Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.40

[1] In the spring following, the Argives, when they saw that the ambassadors which the Boeotians promised to send unto them came not, and that Panactum was razed, and that also there was a private league made between the Boeotians and the Lacedaemonians, were afraid lest they should on all hands be abandoned, and that the confederates would all go to the Lacedaemonians.

[2] For they apprehended that the Boeotians had been induced both to raze Panactum and also to enter into the Athenian peace by the Lacedaemonians; and that the Athenians were privy to the same, so that now they had no means to make league with the Athenians neither; whereas before they made account that if their truce with the Lacedaemonians continued not, they might upon these differences have joined themselves to the Athenians.

[3] The Argives being therefore at a stand and fearing to have war all at once with the Lacedaemonians, Tegeats, Boeotians, and Athenians, [as] having formerly refused the truce with the Lacedaemonians and imagined to themselves the principality of all Peloponnesus, they sent ambassadors with as much speed as might be, Eustrophus and Aeson, persons as they thought most acceptable unto them, with this cogitation, that by compounding with the Lacedaemonians as well as for their present estate they might, howsoever the world went, they should at least live at quiet.

[1] In the first days of the summer following, the Argives, seeing that the promised ambassadors from Boeotia did not arrive, and that Panactum was being demolished, and that a separate alliance had been concluded between the Boeotians and Lacedaemonians, began to be afraid that Argos might be left alone, and all the confederacy go over to Lacedaemon .

[2] They fancied that the Boeotians had been persuaded by the Lacedaemonians to raze Panactum and to enter into the treaty with the Athenians, and that Athens was privy to this arrangement, and even her alliance, therefore, no longer open to them—a resource which they had always counted upon, by reason of the dissensions existing, in the event of the non-continuance of their treaty with Lacedaemon .

[3] In this strait the Argives, afraid that, as the result of refusing to renew the treaty with Lacedaemon and aspiring to the supremacy in Peloponnese , they would have the Lacedaemonians, Tegeans, Boeotians, and Athenians on their hands all at once, now hastily sent off Eustrophus and Aeson, who seemed the persons most likely to be acceptable, as envoys to Lacedaemon , with the view of making as good a treaty as they could with the Lacedaemonians, upon such terms as could be got, and being left in peace.

Sogleich mit Frühlings-Anfang^im folgenden.-,Sommer,
da die Gesandten nicht kamen, welche die Böoter zu
schicken.versprohcen, und.die Schleifung von Panakton bekannt wurde, und daß
zwischen Böotern und Lakedämoniern ein besonderes Waffenbündniß
abgeschlossen worden sei, geriethen die Argiver in Furcht, sie möchten
vereinzelt gelassen werden, und die ganze Bundesgenossenschast zu den
Lakedämoniern übertreten.,? Sie ^dachten nämlich, die. Böoter^hätten
sich von den Lakedämoniern überreden lassen/Panakton niederzureißen
und dem Vertrage -mit den Athenern beizutreten,/und die Athener
wüßten um Alles. ^Sie glaubten deßhalb, es sei jetzt nicht einmal
mehr Zeit für sie, mit den Athenern ein Bündniß zu schließen,
während sie früher bei dem Zwist beider Mächte gehofft hatten, daß ihnen
jedesfalls daS.Bündnißmit? den Athenern offen stehe, wenn sieben
Vertrag mit den Lakedämoniern nicht erneuern wollten.^..Das also
setzte die Argiversin Verlegenheit, .und.da sie'fürchteten, mit...den
Lakedämoniern, Tegeaten, Böotern und Athenern zugleich in Krieg
verwickelt'^ werden,. so schickten sie, —'die von den Lakedämoniern
einen Vertrag nicht hatten, annehmen wollen sondern sich .im stolzen
Traum der Herrschaft über-den; Peloponnes gewiegt,.—-so schnell
sie nur.'konnten den.EustrophoS und. den. Aeson die als sehr
befreundet mit den Lakedämoniern galten, als Gesandte nach Sparta, ent- ^{1 2 3}
schlossen unter den gegenwärtigen Umständen um jeden Preis, möge
es kommen wie es wolle, mit'de« Lakedämonietn einen Vertrag zu
schließen/um nur Ruhe zu haben.­

XL. L’été suivant, dès le commencement du printemps, les Argiens, ne voyant pas arriver les députés que les Béotiens avaient promis de leur envoyer, informés d’ailleurs de la destruction de Panacton et de l’alliance particulière intervenue entre les Béotiens et les Lacédémoniens, craignirent de se trouver isolés, si tous les alliés venaient à se tourner du côté de Lacédémone; ils supposaient que c’était Lacédémone qui avait engagé les Béotiens à raser Panacton et à entrer dans l’alliance d’Athènes; que les Athéniens en étaient instruits; que dès lors il ne leur était plus possible, à eux-mêmes, de s’allier avec Athènes. Car ils avaient compté jusque-là que, si leur traité avec les Lacédémoniens ne pouvait ¹ pas tenir, par suite de leurs différends, ils pourraient du moins contracter alliance avec les Athéniens. Ainsi pris au dépourvu, les Argiens craignaient d’avoir à lutter en même temps contre les Lacédémoniens, les Tégéates, les Béotiens et les Athéniens. Eux qui précédemment avaient refusé d’accéder au traité des Lacédémoniens, qui avaient porté leurs prétentions jusqu'au commandement du Péloponnèse, ils envoyèrent en toute hâte à Lacédémone les ambassadeurs qu’ils croyaient y devoir être le mieux accueillis, Eustrophos et Eson. Ils pensaient qu’en faisant alliance avec les Lacédémoniens, aux meilleures conditions possibles dans les circonstances actuelles, ils auraient la tranquillité, quoi qu’il arrivât.

Dès les premiers jours du printemps suivant ¹ , les Argiens ne voyant pas venir les députés qu’ils attendaient de Béotie, informés de la démolition de Panacten et de ralliante particulière des Béotiens avec les Lacédémoniens, craignirent de se trouver isblés, si tous leurs alliés passaient du côté de Lacédémone. Ils croyaient que c'était cette ville qui savait eo-gagé les Béotiens à raser Panacton et à entrer dans ralliante d’ Athènes ² ; que les Athéniens en étaient instruits ; que dès lors il ne fallait plus songer à nouer amitié avec eux, comme ils s’étaient flattés de le faire dans le cas où les démêlés avec Lacédémone amèneraient nne ruptu te. Dans cette situation. les Argiens appréhendèrent d’avoir à la fois sot les bTas les Laoédémoniens., les Tégéates, les Béotiens et les Athéniens. Eux qui naguère avaient refusé de traiter avec les Lacédémoniens, et porté leur ambition jusqu’à rêver la suprématie du Péloponèse, députèrent en toute hâte à Lacédémone Eostro-phos et Ëson, qui leur semblaient y devoir être le mieux accueillis . Leur intention était de conclure avec les Lacédémoniens une paix aussi favorable que possible, et d’attendre ensuite les événements.

[1] At the very beginning of the following ¹ summer, when the envoys whom the Boeotians promised to send did not come, the Argives, perceiving that Panactum was being demolished and a private alliance had been made by the Boeotians with the Lacedaemonians, began to fear that they would be left alone and the whole confederacy would go over

[2] to the Lacedaemonians. For they thought that the Boeotians had been persuaded by the Lacedaemonians to raze Panactum and to accede to the treaty with the Athenians, and that the Athenians knew these things, so that it was no longer possible for them to make an alliance even with the Athenians; whereas they had formerly hoped that if their treaty with the Lacedaemonians should not continue they might at any rate, in consequence of the differences, ² become allies

[3] of the Athenians. Being then in such perplexity and fearing lest they might have war at once with the Lacedaemonians and Tegeates, the Boeotians and the Athenians, the Argives, who before this had not accepted the treaty with the Lacedaemonians but proudly hoped to have the hegemony of the Peloponnesus, now sent to Lacedaemon in all haste two envoys, Eustrophus and Aeson, who seemed likely to be most acceptable to them, thinking it best under the present circumstances to make a treaty with the Lacedaemonians in whatever way might be feasible and to have quiet.

[1] As soon as the spring of the next summer commenced, the Argives, finding that the Boeotian ambassadors, whom they said they would send, did not come, and that Panactum was being demolished, and an especial alliance had been concluded by the Boeotians with the Lacedaemonians, were afraid that they might be left alone, and all the confederacy go over to the Lacedaemonians.

[2] For they supposed that the Boeotians had been persuaded by the Lacedaemonians both to demolish Panactum and to accede to the treaty with the Athenians; and that the Athenians were privy to these measures; so that they themselves had no longer power even to make alliance with the Athenians: whereas they hoped before, in consequence of the existing dissensions, that if their treaty with the Lacedaemonians should not continue, they would, at any rate, be in alliance with the Athenians.

[3] The Argives, then, were involved in these difficulties, and feared they might be engaged in war at once with the Lacedaemonians, Tegeans, Boeotians, and Athenians: and consequently, though they did not before accept the treaty with the Lacedaemonians, but entertained the proud hope that they should enjoy the supremacy over the Peloponnese; they sent as envoys to Lacedaemon, as quickly as they could, Eustrophus and Aeson, who were considered to be the most acceptable persons to them; thinking to live in quiet by making a treaty with the Lacedaemonians, as they best could under present circumstances, ¹ whatever might be the arrangement.

[1] Ineunte autem statim vere insequeutis aestatis Argivi quum Boeotorum legati, quos se missuros dixerant, non venissent, et Panacium ab illis everti intellexissent, et societatem inter Boeotos et Lacedaemonios privatim (actam, extimuerunt, ne soli relinquerentur, omnesque socii se Lacedaemoniis abjungerent;

[2] existimabant enim Boeotos a Lacedaemoniis inductos esse, ut et Panacium evertere et Atheniensium foedera acciperent, Alheniensesque harum rerum conscios esse, ita ut ne cum Atheniensibus quidem societatem (acere sibi amplius integrum esset, quum antei sperassent, si propter controversias ea foedera, quae cum Lacedaemoniis inierant, frangerentur, Atheniensium certe quidem se socios futuros.

[3] Argivi igitur, quum his difficultatibus premerentur et vererentur, ne simul cum Lacedaemoniis et Tegeatis, Boeotis et Atheniensibus bellum sibi gerendum esselt qui prius Lacedaemoniorum foedera non acciperent , sed animis elati Peloponnesi principatum se adepturos sperarent, quamprimum poterant, legatos Lacedaemonem mittebant, Eustroplium et iEsondn, qui apud illos maxime gratiosi esse videbantur, existimantes, pro praesenti rerum statu optimum esse, facto cum Lacedaemoniis foedere, quacunque fieri posset, quietem agere.

Ma venuta appena la primavera della seguente estate gli Argivi, non vedendo giungere i legati che i Beozii avevano promesso di spedire e sentendo la demolizione di Panacto e la lega fatta a parte da’ Beozii coi Lacedemoni , vennero in apprensione che così rimarrebbero isolati, e che tutto il corpo degli alleati si accosterebbe con Sparta. Perciocché sospettavano che i Beozii fossero stati indotti dai Lacedemoni a demolire Panacto e ad entrar nella lega attica, e che tutto ciò fosse avvenuto di saputa degli Ateniesi: talché ora non avrebbero più modo di collegarsi eoa Atene, siccome per lo innanzi speravano, se mai a cagione delle differenze insorte non reggesse il trattato che avevano con Sparta. Gli Argivi adunque tra per questa incertezza; e per la paura di non trovarsi al tempo stesso in guerra coi Lacedemoni, coi Tegeati, coi Beozii e con gli Ateniesi» giacché prima rifiutata la lega di Sparta boriavano piuttosto di farsi capi del Peloponneso , spedirono senza frapporre indugi legati a Sparta Eustrofo ed Esone, come quei che parevano dovervi esser più graditi. Senza di che avvisavano che facendo lega coi Lacedemoni nel modo che si potesse il più acconcio ai tempi presenti, comunque le cose andassero , essi otterrebbero tranquillità.