Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.4

[1] About the same time Phaeax the son of Erasistratus, who with two others was sent ambassador into Italy and Sicily, departed from Athens with two galleys.

[2] For the Leontines, after the Athenians upon the making of the peace were gone out of Sicily, received many strangers into the freedom of their city;

[3] and the commons had a purpose also to have made division of the land. But the great men, perceiving it, called in the Syracusians and drave the commons out; and they wandered up and down, every one as he chanced;

[4] and the great men, upon conditions agreed on with the Syracusians, abandoning and deserting that city, went to dwell with the privilege of free citizens in Syracuse. After this again, some of them upon dislike relinquished Syracuse and seized on Phoceae, a certain part of the city of the Leontines, and upon Bricinniae, a castle in the Leontine territory. Thither also came unto them most of the commons that had before been driven out, and settling themselves, made war from those places of strength.

[5] Upon intelligence hereof the Athenians sent Phaeax thither to persuade their confederates there and, if they could, all the Sicilians jointly to make war upon the Syracusians, that were now beginning to grow great, to try if they might thereby preserve the common people of the Leontines.

[6] Phaeax arriving prevailed with the Camarinaeans and Agrigentines; but the business finding a stop at Gela, he went unto no more, as conceiving he should not be able to persuade them. So he returned through the cities of the Siculi unto Catana, having been at Bricinniae by the way and there encouraged them to hold out; and from Catana he set sail and departed.

[1] About the same time Phaeax, son of Erasistratus, set sail with two colleagues as ambassador from Athens to Italy and Sicily .

[2] The Leontines, upon the departure of the Athenians from Sicily after the pacification, had placed a number of new citizens upon the roll, and the commons had a design for redividing the land; but the upper classes, aware of their intention, called in the Syracusans and expelled the commons.

[3] These last were scattered in various directions; but the upper classes came to an agreement with the Syracusans, abandoned and laid waste their city, and went and lived at Syracuse , where they were made citizens.

[4] Afterwards some of them were dissatisfied, and leaving Syracuse occupied Phocaeae, a quarter of the town of Leontini, and Bricinniae, a strong place in the Leontine country, and being there joined by most of the exiled commons carried on war from the fortifications.

[5] The Athenians hearing this, sent Phaeax to see if they could not by some means so convince their allies there and the rest of the Sicilians of the ambitious designs of Syracuse , as to induce them to form a general coalition against her, and thus save the commons of Leontini.

[6] Arrived in Sicily , Phaeax succeeded at Camarina and Agrigentum , but meeting with a repulse at Gela did not go on to the rest, as he saw that he should not succeed with them, but returned through the country of the Sicels to Catana , and after visiting Bricinniae as he passed, and encouraging its inhabitants, sailed back to Athens .

Um dieselbe Zeit ging auch Phäax, des Erasisiratos Sohn,
in See, den die Athener stlbdritt als Gesandten für Italien und
Sicilien mit zwei Schiffen abschickten. Es hatten nämlich, als
damals nach dem Vertragsschluß die Athener aus Sicilien abgezogen
waren, die Leontiner viele neue Bürger gemacht, und das Volk dachte
das Land unter sich neu auszutheilen. Wie aber die Reichen das
merkten, riefen sie die Syrakusier herbei und trieben die Volkspartei
' aus der Stadt. Diese nun zerstreuten sich über das Land, der Eine
dahin, der Andere dorthin; die Reichen aber trafen einen Vergleich
mit den Syrakusiern, wonach sie ihre Stadt öde und leer ließen und
sich mit dem Bürgerrecht in Syrakus ansiedelten. Nicht lange Zeit
danach aber zogen Einige wieder aus Syrakus weg, weil es ihnen
dort nicht gefiel, und besetzten Phokää, einen Platz dieses Namens
im Stadtgebiet der Leontiner, und Brikinniä, eine Festung im
Leontinischen. Da kamen nun zu ihnen die Meisten von der Volkspartei,
die damals ausgetrieben worden war, und führten aus diesen festen
Stellungen Krieg ^gegen die Syrakusier^. Das hatten die Athener
erfahren und schickten nun den Phäax hin, ob sie wohl ihre dortigen
Bundesgenossen und wo möglich alle Sikelioten dazu bewegen
könnten, insgemein gegen die Syrakusier zu Felde zu ziehen, weil
diese die Obmacht anstrebten, und ob sie die Volkspartei der
Leontiner auf diese Weise retten könnten. Nachdem Phäax dort
angekommen war, gewann er für sich die Kamarinäer und Akragantiner,
da er aber in Gela Hindernisse fand, so ging er weiter nicht zu den
Andern, denn er merkte, daß sie sich nicht würden bereden lassen,
sondern nahm den Rückweg durch das Land der Sikuler^) nach
Katana, und nachdem er im Vorbeireisen auch Brikinniä besucht und
denen dort Muth eingesprochen hatte, schiffte er wieder heimwärts.

IV. Vers le même temps, Phéax, fils d’Érasistrate, fit voile avec deux vaisseaux pour l’ltalie et la Sicile, où il était envoyé en ambassade, lui troisième, par les Athéniens. Les Léontins, après l’évacuation de la Sicile par les Athéniens, lors de la paix, avaient inscrit un grand nombre de citoyens nouveaux, et le peuple méditait le partage des terres ¹ ; les riches, instruits du projet, appelèrent les Syracusains, et expulsèrent le peuple. Les bannis se dispersèrent chacun de leur côté; quant aux riches, ils traitèrent avec les Syracusains, abandonnèrent la ville, la laissèrent déserte, et allèrent ^{2 3} habiter Syracuse, avec le droit de cité. Mais, plus tard, une partie d’entre eux abandonna Syracuse, à la suite de quelque mécontentement, pour s’établir dans un quartier de Léontium appelé Phocées, et à Bricinnes ⁴ , forteresse sur le territoire de cette même ville. La plupart des bannis de la faction populaire vinrent les rejoindre, s’établirent avec eux et se défendirent ⁵ du haut des murailles. A cette nouvelle, les Athéniens envoient Phéax, avec mission d’entraîner leurs alliés de ces contrées et les autres Siciliens, s’il était possible, à faire en commun la guerre aux Syracusains, sous prétexte que ceux-ci aspiraient à la domination; leur but était de sauver le peuple de Léontium. Phéax, à son arrivée, réussit auprès des Camarinéens et des Agrigentins; mais il rencontra de l’opposition à Géla, et ne fit dès lors aucune tentative auprès des autres villes, sentant bien qu’il ne pourrait les convaincre. Il revint à Catane à travers le pays des Sicules, entra, en passant, à Bricinnes, y ranima les courages et s’embarqua.

Vers le même temps, Phéax, fils d’Érasistratos, partit avec deux vaisseaux pour l’Italie et la Sicile, où il était député, lui troisième, par les Athéniens. Depuis que ceux-ci avaient quitté la Sicile après l’édit de pacification ¹ , les Léontins avaient accordé le droit de cité à beaucoup de monde, et le peuple méditait le partage des terres. Instruits de ce projet, les riches appelèrent les Syracusains et chassèrent le parti démocratique. Ces bannis se dispersèrent çà et là. Quant aux riches, ils traitèrent avec les Syracusains, abandonnèrent leur ville, qui devint déserte, et allèrent s’établirent à Syracuse, qui leur donna le titre de citoyens. Plus tard, quelques-uns d’entre eux, mécontents de ce séjour, quittèrent Syracuse pour se retirer à Phocées, quartier de la ville des Léontins, et à Bncinnies , petit fort du même territoire. La plupart des bannis de la faction populaire vinrent les rejoindre, et soutinrent la guerre à l’abri de ces remparts. Informés de cet état de choses, les Athéniens avaient député Phéax pour engager les alliée de ces contrées ² et, s’il se pouvait, les autres Grecs de Sicile, à réunir leurs armes contre Syracuse et à sauver le peuple lécntin.

A son arrivée, Phéax réussit à persuader les Camarinéens et les Agrigentins; mais ayant rencontré de l’opposition dans Gela, il ne poussa pas plus loin des démarches dont il pressentait la stérilité. Il revint à Catane par le pays des Sicules, visita Brioinnies, releva le courage des habitants, et repartit.

[1] About the same time Phaeax son of Erasistratus and two others were sent by the Athenians with two ships on a mission to Italy and Sicily.

[2] For the Leontines, on the departure of the Athenians from Sicily after the general peace, ¹ had enrolled many new citizens, ² and the people were minded to make a redistribution of the land.

[3] But the oligarchs, perceiving their intention, brought over the Syracusans and expelled the people. And the latter were scattered in every direction; but the oligarchs, coming to an agreement with the Syracusans and leaving their own city desolated, settled at Syracuse on condition of having the rights of citizenship.

[4] But later some of them, owing to discontent, left Syracuse and occupied Phoceae, a quarter so named of the city of Leontini, and Bricinniae, a stronghold in Leontine territory. These being joined by most of the members of the popular party who had been expelled, they established themselves and carried on war from their strongholds.

[5] Hearing of this, the Athenians sent Phaeax to see if perchance they might persuade their own allies there, and the rest of the Siceliots if possible, to make a common expedition against the Syracusans on the ground of their continual aggression, and thus save the people of Leontini.

[6] Phaeax, on his arrival, persuaded the Camarinaeans and Agrigentines; but since his undertaking did not prosper at Gela he did not go on to the other states, perceiving that he could not persuade them, but withdrew through the country of the Sicels to Catana, having visited Bricinniae on the way and encouraged its inhabitants. He then sailed back home.

[1] About this same time, Phaeax, son of Erasistratus, with two colleagues, being commissioned by the Athenians, sailed with two ships as ambassador to Italy and Sicily.

[2] For on the departure of the Athenians from Sicily after the pacification, the Leontines had enrolled a large number of new citizens, and the commons were thinking of dividing the land.

[3] When the aristocratical party were aware of it, they called in the Syracusans, and expelled the commons; who wandered about as they severally happened; while the nobles entered into an arrangement with the Syracusans, and having abandoned and laid waste their own city, lived at Syracuse with the enjoyment of the franchise.

[4] Afterwards some of them, in consequence of not being pleased, withdrew from Syracuse, and occupied a quarter of the city of Leontini, called Phocaeae, and Bricinniae, which was a stronghold in the Leontine country. There the majority of the popular party who had been expelled, came to them, and having thus established themselves, they carried on the war from the fortifications.

[5] The Athenians, hearing this, despatched Phaeax, to try if by any means they might persuade the allies they had there, and the rest of the Sicilians if they could, to join in attacking the Syracusans, on the strength of their gaining such additional power, and thus might save the commons of'

[6] Leontini. So Phaeax came, and prevailed on the Camarinaeans and Agrigentines; but when the question was settled against him at Gela, he did not then proceed to the others, as he found that he should not prevail on them; but having returned through the country of the Sicels to Catana, and having on his route also visited Bricinniae, and encouraged its inhabitants, he sailed back again.

[1] Phaeax vero Erasistrali filius cum duobus collegis ab Atheniensibus missus duabus navibus in Italiam atque Siciliam legatus sub idem tempus transmisit

[2] Quum enim Athenienses post compositionem inter Sicilienses factam ex Sicilia discessissent, Leontini multos ad civitatis jus admiserunt, et plehs agrum viritim dividere in animo habebat.

[3] Sed potentes quum hoc sensissent, Syracusanos accersunt plebemque expellunt. Et illi quidem vagi erraverunt, quo quemque sors tulit; at potentes inito cum Syracusanis foedere et urbe sua relicta et vastata, Syracusas civitate donati incoluerunt.

[4] Postea vero quod praesentem rerum statum non probarent, relictis Syracusis» locum quemdam Leontinorum urbis, nomine Phocsas, occuparunt, et Bricinnias, arcem in agro Leontino munitam. Et plebeiorum antea expulsorum permulti ad eos iverunt, et statim e loco munito bellum gerere coeperunt.

[5] Qua; audientes Athenienses Phaeacem mittunt, si quo modo adductis suis sociis, qui illic erant, ceterisque Siciliensibus» si possent, ad bellum communiter inferendum Syracusanis, qui potentiam sibi compararent, plebem Leontinam conservarent.

[6] Phaeax autem quum eo pervenisset, Cama-rinaeis quidem et Acragantinis rem persuasit; Gelae vero quum res ei non successisset, ad ceteros non item perrexit, quod intelligebat, se rem iis non persuasurum, sed per Siculos Catanam reversus, simul etiam obiter ad Bricinnias profectus, et adhortatus eos, ut bono essent animo, navibus discedebat.

Intorno questo stesso tempo Feace di Erasistrato con altri due colleglli venne con due navi in Italia e Sicilia ove gli Ateniesi lo avevano inviato ambasciatore; avvegnaché partiti essi di Sicilia dopo la convenzione , i Leontini avesser ascritto molta gente alla loro cittadinanza, e il popolo fosse nell’ intenzione di dividere le terre. Di che accortisi i nobili chiamano i Siracusani e cacciano i popolani (i quali andarono chi qua chi là vagando), e fatto accordo co9 Siracusani, abbandonarono e disertarono la loro città, per prendere stanza a Siracusa, col patto di goderne la cittadinanza. Ma poi alcuni di essi mal contentandosi del fatto si ritirarono di nuovo da Siracusa, ed occuparono un luogo dipendente dalla città dei Leontini, chiamato Focea, ed anche Bricinnia, fortilizio situato nel territorio leontino. Allora la maggior parte dei popolani banditi andarono ad essi, e fermatisi con loro facevano la guerra da quel luogo. A questa nuova gli Ateniesi mandano Feace per vedere se coll' indurre i loro alleati di colà , e se possibil fosse anche gli altri Siciliesi a portar d’accordo la guerra ai Siracusani che si andavano procurando potenza, riuscissero a salvare il popolo dei Leontini. Feace al suo arrivo v’ induce quei di Camarina e di Arigento. Ma trovato a Gela incagliato l'affare, non più si presenta agli altri, comprendendo che non ve li indurrebbe. Anzi ritornando per le terre de’Siciliesi a Catana venne nel suo passaggio a Bricinnia ove confortata quella gente, si rimise in mare.