Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 4.91

[1] The Boeotians took the same time to assemble at Tanagra; and when all the forces were come in that from every city were expected, and when they understood that the Athenians drew homewards, though the rest of the Boeotian commanders, which were eleven, approved not giving battle, because they were not now in Boeotia (for the Athenians, when they laid down their arms, were in the confines of Oropia); yet Pagondas, the son of Aioladas, being the Boeotian commander for Thebes, whose turn it was to have the leading of the army, was, together with Arianthidas, the son of Lysimachidas, of opinion to fight, and held it the best course to try the fortune of a battle; wherefore calling them unto him every company by itself, that they might not be all at once from their arms, he exhorted the Boeotians to march against the Athenians and to hazard battle, speaking in this manner:

[1] During the days thus employed the Boeotians were mustering at Tanagra , and by the time that they had come in from all the towns, found the Athenians already on their way home. The rest of the eleven Boeotarchs were against giving battle, as the enemy was no longer in Boeotia , the Athenians being just over the Oropian border, when they halted; but Pagondas, son of Aeolidas, one of the Boeotarchs of Thebes (Arianthides, son of Lysimachidas, being the other), and then commander-in-chief, thought it best to hazard a battle. He accordingly called the men to him, company after company, to prevent their all leaving their arms at once, and urged them to attack the Athenians, and stand the issue of a battle, speaking as follows:—

In diesen Tagen sammelten sich aber die Böoter bei
Tanagra, und als bereits von allen Städten Zuzug da war und sie
merkten, daß die Athener bereits wieder aus dem Marsch nach Hause
seien, und von den übrigen Böotarchen, deren Zahl eils ist, keiner sür
eine Schlacht stimmte, weil die Feinde nicht mehr auf Böotifchem
Gebiete stünden — denn die Athener, als sie sich lagerten, befanden
sich ungefähr auf dem Gränzgebiet von Oropia — da trat Pagondas
auf, des Aeoladas Sohn, der mit Arianthidas, dem Sohne des
Lysi machidas, aus der Mitte der Thebaner, Bootarch war, — theils weil ¹
er unter seinem Oberbefehl eine Schlacht liefern wollte, theils auch,
weil er wirklich glaubte, es sei besser, die Waffen entscheiden zu
lassen, — und rief dieAbtheilungen einzeln auf, damit sie nicht insgesammt
die Aufstellung verließen, und redete den Böotern zu, die Athener
anzugreifen und den Kampf zu wagen, indem er sprach :

XCI. Pendant cet intervalle, les béotiens se rassemblaient à Tanagre. Lorsque les contingents de toutes les villes furent arrivés, on apprit que les Athéniens rentraient chez eux. Les Béotarques, qui sont au nom- bre de onze, n’approuvaient pas qu’on les attaquât, attendu que déjà ils n’étaient plus en Béotie. En effet, les Athéniens avaient fait halte sur les frontières de l’Oropie. — Un seul d’entre eux fut d’un avis con- traire, Pagondas, fils d’Éoladès, béotarque de Thèbes conjointement avec Ariantidas, fils de Lysimachidas. Il commandait alors et voulait engager le combat, persuadé que le mieux était d’en courir les chances. Il convoqua donc séparément chaque cohorte, pour ne pas dégarnir tout le camp à la fois, et les décida à marcher sur les Athéniens et à engager l’action. Voici ses paroles :

Pendant ce temps, les Béotiens se rassemblaient à Tanagra. Quand les contingents de toutes les villes furent arrivés et qu’on sut les Athéniens en retraite, les béotarques, qui sont au nombre de onze, ne furent pas d’avis de les attaquer, puisqu’ils étaient hors de la Béotie. En effet les Athéniens, lorsqu’ils avaient fait halte, se trouvaient sur les frontières d’Oro-pos ¹ . Le seul Pagondas, fils d Êoladas, émit l’opinion contraire. Il était alors béotarque de Thèbes, conjointement avec Arian-thidas fils de Lysimachidas, et avait le commandement en chef. Il crut que le meilleur parti était d’engager le combat. Il réunit donc les soldats par bataillons, afin qu’ils ne quittassent pas les armes tous à la fois, et il prononça le discours suivant, qui décida les Béotiens à prendre l’offensive.

[1] But during these days the Boeotians were gathering at Tanagra; and when they had come in from all the cities and perceived that the Athenians were going home, the rest of the eleven Boeotarchs disapproved of fighting, as the enemy were no longer in Boeotia—for the Athenians were just about on the borders of Oropia when they halted. But Pagondas son of Aeolidas, who, with Arianthidas son of Lysimachidas, was Boeotarch from Thebes and then in chief command, wishing to bring on the battle and thinking it was better to take the risk, called the men by companies one after another, that they might not leave their arms all at once, and tried to persuade the Boeotians to go against the Athenians and bring on the contest, speaking as follows:

[1] Now during the days thus employed, the Boeotians were mustering at Tanagra; and when they were come from all the cities, and found the Athenians on their progress homeward, the rest of the Boeotarchs, (who were eleven in number,) not consenting to an engagement, since the Athenians were no longer in Boeotia, (for they were just within the borders of the Oropian territory when they halted,) Pagondas son of Aeoladas, being Boeotarch of Thebes together with Arianthidas son of Lysimachidas, and having the command at the time, wished to fight the battle, and thought it best to run the risk; and so, calling the men to him separately, in their different battalions, that they might not all at once leave the arms that were piled, he tried to persuade the Boeotians to march against the Athenians and bring on the contest, by speaking to this effect:

[1] Per hos autem dies Boeoti Tanagram conveniebant;, et postquam ex omnibus civitatibus aderant et cognoscebant Athenienses procedere, ut domum se reciperent, ceteris Boeotarchis, qui sunt undecim, non ad bellum gerendum adhortantibus, quod Athenienses in Boeotia non amplios essent (Athenienses enim, quum castra posuerunt, erant fere in Oropiae confiniis), Pagondas ^Eoladae filius, qui Thebarum nomine Bueotarchus erat cum Arianthide Lysima-chidae filio , quod imperium tunc penes ipsum esset, proelium committere cupiens et existimans satius esse belli fortunam periclitari, singulas cohortes adhortatus, ne frequentes aciem desererent, Boeotis persuadebat, ut adversus Athenienses irent et proelium committerent, talibus verbis.

I Beozii che in questi giorni si riunivano a Tanagra, essendo ivi concorsi da tutte le città alla nuova che gli Ateniesi si avviavano a casa , gli altri Beotarchi, i quali sono undici, disconfortavanli dal combattere, dappoiché i nemici non erano più nella Beozia : infatti gli Ateniesi quando piantarono il campo erano precisamente sui conGni delPOropia. Ma Pagonda di Eolade beotarco di Tebe , a cui toccava il comando dell’esercito insieme con Ariantide di Lisimaco , desiderando venire a battaglia , e credendo miglior partito l’arrischiarvisi, chiamatine a sé tanti per compagnia acciocché non tutti abbandonassero il campo , con queste parole persuadeva i Beozii ad andar contro gli Ateniesi e far giornata.