte eos calamitate afficiebat in eorum terram profectus), Siphae et Cliae-ronea ante occupantur. Quum autem illi, qui res novas moliebantur, erratum animadvertissent, in civitatibus nihil moverunt.

Al primo cominciare del seguente inverno la Beozia era sul punto di rendersi ai generali ateniesi Ippocrate e Demostene , i quali dovevano incontrarsi insieme, andando questi colle navi a Sifa, e l’altro a Delio. Ma esseudo occorso sbaglio nel computo de’ giorni in che eiascuno doveva movere la sua gente, Demostene fu il primo a navigare a Sifa ; e Contuttoché avesse seco sulle navi gli Acarnani e molti alleati di quei luoghi, pure la cosa andò a voto, perchè Nicomaco focese di Fanotco aveva scoperto la trama ai Lacedemoni, e questi ai Beozii. Onde i Beozii accorsi colà a stormo , giacché Ippocrate ancora non gli inquietava sulle loro terre, preoccupano Sifa e Cheronea ; ed i cospiratori, accortisi dello sbaglio , non fecero movimento veruno in quelle città.