Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.44

[1] The Argives, having heard the message, and knowing that the Athenians had made no league with the Boeotians, and that they were at great quarrel with the Lacedaemonians, neglected the ambassadors they had then in Lacedaemon, whom they had sent about the truce, and applied themselves to the Athenians, with this thought: that if they should have war, they should by this means be backed with a city that had been their ancient friend, governed like their own by democracy, and of greatest power by sea. Whereupon they presently sent ambassadors to Athens to make a league;

[2] and together with theirs went also the ambassadors of the Eleians and Mantineans.

[3] Thither also with all speed came the Lacedaemonian ambassadors, Philocharidas, Leon, and Endius, persons accounted most gracious with the Athenians, for fear, lest in their passion they should make a league with the Argives, and withal to require the restitution of Pylus for Panactum, and to excuse themselves concerning their league with the Boeotians, as not made for any harm intended to the Athenians.

[1] Upon receiving this message and discovering that the Athenians, far from being privy to the Boeotian alliance, were involved in a serious quarrel with the Lacedaemonians, the Argives paid no further attention to the embassy which they had just sent to Lacedaemon on the subject of the treaty, and began to incline rather towards the Athenians, reflecting that, in the event of war, they would thus have on their side a city that was not only an ancient ally of Argos , but a sister democracy and very powerful at sea.

[2] They accordingly at once sent ambassadors to Athens to treat for an alliance, accompanied by others from Elis and Mantinea .

[3] At the same time arrived in haste from Lacedaemon an embassy consisting of persons reputed well disposed towards the Athenians—Philocharidas, Leon, and Endius, for fear that the Athenians in their irritation might conclude alliance with the Argives, and also to ask back Pylos in exchange for Panactum, and in defence of the alliance with the Boeotians to plead that it had not been made to hurt the Athenians.

Die Argiver nun auf diese Meldung hin, und als sie auch
erfuhren, daß jenes Bündniß mit den Böotern durchaus nicht im
Einvernehmen mit den Athenern zu Stande gekommen, sondern daß
vielmehr eine große Spannung mit den Lakedämoniern eingetreten sei,
nahmen gar keine Rücksicht auf ihre Gesandten in Lakedäyion, welche
dort>.eines Vertrages wegen unterhandelten, und richteten ihr
Augenmerk wieder mehr auf die Athener, deren Staat von jeher mit ihnen
befreundet gewesen und, wie ihr eigener, demokratisch regiert sei, auch
eine große Seemacht besitze und deßhalb, wie sie glaubten, mit den
Waffen für sie. einstehen werde, falls sie in einen Krieg verwickelt ¹
würden. Sie schickten also sogleich Gesandte an die Athener eines ²
Waffenbundes wegen, und auch von den Eleern und Mantineern«
gingen Abgeordnete mit. Es kam aber auch von den Lakedämoniern
in aller Eile eine Gesandtschaft, und zwar Männer, die in Athen
beliebt zu sein schienen, Philocharidas nämlich und Leon und
Endlos. Jene fürchteten nämlich, die Athener möchten in ihrem
Unwillen ein Bündniß mit den Argivern abschließen, zugleich aber
wollten sie auch Pylos für Panakton verlangen und sich wegen des
Bündnisses mit den Böotern entschuldigen, daß sie es nicht zum
Schaden Athens abgeschlossen hätten.

XLIV. Sur cet avis, les Argiens, informés d'ailleurs que l’alliance avec les Béotiens avait eu lieu sans la participation des Athéniens, que, tout au contraire, de graves contestations s’étaient élevées entre eux et les Lacédémoniens, ne s’inquiétèrent plus des ambassadeurs qu’ils avaient envoyés négocier un accommodement à Lacédémone. Ils aimaient mieux tourner leurs pensées du côté des Athéniens, par cette considération que, s’ils avaient à faire la guerre, ils seraient soutenus par une ville avec laquelle ils avaient d’anciennes relations d’amitié, constituée comme eux en démocratie et disposant d’une grande puissance maritime. Ils envoyèrent donc sur-le-champ des députés à Athènes pour négocier une alliance; les Éléens et les Mantinéens se joignirent à cette ambassade. Les Lacédémoniens s’empressèrent également d’envoyer aux Athéniens des ambassadeurs qu’ils croyaient devoir leur être agréables, Philocaridas, Léon et Endios; car ils craignaient que les Athéniens irrités ne contractassent alliance avec les Argiens. Ils voulaient aussi réclamer la restitution de Pylos, en échange de Panacton, et démontrer que leur alliance avec les Béotiens ne couvrait aucun mauvais dessein contre Athènes.

Sur ce message d’Alcibiade, les Argiens, informés d’ailleurs que l’alliance avec les Béotiens avait eu lieu en dépit des Athéniens, et que ceux-ci étaient en pleine brouille avec les Lacédémoniens, ne s’inquiétèrent plus des députés qui étaient partis pour traiter en leur nom à Lacédémone, et ne songèrent qu’à se rapprocher d’Athènes. Ils voyaient en elle une ville dès longtemps leur amie, gouvernée démocratiquement comme eux, et maîtresse d’une marine qui, en cas de guerre, leur serait d’un puissant secours. Ils s’empressèrent donc de faire partir pour Athènes une députation, à laquelle s’adjoignirent les Mantinéens et les Elécns. De leur côté les Lacédémoniens envoyèrent en toute hâte aux Athéniens des ambassadeurs qu’ils croyaient leur être agréables, savoir Phi-locharidas, Léon et Endios. Ils craignaient que les Athéniens, n’écoutant que leur colère, ne s’alliassent avec les Argiens. Ils voulaient par la même occasion réclamer Pylos en échange de Panacton et juetifier leur alliance avec les Béotiens, en la représentant comme tout à fait inoffensive pour Athènes.

[1] When the Argives received this message and realized that the alliance with the Boeotians had been made without the consent of the Athenians, but that these were involved in a serious quarrel with the Lacedaemonians, they took no further thought about their envoys at Lacedaemon, who had gone thither on the matter of the treaty, and gave their attention rather to the Athenians, thinking that a city which had been of old friendly to them and was governed by a democracy, just as they were, and possessed great power on sea, would enter the war along with them, should they be involved in war. Accordingly, they at once sent envoys to Athens to negotiate the alliance;

[2] and there went with them also envoys of the Eleans and Mantineans.

[3] But thither came, too, in all haste, envoys of the Lacedaemonians who were thought to be acceptable to the Athenians, Philocharidas, Leon, and Endius, for there was fear that the Athenians in their anger might make the alliance with the Argives; and the envoys were also to demand the restoration of Pylos in place of Panactum, and to say at the same time, in excuse for the Boeotian alliance, that it had not been made with a view to injuring the Athenians.

[1] When the Argives received this message, and found that the alliance with the Boeotians had not been brought about in concert with the Athenians, but that they were involved in a serious quarrel with the Lacedaemonians; they thought no more of their ambassadors at Lacedaemon, who were just at that time gone thither on the subject of the treaty, but paid more attention to the Athenians; thinking that so, if they went to war, there would be on their side in it a state which had been their friend from of old, and was under a democratical form of government, like themselves, and wielded a great power in the command of the sea.

[2] They immediately therefore sent ambassadors to the Athenians to treat of the alliance; and were also accompanied by envoys from the Eleans and Mantineans.

There came likewise with all speed, as ambassadors from the Lacedaemonians, persons who were thought to be favourably inclined towards the Athenians, namely, Philocharidas, Leon, and Endius; through fear that in their anger they might conclude the alliance with the Argives, and at the same time to ask back Pylus in exchange for Panactum, and to plead in excuse for the Boeotian alliance, that it had not been made for the purpose of hurting the Athenians.

[1] Argivi autem audito hoc nuntio, et quando cognoverant, non cum Atheniensibus societatem Bopotorure esse factam, sed in magnam dissensionem eos cum Lacedaemoniis devenisse, suos quidem iegatos, qui tunc forte foederis causa aberant, non curabant, sed ad Athenienses po tius animum advertebant existimantes civitatem, cum qua sibi vetus amicitia intercederet, et quae populari statu, quemadmodum et sua civitas, regeretur, et qoa» magnam in mari potentiam liaberet, sibi, si bellum susciperent, in hoc auxilium esse laturam.

[2] Confestim igitur legatos de societate acturos ad Athenienses mittebant; illos autem Eleorum et Mantineorum legati comitabantur.

[3] Venerunt vero statim etiam Laceda*moniorum legali, qui Atheniensibus accepti esse videbantur, Philocbaridas et Leon et Endius, veriti, ne sibi irati societatem cum Argivis face rent, et simul Pylum pro Panacto repetituri, et societatem cum Boeotis initam purgaturi, quod eam non incommodi Atheniensium causa fecissent.

Gli Argivi sentita questa ambasciata, ed informati avere i Beozii fatto alleanza con Sparta senza la saputa degli Ateniesi, e questi essere entrati in diffidenza grande con i Lacedemoni, abbandonarono il pensiero dei loro ambasciatori che erano a Sparta per trattare della lega, e col' l’animo inchinavano maggiormente ad Atene; avvisando che essendo ella città loro amica ab antico , e democratica come essi, e potente assai sul mare, unirebbe seco le armi sue, qualor si trovassero in guerra. Vi spedirono adunque ¿ubilo ambasciatori circa all’ alleanza , e con questi si unir rono anche quelli degli Elei e de' Mantineesi. Gli ambar sciatori pure degli Spartani, l'il oca rida, Leone ed Endio, che avevano voce di essere graditi in Atene, vi arrivarono sollecitamente, per paura che gli Ateniesi adirati non facessero lega con Argo, e insieme per ridomandar Pilo in cambio di Panacto, e giustificarsi , quanto all’ alleanza coi Beozii, come non l' a ve van fatta a danno di Atene.