Thucydides History of the Peloponnesian War 5.5

[1] In his voyage to Sicily, both going and coming, he dealt as he went by with sundry cities also of Italy to enter into friendship with the Athenians. He also lighted on those Locrians which having dwelt once in Messana were afterwards driven out again, being the same men which, after the peace in Sicily, upon a sedition in Messana, wherein one of the factions called in the Locrians, had been then sent to inhabit there, [and now were sent away again]; for the Locrians held Messana for a while.

[2] Phaeax, therefore, chancing to meet with these as they were going to their own city, did them no hurt, because the Locrians had been in speech with him about an agreement with the Athenians.

[3] For when the Sicilians made a general peace, these only of all the confederates refused to make any peace at all with the Athenians. Nor indeed would they have done it now but that they were constrained thereunto by the war they had with the Itoneans and Melaeans, their own colonies and borderers. And Phaeax after this returned to Athens.

[1] During his voyage along the coast to and from Sicily , he treated with some cities in Italy on the subject of friendship with Athens , and also fell in with some Locrian settlers exiled from Messina , who had been sent thither when the Locrians were called in by one of the factions that divided Messina after the pacification of Sicily , and Messina came for a time into the hands of the Locrians.

[2] These being met by Phaeax on their return home received no injury at his hands, as the Locrians had agreed with him for a treaty with Athens .

[3] They were the only people of the allies who, when the reconciliation between the Sicilians took place, had not made peace with her; nor indeed would they have done so now, if they had not been pressed by a war with the Hipponians and Medmaeans who lived on their border, and were colonists of theirs. Phaeax meanwhile proceeded on his voyage, and at length arrived at Athens .

Auf der Ueberfahrt nach Sicilien und auch wieder auf
seiner Rückfahrt hatte Phäax mit einigen Städten in Italien wegen ^{1 2 3 4}
eines Freundschaftsbündnisses mit den Athenern unterhandelt, und
er begegnete auch den Lokrischen Ansiedlern, die aus Messana
ausgetrieben worden waren. Nach dem Friedensschluß der Sikelioten
nämlich waren die Messanier unter sich zerfallen, und da die eine
Partei die Lokrer herbeiries, so schickten diese Ansiedler dorthin und
so war Messana eine Zeit lang lokrisch. Auf diese nun stieß Phäax,
als sie nach ihrer Austreibung überfuhren, that ihnen jedoch kein
Leides; denn eS waren zwischen ihm und den Lokrern Verabredungen
wegen eines Vertrages mit den Athenern getroffen worden. Sie
allein nämlich von allen Teilnehmern des Krieges hatten damals,
als die Sikelioten sich aussöhnten, keinen Vergleich mit den Athenern
abgeschlossen, und sie hätten es auch jetzt nicht gethan, wenn nicht
der Krieg mit den Jtoniern und Meläern, ihren Gränznachbarn und
Pflanzbürgern sie in Verlegenheil gebracht hätte. — Phäax selbst
kam einige Zeit daraus nach Athen zurück.

V. Dans le trajet pour aller en Sicile, et pour en revenir, il négocia en Italie avec quelques villes, pour les engager dans l’alliance d’Athènes; il rencontra aussi la colonie locrienne de Messène, récemment expulsée de cette ville. — Après la pacification de la Sicile, Messène avait été en proie aux séditions, et l’un des partis avait appelé les Locriens, qui y envoyèrent une colonie et furent quelque temps maîtres de la ville, — Phéax, les ayant rencontrés dans leur traversée, ne leur fit ^{1 2} aucun mal; car les Locriens venaient de régler avec lui les préliminaires d’un accord avec les Athéniens. C’étaient les seuls des alliés qui, à l’époque de la réconciliation des Siciliens, n’eussent pas traité avec Athènes : ils ne l’eussent même point fait encore, sans les embarras d’une guerre contre les Itoniens et les Méléens, leurs voisins, et en même temps leurs colons. Phéax revint ensuite à Athènes.

Dans sa traversée en Sicile et à son retour, Phéax essaya d’engager quelques villes d’Italie dans l’alliance d’Athènes. Il rencontra des Locriens, expulsés de Messine, où ils s’étaient établis à la suite de la pacification de la Sicile. A cette époque, l’un des deux partis qui divisaient Messine avaient appelé les Locriens; ceux-ci avaient envoyé une colonie dans cette ville, dont ils étaient devenus les maîtres pour un certain temps ¹ . Phéax, les ayant donc rencontrés, ne leur fit aucun mal ; car il venait de conclure alliance avec les Locriens ² au nom d’Athènes. C’étaient les seuls alliés qui, lors de la pacification de la Sicile, n’eussent pas traité avec les Athéniens ; même alors ils ne l’auraient pas fait, s’ils n’eussent eu sur les bras une guerre contre les Itoniens et les Méléens, leurs voisins et leurs colons. Phéax revint ensuite à Athènes.

[1] On his voyage along the coast to and from Sicily and in Italy he negotiated with certain cities about friendship with the Athenians. He fell in also with the Locrian settlers who had been expelled from Messene; for these, after the general agreement among the Siceliots, when the Messenians had fallen into discord and one faction had called in the Locrians, had been sent out as colonists, Messene thus coming for a time into the hands of the Locrians.

[2] Falling in, then, with these when they were on their way home, he did them no injury, as an agreement had been made with him ¹ by the Locrians for a treaty with the Athenians.

[3] For they alone of the allies, when the Siceliots became reconciled, made no treaty with the Athenians, nor would they have done so then if they had not been pressed by the war with the Iponieans and Medmaeans, who lived on their borders and were colonists of theirs. And Phaeax some time after this returned to Athens.

[1] On his course to Sicily and return from it, he also communicated with certain cities in Italy on the subject of friendship with the Athenians. He likewise fell in with the Locrian settlers banished from Messana, who, after the pacification effected by the Sicilians, when the Messanians were divided into factions, and one of them had invited the Locrians to their aid, had been sent out for that purpose; and so Messana came into the hands of the Locrians for some time.

[2] Phaeax then, having fallen in with these men on their way home, did them no harm, as proposals had been made to him by the Locrians for coming to terms with the Athenians.

For they were the only people of the allies who, when the Sicilians were reconciled to each other, did not make peace with the Athenians: nor would they have done it then, had they not been pressed by hostilities with the Itonaeans and Melaeans, who lived on their borders, and were a colony from them. So Phaeax returned, and arrived at Athens some time after.

[1] Dum autem in Siciliam pervehitur, et rursus inde revenitur, etiam cum nonnullis Italiae civitatibus egit de amicitia cum Atheniensibus ineunda; et incidit etiam in Locros, qui Messana, quam incoluerant, expulsi erant, et qui post compositionem inter Sicilienses factam, quum Mes-sanenses seditione laborarent, et eorum altera factio Locros accivisset, coloni submissi sunt, et fuit Messana aliquandiu in Locrorum potestate.

[2] In hos igitur quum Phaeax domum redeuntes incidisset, eos nulla injuria affecit; Locri enim cum ipso transegerant de compositione cum Atheniensibus facienda.

[3] Soli enim omnium sociorum , quo tempore Sicilienses gratiae reconciliationem inter se fecerunt, cum Alheniensious foedus inire noluerunt; et ne tunc quidem id fecissent, nisi bellum, quod cum Itonensibus et Melaeis, finitimis et colonis suis, gerebant, ipsos tenuisset occupatos* Et Phaeax quidem postea Athenas rediit.

E tanto nel suo passaggio in Sicilia, quanto nel ritorno si maneggiò pure in Italia con alcune città per tirarle all’amicizia degli Ateniesi. Favellò ancora ad alcuni Locri, i quali erano stati cacciati di Messina, ove si erano accasati. Qui è da sapere che dopo l’accordo dei Siciliesi, regnando diverse sette in Messina , una di esse invilo i Locri, i quali furono mandati colà ad abitare, e tennero qualche tempo quella città. Ora Feace trovati costoro che ritornavano alla patria, non li offese in nulla perchè i Locri avevano convenuto con lui di accomodarsi con gli Ateniesi ; essendoché fra tutti i confederati essi soli, quando seguì l’accordo dei Siciliesi, non avean voluto far lega con Atene, e nemmeno farebbero fatta allora se non gli strìngeva la guerra con gl' Itonei, e co’ Melei loro coloni e confinanti. Feace qualche tempo dopo ritornò in Atene.