Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.42

[1] Whilst the Argives were treating about this, the Lacedaemonian ambassadors, Andromedes and Phaedimus and Antimenidas, commissioners for receiving of Panactum and the prisoners from the Boeotians to render them to the Athenians, found that Panactum was demolished, and that their pretext was this: that there had been anciently an oath, by occasion of difference between the Athenians and them, that neither part should inhabit the place solely, but jointly both. But for the Athenian prisoners, as many as the Boeotians had, they that were with Andromedes received, convoyed, and delivered them unto the Athenians, and withal told them of the razing of Panactum, alleging it as rendered in that no enemy of Athens should dwell in it hereafter.

[2] But when this was told them, the Athenians made it a heinous matter, for that they conceived that the Lacedaemonians had done them wrong, both in the matter of Panactum, which was pulled down and should have been rendered standing, and because also they had heard of the private league made with the Boeotians, whereas they had promised to join with the Athenians in compelling such to accept of the peace as had refused it. Withal they weighed whatsoever other points the Lacedaemonians had been short in, touching the performance of the articles, and thought themselves abused; so that they answered the Lacedaemonian ambassadors roughly and dismissed them.

[1] In the meantime, while the Argives were engaged in these negotiations, the Lacedaemonian ambassadors, Andromedes, Phaedimus, and Antimenidas, who were to receive the prisoners from the Boeotians and restore them and Panactum to the Athenians, found that the Boeotians had themselves razed Panactum, upon the plea that oaths had been anciently exchanged between their people and the Athenians, after a dispute on the subject, to the effect that neither should inhabit the place, but that they should graze it in common. As for the Athenian prisoners of war in the hands of the Boeotians, these were delivered over to Andromedes and his colleagues, and by them conveyed to Athens and given back. The envoys at the same time announced the razing of Panactum, which to them seemed as good as its restitution, as it would no longer lodge an enemy of Athens .

[2] This announcement was received with great indignation by the Athenians, who thought that the Lacedaemonians had played them false, both in the matter of the demolition of Panactum, which ought to have been restored to them standing, and in having, as they now heard, made a separate alliance with the Boeotians, in spite of their previous promise to join Athens in compelling the adhesion of those who refused to accede to the treaty. The Athenians also considered the other points in which Lacedaemon had failed in her compact, and thinking that they had been overreached, gave an angry answer to the ambassadors and sent them away.

Zu derselben Zeit, während welcher die Argiver diese
Unterhandlungen führten, kamen die Abgeordneten der Lakedämonier,
Androckenes, PhädimoS und Antimenidas, welche Panakton und die
Kriegsgefangenen von den Böotern übernehmen und den Athenern ¹
aushändigen sollten, an und trafen Panakton bereits von den Böo- ²
tern selbst geschleift, unter dem Vorwand, daß zwischen Athenern und
Böotern von einem Streite her aus alter Zeit noch Eide rechtskräftig
seien, wonach keiner von beiden Theilen den Platz allein bewohnen,
sondern nur beide gemeinsam ihn beweiden dürften; die
Kriegsgefangenen hingegen, welche die Böoter von den Athenern in Händen
hatten, übernahmen Andromenes und seine Begleiter, brachten sie nach
Athen und übergaben sie daselbst; was Panakton betreffe,
erklärten sie, so sei dasselbe geschleift, und damit meinten sie es zurück-
gegeben zu haben, denn es könne jetzt dort kein Feind der Athener
mehr wohnen. Das nahmen aber die Athener sehr übel auf-und
glaubten von den Lakedämoniern durch die Schleifung Panaktons
übervortheilt worden zu sein, da sie ihnen den Platz in ordentlichem
Stande hätten übergeben sollen, und dazu erfuhren sie jetzt auch noch,
daß jene auch mit den Böotern ein besonderes Bündniß geschlossen
hätten, während sie doch früher ihr Wort gegeben hatten, daß sie
mit Athen gemeinsam die Andern znr Annahme des Friedensvertrages
zwingen wollten. Auch die andern Bestimmungen des Vertrages, die
noch zu erfüllen waren, suchten sie hervor und behaupteten betrogen
worden zu fein, weßhalb denn auch die Gesandtschaft mit einer
unwirschen Antwort abziehen mußte.

XLII. Pendant ces négociations des Àrgiens, les ambassadeurs lacédémoniens Andromèdes, Phédimos et Antiménidas, chargés de recevoir Panacton et les prisonniers des mains des Béotiens pour les remettre aux Athéniens, trouvèrent Panacton rasée par les Béotiens. Ceux-ci prétextaient qu’à la suite de différends au sujet de cette même place, il avait autrefois été convenu, sous la foi du serment, entre les Athéniens et les Béotiens, que ni les uns ni les autres ne la posséderaient exclusivement et qu’ils en jouiraient en commun. Quant aux prisonniers athéniens au pouvoir des Béotiens, remise en fut faite à Andromèdes et à ses collègues, qui les conduisirent à Athènes et les rendirent. Ils annoncèrent aux Athéniens que Panacton était rasée, et prétendirent que cela équivalait à la remise de la place, puisqu’il n’y logerait plus aucun ennemi d’Athènes. A ces paroles, les Athéniens firent éclater leur indignation : ils faisaient un crime aux Lacédémoniens de la destruction de Panacton, qui devait leur être remise en bon état; ils avaient appris en outre leur alliance particulière avec les Béotiens, contrairement à l’engagement qu’ils avaient pris anté- rieurement de contraindre de concert ceux qui n’accepteraient pas le traité; enfin ils se remémoraient toutes les stipulations dont l’exécution se faisait encore attendre, et se croyaient joués. Aussi répondirentils durement aux ambassadeurs, et ils les congédièrent.

Pendant ces négociations, les ambassadeurs- lacédé-moniens Andromédès, Phédimos et Antiménidas, chargés de recevoir des Béotiens et de remettre aux Athéniens Fanacton et les prisonniers, trouvèrent Panacton rasé. Les Béotiens s’excusèrent en disant que jadis , à la suite de démêlés survenus entre eux et les Athéniens au sujet de cette place, il avait été convenu sous serment que ni les· uns ni les autres ne l'habita raient, mais qu'ils en exploiteraient en commun le territoire. Quant aux prisonniers athéniens détenus en Béotie , la remise en fut faite à Andromédès et à ses collègues, qui Ijbs conduisirent à Athènes et les rendirent. Ils annoncèrent aussi que Panacton était rasé ; c'est ce qu’ils appelaient le rendre, par là raison qu’aucun ennemi des Athéniens n’y habiterait plue. Les Athéniens éclatèrent en reproches contre les Lacédémoniens, soit pour la destruction de Panaoton, qui dèvait, disaient-ils, leur être remis intact, soit pour l’alliance séparée; qu’ils savaient existerentre les Lacédémoniens et les Béotiens. Ils soutenaient que les Lacédémoniens s’étaient engagés à s’unira eux pour contraindre les récalcitrants. Enfin ils recherchaient minutieusement toutes les autres dérogations au traité de paix, et se regardaient comme joués. Aussi répondirent-ils avec aigreur aux députés et les congédièrent.

[1] In the meantime, while the Argives were negotiating these matters, the Lacedaemonian envoys, Andromenes, Phaedimus and Antimenidas, who were to take over Panactum and the prisoners from the Thebans and restore them to the Athenians, found that Panactum had been destroyed by the Boeotians themselves, on the pretext that once in former times, when there had been a quarrel about Panactum, oaths had been exchanged between the Athenians and Boeotians, that neither should inhabit the district, but they should graze it in common. As for the men of the Athenians, however, whom the Boeotians held as prisoners, Andromenes and his colleagues received these from them, and bringing them back restored them to the Athenians. They also told them of the demolition of Panactum, claiming that this, too, was a restoration; for thereafter no one hostile to the Athenians would dwell in it.

[2] The moment this was said the Athenians were very indignant, thinking that they were wronged by the Lacedaemonians, both in the demolition of Panactum, which ought to have been restored to them intact, and because they heard that the Lacedaemonians had made a separate alliance with the Boeotians, although they had said before ¹ that they would join in coercing any that did not accept the treaty. And they took into consideration the other matters wherein the Lacedaemonians had failed in their contract and in which they thought they had been deceived; and so they gave the envoys an angry answer and sent them away.

[1] In the mean time, while the Argives were negotiating these matters, the Lacedaemonian ambassadors, Andromedes, Phaedimus, and Antimenidas, who were to restore Panactum to the Athenians, and to receive the prisoners from the Boeotians, and bring them back home, found Panactum demolished by the Boeotians themselves, on the pretext of there having been exchanged in former times between the Athenians and Boeotians, in consequence of a dispute about it, an oath that neither party should inhabit the place, but that they should graze it in common. The men, however, whom the Boeotians held as prisoners taken from the Athenians, Andromedes and his colleagues received from them, and conveyed to Athens, and restored. They likewise announced to them the demolition of Panactum, thinking that ¹ so they restored that too; for no enemy to the Athenians would in future inhabit it. On this announcement, the Athenians expressed great indignation;

[2] thinking themselves wronged by the Lacedaemonians, both with regard to the demolition of Panactum, which they ought to have delivered up to them standing, and the intelligence of their having on their own account made treaty with the Boeotians, though they formerly declared that they would join in compelling those who did not accede to the general treaty. They also looked for any other points in which they had departed from their compact, and considered themselves to have been overreached by them; so that they gave an angry reply to the ambassadors, and sent them away.

[1] interea vero dum Argivi lisec tractant, Lacedaemoniorum legati Andromedes et Phaedimus et Antimenidas, quibus mandatum erat, ut Panactum et captivos a Boeotis receptos Atheniensibus redderent, Panactum quidem ab ipsis Boeotis eversum offenderunt, eo praetextu, quod olim inter Boeotos et Athenienses orta de illo castello controversia jurejurando interposito convenisset, ut neutri id habitarent , sed communiter colerent; viros autem Atheniensium, quos Boeoti bello captos habebant, Andromedes ejusque collegae receptos ad Athenienses deduxerunt ac reddiderunt, et Panaeti eversionem iis significabant, existimantes, se hoc quoque reddere; nullum enim Atheniensium hostem In eo amplius habitaturum.

[2] Quum autem haec dicerentur. Athenienses graviter indignabantur, quod a Lacedaemoniis injuriam sibi fieri putarent, quum ob eversionem Panaeti, quod stans traditum oportuerat, tum quod audirent, eos cum Boeotis quoque societatem privatim fecisse, quum tamen antea dicerent, se communiter adacturos eos, qui foedus recipere nollent. Et reliqua etiam considerabant, quae» cunque ex pacto non servaverant, et se fraude circumventos existimabant; quare legatos cum asperiore responso dimiserant.

Nel tempo che gli Argivi erano in questi trattarti, Andromene, Fedimo ed Antimenida ambasciatori dei lacedemoni , incumbensati di riprendere da’ Beozii Panacto e i prigionieri per renderli agli Ateniesi, trovarono che i Beozii avevano demolito Panacto, sul pretesto che per certe differenze intorno a questa terra erano seguiti antichi giuramenti fra gli Ateniesi e i Beozii di non abitarla nè gli uni nè gli altri, ma di tenerla in comune. Onde Andromene ed i suoi colleghi ripresi i prigionieri ateniesi ritenuti dai Beozii, li riportarono ad Atene, e ne fecero la consegna. Resero poi conto agli Ateniesi della demolizione di Panacto, giudicando aver restituito anch’esso, da che non più tì abiterebbe verun nemico di Atene. A queste relazioni restarono forte esacerbati gli Ateniesi, tenendosi ingiuriati dii Lacedemoni non solo perchè era stato demolito Panacto, che doveva restituirsi intero, ma eziandio perchè sentirono avere essi stretto lega a parte co9 Beozii , tuttoché prima vociferassero di volere unanimemente astringere alla tregua quelli che non Faccettassero. Riflettevano di più a tutte le altre cose in che i Lacedemoni avevano trasgredito le convenzioni, e stimavansi ingannati: però rimandarono con acerbe risposte gli ambasciatori.